Epiphany: Why tell a story about Iranian fire-priests (or even astrologers)? What place do they have in a story of the birth of the Anointed One of the Storm God of the Semites? Yes, the parallel with Balaam. Yes, the point that the magi give homage while the priests and the scribes do not, while the reigning king of Judah tries to kill him. But still… It comes out of left field, and then vanishes back into left field again. What did Matthew think he was doing as a matter of book-writing?

Ἐλθόντες δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα…

Elthontes de Iēsou gennēthentos en Bēthleem tēs Ioudaias en hēmerais Hērōdou tou basileōs, idou magoi apo anatolōn paregenonto eis Hierosolyma…

It having came about that Iesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east came to Jerusalem