Epiphany: What Do We Really Know About the Wise Men?

Writing the story of Adrina, the Magi’s wife, for Gaze Upon Jesus, (get the story of Adrina in your inbox by clicking here) I discovered that what we DON’T know of the Magi who visited Jesus is far more than what we DO know. 

What we know from Matthew’s Gospel

• The Magi came from the East
• They saw a star heralding the “newborn King of the Jews”
• They asked at Herod’s palace in Jerusalem
• They found Jesus and Mary in a house in Bethlehem
• They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrrh

What we don’t know

• Who they were. The names Melchior, Balthazar, and Caspar were first found in a Greek manuscript almost five hundred years later.
• Where they came from. Some scholars say as close as Petra. Others from far-flung regions of Persia, Arabia, or Africa.
• How many wise men visited Jesus. The gospel account only indicates three gifts, not three men. There could have been two . . . or twelve.
• When they came. There is debate on the year of their visit and the exact appearance of the star. It may have been up to several years after Jesus’ birth.

The mystery and majesty surrounding Epiphany sparked the story of Adrina, the Magi’s wife. Adrina is a a woman of Persia—wise in the ways kings and men but with little faith in gods. She journeys with her husband to far-off Judea, where she finds great danger — and an astonishing child who plants the seeds of faith in her heart.

You can get Adrina’s story here as my gift to you.

I loved Adrina’s story so much, I’m considering writing a full novel about her. Let me know if you’d like to read more of Adrina’s story!

More Free Stories:

Lila, the Innkeeper’s Servant

Lila is a poor servant—simple, lame, and with nothing to offer. She wishes only to feel the ‘inside peace’ she had known once as a child. When her master at the inn denies a man and his pregnant wife a place to lay their heads, Lila knows she must help. Her act of courage brings her gaze upon the newborn King . . . and may bless her with a peace beyond all understanding.

All that Glitters, a bonus chapter from In A Far-Off Land

Max Clark is surrounded by the glittering stars of Hollywood, but he’s never been more alone. Everyone he’s ever loved is either dead or hates him. That’s when he sees a girl that he can’t get out of his mind. Max has made plenty of mistakes in his life but maybe—for once—he can be the hero of a story instead of the villain. Maybe he can help Minerva Sinclaire find her happy ending

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Lila, The Innkeeper’s Servant and Adrina, the Wife of the Magi, were first published in the Advent devotional Gaze Upon Jesus, Experiencing Christ’s Childhood Through the Eyes of Women. I’m thankful to CatholicVinyard.com and Ave Maria Press for their part in making these stories available to you!