I’ve seen speculation several places that the Magi who visited baby Jesus with gifts, (Matthew 2), were Zoroastrians.
Interesting religion.
“I’ve seen speculation several places that the Magi who visited baby Jesus with gifts, (Matthew 2), were Zoroastrians.”
I have as well. It is a long-standing belief.
Marco Polo claimed to have seen their graves in Persia.
The wise men were apparently monotheistic (since God directed them), from the East, and not Jewish, or at least not under the Law of Moses, so Zoroastrian is one of a few possible candidates.
I know nothing about zorastrian, other than it would apparently qualify as a Noahadic religion, and thus would be a valid relgion, pre-Christ.
The Zoroastrians followed one of the most logical and civilized of Pre-Christian religions. They beleived life was a struggle between good and evil and held hope that the birth of Jesus would move the needle in the direction of good. This is the key reason the Persians kings were so anxious to visit the Christ child. This would be a logical step for the Modern Persians to get back to when he comes again, as he surely will.
The coming of a prophet under a shining star was a prediction of Zarthust (Zoroaster) in the Gantas of the Avesta. Also, the word “magi” comes from the religious scholars of Zoroastrianism. They were known to perform miracles also where the word “magic” comes from.
Which adds even more prevalence on the theory that the Magi were Zoroastrians.