Magi

The name of the ancient hereditary priests and learned Adepts in Persia and Media, a word derived from Maha (“great”), which later became mog or mag, meaning “priest” or “great one” in the Pahlavi language. Porphyry describes them as follows: “The learned men who are engaged among the Persians in the service of the Deity are called Magi.” And Suidas informs us that “among the Persians the lovers of wisdom are called Magi.” The priestly caste of Magi was divided into three classes or degrees: 1) Herbeds, or disciples; 2) Mobeds, or Masters; 3) Destur Mobeds, or Perfect Masters. The Chaldees had similar colleges, as did the Egyptians, Destur Mobeds being identical to the Hierophants of the Mysteries, as practised in Greece and Egypt. The Maha-atma (the great Soul or Spirit) in India had priests in the pre-Vedic times. The Magians were priests of the Sun and the fire-god; we find them among the Assyrians and Babylonians, as well as among the Persian fire-worshippers. The three Magi, also denominated kings that are said to have made gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh to the infant Jesus, were fire-worshippers like the rest and astrologers for they saw his star.