S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

The Star of Bethlehem is associated with the visit of the magi (wise men) from the East as recorded in Matthew 2:1-12. The text implies the Star of Bethlehem appeared only to the magi in the East (...

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July 01 2013 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kenneth Heck

In my opinion the star of Bethlehem was no more than a personal vision of the Magi and not seen by anyone else on earth. The records of the Chinese and other cultures don't mention any unusual heavenly events at that time, let alone the inhabitants of Judea. 

The Magi were likely star gazers who received visions and revelations from the angels they closely identified with the stars. This practice was very ancient. Even Rev 1:20 identifies the seven stars with the seven angels of the seven churches. For the Jews, the appearance of the angels to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-14) was a corresponding event in line with their religion.

The Magi's concern with the king of the Jews arises from the Zoroastrian religion which predicted a savior, the saoshyant, would arise to save humanity from destruction. Various forms of Zoroastrianism were highly popular in the Roman Empire at that time (Mithraism, Zurvanism, Manicheism) but quickly declined with the growth of Christianity. It is highly possible that the Magi believed that Christ had fulfilled the prediction of the saoshyant.

October 08 2015 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt

The magi/wise men saw a star that they identified as belonging to one “born king of the Jews,” Matthew 2:1-2.

In Greek, “star” is “aster,” a normal term for the stars in space. This rules out anything supernatural. The lights in the heavens, which include the sun, moon, and stars, are for signs, Genesis 1:14-16, 37:9, Numbers 24:17, Revelation 12:1-5.

“Stars” can also include planets, which look like stars. Jude 1:13 calls them “wandering stars,” (Greek “asteres planetai”). So, the term “stars” applies to what seems stationary and to what seems to be wandering. Instead of “from the East,” (Matthew 2:2) some translations have the “star rising” which may mean “morning star,” usually the planet Venus, which is applied to Jesus, Revelation 2:28, 22:16, Luke 1:78-79, II Peter 1:19. 

The magi were professional astrologers/astronomers who studied and interpreted the phenomena in the skies. They may have had access to Scriptures, Daniel 9:24-27. Or, they may have noticed, as many people have, how the constellations tell the story of God’s redemption involving the Lion, Leo, the seed of the woman, Virgo, who defeats the Serpent/Dragon. Perhaps, God personally revealed to the magi that a Jewish king would be born. They were so sure about the revelation that they went to Jerusalem, where they expected someone would know where this king was. They had such confidence that they brought gifts. 

These magi were reliable enough that authorities in Jerusalem listened to them. Because of their message, Herod and Jerusalem were troubled. Herod checked with the religious Jewish experts to determine the place, and secretly found out from the magi the timing of the star’s appearing. Herod was so convinced, he had male children killed, Matthew 2:16.

Supposedly, a similar situation to the star of Bethlehem happened in 63 BC. At that time, signs in the sky predicted the birth of the King of the Romans – later revealed as the first emperor Augustus. Because of this “sign” the Roman Senate ordered all boy babies to be killed.

Astronomers indicate that in September, 3 BC, there was the conjunction of Jupiter, the “king of the gods,” and the star Regulus the “king star,” occurring in the constellation of Leo, the lion, the symbol of Judah, Genesis 49:9-10. In June, 2 BC, Jupiter joined Venus (the woman) becoming an unusually brilliant star. At the end of 2 BC, Jupiter moved westward, went through a retrograde loop over Regulus like a crown and then became stationary in the constellation of Virgo, the Virgin. Besides the remarkable symbolism, this adequately explains how the wise men saw some of the movements of the star until it stopped or stood over where the Child was, Matthew 2:9. This eliminates meteors and comets as the star, as they last only briefly.

These men were led to the Child, the one born king of the Jews, because of this celestial event, “His star.” They worshiped Him and honored Him with gifts. “The heavens declare the glory of God,” Psalm 19:1.

January 12 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report