Expert: Clifford H. Readout, Jr. - 1/6/2011

Question
how large was the traveling party of the three magi,bringing gold myree and frankensence to baby Jesus?

Answer
Dear “patsimms” (Pat Simms?),

Apparently you have learned that some very popular traditional beliefs may not actually be true.

The only Biblical account of the visit of the wise men is found in Matthew 2:1-13.  God’s Word does not specify how many "wise men" (Greek "magos" = oriental scientist, or by implication, magician) from the East came seeking the One who was born King of the Jews.  Neither does the Bible tell us how many others may have been in their entourage.  There were more than one, since they are referred to using plural forms, but how many more than one, we cannot say with any certainty.

Traditionally, it has been assumed that there were three, but this is based entirely on the fact that there were three kinds of gifts mentioned, "gold, and frankincense, and myrrh".  But this does not tell us that there were three givers, only three kinds of gifts.  It may be that there were three "wise men", each of them bringing one particular kind of gift, but this is nothing more than an assumption, and cannot be proven from the Biblical text.

It is also interesting that the wise men probably did not visit near the time of his birth, and probably not to Bethlehem.  The text does not say it, nor imply it.  It is another assumption.  Here are some considerations generally ignored:
Matthew 2:9 might indicate that the star led them to someplace other than Bethlehem, probably Nazareth, since that was Joseph's home town (Luke 1:26, 2:4, 2:39; and Luke 2:21 tells us that they had already left Bethlehem to go to Jerusalem by the eighth day of His life). The wise men's joy at seeing the star might indicate that they did not have confidence that Herod shared their devotion and homage, and could not give them accurate information. It might also indicate that at the time of their arrival "where the young child was" the child was no longer an infant, but a toddler.
Matthew 2:7 and 16 gives us reason to believe that the visit of the wise men came close to two years after the first appearing of the star that did lead them to the One Who had been born King of the Jews.  (We are not told how far they travelled, nor how long the trip took, but we know they told Herod when the star appeared, and Herod used that dating to determine to murder all the male children two years old and younger.)
This would have made Christ about two years old when the star led them to where He was.

This seems also to fit what we know of God's provision.  The wise men arrived just in time to finance the trip of Joseph, Mary and Jesus to Egypt, their sojourn there, and return to Nazareth.

It is good to remember that traditions do not validate beliefs.  Only what is specified in the Bible is sure.  It is the "more sure word of prophecy", more sure even than the very voice of God speaking from heaven (2 Peter 1:16-21).  I commend you for being willing to question the common beliefs and seek the facts from God's Word.

I trust this answers your question.

CR