Other writers highly suggest that the star was a comet. Halley's Comet was visible in 12 BC and another object, possibly a comet or nova, was seen by Chinese and Korean stargazers in about 5 BC. This object was observed for over seventy days, possibly with no movement recorded. Ancient writers described comets as "hanging over" specific cities, just as the Star of Bethlehem was said to have "stood over" the "place" where Jesus was (the town of Bethlehem). However, this is generally thought unlikely as in ancient times comets were generally seen as bad omens. The comet explanation has been recently promoted by Colin Nicholl.
Comet
Star of Bethlehem
Star of Bethlehem | Comet
Other writers highly suggest that the star was a comet. Halley's Comet was visible in 12 BC and another object, possibly a comet or nova, was seen by Chinese and Korean stargazers in about 5 BC The Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, appears only in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew where "wise men from the East" (Magi) are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. A star which signifies the birth of the King of the Jews. The Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, appears only in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew
who told the magi to follow the star
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Matthew's account suggests that the Magi knew from the star that the "king of the Jews" had been born before they arrived in Jerusalem
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who is this magi?
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The Magi (often translated as "wise men"), but is more accurately astrologers.
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who is this star?
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In the Gospel of Matthew account, the Magi (often translated as "wise men", but more accurately astrologers) arrive at the court of Herod in Jerusalem and tell the king of a star which signifies the birth of the King of the Jews: Herod is "troubled", not because of the appearance of the star, but because the Magi have told him that a "king of the Jews" had been born, which he understands to refer to the Messiah, a leader of the Jewish people whose coming was believed to be foretold in scripture. So he asks his advisors where the Messiah would be born.
Star of Bethlehem | Matthew's narrative
Although magi (Greek μαγοι) is usually translated as "wise men," in this context it probably means 'astronomer'/'astrologer'. The involvement of astrologers in the story of the birth of Jesus was problematic for the early Church, because they condemned astrology as demonic; a widely cited explanation was that of Tertullian, who suggested that astrology was allowed 'only until the time of the Gospel'.
Star of Bethlehem | Astronomical object
The wise men are mentioned twice shortly thereafter in , in reference to their avoidance of Herod after seeing Jesus, and what Herod had learned from their earlier meeting. The star which they followed has traditionally become known as the Star of Bethlehem.
Biblical Magi | Biblical account
The Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, appears only in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew where "wise men from the East" (Magi) are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. There, they meet King Herod of Judea, and ask him: Herod calls his scribes and priests who quote to him that a verse from the Book of Micah interpreted as a prophecy, states that the Jewish Messiah would be born in Bethlehem to the south of Jerusalem. Secretly intending to find and kill the Messiah in order to preserve his own kingship, Herod invites the wise men to return to him on their way home.
Star of Bethlehem | Introduction
The star did not indicate a specific house, but after a careful search, the Magi discovered the child who was about one year old. This conception of the star has been referred to as “a serious study of what could have been a messianic Jewish perspective concerning the heavens two millennia ago.”
Star of Bethlehem | Royal celestial signs centered on the cycle of MUL.BABBAR/Jupiter
It was, for example, cited by Josephus, who believed it referred to Emperor Vespasian. Origen, one of the most influential early Christian theologians, connected this prophecy with the Star of Bethlehem: Origen suggested that the Magi may have decided to travel to Jerusalem when they "conjectured that the man whose appearance had been foretold along with that of the star, had actually come into the world".
Star of Bethlehem | Fulfillment of prophecy
The Magi were not present with the shepherds at the time of Jesus's birth. They arrived in Judea about a year and a half after the first celestial signs. After an initial series of celestial signs involving the star, the wise men journeyed from the East to Judea and Bethlehem in the daytime. However, after their arrival in Bethlehem, the wise men made a new, unexpected association with the star. The star “preceded” the men from the East in a manner similar to how Jesus preceded his disciples to Galilee after his resurrection, not visually, but chronologically (Matthew 26:32, 28:7).
Star of Bethlehem | Royal celestial signs centered on the cycle of MUL.BABBAR/Jupiter
They answer Bethlehem, birthplace of King David, and quote the prophet Micah. The king passes this information along to the Magi. Matthew's account suggests that the Magi knew from the star that the "king of the Jews" had been born before they arrived in Jerusalem. They present Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and as verse 11 describes: "they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him". In a dream, they are warned not to return to Jerusalem, so they leave for their own country by another route.
Star of Bethlehem | Matthew's narrative
Who the magi were is not specified in the Bible; there are only traditions. Since English translations of the Bible refer to them as "men who studied the stars", they are believed to have been astrologers, who could foresee the birth of a "Messiah" from their study of the stars. Caspar is often considered to be an Indian scholar. An article in the 1913 "Encyclopædia Britannica" states that "according to Western church tradition, Balthasar is often represented as a king of Arabia, Melchior as a king of Persia, and Caspar as a king of India." Historian John of Hildesheim relates a tradition in the ancient silk road city of ancient Taxila that one of the Magi passed through the city on the way to Bethlehem.
Caspar (magus) | Place of origin
It is likely a technical astrological term meaning rising. Its spelling is very close to the word for east, and this has become the standard translation. Fortna notes that it seems contradictory because a star rising to the east would then guide the magi westwards. Boring suggests that the verse could be read as the magi seeing the star rising when they were in the east. John Chrysostom rejected the idea that the Star of Bethlehem was a normal star or similar heavenly body because such a star could not have specified the exact cave and manger where Jesus was found, being too high in the sky to be that specific.
Matthew 2:2 | Star of Bethlehem
Also, he notes that stars in the sky move from east to west, but that the magi would have traveled from north to south to arrive in Palestine from Persia. Instead, Chrysostom suggested that the Star was a more miraculous occurrence, comparable to the pillar of cloud that led the Israelites out of Egypt through the wilderness. At the time the notion of new stars as beacons of major events were common, being reported for such figures as Alexander the Great, Mithridates VI of Pontus, Abraham, and Augustus. Pliny even takes time to rebut a theory that every person has a star that rises when they are born and fades when they die, evidence that this was believed by some.
