Did Artaban ever see the king?

As Artaban is dying, he hears a voice saying, “Verily I say unto thee, inasmuch as thou hast done it unto the least of my brethren, thou hast done it unto me.” At that point, Artaban knows that his treasures were accepted, and the fourth wise man dies having found his king.

What did Artaban do with the sapphire?

Artaban set out on his journey to meet his companions but was delayed as he stopped, in a single act of human love, to help a dying man . The delay meant his companions left without him. He sold his sapphire to buy provisions for the journey he would now undertake alone.

Why did Artaban miss his planned meeting with the other Magi?

However, he stops along the way to help a dying man, which makes him late to meet with the caravan of the other three wise men. Because he missed the caravan, and he can't cross the desert with only a horse, he is forced to sell one of his treasures in order to buy the camels and supplies necessary for the trip.

Is there a legend of a fourth wise man?

There is an old legend of a 4th Wiseman named Artaban. Like the other Magi, he sees signs in the heavens proclaiming that a King had been born among the Jews. And so, he sets out to see the newborn ruler, carrying treasures to give as gifts to the child - a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl of great price.

Why did the three kings leave Artaban behind?

The three other wise men tire of waiting for their dilly-dallying comrade so they leave him behind to fend for himself, to make his way to Bethlehem on his own.

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What happened Artaban?

As Jesus dies, an earthquake hits the city and dislodges a heavy roof tile which strikes Artaban on the head and mortally wounds him.

What happened to the gold frankincense and myrrh?

An alternative tradition holds that Mary and Joseph used the gold to pay for the stable, the frankincense to perfume it and the myrrh as an ointment for the new-born baby.

What happened to the Magi after they left Jesus?

In the Book of Matthew, the magi stopped at Herod's palace on their way to Bethlehem, and the king asked them to let him know where this newborn babe was, so that “I may also go and pay him homage.” But the magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and so they left for their own country by another road” and ...

What happened to the three gifts of Artaban for Jesus?

Artaban has three items of great value to offer the Messiah when he finds him, but is forced to use them in order to help people in need. Thus, Artaban is left with nothing to offer the new born King. The story ends as Artaban, old and dying, finally meets Jesus.

What did the Magi see in the sky?

The story of the Star of Bethlehem appears only in the Book of Matthew. The gospel tells us that a bright star appeared in the eastern sky when Jesus was born, famously seen by a group of wise men. These biblical "Magi," sometimes called kings, now adorn nativity scenes around the world.

Was there a fourth Magi?

The story expands the account of the Biblical Magi, recounted in the Gospel of Matthew. It tells about a "fourth" wise man, a priest of the Magi named Artaban, from Persia. Like the other Magi, he sees signs in the heavens that a King had been born among the Jews.

Were there more than 3 Magi?

Eastern tradition sets the number of Magi at 12, but Western tradition sets their number at three, probably based on the three gifts of “gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11) presented to the infant.

What were the three Wisemans names?

From a wide assortment of names suggested for the Magi, those that eventually prevailed were Gaspar (or Caspar), Melchior, and Balthasar. But the names, like the lands of origin, were never consistently assigned to a particular king.

Who was the fourth king in the Bible?

The three Kings we know today – Balthazar, Gaspar, and Melchior – thought they must be in the wrong place. However, the fourth King, known as Hopsenmalt, showed the landlord his wonderful beer. In return, he was told the truth about the stable and the manger.

What is the name of the Other Wise Man in the story?

During the time of the birth of Jesus, a fourth Wise Man, Artaban, sells all his possessions to buy three precious jewels which he hopes to present to the newborn Christ Child. Although he planned to journey with the other three Magi to Bethlehem, he is delayed and fails to rendezvous with them.

Are the three kings mentioned in the Bible?

The only reference to these men in the Bible is in Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Matthew, and they're not called “wise men,” or “kings.” There's also no mention of how many men were there.

What did the wise men's gifts mean?

It represents the coming of Jesus to all – to Gentiles and Jews alike. The Magi saw the star from afar and traveled to worship the Christ Child. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh – each of which tells us something about Jesus' identity.

What did Fourth Wise Man bring?

The fourth wise man knew what he must do. He took the pearl from his bosom. Never had it seemed so luminous and radiant as it was now. He exchanged the girl's freedom for the pearl.

How long did it take for the Magi to get to Bethlehem?

According to the Gospel of Matthew, the men found the divine child in Bethlehem by following the North Star across the desert. According to later writings, the Kings (Melchior from Europe, Caspar from Arabia, and Balthazar from Africa) arrived twelve days after Jesus' birth.

How old was Mary when Jesus was born?

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However, now we believe that Mary and Joseph were both in their teens when Jesus was born, around sixteen and eighteen respectively. This was the norm for Jewish newlyweds at that time.

How much was the gold frankincense and myrrh worth?

Equivalent to today's prices, a pound of frankincense was worth $500 a pound, and a pound of myrrh was $4,000. Today, each are priced at approximately $15 a pound. However, the value of a pound of gold was valued at $600, and in today's market, a pound of gold could cost 10 times that amount.

What happened to the 3 wise mens gifts?

One legend says the thieves crucified with Jesus had stolen the gold given him at birth. Another says that Judas was made custodian of the gifts and he sold them and pocketed the money. There is a story that the myrrh given to Jesus as a child was used in his burial.

Which of the three kings was black?

Balthasar, king of Ethiopia or Saba, land of spices, was 40 and brought frankincense in a censer. He is traditionally depicted as black.

What gift did Balthasar give to Jesus?

According to Western church tradition, Balthasar is often represented as a king of Arabia or sometimes Ethiopia and is thus frequently depicted as a Middle Eastern or Black man in art. He is usually said to have given the gift of myrrh to the Christ Child.