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Matthew 2:1-2 (KJV)
2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
The wise men mentioned in the above verses are what are traditionally referred to as “the three wise men”. You see them every year at Christmas as a part of the Nativity scene. There’s only one problem; They weren’t there.
“What do you mean!?” you’re probably asking. “Of course they were! They brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh!!”
Yes they did. Two years later.
Matthew 2:11(KJV)
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:16 (KJV)
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
Jesus was no longer in a manger. Mary and Joseph had found a house in Bethlehem, and that’s where the wise men came to worship him.
Also, it never says there was three wise men. There was only three gifts, so people assumed there were three wise men. But there could have been twenty for all we know.