Down through the centuries this mysterious star has received considerable attention from both scientists and theologians. They have endeavored to discover the historical matrix and astronomical nature of the star, but their studies have been full of misgivings. Many possibilities have been suggested, but so far the great majority of conclusions have been an unsubstantiated, a product of guesswork. Scholars usually approach this subject with mystical and speculative preconceptions rather than by a comprehensive and objective examination of the available evidence.

 

The reason why this topic is over shadowed by speculation is the fact that most "researchers" have usually disregarded the Bible and investigated secular knowledge only. Scholars work around the Scriptures rather than use them as their central reference for research. Even though there is extensive historical and scientific information available, this knowledge remains incomplete so long as Biblical integrity is ignored. Any serious attempts to determine the nature of the star is inevitably bound to be inconclusive when one has little conception about what one is looking for. The Bible is the initial source of the account and, therefore, it obviously should have been given primary consideration.

Since the Gospel of Matthew is presenting a historical account of the event, which is fully evident from the narrative style with which it is written, then one can clearly establish specific characteristics of the star from the Biblical record as the standard for determining the star’s true astronomical nature. The star must conform both astronomically and historically to the Biblical account. There is considerable information available so that a comprehensive study of this subject to the end of establishing exactly what the "Bethlehem Stars" really were.

The first endeavor of course must be to discover the foundational truths provided by the scriptural record.

Matthew 2:1& 2 - "Now when (the New Testament Greek word that "when" was translated from is "epan" which means "after" - thus this should accurately read - "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men (magos) from the east (apoanatolon, plural form of east meaning the east in general) to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born (if Jesus had not already been born this would have to read "where are the future parents of the) King of the Jews (Judeans)? For we have seen his star (aster) in the east (en te anatole, the singular form), and are come to worship him. "

Jesus had been already born when the wise men arrived in Palestine. The idea that the wise men were present with the shepherds at Jesus’ birth is only religious tradition. They did not arrive until at least 41 days after Jesus’ birth because Joseph, Mary and the child traveled to Egypt immediately following the wise men’s departure, as you will soon see.

The gospels were written specifically for the Church’s learning so they could be accurately informed about Christ’s life and ministry. This is precisely what Luke took the time to say in 

Luke 1: 1- 4  - "Since many have desired to have in writing the story of those works with which we are familiar, According to what was handed down to us (the disciples) by those who from the beginning (of Jesus Christ’s Ministry) were eye witnesses and ministers of that very word, And since these were seen by me also because I was near and considered them all very carefully; I will therefore write to you everything in its order, most honorable Theophilus, (the word Theophilus was never translated from the Aramaic language which Luke along with Jesus Christ and the other disciples spoke. Theophilus means "beloved of God", in other words, the people of the Church, which is also the same reference as in Acts Chapter One), So that you might know the truth of the words by which you were made a convert" -

Now that we know that the scriptural story of the birth of Christ is accurate we must find out who were the wise men. The Greek word for "wise men" is magos which is the title of the Magian Priest-hood. The Magi were an ancient priestly caste in the Near East whom the Greek historian Herodotus associated with the Medes, and whose religion originally consisted of forms of Iranian nature worship, especially of the sun. During the period of the Persian Empire, the Zoroastrian reform of Iranian religion resulted in the distinct divergence of two Magian sects, one devoted to their original pagan cult and the other to Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism was a unique religion to have arisen amidst rampant paganism in its time. Among their basic beliefs, the Zoroastrians forbade idolatry; they believed in one supreme God, Ahura Mazda, the creator of the universe and father of all that is good. They believed in a spiritual adversary, Angro Mainyu, the father of darkness and evil; and they believed in the coming of man’s redeeming Prophet, the savior Saoshyant! The spiritual doctrines of Zoroastrianism are remarkably similar to those of the Old Testament, and as such, contain some of God’s truth.

Following the fall of the Persian Empire, Zoroastrianism slowly declined. The pagan Magi were the most influential people but even they eventually fell into disrepute. They were spiritualists and sorcerers who were well known in the Roman Empire where they nurtured the growth of Mithraic sun worship in the West. Only in the Parthian province of Persia was Zoroastrianism purely maintained by the Persian Magi. This is clearly attested by the fact that in the second century A.D., the Persians (Sassanian dynasty) successfully revolted against the ruling Parthians in a civil war and formed the Neo-Persian Empire in which Zoroastrianism was established as the state religion.

At the time of Christ, the lands toward the east of Palestine were known as the Parthian Empire, a large and powerful kingdom which continuously rivaled Rome in the Near East. The Magi were members of the Parthian Senate, the Megistanes whose power was superseded only by the emperor.

