Magus

By Deane Barker • •

This is the singular form of “magi.” These were priests of a pre-Islamic religion in Iran: Zoroastrianism

They were also known as the “wise men of the East” who came to visit the infant Jesus in Matthew 2:1-12. The “east” or “direction of the rising sun” in those times would have been the kingdom of Persia.

Why I Looked It Up

From Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal:

The magus was noticeably irritated as soon as we entered the room.

Links from this – Zoroastrianism
An ancient religion practiced mainly in Iran. It is named for an Iranian prophet named Zoroaster or Zarathustra. Zoroastrianism was the official religion of Iran for almost 1,000 years. It is known to many modern audiences as the subject of Frederick Nietzsche’s work of fiction Thus Spoke...
Links from this – Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal August 7, 2024
I had to stop reading this one. It was recommended to me by a friend, but I was pretty uncomfortable with it. It’s a modern, snarky novel that purports to be an alternate version of the Gospels, written by Jesus Christ’s best friend, Biff. …yeah. There was the obvious sacrilegious angle that I...