Matthew 2:2 | Star of Bethlehem
The Magi told Herod that they saw the star "in the East," or according to some translations, "at its rising", which may imply the routine appearance of a constellation, or an asterism. One theory interprets the phrase in Matthew 2:2, "in the east," as an astrological term concerning a "heliacal rising." This translation was proposed by Edersheim and Heinrich Voigt, among others. The view was rejected by the philologist Franz Boll (1867–1924). Two modern translators of ancient astrological texts insist that the text does not use the technical terms for either a heliacal or an acronycal rising of a star.
Star of Bethlehem | Heliacal rising
A star reveals the birth of Jesus to a number (traditionally three) of "magi", Greek "μάγος", commonly translated as "wise man" but in this context probably meaning "astronomer" or "astrologer", who travel to Jerusalem from an unspecified country "in the east".
Miraculous births | Jesus
In the account of the nativity of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew the Biblical Magi go to see King Herod in Jerusalem and in ask him: "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" Herod asks the "chief priests and teachers of the law" who tell him in Bethlehem of Judea. The question troubles Herod who considers the title his own, and in he questions the Magi about the exact time of the Star of Bethlehem's appearance. Herod sends the Magi to Bethlehem, telling them to notify him when they find the child. After the Magi find Jesus and present their gifts, having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they returned to their country by a different way.
Jesus, King of the Jews | In the nativity
Guided by the Star of Bethlehem, the wise men found the baby Jesus in a house; Matthew does not say if the house was in Bethlehem. They worshiped him, and presented him with "gifts of gold and of frankincense and of myrrh." (2.11) In a dream they are warned not to return to Herod, and therefore return to their homes by taking another route. Since its composition in the late 1st century, numerous apocryphal stories have embellished the gospel's account. implies that Herod learned from the wise men that up to two years had passed since the birth, which is why all male children two years or younger were slaughtered.
Magi | In Christian tradition
The star referenced in this verse has come to be known as the Star of Bethlehem. Since at least Kepler there has been much work to try and link it to an astronomical event with the most common cited being a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC. Since 1964 the astronomer Konradin Ferrari d'Occhieppo argued in several publications for this very seldom conjunction as having taken place in the year 7 BC. The phrase "seen his star in the east" is much disputed. Many scholars feel it should actually just read "seen his star rising". The Greek word in question is "anatole", but its exact translation is unclear.
Matthew 2:2 | Star of Bethlehem
Three wise men (magi) follow a brightly shining star from Asia to Jerusalem in search of a newborn king. They are summoned by King Herod the Great, whose advisers inform him of a Messiah mentioned in various prophecies. When Herod remembers that the prophecy names nearby Bethlehem as the child's birthplace, he sends the Magi there to confirm the child's existenceand secretly sends guards to follow them and "keep [him] informed." In Bethlehem, the Magi find a married coupleMary and Josephlaying their newborn son in a manger. Mary states that his name is Jesus. As the local shepherds watch, the Magi present gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant.
The Greatest Story Ever Told | Part I
Matthew's description of the miracles and portents attending the birth of Jesus can be compared to stories concerning the birth of Augustus (63 BC). Linking a birth to the first appearance of a star was consistent with a popular belief that each person's life was linked to a particular star. Magi and astronomical events were linked in the public mind by the visit to Rome of a delegation of magi at the time of a spectacular appearance of Halley's Comet in AD 66, about the time the Gospel of Matthew was being composed. This delegation was led by King Tiridates of Armenia, who came seeking confirmation of his title from Emperor Nero.
Star of Bethlehem | Pious fiction
Members of Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the "star" was a vision or sign created by Satan, rather than a sign from God. This is because it led the pagan astrologers first to Jerusalem where King Herod consequently found out about the birth of the "king of the Jews", with the result that he attempted to have Jesus killed.
Star of Bethlehem | Jehovah's Witnesses
His theory involves a hypothetical comet which could have appeared in 6 BC.
Star of Bethlehem | Comet
The word "magi" originally referred to Zoroastrian priests in Persia, but by the time this gospel was written it had come to mean anyone who dabbled in the occult arts such as magic, astrology, and dream interpretation. Since the chapter later refers to their interest in stars it is likely "magi" here refers to astrologers. The KJV translation as "wise men" is considered by modern scholars as quite inaccurate, mostly motivated by the desire not to imply any support for the arcane arts. Matthew never says how many magi there are, just that there are more than one. Traditions such as the magi being kings and having names developed later.
Matthew 2:1 | Arrival of the magi
as "magician". The Gospel of Matthew states that magi visited the infant Jesus to do him homage shortly after his birth (). The gospel describes how magi from the east were notified of the birth of a king in Judaea by the appearance of his star. Upon their arrival in Jerusalem, they visited King Herod to determine the location of the king of the Jews's birthplace. Herod, disturbed, told them that he had not heard of the child, but informed them of a prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. He then asked the magi to inform him when they find the infant so that Herod may also worship him.
Magi | In Christian tradition
Other writers highly suggest that the star was a comet. Halley's Comet was visible in 12 BC and another object, possibly a comet or nova, was seen by Chinese and Korean stargazers in about 5 BC. This object was observed for over seventy days, possibly with no movement recorded. Ancient writers described comets as "hanging over" specific cities, just as the Star of Bethlehem was said to have "stood over" the "place" where Jesus was (the town of Bethlehem). However, this is generally thought unlikely as in ancient times comets were generally seen as bad omens. The comet explanation has been recently promoted by Colin Nicholl.
Star of Bethlehem | Comet
According to Molnar, to knowledgeable astrologers of this time, this highly unusual combination of events would have indicated that a regal personage would be (or had been) born in Judea. Other research points to a 1991 report from the Royal Astronomical Society, which mentions that Chinese astronomers noted a "comet" that lasted 70 days in the Capricorn region of the sky, in March of 5 BC. Authors Dugard and O'Reilly consider this event as the likely Star of Bethlehem. However, there are many possible phenomena and none seems to match the Gospel account exactly.
