Stomach Hurts After Eating Apples

The "king" Magi

In periodo natalizio, per evidenti motivi, ci sono piu' occasioni di essere intervistati sugli episodi relativi all'infanzia di Gesu' e sul valore "storico" di questi racconti. Proprio durante uno di questi esercizi, mi e' capitato di riflettere un po' sulla storia della visita dei Magi e sulla storia della sua interpretazione. Mt 2:1-12, fra i racconti leggendari nei Vangeli, e' di certo uno dei piu' affascinanti, ma e' notevole vedere quanto vi sia stato aggiunto dall'esegesi and pity '"popular."

Consider, for example, that the Magi are often depicted as king, although 'there is no trace of this particular in Matthew. There 'are those who maintain that this development "political" is to be connected to the fact that, immediately, the wise men become role models for the "true believer". The scene of adoration displayed on a large number of sarcophagi of the early Christian era, as in the example shown here. It 's interesting to note that, in addition to gold taken from the first, the other wise men do not have the gifts you would expect, but bread and other foodstuffs. Some interpret this as a reference to particular charities that the deceased put in the foreground to show that he deserved salvation (indeed, it even comes to identify the "owner" of the sarcophagus in the fourth character robe that follows the trio of the Magi, however, wear the proper clothing left).

This overlap between the Magi and individual believers became even more 'interesting when the emperors became Christians. Until that point, the political meaning of history was limited to the poor showing made by Herod, but it 's clear that, from Constantine onwards, the sovereign can not' more 'accepting of being relegated to such an uncomfortable position. In fact, from the fourth century begins to peep at the idea that the Magi were "king" and then this will become 'an immovable element of history in medieval times. Like the Magi, the king has his crown of gold as an offering to the baby Jesus', in return, Jesus' sovereign guarantees the "right" to rule, precisely because 'of this solemn demonstration of devotion.

that the Magi are "kings" began to be criticized when the Reformers urge to be more 'careful what e' actually wrote in the New Testament. However, as pointed out in his commentary on Matthew Luz, and this' just another demonstration of the exegetical decisions have little impact in this field: in all respects, especially nei paesi cattolici, i Magi sono rimasti "re" e come tali vengono rappresentati ed immaginati.