Comments (Meaning / History Only)
The wise mans name was Gaspar not Jasper.
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This article is filled with errors and misinformation. The name JASPER comes from the bible (both the OT and NT) where it repeatedly refers to the precious gemstone by the same name. It is not the first time people have used gemstones as a name, for example, others include DIAMOND, PEARL, RUBY, etc.
The article claims that JASPER is of Persian origin and means "Treasurer". This is incorrect; the word "Jasper" does NOT occur in either modern or ancient Persian. Nor is the modern Persian (Farsi) word for treasurer remotely related.
The article claims that JASPER is related to GASPAR, CASPAR, and KASPAR and means "Treasurer". While these last three names can be traced back to the Chalean and ancient Hebrew word "GIZBAR" (See Wikipedia article on CASPER) and do indeed mean "Treasurer" there is NO etymological relationship between the name JASPER and any of these. In fact, the letter "J" did not enter the English language until centuries after those names.
While it is true that some British Christmas plays did indeed substitute the name JASPER for CASPER there is no etymological relationship between the two names. However, the name JESPER (because of the letter "J") is most likely a cognate.
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The article claims that JASPER is of Persian origin and means "Treasurer". This is incorrect; the word "Jasper" does NOT occur in either modern or ancient Persian. Nor is the modern Persian (Farsi) word for treasurer remotely related.
The article claims that JASPER is related to GASPAR, CASPAR, and KASPAR and means "Treasurer". While these last three names can be traced back to the Chalean and ancient Hebrew word "GIZBAR" (See Wikipedia article on CASPER) and do indeed mean "Treasurer" there is NO etymological relationship between the name JASPER and any of these. In fact, the letter "J" did not enter the English language until centuries after those names.
While it is true that some British Christmas plays did indeed substitute the name JASPER for CASPER there is no etymological relationship between the two names. However, the name JESPER (because of the letter "J") is most likely a cognate.
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"Jewell" of the mountain. From Revelation 21:10-11 "And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a Jasper stone, clear as crystal."
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I'd like to correct the name's official description. The three "wise men" were not likely to have been kings. It's far more likely that they were followers of Zoroaster, hence the term magi being associated with them. (Magi were adept at reading the stars, which is probably why they were led by a star to Jesus even in the more popular versions.) Since I'd hazard a guess that most people have not heard of Zoroastrianism these days, the meaning's been lost in favor of the "three kings at manger-side" portrayal, not that it's been helped any by carols or nativity scenes that depict the "wise men".
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As a name, it derives from Gaspar, which derives from an ancient Chaldean word, "Gizbar", meaning "treasurer".
As a stone, it derives from Greek "iaspis", a green spotted stone, probably derived from a Semitic language, possibly Hebrew "yashpheh", meaning "to polish".
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As a stone, it derives from Greek "iaspis", a green spotted stone, probably derived from a Semitic language, possibly Hebrew "yashpheh", meaning "to polish".
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The Book of Revelation gives Jasper as the cornerstone of New Jerusalem, whose walls are said to be made of the stone. The Jasper on the ephod of Aaron has been traditionally thought to represent the tribe of Benjamin.
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