Chronology of Jesus | Other approaches
Hill comments that the undeniably miraculous behaviour of the star in this verse defies all the various attempts to rationalize the star it as a natural nova or conjunction. This might be a reference to the pillar of cloud that guide the Israelites through the wilderness. Fortnas notes that the astronomical theory of the time thought of the stars a points of light moving along a fixed heavenly dome. This made it far easier to imagine a star stopping its motion. It is unclear exactly how long after Jesus' birth the magi arrived. Traditionally they were seen to arrive at most a few days after the birth of Jesus as the Gospel of Luke has Jesus leaving for Jerusalem by the time he was forty days old from whence he went to Nazareth.
Matthew 2:9 | Analysis
"Biblical references: Matt. 2:1–12, Luke 2:1–20" Three magi have come from the East. Balthasar, an Egyptian, sets up a tent in the desert, where he is joined by Melchior, a Hindu, and Gaspar, a Greek. They discover they have been brought together by their common goal. They see a bright star shining over the region, and take it as a sign to leave, following it through the desert toward the province of Judaea. At the Joppa Gate in Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph pass through on their way from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They stop at the inn at the entrance to the city, but it has no room.
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ | Part One
Larson used the Starry Night astronomy software program after he became interested in the Christmas Star because he needed to produce one for the Magi he made as Christmas decorations for his yard, but did not know what to create. Larson became intrigued with the Star after reading astronomer Craig Chester's article, based in part on the work of Ernest Martin about the Bethlehem Star being a possible actual event. Chester, a co-founder of the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy, thought the planetary conjunctions of 2 BC were a more plausible explanation for what the Magi would have seen than events found in earlier dates.
Frederick Larson (filmmaker) | The Star of Bethlehem
Using astronomy software to return to the skies over Judea by using Johannes Kepler's math to calculate positions of celestial objects, Larson thinks he found all nine elements found in the book of "Matthew". He also believes that the Star of Bethlehem, is Jupiter, a wandering star, and it stopped over Bethlehem during its retrograde motion on December 25, 2 BC.> Larson believes King Herod the Great died in 1 BC, although almost all other experts, including astronomer David Hughes and astronomer Michael Molnar, believe Herod died in 4 BC. (In Molnar's book, "The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi", he documents Jesus' birth as Saturday [Sabbath] April 17, 6 BC due to a triple conjunction in Aries.)
The Star of Bethlehem (2007 film) | Background
The three magi are however most welcome inside after saying that they have brought with them presents for the child. The Wise Men also have to mislead King Herod, who is also trying to find the new born 'prince' in the stable. Both Gaspar and Melchior fight the king and his men with swords, together with Joseph who uses his broad axe, while Mary nurses her son and Balthazar takes care of the shining star.
Star singers | England and Scotland
The Gospel of Matthew does not give the names of the Magi (or even how many there were), but their traditional names are ascribed to a Greek manuscript from 500 AD translated into Latin and commonly accepted as the source of the names. In this original manuscript, Balthazar is called Bithisarea, which later developed into Balthazar in Western Christianity. Balthazar was described in the 8th century by Saint Bede as being "[of] black complexion, with [a] heavy beard" with the "myrrh he held in his hands prefigured the death of the Son of man". As part of the Magi, Balthazar followed the Star of Bethlehem first to the palace of Herod the Great who instructed them to return to him when they had found the Child Jesus.
Balthazar (magus) | Tradition
The Adoration of the Magi is a Morris & Co. tapestry depicting the story in Christianity of the Three Kings who were guided to the birthplace of Jesus by the star of Bethlehem. It is sometimes called "The Star of Bethlehem" or simply "The Adoration."
Adoration of the Magi (tapestry) | Introduction
The ancients believed that astronomical phenomena were connected to terrestrial events - As Above, So Below. Miracles were routinely associated with the birth of important people, including the Hebrew patriarchs, as well as Greek and Roman heroes. The Star of Bethlehem is traditionally linked to the Star Prophecy in the Book of Numbers: "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult." Although possibly intended to refer to a time that was long past, since the kingdom of Moab had long ceased to exist by the time the Gospels were being written, this passage had become widely seen as a reference to the coming of a Messiah.
Star of Bethlehem | Fulfillment of prophecy
The star leads them to Jesus' home in the town, where they worship him and give him gifts. The wise men are then given a divine warning not to return to Herod, so they return home by a different route.
Star of Bethlehem | Introduction
While there, he speculates that Jesus may have been born in a cave rather than an inn, the more traditional image. Joe Zias, an archaeologist from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem confirms this, saying that the Greek word "katalyma" is usually translated into English as "upper room" rather than "inn". "The Real Man" also looks at the story of the Star of Bethlehem, which Bowen states would have been an "astrological" rather than "astronomical" phenomenon. According to astronomer Michael Molner, astrologers from around the time of Herod the Great would have believed that the constellation Aries symbolised his kingdom and the lands that he controlled – during 6 BC, the year that some scholars theorise that Jesus was born, a rare planetary alignment meant that Jupiter, Saturn, the Sun and the Moon would have all appeared in this constellation.
Son of God (TV series) | "The Real Man"
The "Adoration" is ethereally and dramatically illuminated by the Star of Bethlehem, reminiscent of the style of Rembrandt (a comparison already made by in 1847), and also Tiepolo and probably Turner, in the opinion of . The star is depicted as a luminous white circle of light up in the sky, from which seeps a faint luminescence that lights up the characters; a more distinct diagonal ray of light shines directly onto Jesus and Mary in the centre of the composition. Saint Joseph, not as brightly-lit as the Virgin, stands beside her and holds her blue mantle. The Magi are before the Holy Family; two, Melchior and Balthazar, kneel holding up the gifts of gold and myrrh in ornate and bejewelled boxes, the other, Caspar, is prostrate and behind him stands a page holding the gift of frankincense.
