Did boy Jesus actually talk to the wise men?

Three Wise Men are depicted presenting gifts to the baby Jesus the night he was born in Bethlehem in 2006's, "The Nativity Story." The Bible never mentions any wise men at the manger scene, but says they met Jesus as a young child in a house.

Is it possible that the young boy Jesus actually talked to the wise men, personally thanking them for the gifts they brought?

If you believe the words of Scripture instead of ancient fables that have endured for centuries, the possibility certainly exists.

Yes, it's true that millions of people have long assumed that "Three Wise Men" showed up at the manger scene the night Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

You've likely seen it on Christmas cards and in movies such as "The Nativity Story," or perhaps even acted out in a seasonal play.

But when the words of the Bible are examined without any preconceived notions, a different picture emerges. There is simply no mention of the precise number of wise men, and no mention of any wise men at the manger scene the night Jesus was born.

"If people would just crack open their own Bibles and see the words on the page, they'd be stunned to find out the truth of the matter," declares Joe Kovacs, who stands up for biblical truth in "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told."

"Here's what the Bible really says. Not a single wise man is ever shown at the manger scene. It was actually shepherds who made it there the night Jesus was born. The wise men showed up later, perhaps more than a year later, to meet Jesus for the first time as a young child in a house, not a babe in a manger. So, if the young boy Jesus was an early talker, he might have said 'Thank you' for the gifts He received!"

Need some reminders from the Bible?

Here's the actual verse from the New Testament regarding the first time the wise men saw Jesus:

"And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him ... ." (Matthew 2:11)

They saw a young child in a house. There's no mention of a barn, stable, manger or shepherds.

Another clue regarding Jesus' age when the wise men first met Him comes from the reaction of King Herod, who sought to assassinate the Savior of mankind.

Here's the key verse:

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men." (Matthew 2:16)

"The Bible goes out of its way to indicate Herod clearly believed that Jesus was not a newborn babe by the time the wise men had arrived," says Kovacs. "He slaughtered all the young boys up to two years old. When you put all the Bible verses together that the wise men were not present at the manger scene, that they met Jesus for the first time not as a babe but as a young child, and that the order was given to slay children up to two years old, I think it's quite possible Jesus may have been able to say some words to the wise men. Of course, the Bible doesn't tell us for sure."

Be a champion for Bible truth and get "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told" personally signed by author Joe Kovacs! If you prefer ordering by phone, call our toll-free order line: 1-800-4-WND-COM (1-800-496-3266).

The eye-opening information about the time frame of Jesus birth is just one of hundreds of Bible facts Kovacs brings to light in "Shocked by the Bible."

"I'm trying to champion the truth of the Bible," he said. "It really is God's revealed Word to us. If only people would read it for what it actually says, maybe there'd be less confusion and greater understanding."

A recent hard-hitting commentary by Kovacs calling Newsweek magazine and President Bush "Bible morons" for their lack of even the simplest understanding of Scripture was cheered by WND readers who are thrilled to see someone defend the Word of God.

"I am flooded with positive e-mails," he said. "The response is phenomenal. Apparently, I struck a chord with like-minded believers who are absolutely fed up with attacks on God and the Bible itself. It's humbling and uplifting to see such a large number of spiritual warriors who want to shatter the myths and dispel lies about the Good Book."