They could indeed be regarded as kings in their own right, as well as priests, having great wealth and land holdings. Zoroastrian Magi were held in high esteem by the Greeks who regarded them as men of integrity and of great wisdom and learning, having an education which even surpassed the Athenians. They also were renowned astronomers and in the case of the pagan sect of Zoroastrianism, astrologers. The Magi mentioned by Matthew were indeed Zoroastrian priests from Persia who came on a pilgrimage in search of the savior whose star they had seen as the sign of his birth. The epithet "from the east" refers not only to their geographic origin, but to their reputation as well. Distinguishing these eastern Zoroastrian Magi from the pagan Magi known in the West.

These Magi claim to have seen "...his (the King of the Judeans) star in the east...." The Greek word for "star" is aster meaning "a single star," but according to usage this word referred to all heavenly phenomena in general except for the sun and moon. For example, a comet was known as a kometes aster meaning "hairy star," a nova was referred to as a neos aster meaning "new star," and a planet was called a planets aster meaning "wandering star." Planetary configurations and conjunctions were also regarded as stars. Based upon the usage of this word aster, the star of Bethlehem, could have been any one of a variety of astronomical phenomena.

The expression "in the east" is the Greek phrase "ente anatole" this literally translated means "in the rising." Anatole appears in Greek texts in two forms, the singular and the plural. The plural form refers to the geographic direction of the sunrise, where the sun rises again and again, and therefore is rendered "east" as in verse one. The singular form is an astronomical term referring to the "heliacal" rising of a star, that is, a rising out from behind the sun rather than a rising above the eastern horizon. When a star rises heliacally, it is only visible in the eastern sky shortly before sunrise. Therefore the expression "ente anatole" in verse two is more accurately translated "in the sun rising" (e.g., see Luke 1:78 where anatole is translated "day spring" or "sun rising"). This star signifying Christ’s birth was first visible in the eastern sky at sunrise.

Matthew 2:3 - "When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."  Both Herod and all the people of Jerusalem were disturbed by the unusual news brought by the Magi. When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem, they went to the marketplace where people met and news was shared to find out where the Christ-child was to be found. Nobody knew, but word spread quickly through out the city and right up the ranks to Herod. Such news produced quite a clamor among the Judeans who were a rebellious and zealous people awaiting the promised Messiah who would liberate them from Roman tyranny. Herod of course was exceedingly alarmed about the commotion among the people and the potential threat to his power.

Matthew 2:4-6-"And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophets, And you Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of you shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel. (Genesis 49:10, Numbers 24:19, Psalms 2:1-6, Isaiah 40:11, and Micah 5:2) –

King Herod took immediate action. He called to assembly the Sanhedrin, Israel’s civil and religious ruling body. Herod demanded to know where the Messiah would be born. They told him he was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea according to scriptural prophecy. This brings up an interesting point. Herod demanded information from these great religious leaders and they were able to quickly respond with the answer. Yet even though they were completely familiar with the Scriptures, they really didn’t believe them. Jesus spoke of these leaders as "hypocrites" who honored God with their lips, but their heart was far from Him as recorded in Matthew 15:8. In all of Israel there were only a few believing men such as the shepherds who were present for one of history’s greatest events, the birth of God’s only-begotten Son.

Incredibly enough, nearly all of Israel was "out to lunch" spiritually speaking. There had not been a prophet of any significance in Israel for over four hundred years, and yet there were several men living in a distant country, Zoroastrian priests, who walked rightly before God and went to the trouble of traveling a great distance to seek and pay homage to the savior of men. These Magi were Gentiles, because had they been Hebrew, they certainly would have known the Hebrew scriptures since they were men of great learning. They would have been aware of the prophecy concerning Bethlehem of Judea to which they would have traveled directly instead of to Jerusalem. These Magi were Gentiles who believed God and walked according to the principles of His Word.

After Herod met with the Sanhedrin, he summoned the Magi to his court and arranged a private conference with them.     

Matthew 2: 7&8 - "Then Herod, when he had privily called (summoned) the wise men, inquired of them diligently (accurately) what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, brings me word again, that I may come and worship him also."

Herod desired more information, but sought to avoid the spreading of any more rumors among the people. The Magi did not know very much more than Herod, so after discussing the star’s appearance in detail he sent them to the only logical place to begin looking for the child, Bethlehem of Judea. Herod planned to trick and use the Magi for his own diabolical scheme to exterminate the Christ-child.