Adoration of the Magi (Sequeira) | Description
In the Orthodox Church, the Star of Bethlehem is interpreted as a miraculous event of symbolic and pedagogical significance, regardless of whether it coincides with a natural phenomenon; a sign sent by God to lead the Magi to the Christ Child. This is illustrated in the Troparion of the Nativity: Your birth, O Christ our God, dawned the light of knowledge upon the earth. For by Your birth those who adored stars were taught by a star to worship You, the Sun of Justice, and to know You, Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You. In Orthodox Christian iconography, the Star of Bethlehem is often depicted not as golden, but as a dark aureola, a semicircle at the top of the icon, indicating the Uncreated Light of Divine grace, with a ray pointing to "the place where the young child lay" ().
Star of Bethlehem | Eastern Orthodoxy
Paintings and other pictures of the Adoration of the Magi may include a depiction of the star in some form. In the fresco by Giotto di Bondone, it is depicted as a comet. In the tapestry of the subject designed by Edward Burne-Jones (and in the related watercolour), the star is held by an angel. The colourful star lantern known as a "paról" is a cherished and ubiquitous symbol of Christmas for Filipinos, its design and light recalling the star. In its basic form, the paról has five points and two "tails" that evoke rays of light pointing the way to the Christ Child, and candles inside the lanterns have been superseded by electric illumination.
Star of Bethlehem | Depiction in art
According to Brown many at the time would have thought it unthinkable that a messiah would have been born without such stellar portents.
Matthew 2:2 | Star of Bethlehem
Several apocryphal accounts speak of a great light illuminating the scene, also taken to be the star of the Magi, and this is indicated by a circular disc at the top of the scene, with a band coming straight down from it – both are often dark in colour. The Magi may be shown approaching at the top left on horseback, wearing strange pillbox-like headgear, and the shepherds at the right of the cave. Angels usually surround the scene if there is room, including the top of the cave; often one is telling the shepherds the good news of Christ's birth.
Nativity of Jesus in art | Byzantine image
Finegan also notes the Alogi reckoned Christ's birth with the equivalent of 4 BC or AD 9.
Star of Bethlehem | Relating the star historically to Jesus' birth
Another theory connects the star to a series of highly symbolic, but generally unspectacular celestial events involving the planet Jupiter. Babylonian astronomers usually referred to the planet as MUL.BABBAR, meaning the "White Star." A series of symbolically royal celestial events, which were centered on the planet's annual cycle, could have been associated with Judaism and the Messiah. D. Hutchison has made a thorough analysis of the symbolically royal astronomical events visible from Babylonia. According to the theory, the star was not a guiding light. Matthew's wise men never visually followed anything, anywhere, at any moment. The star was given to inform, not to guide.
Star of Bethlehem | Royal celestial signs centered on the cycle of MUL.BABBAR/Jupiter
In a "pesher" applied to the text from "Numbers", the War Scroll's writer gives the following exegesis: …by the hand of the Poor whom you have redeemed by Your Power and the peace of Your Mighty Wonders… by the hand of the Poor and those bent in the dust, You will deliver the enemies of all the lands and humble the mighty of the peoples to bring upon their heads the reward of the Wicked and justify the Judgement of Your Truth on all the sons of men. Some have speculated that the Romanized Jewish historian Josephus, applied the prophecy to Vespasian, who was campaigning against the Jewish Zealots in Palestine, and "who was to come out of Palestine and rule the world." According to Robert Karl Gnuse, it is not certain that Josephus was referring to the Star Prophecy: The star has been externalized as an actual star in the sky, the Star of Bethlehem, in the narration of the Gospel of Matthew.
Star Prophecy | Messianism
Astronomer Dave Reneke independently found the June 2 BC planetary conjunction, and noted it would have appeared as a "bright beacon of light".
Star of Bethlehem | Regulus, Jupiter, and Venus
The Gospels in the New Testament do not give the names of the Magi (or even their number), but their traditional names are ascribed to a Greek manuscript from 500 AD translated into Latin and commonly accepted as the source of the names. Melchior was described by St Bede in the 8th century as being "an old man, with white hair and long beard." Melchior is also commonly referred to as the King of Persia. Following the Star of Bethlehem, the Magi first travelled to the palace of Herod the Great, who then asked for the Magi to find the Child Jesus and report back to him.
Melchior (magus) | Tradition
Molnar's theory was debated by scientists, theologians, and historians during a colloquium on the Star of Bethlehem at the Netherlands’ University of Groningen in October 2014. Harvard astronomer Owen Gingerich supports Molnar's explanation but noted technical questions. "The gospel story is one in which King Herod was taken by surprise," said Gingerich. "So it wasn’t that there was suddenly a brilliant new star sitting there that anybody could have seen [but] something more subtle." Astronomer David A. Weintraub says, "If Matthew’s wise men actually undertook a journey to search for a newborn king, the bright star didn’t guide them; it only told them when to set out." There is an explanation given that the events were quite close to the sun and would not have been visible to the naked eye.
Star of Bethlehem | Double occultation on Saturday (Sabbath) April 17, 6 BC
LDS members believe that the Star of Bethlehem was an actual astronomical event visible the world over. In the Book of Mormon, which they believe contains writings of ancient prophets, Samuel the Lamanite prophesies that a new star will appear as a sign that Jesus has been born, and Nephi later writes about the fulfillment of this prophecy.
Star of Bethlehem | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Attorney Frederick Larson examined the biblical account in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2 and found the following nine qualities of Bethlehem's Star: It signified birth, it signified kingship, it was related to the Jewish nation, and it rose "in the East"; King Herod had not been aware of it; it appeared at an exact time; it endured over time; and, according to Matthew, it was in front of the Magi when they traveled south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, and then it stopped over Bethlehem. Using astronomy software, and an article written by astronomer Craig Chester based on the work of Ernest Martin, Larson thinks all nine characteristics of the Star of Bethlehem are found in events that took place in the skies of 3-2 BC.
