On the Historicity of the Magi's Episode (Mt 2:1-12)

The Magi's episode is sometimes perceived as a legend. Some see in it the staging of biblical texts referenced implicitly: Psalm 72 predicted that some kings from the East would bow down before the Messiah, offering him gold and frankincense (Mt 2:11).

But Matthew doesn't say that those Magi were kings, as the texts imply. And the texts don't say anything about myrrh. This proves that the story wasn't invented. The event itself suggested the biblical reference, without extrapolation or megalomania. [...]

That Magi would come, searching for a king, putting their faith in stars, Xavier Leon-Dufour* (who criticized a certain radicalism in Brown) explained, is not absolutely impossible, since, around the year 70, a Magi named Tiridates went to worship Nero.

Why not say that if any negative proof is missing, there remains an indication of non-impossibility.

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* Cf. Xavier Leon-Dufour, Recension de R. E. Brown, in Recherches de Science religieuse 66, 1978.

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Father René Laurentin,

Les de l'Enfance du Christ, Desclée, Paris, 1982.