Matthew 2:9 - "When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star (the very same star), which they saw in the east (en te anatole), went before (guided in front of) them, till it came and stood (till coming it stood) over where the young child was."

The Magi departed from Jerusalem on the road south to Bethlehem of Judea. As they traveled, "...lo, the star which they saw in the east, went before them...." Since the star went before the Magi as they traveled south, the star appeared in the southern sky. The expression "in the east" is the same as in verse two concerning the heliacal rising of the star "in the sun rising." The very same star which the Magi had seen in the eastern dawn sky from their homeland appeared once again in front of them in the southern sky as they traveled toward Bethlehem. This is the second of two distinct appearances of the same star. The idea that the Magi followed the star continuously westward from their home to Bethlehem is nothing less than tradition.

Furthermore, the scripture clearly states that these two appearances were of the same star. Several scholars have suggested that these two appearances were two completely different types of astronomical phenomenon, but this cannot be true because it does not fit with the Biblical account.

As the Magi neared Bethlehem, the star guided in front of them "...till it came and stood over where the young child was." A more accurate translation would be, "...till coming it stood...." This phrase indicates motion of the star, motion necessary to arrive at a certain place where it is said to have "stood." The only type of astronomical motion which could accurately correspond to this phrase would be the rising of the star due to the earth’s daily rotation. The star rose to a particular point in the sky where it stood. This point in the sky may correspond to the meridian. The meridian is an imaginary line which divides the observed hemisphere of the sky into eastern and western halves. A star rises in the east until it reaches the meridian, the point of the star’s highest ascent, where it stands, because once the star crosses the meridian it sets in the west. The zenith is the point in the sky directly above the observer, so since the star in Matthew 2:9 "went before" the Magi, it must have appeared in the southern sky having risen to and crossed the meridian south of the zenith (the point where they were) as they approached Bethlehem. The star "... stood over where the young child was." Where was the young child? He was in the city of Bethlehem. As the Magi approached Bethlehem toward the south the star appeared to stand over the city. Tradition tells us that the star stood directly over the house where Jesus lived to guide the Magi to the child’s residence. This simply cannot be true. A star cannot possibly point out the location of a house. When the Magi arrived in Bethlehem they would have to inquire among the townspeople where the child lived. So who then directed the Magi to the location? That’s right, the town-people. They must have known about the child because on the night of his birth the shepherds "...made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child" as recorded in Luke 2:17.

Matthew 2:10&11- "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house (oikia), they saw the young child (paidion) with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented (offered) unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."

Once the Magi arrived in Bethlehem, they diligently questioned for and sought out the child whom they finally found in a house. The New Testament Greek word for "house" is oikia meaning "a dwelling" or "a place of residence." Tradition maintains that the wise men arrived to find the child in a stable where he was laying in a manger, a trough for cattle feed and fodder. On the contrary, they found Jesus and Mary in a house. The verse doesn’t mention anything about shepherds, sheep, an ass, a cow, or the number of wise men. The fact that there were three gifts has no bearing on how many wise men brought them.

At some time shortly after Jesus’ birth, the family acquired a suitable residence where the Magi then found the child and offered their gifts.

Thus the Magi must have arrived sometime after Jesus’ birth. This is also evident from the Greek word used for "young child," paidion, which means "an infant child." There are several words for "child" in the Greek; one is "paidion" and another is "brephos" meaning "a fetus" or "a newborn babe."

Luke 2:16&1 7 - "And they (the shepherds) came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe (brephos) lying in a manger. And when they had seen it; they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child(brephos)."

The shepherds found the babe newly born, and then they went and declared unto the people concerning this brephos. A child cannot remain newly born for very long, and is therefore referred to as a paidion, an infant child, following its birth. The shepherds had found a newborn babe (brephons) lying in a manger, but the Magi found an infant child (paidion) in a house.

Matthew 2:12 - "And being warned of God in a dream that they (the Magi) should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."

Had the Magi returned to Herod, both Jesus’ life and perhaps their own would have been endangered. These Magi were among the few in their day who were of a sincere heart toward God and had a practical knowledge of spiritual truths. Though they were Gentiles, God honored their believing because God is not a respecter of persons, but of conditions.

The Magi’s visit must have made quite an impression on Joseph and Mary as one of many signs to help build their believing to the point where they could be the necessary examples as parents to rear Jesus as God’s Son who, being a man subject to temptation and infirmity had to learn obedience and fulfill the law in order to achieve man’s redemption.

Spiritually speaking, Joseph was a "just man" (Matthew 1:19) and Mary was "highly favored" and "blessed among women" (Luke 1:28) because she believed God (Luke 1:45). Also, they were both of the lineage of David. Joseph and Mary were the first people in history since the fall of man to fulfill the requirements of the promise to bring forth, and as parents, rear the promised seed, man’s redeemer, the Son of God.

