November 23, 2009
Was the Star of Bethlehem Really a Star?
Fresh knowledge of the old astrological notions and progressive computer-based planetary tables may yet spilled new light on the question of what, astronomically speaking, the Star of Bethlehem really was. But before going back in time to explore the feasible answers, one needs to understand the many problems underlying the questions.
Matthew is the only of the four gospels which mentions either the Star of Bethlehem or the magi. The Gospel of Mark, believed by modern text scholars to be the oldest of the Gospels, does not include a nativity narrative or any suggest that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The author of the Gospel of John also appears to be unsuspecting of the Bethlehem nativity narratives. The Gospels often represented Jesus as “of Nazareth,” but never as “of Bethlehem”. Many scholars have resolved that Jesus was in all probability born in Nazareth and that the nativity narratives are determined by the desire of the Gospel writers to portray his birth as a fulfillment a prophecy in the Book of Micah concerning a Bethlehem birth.
Matthew’s description of the miracles and prognostications related to the birth of Jesus can be likened to stories pertaining the birth of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Joining a birth to the first appearance of a star was agreeable with the representative belief each person’s life was joined to a particular star. Magi and astronomical events were related in the communal mind by the visit to Rome of a delegation of magi at the time of a outstanding appearance of Halley’s Comet in AD 66.
There are legion other elements that impart to the puzzle, including the uncertainty in the actual date of Christ’s birth and the terminology used to describe celestial events during the Stars appearance some 20 centuries ago. For example, any heavenly object bright enough to attract attention was prone to be called a “star.” Meteors, for example, were considered “shooting” or “falling ” stars; comets were “hairy” stars; novae were “new” stars and planets were called “wandering” stars.
