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Mystery of the Magi

The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men

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Mystery of the Magi

By: Dwight Longenecker
Narrated by: Stephen McLaughlin
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The Magi of nativity scenes are romanticized as well-dressed wisemen bringing gifts to Jesus. Traditional Chrstians tell of a miraculous star that guided exotic kings from Persia, India, and Africa. Academics dismiss both accounts as no more than a pious legend.

Who is right?

In The Mystery of the Magi, Dwight Longenecker shows that all sides are wrong and the Magi were diplomats from Petra, the capital of the Nabatean kingdom of Arabia. Weaving together the history, politics, and religion of first century Palestine, Longenecker makes his case with archeological evidence, modern technology, ancient texts, and a startling new discovery by a Spanish archeo-astronomer. Longenecker's re-assessment of the Magi tradition overturns established understandings of the New Testament and revolutionizes our reading of the Bible, and the implications demand a fresh examination of the historical roots of Christianity.

©2017 Dwight Longenecker (P)2017 Audible, Inc. Bible Study Bibles Bibles & Bible Study Christianity History Middle East Royalty Wizardry Magic Users Magic Ancient History Biography Tradition
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Packed full of facts, historical and biblical. The author has gone to great pains to give evidence for the historicity of the Magi and also, to point out later additions that are not in the Bible, but familiar at Christmas. I also like the fact that Dwight is very explicit when his writing is more speculative and this element represents the smaller part of the book. The writing is important as, so Dwight explains, when people doubt that the Magi were real people, they start doubting the rest of the Gospels too.

Well researched

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