God provided many signs to confirm His Word and build up Joseph and Mary to the point where they would be able to maintain full confidence to withstand the onslaughts of the world in their responsibility to raise Jesus in the perfection of obedience to God. The Magi’s visit was such a sign, as was Elizabeth’s Prophecy (Luke 1:41-45), The Shepherds’ visit (Luke 2:16-18), Simeon’s Prophecy (Luke 2:25-35), and Anna’s Prophecy (Luke 2:36-38).

Matthew 2:13-15 - "And when they (the Magi) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son?"

Joseph was obedient and prompt to act. He arose from sleep and left with his family immediately, that very night.

Matthew 2:16-18 - "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked (conned) of the wise men, was exceeding wroth (angry), and sent forth (dispatching troops), and slew (assassinated) all the children (pais) that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts (districts) thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently (accurately) inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet saying, in Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."

Herod waited impatiently for the Magi. When he finally realized that their return was unlikely, he reacted with great anger. He immediately dispatched troops to Bethlehem of Judea and all the surrounding districts to dispose of all the male children from two years old and under.

The word for "children" is pais which means  "a child in relation to his parents, either male or female, from infancy to manhood."

Since the Christ had to be a male, and then the context is referring to male children. "All the children" is with distinction to boys. The word paidion, discussed earlier, is a diminutive form of pais, and there fore since paidion is used of a child which is virtually newborn (Luke 2:17), then for all practical purposes Herod ordered the death of all the boys two years old and under without exception. Herod decided upon the two-year range according to the time of the star’s appearing, the time he had accurately inquired of the wise men. This does not necessarily mean that the massacre occurred two years after Jesus’ birth, as many theologians assume, because there is no reason to believe that his birth coincided exactly with the star’s appearance.

The Bible does not state that the star appeared on the night of Christ’s birth, nor is there any reason why it should have. Knowing only the time of the star’s appearance and not the time of Jesus’ birth, the logical course of action for Herod to take would be to kill all the children born during a period including time before as well as after the star’s appearance. Herod surely devised his plan with enough overkill to assure success.

Matthew 2:19-23 - "But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither (there): notwithstanding(but), being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside (with drew) into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene."

Herod bequeathed (left) his kingdom to three of his sons. Judea and Samaria were given to Archelaus; Galilee and Perea to Antipas; and Gaulonitis, Trachonitis, Batanea and Panea to Philip. Archelaus was an extremely repressive ruler, even more so than his father. Joseph certainly had good reason to fear him. Matthew 2:22 clearly states that Joseph was afraid to return to Judea, which brings up an interesting point. Many people believe that when Joseph and Mary returned to Israel out of Egypt they planned to travel directly to Nazareth of Galilee this had been their home before the enrolment (Luke 2:4). This, however, cannot be true. If Joseph intended to take his family directly to Nazareth, then why should he fear Archelaus who had no authority there? Antipas ruled in Galilee.

Joseph and Mary did not plan to return to Nazareth when they left Egypt, but rather to Judea where Archelaus reigned, and where they had taken up residence before their flight to Egypt (recall that the Magi had found them in a house). Since Archelaus was a potential threat to the child, as had been his father Herod, God warned Joseph not to go to Judea, so he "turned aside into the parts of Galilee." The word for "turned aside" is anacho-reo meaning "to with draw." Joseph withdrew his family out of Judea and settled down in Nazareth of Galilee.

Joseph and Mary never returned to Nazareth with Jesus until after their stay in Egypt. Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem of Judea from Nazareth for the enrolment where there was no room for them in the inn, so they stayed in a stable where Jesus was born. Not long after, they found a place of residence in Bethlehem which is where the Magi found them. Herod sent his troops to kill the male children in Bethlehem of Judea and all the surrounding districts. For this reason Joseph, Mary and Jesus departed from Judea and fled to Egypt. Following Herod’s death, they planned to return to Judea, but due to the potential threat of Archelaus, the family withdrew to Nazareth where they settled down anew and where Jesus spent his childhood.

This sequence of events is clearly evident from the record in Matthew, but when the Gospel of Luke is examined, an apparent contradiction arises.

Luke 2:21-24 & 39 - "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written In the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord,) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth."

