1481: Biblical Magicians & The 3 Wise Men Jan 1, 2019

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In the biblical story of the Three Wise Men, these men are referred to either as that or as kings, but this isn't the whole picture. One of the dangers of only reading translations is that historical significance of and connotations to words change. The word used in the Bible is 'Magoi', which is the origin of 'magician' in English. Indeed, magi of the time were often involved in politics—hence 'kings'—and also 'priest', but their duties at the time included interpreting dreams and performing ritual sacrifices. Even the gifts they bring with them are from traditional magical practices. However, after centuries of this translation, it is hard to imagine changing the popular conception, and at this point anyway the idea of 'magician' has shifted significantly.
Notably, the suffix '-ic' has the ability to turn some nouns into adjectives, but in the word 'magic' this is only historically true. The words 'magic' and 'magician' all come from the same root as 'mage' and 'magus' (the singular form of the perhaps more famous 'magi').
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