AS SEEN ON TV: THE MAGI

Since we reached the Feast of the Epiphany yesterday.....

THE THREE WISE MEN

AS SEEN IN:
'Jesus Of Nazareth'

AS PLAYED BY:
Balthazar - James Earl Jones
Melchior - Donald Pleasance
Gaspar - Fernando Rey

From Wikipedia:
In Christian tradition, the Magi, also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men, (Three) Kings, or Kings from the East, are a group of distinguished foreigners who are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the Nativity and in celebrations of Christmas. Magi is a term derived from Greek (meaning a priest of Zoroaster). The Gospel of Matthew, the only one of the four Gospels to mention the Magi, states that they came "from the east" to worship the Christ, "born King of the Jews".

Although the account does not tell how many they were, the three gifts led to a widespread assumption that they were three as well. Their identification as kings in later Christian writings is linked to Old Testament prophesies such as that in Isaiah 60:3, which describe the Messiah being worshipped by kings. This interpretation was challenged by the Protestant Reformation.

Traditions identify a variety of different names for the Magi. In the Western Christian church they have been commonly known as:

Melchior
Gaspar
Balthasar

Bible historian Chuck Missler mentions an Armenian tradition identifying the Magi as Balthasar of Arabia, Melchior of Persia and Gasper of India.

Embedding was disabled, but you can see the Magi in these YouTube clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja5EhlQ6SPg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bksg2mRsiv4&NR

BCnU!