According to Levitical law (Leviticus 12), Mary’s period of purification was fulfilled after 41 days at which time she was to present her child to the Lord and the priest would make an atonement for her. This was done in the temple at Jerusalem. Luke 2:39 then states that when all these things "according to the law of the Lord" were performed, that Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned to Nazareth of Galilee. How can this possibly be resolved with the record in Matthew which states that they returned to Nazareth only after their flight to Egypt?

Most apparent contradictions in the Bible are usually due to one’s lack of understanding of what is stated. The problem is not within the scripture but rather in one’s mind. People generally assume here in Luke 2:39 that the "law of the Lord" refers to the Levitical law which had just been previously discussed . If this is true, then yes indeed, the family must have returned to Nazareth immediately following the presentation of the child in the temple. But we must recall one of the foundational rules by which the Bible interprets itself, which is, scripture interprets itself according to how it has been used before.

By examining the usage of the word "law," one discovers that it refers to the Prophets and Psalms as well as the law of Moses-all of the Old Testament writings (e.g., John 10:34, 12:34, 15:25 and I Corinthians 14:21) The "law of the Lord" in Luke 2:39 refers therefore to more than just the Levitical law discussed in Luke 2. Matthew states that Jesus’ refuge in Egypt fulfilled prophecy (Matthew 2:15). He also states that Jesus’ arrival in Nazareth was the fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 2:23). The former chronologically occurred before the latter.

If all things concerning Jesus were performed according to the law of the Lord before Jesus arrived in Nazareth, then this must include his flight to Egypt which is the fulfillment of prophecy, and therefore, included within the expression "law of the Lord," according to usage.

Luke 2:39 is a chronological abbreviation, summing up all the events of Christ’s life between his presentation at the temple and his arrival in Nazareth, without providing the specific details of those events.

The record in Matthew concerning the Magi and the flight to Egypt is not discussed by Luke, but is covered within his summarizing statement in Luke 2:39.

IN SUMMARY  ...  After having studied this Biblical record in detail, one discovers that there are several major characteristics of the star described by the following scriptures -

1) The first appearance of the star was visible from the Near East in the eastern sky shortly before sunrise (Matthew 2:2)

2) There were at least two distinct appearances of the same star (Matthew 2:2, 9,

3) The appearance of the star in Matthew 2:9 was visible in the southern sky as observed from the latitude of Jerusalem.

4) The appearance of the star in Matthew 2:9 took place in the evening because it would not have been visible during the day unless it were extremely luminous, and also, it is not likely that the Magi traveled the open road very late at night.

5) The expression "...till coming it (the star) stood over where the young child was" suggests that the star was rising and crossed the meridian south of the zenith as the Magi approached Bethlehem.

THE ASTRONOMICAL EVIDENCE ....

All the known astral phenomena which occurred around the time of Christ’s birth must be objectively considered. If the star of Bethlehem were an event not historically recorded, or which cannot be verified by mathematical calculations, then it will forever remain a mystery. But if the star were an event for which there is documentation accurately corresponding to the precedent of the Biblical description and supplemented by strong supporting evidence, then a qualified conclusion can be reached.

There are many kinds of astronomical phenomena. Such as meteors, aurora borealis, zodiacal glow, and solar and lunar eclipses can be discounted as potential candidates for the Star of Christmas because they are transient by nature.

The Biblical account clearly describes a phenomenon which is both recurrent and extended. This narrows down the astral possibilities to comets, novae and planetary configurations.

Astronomers of the Near East and China recorded many such phenomena during ancient times; and the mathematical tools of modern astronomy make available the calculations of planetary positions during past millennia.

Chinese historians kept very accurate records of the appearances of "strange" stars, both novae called "fire stars," and comets known as "sweeping stars." During the reign of the Emperor Ai-Ti (6AD to 1 B.C.), two such unusual stars were observed and recorded. The first occurred on March, 5 B.C. It appeared in the constellation Capricorn where it was visible for about seventy days in the eastern morning sky. This star was a nova because a comet would not remain in the same stellar division for over two month.

The second strange star appeared on April, 4 B.C. It was visible in the constellation Aquila, overhead in the morning sky. During April the sun would have been in Aries, so this star had an elongation of about ninety degrees. A comet at this elongation is usually quite faint and not likely visible to the naked eye. Therefore this star was a nova also. There are no other known records of unusual stars which have appeared during the time span in which Christ’s birth occurred.

The strange star appearing consecutively prior to the nova in 5 B.C. was a passing of Halley’s comet in 12 B.C. and the star appearing consecutively after the nova of 4 B.C. occurred in 13 A.D. Both go far beyond the period of Christ’s birth to be seriously considered for the star of Bethlehem. The novae of March, 5 B.C. and April, 4 B.C. are the only potential candidates from the category of comets / novae.

