"The Gospel of
Matthew, the only one of the four Gospels to mention the Magi, states
that they came "from the east" to worship the Christ, "born
King of the Jews". Although the account does not tell how many they were, the three
gifts led to a widespread assumption that they were three as
well. Their identification as kings in later Christian writings is linked to Old Testament
prophesies such as that in Isaiah 60:3, which describe the
Messiah being worshipped by kings. This interpretation was challenged by the
Protestant Reformation."
- Biblical
Magi, Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Magi)