Historic Evidence Why the Magi – Wise Men were Zoroastrian Priest.

Searching for the Wise Men

• Christmas Wise men – The Wise still Seek the Savior
• The Irony of the Wise Men
• The Wise Men bring Trouble to Jerusalem
• The Wise Men’s dream leads to the Gospel
• Historic Evidence Why the Magi – Wise Men were Zoroastrian Priest.

Where were the Magi from Persia, and were they attached to the Persian religion of Zoroastrianism? There are key insights that indicate a high probability that they were religious leaders of this Persian religion. Let’s look into who the Magi – Wise Men were.

Magi is a Persian religious term

In Matthew 2:1-12, the account shows the worship of Jesus by the Magi, a term (2:1 and 2:7) often translated as “wise men” or, by some, “astrologers.” Yet, this term in Greek (μάγος (magos), plural μάγοι (magoi)) comes from the Persian word for Zoroastrian priests, skilled in astrology and religious rituals.

Herodotus, who wrote a few centuries before the birth of Christ (5th century), gave a few meanings or activities of these people. He labels them a people group (Histories 1.101), interpreters of dreams (Histories 1.107-108), trained religious members who offered sacrifices (Histories 1.132), and especially as overseeing political succession (Histories 3.61-79).

In this last reference, before Darius the Great, the magi priests placed into power over Persia the Pseudo-Smerdis leader, who resembled Cambyses’ brother Smerdis (Bardiya), who was to take the throne. So this last point, most likely known even to Herod, would create some suspicion about what was taking place in the King’s court in Jerusalem.

The Persian Religion – Zoroastrianism

Before the time of Christ, Zoroastrianism existed alongside a variety of religious traditions in the Iranian world, including Judaism, Mithraism, and the cult of the goddess Anahita, and was shaped by their interactions. At its core, the faith centered on Ahura Mazda as the supreme deity, engaged in an ongoing cosmic struggle against evil (Angra Mainyu) and human moral failure. Zoroastrian ethics emphasized the ideals of Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds, while also honoring divine beings such as the Amesha Spentas, who embody aspects of Ahura Mazda, and the Yazatas, angelic figures including Mithra and Anahita, who upheld cosmic order through ritual devotion.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, Zoroastrian belief was mainly transmitted through oral tradition, with only a limited body of written texts. Over time, interpretations and regional practices altered elements of its original monotheistic focus. Mithra and Anahita, for example, developed extensive cultic systems, including solar temples for Mithra and a prominent Anahita sanctuary at Kangavar in Iran. Hundreds of Mithra-related sites existed across the ancient world; while many in Iran were integrated into Zoroastrian practice, solar and light worship continued independently within the Roman sphere. Iran itself preserves multiple historical sites associated with Anahita and several dedicated to Mithra, reflecting the religion’s complex and evolving religious landscape.

Zoroasterian Priests and Astrology

The Persian religion, known for reading the stars and interpreting dreams, on this occasion noticed the star that came to see Jesus’ birth. Ziggurats (such as Choga Zanbil) provide historical context for this connection. The Avesta, which is the written religious book of the Zoroastrians, states the importance of stars and how they direct them.^[1]https://ramiyarkaranjia.com/2019/01/25/what-is-the-perception-of-stars-in-the-avesta-tmy-jj-of-9-12-18/

In the Matthew 2 account, we see them following the star and coming to worship the king-to-be. “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2, ESV). God used this star and their interest in gazing at the heavenly lights to guide them to the Savior. Their association to the celestial sky opened them up to coming to see Jesus.

Persian Religion and the Messiah

An interesting reference from the Avesta speaks of a coming leader, called a Saoshyant. In Yasht 13.129, it says, “13:129. Whose name will be the victorious SAOSHYANT and whose name will be Astvat-ereta. He will be SAOSHYANT (the Beneficent One), because he will benefit the whole bodily world; he will be ASTVAT-ERETA (he who makes the bodily creatures rise up), because as a bodily creature and as a living creature he will stand against the destruction of the bodily creatures, to withstand the Druj of the two-footed brood, to withstand the evil done by the faithful.” Some think that this belief influenced these Magi.^[2]see the chart on this website: https://qurantalkblog.com/2025/07/15/the-zoroastrian-prophecy-of-saoshyant-in-matthews-gospel/

Possible that may have existed but the key difficulty in this thinking that the Zoroastrian religion depended a lot upon oral tradition. So this could be a story that resulted from the Matthew 2 episode. See my write-up about how Zoroastrians most likely gleaned a lot of Judaism and how late their book came to be written down.

The Persian Religion and Gifts

The gifts mentioned in Matthew 2:11 fit naturally within the context of Persian religious and royal traditions. Gold, as in many empires, served as a royal tribute in Middle Eastern and Central Asian courts. Frankincense, known as Loban, was used both as incense in Zoroastrian worship and as a valuable trading spice, linking the gift to Persian religious rituals. Myrrh was likely used alongside frankincense and, as referenced in Esther 2:12, functioned as a spice for purification. Although myrrh is often described as an embalming agent, this practice was common in Egypt, not among Persians, who, as Zoroastrians, had different burial customs.

Parthia and Persian Religion

Within the Parthian Empire, from their capital, Ctesiphon on the Tigris River, many royal administrators carried out their duties. The Magi functioned primarily as Iranian priest-scholars who preserved Zoroastrian ritual life, such as conducting sacrifices and prayers tied to their religious beliefs. Kings and royals were also recognized as experts in astral observation and the interpretation of omens, advising Parthian nobles and kings on matters of destiny, legitimacy, and royal favor. While they did not wield political power, their religious authority gave them influence in coronations, dynastic transitions, and the public recognition of kingship, making them respected and feared. Their status enabled them to appear before the Jerusalem court as learned religious elites, rather than merely having access to a Persian court.  

Come to Worship

I love the powerful testimony of these Magi. They have come to worship the king and they stated this intent in front the powerful and unjust ruler of Jerusalem area. The main focus of Christmas is upon who is born. Jesus is the king and he is Lord. Much like these Persians came to worship Jesus like wise is the king that the scriptures say in Philippians 2:9-11 –  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.