The only other types of phenomena to be considered are planetary configurations such as conjunctions and groupings. These configurations are the apparent relative positions of the planets according to an Earth-based observer as he watches them orbit the sun. A conjunction of planets is the least apparent separation of two planets, usually when they meet in the same degree of the ecliptic. Planetary groupings, also known as a "massing of planets," is the close approach of three or more planets to each other.

During the decade in which Christ was born (10-1 B.C.), there were dozens of conjunctions and several groupings. This long list must be greatly reduced to the likely candidates for the Star of Bethlehem.

Most planetary groupings can be discounted because they were not recurrent. For example, a massing of the planets Jupiter, Saturn and Mars toward the end of February, 6 B.C. has been considered by scholars as a likely candidate for the stars of Bethlehem; but this cannot be true, because the Biblical account clearly states that the ‘star’ appeared at least two times, whereas this configuration occurred only once during the time period being considered. All configurations involving the planet Mercury are also inconsequential because they are frequent, ordinary events which were not likely to have been attributed an astrological meaning of such importance as the nativity of the King of the Judeans. They occur close to the sun and are usually difficult to observe. There were also many conjunctions which occurred in close proximity to the sun, and these too can be disregarded .

Even though the list becomes greatly reduced by these considerations, it is still substantial. Among the planets visible to the naked eye, with the exception of Mercury, there were recurring conjunctions of Saturn / Venus, Jupiter / Venus, Mars / Venus, Saturn / Mars, Jupiter /

Mars and Jupiter / Saturn during the decade10 AD -1 B.C., though not all were visible from the Near East at the precise moments of conjunction.

One of the more striking examples are the conjunctions of Jupiter and Venus on August 12, 3 B.C. and June 17, 2 B.C. The former was visible (from the Near East) in the eastern sky before dawn. At conjunction the planets were separated by about one-fifth degree. The latter conjunction could be observed in the western evening sky where the two planets approached so closely to each other that they appeared to merge to form one brilliant star. Both of these conjunctions occurred in the constellation Leo, which is astrologically significant because Leo is the sign of Judah, the tribe from which the Messiah was to come.

The most noteworthy example is a triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 B.C. Three times during that year these planets came into conjunction as they progressed through retrograde motion. Conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn are the most infrequent among the visible planets, and therefore, could certainly have been ascribed the greatest significance by ancient astrologers, such as the nativity sign of the king of the Judeans.

On the morning of May 27, the first conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn took place. The planets rose over the eastern horizon about 3 hours before sunrise. They were very near conjunction and prominently visible

in the eastern sky at dawn. The actual conjunction itself occurred shortly after sunrise (as seen by an observer in the Near East). On October 5, the second conjunction took place late in the evening at which time the planets were visible almost overhead, high in the eastern sky.

The third conjunction occurred on the evening of December 1.Jupiter and Saturn could be observed high in the southeastern sky at sunset, about 1 & 1/2 hours east of the meridian. The time of conjunction was later in the evening when the planets were high in the southwestern sky. All three conjunctions took place in the constellation Pisces during which the planets were separated by about one degree.

The many conjunctions which must be considered can be narrowed down if the time period in which Christ was born could be focused to within definite limits. To determine this, historical evidence must be addressed. The historian Josephus provided chronologist with a very useful piece of information. He states that there was an eclipse of the moon shortly before King Herod’s death. According to astronomical calculations, the only lunar eclipse visible from the Near East at that time took place on March 13, 4 B.C. Since Christ was born before Herod died, then the spring of 4 B.C. marks a well-defined outer limit. Another historical event which can be documented is the taxation mentioned in the Gospel of Luke for which Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth of Galilee to Bethlehem of Judea where Jesus was born.

Luke 2: 1-7 - " And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (This taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house or lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

Luke says that this taxation was of "all the world," meaning the entire Roman Empire. According to an inscription found in a temple near Ankara, Turkey, there were three great empire-wide enrolments during the reign of Augustus Caesar. These were in 28 B.C., 8 B.C. and 14 A.D.

The enrolment decreed in 8 B.C. must therefore have been the taxing referred to by Luke since it was empire-wide and within the time period being considered. Thus, Christ must have been born sometime during the period 8 - 4 B.C.

Having been able to establish a definite time period, many of the conjunctions which are potential candidates for the star of Bethlehem can be removed from the list. This includes the conjunctions of Jupiter and Venus in Leo during 3 and 2 B.C. This chronology also sheds a great deal of doubt on the nova of April, 4 B.C. because it occurred at the time of King Herod’s death or shortly thereafter, and therefore, could not possibly accommodate the Biblical record.