Star of Bethlehem | Regulus, Jupiter, and Venus
Many scholars who see the gospel nativity stories as later apologetic accounts created to establish the messianic status of Jesus regard the Star of Bethlehem as a pious fiction. Aspects of Matthew's account which have raised questions of the historical event include: Matthew is the only one of the four gospels which mentions either the Star of Bethlehem or the Magi. Scholars suggest that Jesus was born in Nazareth and that the Bethlehem nativity narratives reflect a desire by the Gospel writers to present his birth as the fulfillment of prophecy. The Matthew account conflicts with that given in the Gospel of Luke, in which the family of Jesus already lives in Nazareth, travel to Bethlehem for the census, and return home almost immediately.
Star of Bethlehem | Pious fiction
Sometimes the faint image of an angel is drawn inside the aureola. Simon the Athonite founded the monastery of Simonopetra on Mount Athos after seeing a star he identified with the Star of Bethlehem.
Star of Bethlehem | Eastern Orthodoxy
The story is an addition and expansion of the account of the Biblical Magi, recounted in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It tells about a "fourth" wise man (accepting the tradition that the Magi numbered three), a priest of the Magi named Artaban, one of the Medes from Persia. Like the other Magi, he sees signs in the heavens proclaiming that a King had been born among the Jews. Like them, he sets out to see the newborn ruler, carrying treasures to give as gifts to the child - a sapphire, a ruby, and a "pearl of great price".
The Other Wise Man | Story
Possibly also its radiance passes, but not its body." Again, Samuel says: "But for the warmth of Orion, the earth could not exist, because of the frigidity of Scorpio; furthermore, Orion lies near Taurus, with which the warm season begins. The comet, because of its tail, is called "kokba de-shabbiṭ". (rodstar). Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah (about 100), declared that a star appears once every seventy years and leads mariners astray, hence they should at such time lay in a larger store of provisions. Rapoport endeavors to prove that the path of Halley's comet had been computed by a wise rabbi.
Hebrew astronomy | Fixed stars and comets
Mary suddenly remembers the smile on her son's face as He looked on His sleeping disciples in Gethsemane and a similar look on the face of one of the criminals also on a cross at Golgotha. She refuses the offer that the angel makes to her. He vanishes as Joseph comes into the stable. The angel is then revealed to be Satan in disguised form who vows to come back one day and tempt Jesus himself. As he flashes through the sky towards hell, his passage is mistaken for a star by the Three Wise Men.
Star Over Bethlehem | Star Over Bethlehem
The gospels of Luke and Matthew describe Jesus as being born in Bethlehem to the Virgin Mary. In Luke, Joseph and Mary travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, and Jesus is born there and laid in a manger. Angels proclaimed him a savior for all people, and shepherds came to adore him. Matthew adds that the magi follow a star to Bethlehem to bring gifts to Jesus, born the king of the Jews. King Herod orders the massacre of all the boys less than two years old in Bethlehem, but the family flees to Egypt and later returns to Nazareth.
Christmas | Nativity
Jimmy, a boy disillusioned about Christmas, visit's his uncle Alfredo at his shop, who recounts the story of the Nativity Story in a different point of view. In ancient times, Herod the Great with his advisor Belial are searching for the Royal Treasures. Meanwhile, three powerful Magi – Balthazar, Gaspar, and Melchior – follow the Star of Bethlehem after its light shines upon them, hoping to find the King of Kings (Melchior hopes for it to lead him to a Valley of Gold). They cross paths in a small village, saving the villagers from bandits and rescue a young revolutionist Sarah, who joins them on their journey.
The 3 Wise Men | Plot
This account cites Zoradascht (Zoroaster) as the source of the prophecy that motivated the wise men to seek the infant Jesus.
Magi | In Christian tradition
This association was in turn the product of the Hellenistic fascination for (Pseudo‑)Zoroaster, who was perceived by the Greeks to be the Chaldean founder of the Magi and inventor of both astrology and magic, a meaning that still survives in the modern-day words "magic" and "magician". In the "Gospel of Matthew", "μάγοι" ("magoi") from the east do homage to the newborn Jesus, and the transliterated plural "magi" entered English from Latin in this context around 1200 (this particular use is also commonly rendered in English as "kings" and more often in recent times as "wise men"). The singular "magus" appears considerably later, when it was borrowed from Old French in the late 14th century with the meaning "magician".
Magi | Introduction
There is an Armenian tradition identifying the "Magi of Bethlehem" as Balthasar of Arabia, Melchior of Persia, and Gaspar of India. Historian John of Hildesheim relates a tradition in the ancient silk road city of Taxila (in present-day Punjab, Pakistan) that one of the Magi passed through the city on the way to Bethlehem.
Biblical Magi | Country of origin and journey
"The fusion of two planets would have been a rare and awe-inspiring event", according to Roger Sinnott. Another Venus–Jupiter conjunction occurred earlier in August, 3 BC. These events however occurred after the generally accepted date of 4 BC for the death of Herod. Since the conjunction would have been seen in the west at sunset it could not have led the magi south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
Star of Bethlehem | Planetary conjunction
Larson thinks astronomical events in 3-2 BC fit the evidence found in the Bible. He also believes King Herod the Great died in 1 BC, although others, including astronomer David Hughes and astronomer Mike Molnar, believe Herod died in 4 BC. Larson examined the biblical account in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2 and located nine qualities of Bethlehem's Star: It signified birth, it signified kingship, it was related to the Jewish nation, and it rose "in the East"; furthermore, King Herod had not been aware of it; it appeared at an exact time; it endured over time; and, according to the book of Matthew, it was before the Magi as they traveled south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, then it stopped over Bethlehem.
Frederick Larson (filmmaker) | The Star of Bethlehem
The Magi are popularly referred to as "wise men" and "kings". The word is the plural of Latin , borrowed from Greek (), as used in the original Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew (in the plural: ). Greek itself is derived from Old Persian "maguŝ" from the Avestan "magâunô", i.e., the religious caste into which Zoroaster was born (see Yasna 33.7: "ýâ sruyê parê magâunô" = "so I can be heard beyond Magi"). The term refers to the Persian priestly caste of Zoroastrianism. As part of their religion, these priests paid particular attention to the stars and gained an international reputation for astrology, which was at that time highly regarded as a science.
