According to Christian tradition, the Star of Bethlehem is the star that guided the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Matthew mentions that the Magi saw the Star of Bethlehem appear in the West, although it doesn't specify whether it was a planet, a star, or some other astronomical phenomenon. According to the account, the wise man traveled with the star and stopped at the place where Jesus was born. The physician put him in contact with the Jewish king. If they were Greek or Roman astronomers, they might have connected the star with the North Star, the planet King, and Regulus, the king star. If they were from Babylon, they might associate it with Saturn (Kaiwanu). In any case, it is likely Sirius, indicated by the "three kings" of Orion's Belt.
In this article we are going to tell you what are the characteristics of the star of Bethlehem and some of its history.
Mystery of the star of Bethlehem
The Star of Bethlehem is one of the greatest mysteries related to the birth of Christ. Is it an invention of Saint Matthew, a supernatural fact or an astronomical vision? To decipher it, you have to know when Jesus was born and who the wise men from the East are.
Regarding Jesus' childhood, we only learn from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and even these two differ. In this respect, Matthew's account is more comprehensive. Indeed, the fact that he doesn't know what the Star of Bethlehem is is obviously related to the date of Christ's birth, but this remains a major unresolved question: when was Jesus born? To be precise, he wasn't born 2021 years ago. Our current understanding of the date is incorrect and doesn't align with Jesus' birth. The worst part is that no scholar dares to provide a specific date, and currently, nothing can be done about it. You should also learn more about the North Star to understand the astronomical context of the time.
History of the star of Bethlehem
When Emperor Caesar Augustus ordered the census, the Gospels describe the birth of Jesus, which occurred between 8 and 6 BC. “Everyone will be registered in their own town. So Joseph of the house of David went from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea, the town of David, to register with Mary, who was married to him and was pregnant.” This also coincides with the final years of King Herod, who died in 4 BC . Two partial lunar eclipses were recorded on March 13 and September 5.
Herod told the doctor, “Go to Bethlehem and examine the child carefully. When you find him, tell me, I too want to go and worship him.” But the wise men did not return, knowing Herod’s intentions, and they returned by another route. “The wise men mocked Herod, and he was very angry. He ordered the people to kill all the boys under two years old in the four kingdoms.”
At that time, Jesus would have been 2 years old. Knowing the date of Herod's death and the date he killed children under two years old shortly before his death, Jesus' birth date is either 7 or 6 BC. In 2008, a team of archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found hundreds of children's bodies from the 1st century AD, aged between 0 and 2 years, during an excavation that coincided with Herod's Massacre.
Wise Men
Regardless of the nature of the Star of Bethlehem, it must have been a glorious event that sparked the interest of the Magi, but this was not the case for other citizens. Saint Matthew was the only one to mention the Magi, and he did not give them the title of king, nor their specific names, nor their number. The title of king was bestowed upon them in the 3rd century. In the 4th century, theologians Origen and Tertullian spoke of the three wise men, and in the 8th century, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar were named. The Magi were wise men and scientists who knew the heavens and possible future celestial events.
They explained the symbol system that represents the approach of a planet to another planet or entering and leaving the constellation of stars. They are also astrologers. The Magi were the representative of the three known continents at that time; Asia, Africa and Europe. They are representatives of the entire known world.
What could the star be?
A planetary conjunction occurred in 7 BC, which is not common. The planet Jupiter passed almost directly in front of Saturn three times in a short period. This happened in the constellation of Pisces. The magician explained this event as: a great king (Jupiter) of justice (Saturn) was born among the Jews (Pisces). The fish symbol is related to the ancient symbol of Christianity, and some scholars point out that it derives from the position of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation, and is even linked to the birth of the fisherman, Jesus.
According to the Prophet, the arrival of the Messiah was expected, and these signs indicate that it is happening, at least for the Magi from the East. Jupiter is the principal god, and Saturn is his father. What greater event could necessitate the birth of the Messiah? And there wasn't just one conjunction of planets, but three. Kings, gods, and fishermen— symbolism consistent with the appearance of a great figure, at least for those who awaited the Messiah.
It could be a powerful supernova, a star tens of times larger than the sun that exploded, but there is no record of it, and it hasn't been left in the sky. Something wonderful happened on March 31, 5 BC. A new star lit up the sky. Novae are stars that become very bright, not as bright as supernovae, but impressive nonetheless. The new star shone for 70 days, and the Magi followed it eastward. When they arrived in Jerusalem and Herod saw them, the star was shining in the south, just before dawn, over Bethlehem.