The magi remain one of the most mysterious figures in the entire Bible. The Gospel of Matthew gives us the most details about them, but it still is very little information.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage"...They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
The Gospel accounts do not give any more information, including their names.
However, tradition has sought to fill the gaps of the Gospel.
Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior
Many are familiar with the Epiphany blessing of the home, in which the magi are given three names, Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior.
Where did these names come from?
Fr. Dwight Longenecker explains that these names came much later in history in his book, The Mystery of the Magi:
The Excerpta Latina Barbari composed in Alexandria, calls them Bithisarea, Melichior and Gathaspa or as we know them, Balthasar, Melchior and Caspar. Two centuries earlier a Syrian writer named them Hormizdah, King of Persia, Yazdegerd, King of Saba and Perozadh, King of Sheba. In contrast, Syriac Christians named the Magi, Larvandad, Gushnasaph, and Hormisdas. Ethiopian Christians called them Hor, Karsudan, and Basanater, while the Armenians said they were named, Kagpha, Badadakharida and Badadilma.
The names are not based on any historical record, but primarily on local traditions that are trying to fill in the gaps.
All we know definitively is that a group of "magi" came to visit Jesus and that they were led there by a "star."
The magi will continue to be a mystery until we are able to meet them one day in Heaven.