Biblical Magi | Description
Ancient historian Dio Cassius wrote that, "The King did not return by the route he had followed in coming," a line similar to the text of Matthew's account, but written some time after the completion of Matthew's gospel.
Star of Bethlehem | Pious fiction
The Magi - probably Persian astronomers/astrologers (Astrology) - observed a planetary conjunction on Saturday (Sabbath) April 17, 6 BC that signified the birth of a great Hebrew king: Jesus.
Timeline of astronomy | 6 BC
Astronomer Michael R. Molnar argues that the "star in the east" refers to an astronomical event with astrological significance in the context of ancient Greek astrology. He suggests a link between the Star of Bethlehem and a double occultation of Jupiter by the moon on March 20 and April 17 of 6 BC in Aries, particularly the second occultation on April 17. Occultations of planets by the moon are quite common, but Firmicus Maternus, an astrologer to Roman Emperor Constantine, wrote that an occultation of Jupiter in Aries was a sign of the birth of a divine king. He argues that Aries rather than Pisces was the zodiac symbol for Judea, a fact that would affect previous interpretations of astrological material.
Star of Bethlehem | Double occultation on Saturday (Sabbath) April 17, 6 BC
Samuel said: "I know all the paths of heaven, but nothing of the nature of the comet." The following Biblical names of constellations are mentioned and explained: כימה = כמאה. Pleiades (Biblically known as the Seven Stars) [a cluster of] about a hundred stars, and for the much disputed עש, its equally obscure Aramaic equivalent יותא (MS. M. אתא), Syriac עיותא, is given.
Hebrew astronomy | Fixed stars and comets
In 1614, German astronomer Johannes Kepler determined that a series of three conjunctions of the planets Jupiter and Saturn occurred in the year 7 BC. He argued (incorrectly) that a planetary conjunction could create a nova, which he linked to the Star of Bethlehem. Modern calculations show that there was a gap of nearly a degree (approximately twice a diameter of the moon) between the planets, so these conjunctions were not visually impressive. An ancient almanac has been found in Babylon which covers the events of this period, but does not indicate that the conjunctions were of any special interest.
Star of Bethlehem | Planetary conjunction
The interest in astronomy leads some to believe they were from Babylon, which was the centre of astrology at the time. The oldest attested theory, dating from 160 AD, is that they were from Arabia. This fits with the gifts they brought, which come from that part of the world. Brown comments that the author of Matthew probably didn't have a specific location in mind and the phrase "from the east" is for literary effect and added exoticism. See also: The Journey of the Magi, Three Wise Men
Matthew 2:1 | Arrival of the magi
Some Christmas carols refer to the biblical Magi or Three Kings, especially hymns meant to be sung by the star singers, such as "Stern über Bethlehem". Peter Cornelius composed a song cycle "Weihnachtslieder", Op. 8 which contains a song "Die Könige" (The Kings), which became popular in an English choral arrangement, "The Three Kings". Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior are also featured in Gian Carlo Menotti's 1951 opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors".
Biblical Magi | Music
The Star singers, aged about ten to fifteen, are dressed in long white shirts and pointed brown or white paper hats, in imitation of a well-known picture of the Biblical Magi as Babylonians Balthazar carries the star and Caspar and Melchior are armed with wooden swords. The other characters usually do not disguise themselves but also dress in long shirts, often in brown, green or grey colours and conical hats. Joseph has got a cylindrical paper hat and a wooden timber or broad axe. King Herod wears a crown and he and his soldiers carry wooden swords. In the crowd there may also be shepherds with long shirts and sticks and some angels with white shirts and wings.
Star singers | England and Scotland
In "The Desire of Ages", Ellen White states "That star was a distant company of shining angels, but of this the wise men were ignorant."
Star of Bethlehem | Seventh-day Adventist
star shone over Bethlehem ...") by tenor and bass, the fifth ("... three kinges ...") by the bass, the sixth ("... sprang to hell ...") by four parts SATB, the seventh ("... sprang to heaven ...") by soprano and alto, the final prayer ("Pray we to her ...") by four parts again but mostly in unison.
Magnificat (Rutter) | 2
The Star of Bethlehem is a Christian tradition regarding the birth of Jesus. Star of Bethlehem may also refer to:
Star of Bethlehem (disambiguation) | Introduction
Unlike the previous mention of the Star of Bethlehem this verse clearly indicates that it guided the magi to their destination. In combination with the next verse it seems to be clear that the star pointed out the specific house Jesus was in, or perhaps the entire village. How it did this is unspecified in the text, and artists have portrayed a wide array of means. The phrase "went before" can mean either that the star was moving throughout their journey or that it remained stationary and served only as a fixed guide. However the phrase "came and stood" unambiguously means that it ceased moving and came to a rest at this point.
Matthew 2:9 | Analysis
Larson's interest in the Star of Bethlehem began when he needed to make a Christmas Star to accompany his Magi lawn ornaments he had made to be Christmas decorations, but did not know what the Star of Bethlehem was and needed to learn more. As a lawyer, Larson examined the text of Matthew, finding nine pieces of evidence in the nativity passage. The Star’s nine data points are that it signified birth, it signified kingship, it was related to the Jewish nation, and it "rose in the East"; it was not known to Herod the Great; it appeared at a specific time; it endured over time; it was before the Magi as they traveled south to Bethlehem from Jerusalem, and then, according to the Bible, it stopped over the city of Bethlehem.
The Star of Bethlehem (2007 film) | Background
Of the other two, the kneeling one points in the direction of the manger, well behind the sacred figures. The manger is placed outside the stable, and the ox and ass are also in the open air. The interior of the stable is occupied by what are presumably the Magi's horses and their grooms, removing their tack and in one case checking a horseshoe. Behind the magi on the left a large procession of their retinues continue to arrive, passing through an arch that is part of a large ruined structure. To the right of the main group the city walls of Bethlehem run up a steep slope, with a road or path running in front of the walls.
