From magi to kings

The Three Kings bringing the baby Jesus precious gifts, as depicted in the Golden Gospels of Henry III, circa 1220. Badische Landesbibliothek

The Three Kings have inspired countless customs and traditions, and no nativity scene would be complete without them. A look at the newborn baby Jesus’ three wondrous visitors and their backstory.

In Christmas cribs, they are always the last figures to appear: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, the Three Kings bearing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh who followed the star of Bethlehem to find the Christ Child, arriving at the scene of the nativity on 6 January, marking the end of the Christmas period.

It is worth taking a closer look at the story behind these three distinguished visitors and their appearance for they were not always known as kings, but were often commonly referred to as magi, stargazers or wise men. The manner in which they are depicted has also changed over the centuries to reflect the zeitgeist of the time – and continues to do so today.

Swissinfo regularly publishes articles from the Swiss National Museum’s blogExternal link dedicated to historical topics. The articles are always written in German and usually also in French and English.

The three visitors are first mentioned in the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew, where the disciple gives an account of wise men wishing to worship the newborn “king of the Jews”:

“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking: Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.” (Matthew 2: 1-2)

The original Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew uses the word magoy, which can be translated as ‘magicians’ or ‘sorcerers’. The transliterated term ‘Magi’ was initially used to refer to Persian priests, who were thought to be able to interpret dreams and omens and to predict the future by reading the stars. This early description of the trio is still reflected today in their Italian (Re Magi) and French (Rois mages) names.

The gifts presented by the Magi to the infant Jesus are another important element in the story. They too are first mentioned in the Gospel according to Matthew:

«On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.» (Matthew 2: 11)

On this mosaic in the Basilica Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, the Three Magi are shown dressed in the typical garb of Iranian kings, including breeches, fashioned from colourful brocade. They are rushing with their gifts towards Jerusalem, where they expect to find the “king of the Jews”. Wikimedia / Ruge

The legends around them only began to develop in the fourth century CE. But how did the Magi become kings? One reason can be found in the offerings they bore. As gold and frankincense are mentioned elsewhere in the Bible as the gifts of kings, the Magi soon came to be identified as royalty.

The number three is just as important. Matthew mentions three gifts, and so the Wise Men traditionally came to be depicted as three in number. But three also symbolises the Christian trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as well as the Christian virtues of faith, love and hope. The Three Kings would later acquire further symbolic dimensions through the geographical origins ascribed to them: in clothing, skin colour and age, they epitomise Africa, Asia and Europe, the three known continents at the time. And so, in the Christian message commonly conveyed from around 1500 onwards, the three visitors represent all humanity, as if the whole world were kneeling down before Jesus.

On this altarpiece of 1493 from the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Oberägeri, the Three Kings represent the three continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. And this is the way they would come to be depicted in nativity scenes. Musée national suisse

In the Middle Ages, as well as inspiring a cult of relics, the Three Kings gave rise to many different customs, some of which are still in existence today. Examples include the Sternsinger (literally meaning ‘star singers’) who go from house to house on Epiphany (also known as ‘Three Kings’ Day’) – especially in Catholic areas – singing carols and writing a blessing above the door.

Sternsinger going from door to door, circa 1975. ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

One old tradition that had almost died out in Switzerland is the Three Kings’ Cake with the little figurine hidden inside. It was only brought back to life in the 1950s following an extensive advertising campaign devised by the professional association of bakers and confectioners. While a bean was baked inside the cake in the 16th century, nowadays it contains the small plastic figure of a king, and the person lucky enough to find it is crowned king (or queen) for the day.

And, finally, the Three Kings appear as late but welcome guests in Christmas cribs. These nativity scenes first began to be displayed in bourgeois homes in the 18th century, almost always featuring the Three Kings, whose appearance varied according to fashion and region.

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A 20th century crib from the Philippines in which the Kings wear magnificently decorated robes. Musée national suisse

In this 1970 crib from Peru the long necks of the Three Kings are a nod to the llama. Musée national suisse

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The author

Alexander Rechsteiner holds an MA in modern English literature and political science and is Head of Marketing & Communication at the National Museum Zurich.

This article was first published on the blog of the Swiss National MuseumExternal link.