Who or [were ]the three wise men?
These men were astrologers. Their number has been traditionally set at three, because three gifts are mentioned in the Bible account: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In actuality, however many there were, they were likely accompanied by a caravan; after all, the gifts they brought weren’t exactly something from the dollar store, and they were traveling a long way and needed the protection of numbers. They apparently were familiar enough with the Jewish prophecies of a King who was to be born, but weren’t aware of details such as where the birth was to take place, so naturally they approached Herod first. They found the child Jesus (who, by this time, was probably a toddler of about 1 1/2 to 2 years old), so they don’t technically belong in a manger scene. They paid their respects, presented their gifts, and went home by a different route. That’s the bare bones of the story. It has since been embellished, making them kings and often depicting one as African, one as Oriental, and one as E