Adoration of the Magi (Fra Angelico and Filippo Lippi) | Description
The king proclaims a prayer of peace and announces that the child will "bring goodness and light." The lyrics are inconsistent with the response of Herod the Great, the reigning monarch over the region at the time, who feared the arrival of a new "king of the Jews" and ordered the child massacred. The Magi did not receive word of Christ's birth from the shepherds (who instead went directly to Bethlehem), but by noticing an astrological event, interpreting it as a new Jewish king, and going to Jerusalem, where Herod informed them of Old Testament prophecies and pointed them toward Bethlehem.
Do You Hear What I Hear? | Synopsis
The narrative implies that Jesus was born sometime between the first appearance of the star and the appearance of the Magi at Herod's court. That the king is said to have ordered the execution of boys two years of age and younger implies that the Star of Bethlehem appeared within the preceding two years. Some scholars date the birth of Jesus as 6–4 BC, while others suggest Jesus' birth was in 3/2 BC. The Gospel of Luke says the census from Caesar Augustus took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Tipler suggests this took place in AD 6, nine years after the death of Herod, and that the family of Jesus left Bethlehem shortly after the birth.
Star of Bethlehem | Relating the star historically to Jesus' birth
This sheer craftsmanship is evident not just in the precious materials of jewelry, fabrics, and harnesses, but even in the trees laden with fruit, the meadows spangled with flowers, the variegated plumage of the birds, and the multicolored wings of the angels. Finally, leaves of pure gold were applied generously to shine in the dark, in the dim light of the candles. The painting is dedicated to a sacred subject but rich in traces of pomp and secular elegance. Hosts of angels sing and adore while the magnificent procession of the Three Kings approaches Bethlehem, accompanied by their respective entourages as they enjoy the scene of a noble hunting party with falcons and felines along the way.
Magi Chapel | Background
There are many different translations of the word found, such as "wise men" and "astrologers". The only other place the word occurs in the New Testament is at and . The magi in question is a negative figure and the word is more often translated as "magician" or "sorcerer". The phrase "from the east" is the only information Matthew provides on where the magi came from. Many scholars have theorized about where this east might be. Traditionally the view developed that the magi were Persian or Parthian, and art works generally depicted them in Persian dress. The main support for this is that the first magi were from Persia and that land still had the largest number of them.
Matthew 2:1 | Arrival of the magi
Mary sits with her child in front of ruined columns receiving gifts in a fantasy landscape. On the right a man points to the Star of Bethlehem.
Adoration of the Magi (Garofalo) | Painting
The Star of Bethlehem is a 2007 documentary by Frederick A. "Rick" Larson to show what he found when he searched for clues about the Star of Bethlehem. Larson used the Starry Night astronomy computer program along with an article written by astronomer Craig Chester; based in part on the work of Ernest Martin. Larson also used details from the Christian Bible to find nine data points about the Star of Bethlehem which, according to the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, stopped over Bethlehem, bringing the Magi to Jesus.
The Star of Bethlehem (2007 film) | Introduction
In Eastern Christianity, especially the Syriac churches, the Magi often number twelve. Their identification as kings in later Christian writings is probably linked to Isaiah 60:1–6, which refers to "kings [coming] to the brightness of your dawn" bearing "gold and frankincense". Further identification of the magi with kings may be due to Psalm 72:11, "May all kings fall down before him".
Biblical Magi | Introduction
The carry a star representing the one followed by the biblical magi and sing Christmas carols as they go door to door, such as "Stern über Bethlehem". An adult chaperones the group but stays in the background of the performance. After singing, the children write the three kings' initials on the door frame in exchange for charitable donations. Each year, German and Austrian dioceses pick one charity towards which all donations nationwide will be contributed. Traditionally, one child in the group is said to represent Baltasar from Africa and so, that child typically wears blackface makeup. Many Germans do not consider this to be racist because it is not intended to be a negative portrayal of a black person, but rather, a "realistic" or "traditional" portrayal of one.
Biblical Magi | Central Europe
This consists of a star on a shield flanked by a green fern. On the scroll beneath are the Latin words "Signum Fidei" meaning "The Sign of Faith", referring to the star. This recalls the story of the Three Wise Men who followed the Star of Bethlehem, trusting that it would lead them to God.
De La Salle College Dundalk | Crest
Suslyga's work was used by Kepler to bolster the astronomer's theory that the Star of Bethlehem was perhaps a new star which may have appeared during or following the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC (later joined by Mars in 6 BC). In AD 1604, Kepler had witnessed the appearance of a nova in the region between the two planets during a similar Jupiter / Saturn great conjunction. He suggested that perhaps a new star, a miraculous "stella nova," had possibly been associated with the conjunctions in 7/6 BC, as had happened in AD 1604. According to the biblical account, the wise men indicated that Christ's birth happened within a year or two of the appearance of the star.
Laurentius Suslyga | Introduction
The biblical Magi ( or ; singular: ), also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men or (Three) Kings, were – in the Gospel of Matthew and Christian tradition – distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity celebrations of Christmas and are an important part of Christian tradition. Matthew is the only one of the four canonical gospels to mention the Magi. Matthew reports that they came "from the east" to worship the "king of the Jews". The gospel never mentions the number of Magi, but most western Christian denominations have traditionally assumed them to have been three in number, based on the statement that they brought three gifts.
Biblical Magi | Introduction
The phrase "from the east" (), more literally "from the rising [of the sun]", is the only information Matthew provides about the region from which they came. The Parthian Empire, centered in Persia, stretched from eastern Syria to the fringes of India. Though the empire was tolerant of other religions, its dominant religion was Zoroastrianism, with its priestly magos class. Although Matthew's account does not explicitly cite the motivation for their journey (other than seeing the star in the east, which they took to be the star of the King of the Jews), the Syriac Infancy Gospel provides some clarity by stating explicitly in the third chapter that they were pursuing a prophecy from their prophet, Zoradascht (Zoroaster).
Biblical Magi | Country of origin and journey
The alternate Greek name for Zoroaster was Zaratas / Zaradas / Zaratos ("cf." Agathias 2.23–5, Clement "Stromata" I.15), which – according to Bidez and Cumont – derived from a Semitic form of his name. The Suda's chapter on "astronomia" notes that the Babylonians learned their astrology from Zoroaster. Lucian of Samosata ("Mennipus" 6) decides to journey to Babylon "to ask one of the magi, Zoroaster's disciples and successors", for their opinion.
