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Why do people say it took 2 years for the magi to visit Jesus?

The story goes that they saw the star in the east and came to king Herod and asked where the child was. No one knew so they searched and when the Magi found him they worshipped him and gave him the gifts.

I admit it had to have taken some time but many people claim it took two years. How do they come to that conclusion?

10 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Note that the Bible account does not say that they found the babe Jesus in a manger, as customarily depicted in Christmas art. When the astrologers arrived, Jesus and his parents were living in a house. As to Jesus’ age at that time, remember that, based on what Herod had learned from the astrologers, he decreed that all the boys in the district of Bethlehem two years of age and under were to be destroyed.

    Matthew 2:16- Then Herod, seeing he had been outwitted by the astrologers, fell into a great rage, and he sent out and had all the boys in Beth′le·hem and in all its districts done away with, from two years of age and under, according to the time that he had carefully ascertained from the astrologers.

  • 1 decade ago

    It's a bit of guesswork. The Magi saw the star and then came to Jerusalem looking for the new king. Herod consults his advisers and they tell Herod the new king is supposed to be born in Bethlehem. Herod sends the Magi to go to Bethlehem and then come back to him and report what they find. The Magi find the child but leave by a different way and don't tell Herod. Herod orders all male children under 2 years old around Bethlehem killed in accordance with when the Magi had first seen the star (2 years earlier).

    The presumption is that the star appeared when Jesus was born but we don't know that for sure. The Magi might have taken a long time to decide what to do and then to make preparations for the long journey. Or the star might not have appeared until much after Jesus birth.

    The Magi probably didn't find Jesus at Bethlehem; they probably found him in Nazareth for Jesus was not an infant and was living in a house. Also Bethlehem is only 2 miles from Jerusalem and the Magi would hardly have needed a star to guide them there.

  • 5 years ago

    Jesus was still months old when the Magi visited Him. After His birth on a manger at Bethlehem Joseph and Mary bought Him home. It was at their home when they Magi found Jesus. Historians believed that Herod the Great died on the same year Jesus was born. After the visit of the Magi Joseph and Mary was instructed by God to go to Egypt. So Jesus was just a young child of least than one year old when His parents brought Him to Egypt. Matthew 2:13-14 Now when they had departed behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stayed there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt.

  • 1 decade ago

    The only way I know of was when Herod had all the children killed from 2 years old and younger. Herod wanted Jesus killed. Joseph took Jesus and Mary into Egypt to escape the death of these children by Herod. If they'd stayed Jesus would have been killed also.

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  • Cat
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    I hadn't heard two years - I was thinking several months. What I read/saw was that astronomers had regressed the yearly star patterns, and found the "star" that was mentioned in the Bible. To astologers, this star, because of position, would have heralded the birth of a king. So, the wise men set off to see who would be born under this once-in-a-lifetime event. Coming from their land, it would have taken a good deal of travel time. Hence the delay.

    PS - according to the star timeline, Jesus was born in July - August. The wise men may have showed in December. But that's not Jesus' real birth date. The Christian church "usurped" the pagan holiday of Yule to aid in conversions.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I don't know, but it might be to do with Herod ordering all the children under the age of 2 to be killed (Matthew 2:16).

  • kat
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    Because Herod had all the baby boys 2 and under killed when he couldn't find Jesus.

  • 1 decade ago

    easy they visited him in a house and not the manger, and if they came from India or there abouts then the trip would have been long and also the children that Herod decided to kill..

    Source(s): Mat 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: Mat 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    it says in the Bible how old the baby Jesus was when they came

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    O.K. before I can give my oppinion, can you tell me who "Magi" Is? BTW, are you a Christian?

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