Was the star of Bethlehem a miraculous astronomical phenomenon — a brilliant light hanging just above the stable where Jesus was born? Perhaps This popular image is what most people think of when reading of the visit of the Magi recorded in Matthew chapter 2. But a little digging into the astronomical and archeological past of the Middle East yields other possibilities.
First, it’s important to understand that, despite popular notions, the Bible states clearly that the Magi did not visit the nativity. By the time they did visit the Christ child he was a “paidion” or toddler. Matthew’s account also states that He lived in a house, not a stable. So it was at least several months after the nativity that the wise men visited Jesus.
There are a number of theories as to what the star was. But two theories set forth by astronomers and biblical scholars as to what was happening in the heavens around the time of Christ’s birth emerge as the most likely. Because the stars and planets follow very precise patterns of movement, it is a relatively simple matter for today’s scientists to extrapolate back to the time of the nativity to determine what the Magi may have seen.
But first, it might be helpful to understand just who the Magi were. Most scholars agree that these wise men were from the former Babylonian and Persian empires. Magi were a caste of astronomers and mathematicians, well versed in the sciences of their day. They were most likely from the city of Sippar, which for centuries had been a well-known center for astronomical study. Modern day archeologists have discovered clay tablets from the second millennium B.C. in this part of the world that reveal a high degree of astronomical sophistication among the ancients. The study of astronomy was already over 4,000 years old at the time of Christ.
It is important to remember that all heavenly bodies, except the sun and moon, were considered “stars” to the ancient world. Individual stars, planets, and constellations had meaning not only to the Magi’s native culture but to the Hebrews as well. For instance, to the Hebrews, Pisces represented the nation of Israel. Saturn denoted Jerusalem. And Jupiter designated royalty. The Jews, as opposed to other ancient cultures, did not see the heavenly bodies as influencing events here on earth, but as signs from God of what was to happen.
The Magi, no doubt, were well versed in the Hebrew interpretation of the heavens. The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem in 586 B.C., carrying away thousands of Hebrews into captivity. During the time of the captivity Daniel rose to prominence in the King’s court and was eventually placed in charge of all the kingdom’s wise men, as recorded in Daniel chapter two. This may have been one of the primary conduits by which the Hebrew interpretations of the meanings of the stars made their way to the culture of the Magi.
Even after King Cyrus of the Persians, who had conquered Babylon, allowed the Hebrews to return to their land in 538 B.C., most of them had been so assimilated into Babylonian culture that they stayed. So there were several hundred years of cultural cross-pollination that would have allowed the Magi to be well acquainted not only with how the Hebrews interpreted the signs in the heavens but Hebrew prophecy as well.
The Book of Daniel predicted that the time of the Messiah would come 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. This also was likely known by the Magi mentioned in the book of Matthew, so it would not be surprising if they knew the Jewish Messiah was to be born around their time. The Hebrews also expected their Messiah to be born in the tiny village of Bethlehem as predicted in the book of Micah; a fact also probably known by the learned wise men.
One of the theories espoused by modern day scholars and scientists as to what celestial events may have tipped off the Magi involves a series of unusual planetary conjunctions. On May 29, 7 B.C. Saturn, representing Jerusalem, came together with Jupiter, representing royalty, in the constellation of Pisces, representing the nation of Israel. The Magi could have calculated that a single conjunction of the two planets would normally occur only once in 804 years. But when the same conjunction took place in the constellation of Pisces on October 3 and December 4 of the same year, its meaning took on even greater significance. The final conjunction on December 4 coincided with the Hebrew Day of Atonement, deeply significant since Jesus is the final atonement for our sins. Then, in the spring of 6 B.C., the two planets again joined within Pisces.
But what followed in July, 5 B.C. even the Magi could not have calculated. A nova, an exploding star, suddenly appeared. Ancient Chinese astronomical records reveal that this nova was so bright it could even be seen during the day.
If the Magi took this as their cue to begin their journey toward Bethlehem, they would have arrived in October of that year, after the three-month journey from their land to the land of Israel. The Bible records that they stopped in Jerusalem to inquire where “he who has been born King of the Jews” could be found. Modern astronomers confirm that in October, 5 B.C., from the vantage point of Jerusalem, the great nova stood directly over Bethlehem, five miles south of Jerusalem.
But another theory has been offered by astronomers and has been even more widely accepted than the theory explained above. It actually continues on where the previous theory leaves off. The planetary conjunctions between 7 B.C. and 6 B.C. no doubt had great significance to the Magi regardless of which theory one holds to. But astronomical calculations demonstrate that there were several others to follow within the next four years, making the years 7 B.C. through 2 B.C. a spectacular period of planetary conjunctions. Even modern-day astronomers have taken special note of this remarkable series of rare conjunctions.
On August 12, 3 B.C. Jupiter, the royal planet, came into conjunction with Venus in the constellation Leo. Venus for millennia has been known as the “morning star.” Revelation 22:16 refers to Jesus as the “bright and morning star,” an obvious reference to Venus. Leo is the Lion, the constellation associated with Judah, the genetic line from which the Messiah was to come.
On September 14, 3 B.C. Jupiter came into conjunction with the star Regulus in the constellation Leo. Regulus was known as the king star and is understood by some scholars to be the star of the Jewish Messiah.
On February 17, 2 B.C. Jupiter and Regulus again were in conjunction in Leo.
On May 8, 2 B.C. Jupiter and Regulus again were in conjunction in Leo.
On June 17, 2 B.C. Jupiter and Venus were again in conjunction in Leo, this time so close together (.04 degrees) that they appeared to be one brilliant star. Astronomer Roger W. Sinnott, writing in the December, 1968 edition of the astronomical journal “Sky and Telescope,” said, “This fusion of two planets would have been a rare and awe-inspiring event.”
On August 27, 2 B.C. four planets; Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Mercury amassed in the constellation Leo in one dramatic display. Perhaps this significant event cued the Magi
to begin their journey.
Notice that all ten of the astronomical events involved the planet Jupiter. It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for the planet Jupiter is “ssedeq”, meaning “righteousness”. The Bible tells us that Jesus, who sacrificed himself to pay for our sins, is “our righteousness.” As mentioned before, Jupiter was also considered the “royal” planet. The Messiah, according to prophecy, was to be of royal lineage. The Magi asked where they could find the “king of the Jews.” And Jesus declared himself “king of the Jews.” Some scholars and astronomers therefore conclude that “his star”, referred to by the Magi, was Jupiter.
The year 3 B.C. is considered the most likely year for Jesus’s birth by many historians. Ancient historical writings provide support for this date. This would coincide with the astronomical events observed by the Magi and their arrival in Israel when Jesus was a toddler, probably sometime in 2 B.C.
One other astronomical event in that year may carry significance as well. Due to a planet’s relative position to the Earth, it sometimes appears to stand still in the sky for several days. This is called “retrograde” by astronomers. In December, 2 B.C. the planet Jupiter “stopped” in the constellation Virgo, the Virgin. It remained there for several days.
The Bible says that while the Magi were in Jerusalem they saw “his star” stop over Bethlehem. The word rendered “stop” can also be interpreted “stood over” and may refer to the fact that Jupiter reached its meridian or highest point. At that time Jupiter would have been seen from Jerusalem in its meridian position 68 degrees above the southern horizon — directly above Bethlehem.
Whether either of two theories is the correct one, there can be no doubt that the celestial events of 7 B.C. through 2 B.C. were highly unusual for their astronomical significance; and quite possibly their prophetic significance.