The next line of investigation to undertake is a study of the astrological significance ascribed to astronomical phenomena by ancient astrologers. This will shed further light on the identity of the star of Bethlehem. First of all, the science of astrology must be briefly discussed because of the apparent contradiction of relating the occult to this Biblical star. Deuteronomy 4: 15 & 19 - "Take therefore good heed unto yourselves; for you saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spoke unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: And less you lift up your eyes unto heaven, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, should be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord your God has divided unto all nations under the whole heaven."

Let me set the record straight. Astral worship is condemned by the Bible as idolatry, but not all astrology is part of the occult. According to Genesis 1:14, "God made the sun, moon and stars for signs, and for seasons." Isaiah 40:16 and Psalms 147:4 state that God created, numbered and named the stars. Psalms 19:1 and 2 proclaim: "The heavens declare the glory of God.... Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge."

There are two forms of astrology: One is genuine and in harmony with God’s principles; the other is counterfeit as part of spiritualism and the occult. The popular astrology of our time is the latter. Biblical astrology is virtually unknown, but perhaps there are certain truths relating to the nativity of Christ which can be discovered by studying astrological history.

Mundane astrology is the study of world history in perspective to astrological symbolism according to this science, political and religious transition including such events as nativities which are represented by the conjunctions of the planets. For example, within the systems of medieval astrology, conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn were regarded as especially potent signs. Rabbinic philosophers considered them particularly significant for Israel and the Jews. These ideas were introduced to Europe by the Arabs for whom Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions were part of the astrology of eighth and ninth century Islam. The Arabs adopted this system from the Persians to whom these astrological ideas are originally attributed. Apparently, the doctrine of Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions has its oldest known historical reference as part of Iranian astrology. The theory states that the successive conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn represent the unfolding of world history.

Whether this doctrine on Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions is consistent with Biblical astrology is difficult to determine by historical documentation. The doctrine is found within the domain of mystical astrology, but this fact has no bearing upon its actual spiritual integrity because truth is constantly subject to the taint of superstition.

According to Jeremiah 28:9 - "...when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord has truly sent him."

Thus, if the conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn were the star of Bethlehem, signifying astrologically the nativity sign of the king of the Judeans, then the fact that the conjunction did indeed occur at the time of Christ’s birth would testify to this astrological doctrine’s validity. The most striking feature about this doctrine is that it is associated with the Sassanian period of Persia at which time the state religion was Zoroastrianism in which the priests were the Magi. In fact, the earliest known system of Jupiter/Saturn conjunction astrology is devised according to Zoroastrian cosmology. This doctrine must certainly have been familiar to the Persian Magi of Christ’s time in light of the long history of astrological traditions.

According to Iranian star lore, Jupiter is a beneficent star signifying life and light, whereas Saturn is an evil star significant of death and darkness. A conjunction of these two planets therefore symbolizes the confrontation of good and evil, the meeting of extreme opposites. Thus these conjunctions signified important changes in world affairs, such as the rise of new nations and the advent of major prophets. This is most remarkable because the Magi in the Gospel of Matthew, as discussed in the first section of this book, were Zoroastrian priests from Persia who believed in the coming of a savior and went on a pilgrimage to seek him after observing the star which signified his birth. Now here is found an astrological doctrine which is Persian in origin, associated with Zoroastrianism and the Magi, and portentous of such events as the birth of major prophets. These associations are surely meaningful coincidences and are further intensified by the fact that there indeed were conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 B.C. during our outline period of 8 A.D. to 4 B.C. in which Christ was born.

Furthermore, the conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 B.C. took place in the constellation Pisces, the sign of the fishes. During ancient times, the fishes were widely regarded as a symbol of redemption and also of Israel whose Messianic reputation was well known throughout the East. Pisces was considered to be the constellation ruling several regions which included Palestine. Historically, therefore, these conjunctions could certainly have signified the birth of a major prophet who was to redeem mankind and come forth out of Israel.

The evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of establishing the conjunctions of Jupiter / Saturn in 7 B.C. as the stars of Bethlehem, but it is all circumstantial. It must also fit with the Biblical record to get a qualified conclusion.

(1) The first appearance of the star was "in the sun rising." Most of the possible candidates conform to this characteristic, including the conjunctions of Jupiter /Saturn and the novae.

(2) There were at least two distinct appearances of the same star.

