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The Star of Bethlehem? the Popular Sultant, Dr December 1996 Volume 25, Number 12 IMPRIMISBecause Ideas Have Consequences 24th The Star of year Bethlehem Craig Chester Past President, Monterey Institute for 720,000 subscribers Research in Astronomy For nearly two thousand years, the Star of raig Chester is a co-founder and Bethlehem has been a powerful symbol of the Cpast president of the Monterey Christian faith. Its unique story, told here by (California) Institute for Research in astronomer Craig Chester, was originally pre- Astronomy (MIRA). Founded more sented at Hillsdale College’s Center for than two decades ago, MIRA is the only American profes- Constructive Alternatives seminar, “Man and sional observatory Creation: Perspectives on Science and Religion,” established in this in the fall of 1992 and was published in the century that is inde- December 1993 issue of Imprimis. pendent of universities and of the federal gov- ernment. Its observa- The Story of the Star in tory (at one of the best sites in the U.S.), its the East educational programs, and its state-of-the- omeone once observed, “The universe is art research are fund- composed of stories, not atoms.” The Star ed almost entirely by of Bethlehem is certainly a story, as is most private donors who of the Bible, first and foremost. It is also a wish to support basic Smystery, involving not only theology and astrono- science at a unique institution. my but also history and even astrology. What do we As a software con- know about the Star of Bethlehem? The popular sultant, Dr. Chester has worked on a conception is summarized in the Christmas carol: variety of U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force projects, developing ground equip- We three kings of Orient are ment and software tools for satellite communications. Bearing gifts we traverse afar, He holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from Field and fountain, moor and mountain, Case Western Reserve University. Following yonder star. O star of wonder, star of night, Star of royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light. Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan 49242 IMPRIMIS Because Ideas Have Consequences We all know this carol as the story of the Star, It is also the only account we have of the Star in which is fine–except for the fact that almost our Bible. Admittedly, later non-canonical everything in it is wrong. The actual New sources like the Protovangelium of James and an Testament account of the Star of Bethlehem epistle of Ignatius did elaborate on the story, call- comes from the second chapter of the Gospel of ing the Star the brightest star in the sky, brighter Matthew: than all other stars combined, even including Jesus was born at Bethlehem in Judaea the sun and the moon, which bowed down before during the reign of Herod. After his birth it. But Matthew is very matter-of-fact. It has also astrologers [Magi] from the East arrived in been suggested that this is a commentary by Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn Matthew, always fond of referring to Old king of the Jews? We observed the rising of Testament prophecies, on Balaam’s oracle in the his star, and we have come to pay him Book of Numbers that “a star shall come forth homage.” King Herod was greatly perturbed out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of when he heard this, and so was the whole of Israel.” But it would be uncharacteristic of Jerusalem. He called together the chief Matthew to refrain from pointing out this priests and scribes of the Jews and asked prophecy explicitly, had he had it in mind. them where the Messiah was to be born. “At Bethlehem in Judaea,” they replied, “for this The Historical is what the prophet wrote: ‘Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least Perspective among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a ruler to be the shepherd of my o understand this story, we must view it people Israel.’” in the context of its time. Who were Then Herod summoned the astrologers to these Magi? Where did they come from? meet him secretly, and ascertained from Magi is the plural of Magus, the root of T our word magic, and “court them the exact time when the star had appeared. He sent them to astrologers” is proba- Bethlehem, and said, “Go and bly the best transla- make a careful search for tion, although “wise the child, and when you men” is also a good have found him, bring term, descriptive of me word, so that I the esteem in may go myself and which they were pay him homage.” widely held. The After hearing group of Magi in what the king question came had to say they “from the East.” set out; there They might have before them been Zoroastrians, was the star Medes, Persians, they had Arabs, or even Jews. seen rising, They probably served as and it went court advisors, making ahead of them forecasts and predictions for until it stopped their royal patrons based on above the place where the child lay. their study of the stars, about They were overjoyed at the sight of it and, which they were quite knowledgeable. Magi entering the house, they saw the child with often wandered from court to court, and it was Mary his mother and bowed low in homage not unusual for them to cover great distances in to him; they opened their treasure chests and order to attend the birth or crowning of a king, presented gifts to him: gold, frankincense, paying their respects and offering gifts. It is not and myrrh. Then they returned to their own surprising, therefore, that Matthew would men- country by another route, for they had been tion them as validation of Jesus’ kingship, or warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. that Herod would regard their arrival as a very serious matter. This is not a fabulous tale. It does not conjure When might these Magi have appeared in up fantastic details or images, and it is told in a Judaea? Obviously, determining the story’s date rather mundane fashion, not at all like a fable. is important if we are to look for astronomical 2 connections. We might assume that it was “house” of an infant (brephos in the Greek) around 1 B.C. or 1 A.D., since that is when, by but of a paidion, or toddler, indicating that conventional reckon- some months may ing, Jesus was born. have elapsed since But the calendar on In 3 B.C. and 2 B.C., there was the birth itself. which these dates What are the astro- are based was set by a series of close conjunctions nomical possibilities? the Roman monk This question has Dionysius Exiguus in involving Jupiter, the planet been asked many the year 525 A.D., that represented kingship, times since the long after the fact. Christian apologist Scholars writing in coronations, and the birth of Origen first raised it the first and second around 250 A.D. It is centuries A.D. assert- kings. In Hebrew, Jupiter was safe to say that every ed that Jesus was astronomical event born between what known as Sedeq or known to have we now call 4 B.C. “Righteousness,” a term also occurred during, say, and 1 B.C. They were the decade of interest living much closer to used for the Messiah. has at some point the event and had been proposed as the access to thousands Star of Bethlehem. of historical records in many excellent libraries, The key point to answering this question is to note and their opinions probably should be given that it is not just any astronomical event that is of much more weight than has been common. interest. We can restrict our inquiry to those How about the time of the year? The best clue appearances that would have had astrological sig- is a passage in the Book of Luke: nificance to the Magi, who declared: And there were in the same country shep- “We observed the rising of his star, and we herds abiding in the fields, keeping watch have come to pay him homage.” over their flock by night. An astrological event may not have been very If the reference to “fields” is accurate–not pas- obvious at all; certainly it was not obvious to tures or holding pens–we might guess at a date in Herod. Had it been an incomparably bright late summer or early fall, for it was customary for object, as later writers thought, there would be farmers to allow sheep and cattle to graze the stub- numerous written records of it. It is much more ble in the fields following the harvest. This clue is plausible that the Star of Bethlehem went unno- suggestive, but hardly definitive. ticed by all but a few experts such as the Magi. One difficulty in seeking a precise date is the fact that Matthew reports two different sightings, possibly separated by a substantial time. First, The Death of Herod the Magi saw the Star rising en anatole, best translated as “rising in the East,” the ancient major key to the chronology is the date of technical term for an acronical rising, when an the death of Herod the Great, the father object rises at sunset and is visible all night. of another Herod–Herod Antipas, who After they come to Jerusalem–we do not know executed John the Baptist and who ruled Aat the time of the Crucifixion.
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