Magi | Roman period
However, one concedes that Matthew may have used layman's terms for a rising.
Star of Bethlehem | Heliacal rising
Highlights include a triple conjunction of Jupiter, called the king planet, with the fixed star Regulus, called the king star, starting in September 3 BC. Larson believes that may be the time of Jesus' conception. By June of 2 BC, nine months later, the human gestation period, Jupiter had continued moving in its orbit around the sun and appeared in close conjunction with Venus in June of 2 BC. In Hebrew Jupiter is called "Sedeq", meaning "righteousness", a term also used for the Messiah, and suggested that because the planet Venus represents love and fertility, so Chester had suggested astrologers would have viewed the close conjunction of Jupiter and Venus as indicating a coming new king of Israel, and Herod would have taken them seriously.
Star of Bethlehem | Regulus, Jupiter, and Venus
Saint Caspar (otherwise known as Casper, Gaspar, Kaspar, and other variations) was one of the 'Three Kings', along with Melchior and Balthazar, representing the wise men or 'Biblical Magi' mentioned in the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew, verses 2:1-9. Although the Bible does not specify who or what the Magi were, since the seventh century, the Magi have been identified in the Western Church as Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. Caspar and the other two are considered saints by the Catholic Church. The name "Caspar" or "Casper" is derived from Gaspar which in turn is from an ancient Chaldean word, "Gizbar", which according to Strong's Concordance means "treasurer".
Caspar (magus) | Introduction
The comet may be an echo of the Star of Bethlehem from the biblical nativity story, but could also be a reference to the science of astronomy and the place of humans in the universe.
Pegwell Bay, Kent – a Recollection of October 5th 1858 | Painting
In the 20th century, Professor Karlis Kaufmanis, an astronomer, argued that this was an astronomical event where Jupiter and Saturn were in a triple conjunction in the constellation Pisces. Archaeologist and Assyriologist Simo Parpola has also suggested this explanation. In 6 BC, there were conjunctions/occultations (eclipses) of Jupiter by the Moon in Aries. "Jupiter was the regal 'star' that conferred kingships - a power that was amplified when Jupiter was in close conjunctions with the Moon. The second occultation on April 17 coincided precisely when Jupiter was 'in the east', a condition mentioned twice in the biblical account about the Star of Bethlehem." In 3–2 BC, there was a series of seven conjunctions, including three between Jupiter and Regulus and a strikingly close conjunction between Jupiter and Venus near Regulus on June 17, 2 BC.
Star of Bethlehem | Planetary conjunction
Holidays celebrating the arrival of the Magi traditionally recognise a distinction between the date of their arrival and the date of Jesus' birth. The account given in the Gospel of Matthew does not state that they were present on the night of the birth; in the Gospel of Luke, Joseph and Mary remain in Bethlehem until it is time for Jesus' dedication, in Jerusalem, and then return to their home in Nazareth.
Biblical Magi | Traditions
Taylor, 1962-New Testament). Although the Magi are commonly referred to as "kings," there is nothing in the account from the Gospel of Matthew that implies that they were rulers of any kind. The identification of the Magi as kings is linked to Old Testament prophecies that describe the Messiah being worshipped by kings in , Psalm , and , which reads, "Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations serve him." Early readers reinterpreted Matthew in light of these prophecies and elevated the Magi to kings. By AD 500 all commentators adopted the prevalent tradition that the three were kings.
Biblical Magi | Description
Mary sits with her child in front of a ruined gateway dated 1517. She holds the Christ Child who leans towards King Melchior to receive a kiss on His hand. Melchior has removed his crown and laid down his gift, a golden covered beaker. On the right King Casper holds his covered beaker of frankincense and on the left King Balthazar holds his gift, an orb of myrrh. Behind him, a line of men holding weapons stretches around the manger. The men are presumably the combined entourages of the Three Kings, who are in conversation with each other and seem oblivious of the scene in the center.
The Adoration of the Magi (Jacob van Oostsanen) | Central panel
In the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, a silver star with 14 undulating rays marks the location traditionally claimed to be that of Jesus' birth.
Star of Bethlehem | Depiction in art
This star, according to Assemani, with another in the right arm that may have been ε Boo (Izar), constituted the Arabs' "Al Aulād al Nadhlāt", which he rendered "filii altercationis" (sons of contention); but the original signifies "the Low, or Mean, Little Ones". "Al Aulād al Nadhlāt" or "Aulad al Nathlat" was the title of this star in the catalogue of stars in "Technical Memorandum 33-507 - A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars".
Psi Boötis | Name
A modern scholar summarizes Ibn Ezra's attitude as follows: "The deity has delegated to the stars the governance of the sublunar world. Israel [Jews], however, enjoys a special status, which is manifest most decisively in its possession of the Torah. As long as a Jew is engaged in the study and observance of the Torah, he is linked to a spiritual realm which is itself superior to the stars. In this way a Jew may liberate himself from the decrees of the stars."
Jewish views on astrology | In the medieval era
Matthew 2:7 is the seventh verse of the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The magi have informed King Herod that they had seen portents showing the birth of the King of the Jews. Herod has consulted with the leading Jewish religious figures who reported he was to be born in Bethlehem. In this verse Herod again questions the magi.
Matthew 2:7 | Introduction
The word "mágos" (Greek) and its variants appear in both the Old and New Testaments. Ordinarily this word is translated "magician" or "sorcerer" in the sense of illusionist or fortune-teller, and this is how it is translated in all of its occurrences (e.g. Acts 13:6) except for the Gospel of Matthew, where, depending on translation, it is rendered "wise man" (KJV, RSV) or left untranslated as "Magi", typically with an explanatory note (NIV). However, early church fathers, such as St. Justin, Origen, St. Augustine and St. Jerome, did not make an exception for the Gospel, and translated the word in its ordinary sense, i.e.
Magi | In Christian tradition