Protestant reformers argued that since Jesus and the Apostles were Jews who preached from the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament canon for Christians should match that of the Jews. Most of the deuterocanonical books were written in Greek, not Hebrew, further casting doubt on their authenticity.
Saint Nicholas praises and rewards the good children, while Krampus threatens or “punishes” the naughty. Sometimes, parents participate in this tradition, arranging for someone to dress as Krampus to frighten their children into good behavior.
The moral is clear: when called to transformation or rescue, one must not look back with regret but move forward with faith.
Some traditions hold that the Hebrew language was named after him and that he safeguarded it when other languages were confounded at Babel. Eber thus becomes a symbol of continuity and faithfulness amid change and dispersion.
By offering gold, Melchior acknowledged Jesus as a king—an honor due to royalty. This gift foreshadowed the acknowledgment of Jesus as the “King of Kings” in Christian doctrine.