Since this is the case, the novae considered individually cannot satisfy this requirement, but if these two novae are regarded as the same star which appeared at different times, then the possibility of novae as the star of Bethlehem may still, be workable. However, the second nova took place at the time of Herod’s death, so the chronological correspondence of the Biblical record would be completely impossible. Therefore, these novae could not have been the star of Bethlehem. Only recurring conjunctions conform to this requirement, including the conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn which occurred three times.

(3) The appearance of the star in Matthew 2:9 was in the southern sky.

There is only one possibility which satisfies this requirement: the conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn. The first conjunction of Jupiter / Saturn on May 27, 7 B.C. occurred at dawn in the eastern sky, and therefore corresponds to the star observed by the Magi "in the sun rising" (Matthew 2:2). Also, since there were three conjunctions, then obviously there were at least two appearances of the same star.

One of the occurrences is not mentioned in the gospel account, the conjunction of October 5, because the conjunction of December 1 corresponds precisely with the record in Matthew 2:9. On December 1, 7 B.C., the planets Jupiter and Saturn approached conjunction for the last time that year. At sunset they were visible about

11/2 hours east of the meridian in the southern sky. If the Magi departed from Jerusalem on the road to Bethlehem of Judea at this time, the planets would have appeared before them in the southern sky as the sunset, and by the time they approached Bethlehem, about 5 miles south of Jerusalem, the planets would have been crossing

the meridian where it appeared to stand over the city. This is certainly a remarkable correspondence between the astronomical facts and the Biblical account.

With all things considered, the conclusion is indisputable:

The ‘Star of Bethlehem’ Was the Conjunction of.... 

                                                                   JUPITER 

AND

SATURN

   

in 7 B.C.  making it look like one star instead of two. .

THE EVIDENCE

(1) correspondence of Scripture and facts, and

(2) associations of the Magi, Persia, Zoroastrianism and Jupiter/Saturn conjunction astrology-establishes and soundly supports this.

Having established a definite set of dates for the star, the chronological scheme of the Christmas story unfolded as follows:

A) At some time in 8 B.C., Augustus Caesar decreed an enrolment of the entire Roman Empire. Due to the slow rate of communication and to the complexities of administration, the enrolment was carried out in the eastern regions of the empire, Syria and Palestine, at some time during the year 7 B.C.

B) On May 27, 7 B.C., certain Magi living in Persia observed the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation Pisces which signified the birth of the king of the Judeans, the redeeming prophet whom the Magi as Zoroastrians were anticipating. They made plans and prepared for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to pay homage to the child.

C) At some time between March and late October in 7 B.C., Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth of Galilee where they were residing to their native city, Bethlehem of Judea, to register for the enrolment. During this time, Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn. Later, Joseph found a more suitable residence for his family in Bethlehem, the house where the Magi found them.

D) According to tradition, the flocks in Palestine are out in the field between March and early November, but are kept in the fold during the winter months. Christ must therefore have been born sometime during the warmer seasons because the shepherds were out in the field with their flocks (Luke 2:8).

E) Then 41 days after his birth, Jesus was presented to the Lord in the temple at Jerusalem. This would have been before December at which time the Magi visited.

F) In late November, the Magi arrived by caravan in Jerusalem, and on the evening of December 1, they traveled the road south to Bethlehem in search of the Christ-child. As the sun set and the stars appeared in the twilight, the planets Jupiter and Saturn "went before them" in the southern sky as they traveled south. The planets were near conjunction once again. As the Magi approached Bethlehem, the planets crossed the meridian and appeared to stand over the city. The Magi sought out the child, offered their gifts and later departed for Persia by an alternate route so that they would not pass through Jerusalem, thereby avoiding Herod.

F) Shortly thereafter, Joseph, Mary and Jesus departed for Egypt.

H) During the spring of 6 B.C., Herod sent out his troops to destroy the male children in Bethlehem of Judea and the surrounding districts. Since Herod devised his plan according to the stars’ appearance, he would have ordered the deaths of all male children two years old and under, which would account for all births within year prior to and following the star’s first appearance.

I) Two years later, in the spring of 4 B.C., Herod died. Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned out of Egypt with plans to settle in Judea. However, since Herod’s son Archelaus reigned there and was as much a threat to the child’s life as was Herod, Joseph moved with his family to Nazareth of Galilee where Jesus grew up and later began his public ministry.

When you Rightly Divide God’s Glorious, Matchless Word of Truth not only do you have the accuracy, integrity and simplicity of it, but the Word of God will open up to you like the soft pedals of a rose with all its beauty and its true fragrance.

DID YOU KNOW ??? - Jesus Christ was born at the beginning of the Age of Pisces. on Friday Evening on October 21, 7BC

Proof - https://irrefutablebirthdate.blogspot.com/