Three Wise Men

[doorknob]

Un-named in the bible but who gave them the names, Balthazaar, Caspar, Melchior??

(Is History/myths the correct category for this question? Is the Bible a myth?  but that's another question)

[Ray The Grey]

The referance books I have only agree that they were actually only named in later centuries - they say this is not actually known by whom or when.

The Bible is certainly part History as it ties in with a lot of archaeological information and also tallies with a number of other religions histories. I believe it is part myth too, but that's another story.

[Quizmonster]

Click http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/Biographies/concerning_the_magi_and_their_na.htm

and scroll down to the paragraph which opens: "The Western tradition..." There you will see that the earliest version of the names of the Magi appeared in a Greek manuscript of the 6th century AD.

This was later translated into Latin and the first mention of the names by an English writer appears to have been in a text entitled 'Excerpta et Collectanea', which may have been by the Venerable Bede who died in the 7th century.

So, the names have seemingly been around for at least a millennium and a half.

[Peter Pedant]

For a long time people did not agree which books should be in the Bible, or indeed whta they are called.

The Roman Cathlics still have a few more than the protestants

others got booted out. for example these are the Infancy Gospels, Gospel of Mary, Thomas and Book of Enoch.

Howver the traditions are caried on, even though now the sources are er in the doldrums. The names of the three kings, the assumption (of the body of Mary into heaven) are now not found in the NT.

Doctrinally, they may be important. Egyptian christians = Copts believe in one nature of Christ ( = monophysite) and that is all divine. (The possibilities are  all human, and half-and-half) so stories of the Infant jesus making mud birds, touching them and they fly off, are important to them. Romans (Catholics) on the other hand believe that Jesus was human before he was crucified, so theFeast of the Circumcision Jan 6th is an important feast bearing witness to this and stress that all J's miracles were done through the Father -before the crucifixion- and by hmself after resurrection showing his divinity......I mean you reads the book and makes the choice.....hope this helps