tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8960598518385569926.post8205225069500438911..comments2007-08-04T20:20:34.334-05:00Comments on Pondering The Gospels: Matthew 2: 1-12Rich in Brooklynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10589780733691616974noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8960598518385569926.post-2748049020190801402007-08-04T20:20:00.000-05:002007-08-04T20:20:00.000-05:00Herod always wantsto kill the children; it isnothi...Herod always wants<BR/>to kill the children; it is<BR/>nothing you did wrong; it is<BR/><BR/>nature. You should not<BR/>complain so.<BR/><BR/>[as written by someone in one of my unpublished novels!]<BR/><BR/>Anyway. Those Persians. Probably traveling with a formidable armed retinue, out a little beyond their nation's sphere of influence but not in a place (yet) under direct Roman occupation. I dunno, but sounds plausible. Monotheism was definitely a respectable Persian tradition, and the Persians had certainly been willing to let Jerusalem be governed as a theocracy within their empire before the Greeks came along...forresthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03214745625847174676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8960598518385569926.post-82372699580133963342007-08-04T19:34:00.000-05:002007-08-04T19:34:00.000-05:00Sorry I haven't been following you more faithfully...Sorry I haven't been following you more faithfully... Anyway, my college Old Testament prof believed that these 'Magi' were Persian nobles, astrologers as many of them were. Many Persians were also sympathetic toward the Hebrew religion, to which they contributed some of their own beliefs when they'd been the dominant empire in the area. In Roman-dominated territory they would have been distinctly under suspicion. More later maybe, but I'm called off to fetch my wife's dinner...forresthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03214745625847174676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8960598518385569926.post-84232941935178072962007-03-14T15:51:00.000-05:002007-03-14T15:51:00.000-05:00Hi Rich,Just wanted to let you know that I've foun...Hi Rich,<BR/><BR/>Just wanted to let you know that I've found your blog and have been enjoying reading it. This resonates with me in that our Friendly Bible Study group had been studying Matthew until the temporary suspension of the group due to a scheduling conflict. A lot of the same issues came up, as one might expect. <BR/><BR/>Take care,<BR/><BR/>DavidDavid Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14232832969784724335noreply@blogger.com