Three Kings?

There are things we think we know about the bible because of art, songs and movies or plays.

I was at a clergy meeting last year when one of our number gave out a Christmas Bible quiz loaded with trick questions.

One question was: "How many kings visited Jesus in the stable?"

Sadly - most of us answered 3. Well you know the song, "We three kings of orient are."

Actually the bible does not say kings. It says that "Maji" or wise men came looking for Jesus. It does not say kings nor does it say how many wise men there were though the word is plural. They brought three kinds of gifts so we assume one gift from each wise man but you know all about assumptions.

In addition to that it was pointed out that the bible never says Jesus was in a stable, only that his crib was a manger. Which could have been brought in to a house to be used as a crib. Yet every Christmas the stable is part of the scene.