Revelation of the Magi : the lost tale of the Three Wise Men's journey to Bethlehem

"A first-ever English translation and detailed analysis of [an] . . . eighth-century text uncovers a far more substantial version of the wise men story." — USA Today Theologian Brent Landau presents the ancient account of Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, the three "wise men" who journeyed to Bethlehem to greet the birth of Jesus. The Revelation of the Magi offers the first-ever English translation of an ancient Syriac manuscript written in the second to third century after the birth of Christ and safeguarded for generations in the Vatican Library. Following in the footsteps of Elaine Pagels and her exploration of the Gnostic Gospels, including the controversial Gospel of Judas, Landau delivers an invaluable source of information to a world interested in learning more about the Nativity and the life of Jesus of Nazareth. "Astonishing, delightful, and theologically sophisticated." —Marvin Meyer, Griset Professor of Religious Studies, Chapman University, author of Gospels of Mary "Landau's presentation—bright and sharp as a gemstone—emphasizes the unique challenge and radical depth of this ancient text's theology." —John Dominic Crossan, author of Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography and The Greatest Prayer "An epic tale. In a new, lucid translation, Landau offers English readers a chance to hear this remarkable story for the first time." —Karen L. King, author of the Secret Revelation of John "Landau is to be congratulated for bringing this important and unexpectedly influential work to light." Jennifer Knust, author of Unprotected Texts "Landau shows, with skill and authority, how the "Revelation" contains a valuable message of tolerance that is needed as much today as in the years of its composition." — Los Angeles Times (online)

Each Christmas, adults and children alike delight at the story of the kings from the East who followed the star to Bethlehem to offer gifts to the newborn Christ. While this familiar tale is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, another little-known version later emerged that claimed to be the eyewitness account of the wise men. This ancient manuscript has lain hidden for centuries in the vaults of the Vatican Library, but through the determined persistence of a young scholar, Brent Landau, this astonishing discovery has been translated into English for the very first time as the Revelation of the Magi.

Everything we know about the wise men is based on only a few verses from the Bible. With the Revelation of the Magi, we can now read the story from the Magi's perspective. Readers will learn of the Magi's prophecies of God's incarnation from the beginning of time, their startling visitation in the form of a star, the teachings they receive from the baby Jesus, and the wise men's joyous return to their homeland to spread the good news.

This ancient version of the Christmas story is guaranteed to astonish and delight. It will also raise larger questions of the significance and meaning of Christ's birth, and the mission to spread the good news to every corner of the globe. All the drama and intrigue of the brief description of Jesus's birth in the Bible is filled out in greater, more colorful detail, offering for the first time the complete story of these beloved characters.

“Astonishing, delightful, and theologically sophisticated.” —Marvin Meyer, Griset Professor of Religious Studies, Chapman UniversityTheologian Brent Landau presents the ancient account of Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, the three “wise men” who journeyed to Bethlehem to greet the birth of Jesus. The Revelation of the Magi offers the first-ever English translation of an ancient Syriac manuscript written in the second to third century after the birth of Christ and safeguarded for generations in the Vatican Library. Following in the footsteps of Elaine Pagels and her exploration of the Gnostic Gospels, including the controversial Gospel of Judas, Landau delivers an invaluable source of information to a world interested in learning more about the Nativity and the life of Jesus of Nazareth. A first English-language translation of an ancient manuscript recounts the Christmas story from the viewpoints of the three kings, describing the Magi's pre-Christian beliefs as well as key insights about their Shir homeland