Uploaded December 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this presentation, biblical scholar Michael Patrick Barber explains the meaning of the story of the magi. Who were they, what was the famous star they followed to Bethlehem, and how are we to understand their three gifts? It is only by looking at the way the Gospel of Matthew draws carefully from the Old Testament that we can fully understand the story.
instituteofcatholicculture.org/events/star-of-wonder
Instructor
Michael Patrick Barber is Professor of Scripture and Theology at the Augustine Institute (Denver, CO). He received his Ph.D. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has authored scholarly articles for academic journals (e.g., Journal of Biblical Literature and Journal for the Study of Paul and His Letters). In addition to his teaching and academic research, Dr. Barber has written public-facing works, most recently, The True Meaning of Christmas: The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season (Augustine Institute Press, 2021; Foreword by John Cavadini) In addition to engaging the world of scholarship, Dr. Barber is known for his ability to translate his research into terms accessible for all audiences and is therefore a regular speaker at national Catholic conferences and parish events. He writes for the blog The Sacred Page (www.TheSacredPage.com), one of the top-ranked “biblioblogs” (Bible blogs written by academics). He lives in Aurora, CO, with his wife Kimberly and their six children.
Want to dive deeper? Visit our website for hundreds of hours of free audio and video content: instituteofcatholicculture.org
In this presentation, biblical scholar Michael Patrick Barber explains the meaning of the story of the magi. Who were they, what was the famous star they followed to Bethlehem, and how are we to understand their three gifts? It is only by looking at the way the Gospel of Matthew draws carefully from the Old Testament that we can fully understand the story.
instituteofcatholicculture.org/events/star-of-wonder
Instructor
Michael Patrick Barber is Professor of Scripture and Theology at the Augustine Institute (Denver, CO). He received his Ph.D. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has authored scholarly articles for academic journals (e.g., Journal of Biblical Literature and Journal for the Study of Paul and His Letters). In addition to his teaching and academic research, Dr. Barber has written public-facing works, most recently, The True Meaning of Christmas: The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season (Augustine Institute Press, 2021; Foreword by John Cavadini) In addition to engaging the world of scholarship, Dr. Barber is known for his ability to translate his research into terms accessible for all audiences and is therefore a regular speaker at national Catholic conferences and parish events. He writes for the blog The Sacred Page (www.TheSacredPage.com), one of the top-ranked “biblioblogs” (Bible blogs written by academics). He lives in Aurora, CO, with his wife Kimberly and their six children.
Want to dive deeper? Visit our website for hundreds of hours of free audio and video content: instituteofcatholicculture.org
