Like many people around the world, “we meet these wise men every Christmas,” said bestselling author Raymond Arroyo, Fox News correspondent and author of the new book Wise Men Who Found Christmas (Sophia Institute Press). .
We see them in “local Christmas pageants,” he said. “Or they are under Christmas trees or in the windows of shops or in front of churches.”
Geniuses “seem to pop up all the time,” he told .
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A study conducted several years ago found that after the Virgin Mary, the Wise Men were the next most popular figures at Christmas. “They even beat Santa Claus internationally,” he said.
It makes sense, he added, because “in South America, in the Hispanic community, they have Three Kings Day, which is a huge deal.” The event concludes the 12 days of Christmas in Spanish culture.
Author Raymond Arroyo with a copy of The Wise Men Who Found Christmas, recently published by Sophia Institute Press. As he researched the Wise Men, “I was just blown away,” he said in an interview. He wanted to bring the historical reality to life for the readers.
(Raymond Arroyo)
This is “our Epiphany,” Arroyo added. “This is the original January 6th.”
On this day, he said, “we celebrate the wise men who came to see the Christ child.”
So, “Wises are a big deal everywhere except the United States, although they’re still pretty common here.”
He wanted to “force families to focus on the historical reality of these sages, because if they are real – the one they seek is just as real.”
“And we see them, but we know very little of them,” he said. “The gospel mentions only three gifts, not three wise men – so we have a problem with the truth.”
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As he dug and researched to prepare for his book, “I was just blown away when I found out who these guys were,” he said.
Arroyo emphasized the importance of the historic setting.
“If you know from the first century sources that these wise men came from Arabia, the only major kingdom that supplied them with these goods and made their way to Judea would have been the Nabataean kingdom, which is likely their origin. .”
Arroyo consulted many experts while preparing to write her new book. “What are they [the Wise Men] what he did is more adventurous and surprising,” he said, as the students realized the historical reality of that time.
(Press of the Sofia Institute)
He consulted first-century scholars, ancient world scholars, and biblical theologians, always with the intent “to help families focus on the historical truth of these sages—for if they are real, then the One they seek is also real.”
Magicians have always carried a sense of drama and been fascinated with them as part of their stories, Arroyo said – “You know, follow the star. It’s romantic. It’s an adventure. And when you root it in the context of historical reality. Time itself with teeth, what they do is more adventurous and surprising.”
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Arroyo added, “I think they risked their lives to go to Herod. This was a murderous king who killed his three sons and his wife. But they are part of the royal delegation. they had to go to him because he was.”
So, “The Gospel will be more accurate. These are all oral stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. So they only keep the good stuff. The rest they edit out.”
And “Why was this little tale of the wise men and the prophecies and the finding of the star and the Christ child—why was that important? That’s basically what I struggled with, and I wanted to see if history taught us anything.”
“Families crave the truth. It elevates the story and grounds their belief in something real.” – Raymond Arroyo
Now there’s great satisfaction for him: “Families are making it part of Christmas. Families are reaching for the truth. It elevates the story and grounds their belief in something real.”
He added: “I think it’s really important for families these days,” adding, “There are so many distractions.”
Especially at Christmas, Arroyo said, “There are very few moments when we get together with our children, our grandchildren, that I really want to have a conversation about history and values and memories.”
(iStock)
According to Arroyo, she felt this was the best way to share the story in a way that would make it available “for the whole family – for the whole family to enjoy.”
He added: “I write for families – for the young and for the young at heart.”
Especially at Christmas, he said, “There are very few moments when we get together with our children and grandchildren that I really want to have a conversation about history and values and memories. And that’s the only way. that is, bringing everyone together around a common story.”
Arroyo also said she would “pursue[s] stories that make me feel passionate. And like sages – they taught me things.”
Christmas dining scene with figurines of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as well as the wise men. These sages “were obedient to the truth,” said bestselling author Raymond Arroyo. “They chased him wherever it took him.”
(iStock)
“This is what they taught me this Christmas: You have to always be above the horizon. We often focus on things on the ground, things that don’t go right, planning for the future. You have to change your thinking . look up a little.”
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And “these kids have always been waiting for that sign,” he said.
“They may be the generation that waited 700 years for this sign to appear. They knew the story. They knew what to look for. They didn’t see it — but they kept looking.”
“I like to ground people in the truth of the past that speaks to their future.”
Then: “When they saw the light,” he says of the sages, “once they saw a star break up in the sky, they jumped on those Arabian horses, and they obeyed the truth. wherever it leads.”
And that, Arroyo added, “is what I try to do in my work.”
He says he enjoys “reviving things that have been lost, and I like to ground people in the truth of the past that speaks to their future. History speaks to our future – and I think we forget history too quickly.”
The new book, Wise Men Who Found Christmas, is available everywhere, including booksellers From Amazon.
By the way, Arroyo’s next series is called Turnabout Tales from HarperCollins/Zonderkids in the spring. The first book in the series is called Thomas Alva Edison’s Unexpected Light, out in March.
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Families will learn “how small moments and events in a person’s life can make a big difference” – just like in Edison’s life.