BIRTH OF CHRIST RECALCULATED cont .
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  1. The Star of Bethlehem Identified

  1. Who were the Magi?
  2.                           1. They came from the court of the Parthian kings (East) bearing expensive gifts for a newborn king.
                              2. They were originally one of the six tribes of the Medes [Herodotus, I, 101; Pliny, Natural History, V, 29], a priestly caste similar to the Levites.
                              3. In their early history their occupation was to provide the kings of the Medes and Persians (also Babylonians) with divine information about daily affairs [Strabo, XVI, 762; Cicero, De Divin., I, 41].
                             4. Because of the high religious esteem accorded them by the peoples of the East [Doig. Laert. IX, 7,2], they were able, in the 6th century BC, to overturn royal powers [Herodotus, III, 61 sq.].
                             5. Their role in interpreting divine matters is also mentioned in the Bible, as Daniel in the days of Nebuchadnezzar became the "chief of the magicians (master of the "Magi"), conjurers, Chaldeans, and diviners" (Dan.5:11; cp. Jer.39:13, where one Rab-mag was the chief office of the Magi).
                             6. Daniel's influence over the Magian colleges of the East must explain why they were looking for astronomical confirmation to go along with the prophesies that called for a Jewish king to be born in those days (Dan.9:24-27).
                             7. They were not of the certain classes of charlatans and sorcerers who preyed upon people, as Herod and Jerusalem would have hardly been troubled by such persons (Mt.2:1-12).
                             8. The Romans were also aware of the prophecy: "A firm belief had long prevailed through the East that it was destined for the empire of the world at that time to be given to someone who should go forth from Judaea" [Suetonius, Vespasian, 4]. "The majority of the Jewish people were very impressed with the belief that it was contained in ancient writings of the priests that it would come to pass that at that time, the East would renew its strength and they that should go forth from Judaea should be rulers of the world" [Tacitus, History, V, 13]. Even Nero was advised by court astrologers that it was prudent for him to move his seat of empire to Jerusalem because the city was destined to become the capital of the world" [Seutonius, Nero, 40].
                             9. Certainly, the Magi were well acquainted with the national aspirations of the Jews (as with all peoples, so they could act as advisers).
                           10. Most Jews of the time admired the Magi, as they were not idolaters, and because of their former association with Daniel (their main occupation was in the interpretation of things divine: dreams, visions, prophecies, astronomical signs).
                           11. Tiridates of the order of Magi was made king over Armenia by Nero (he went to Rome with other Magi and gave gifts to the emperor [Pliny, Natural History, XXX, 6]).
                           12. When the particular group came to Jerusalem, they came to worship the king, and isn't it interesting that the gifts brought by the Magi (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) were the gifts mentioned in the Greek translation of Isa.60:6 that foreign kings would bring to Israel's Messiah?
                           13. The gifts were the customary gifts of subject nations, and so this act signified something more than another royal birth (their presence got Herod's attention, as well as all Jerusalem, and so Herod called a special session of the Sanhedrin to evaluate what the Magi had said).
                           14. The main factor which brought them to Jerusalem was "his star", of which there was nothing of astronomical significance in 5/4BC that would have impressed anyone to make the long and difficult journey to Jerusalem.
                           15. But in 3/2BC the whole heavens seemed to burst forth with astronomical signs in the constellations of Leo (Judah) and Virgo (the Virgin), associated with Jupiter (the king-planet) and Regulus (the king-star).
                           16. Once the chronology of the period is adjusted properly, the astronomical data, supplied by Matthew and confirmed by computer technology, will show us what the real star of Bethlehem was.
  3. The sequence of events leading up to the visit of the Magi
  4.                          1. It has long been recognized that the Magi arrived in Jerusalem some time after Christ was born (Mt.2:2).
                            2. He had been circumcised (Lk.2:21) and presented in the Temple some 40 days after His birth (Lk.2:22-24).
                            3. Luke says: "They returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth" (Lk.2:39). This means that they did not go to Egypt after Jesus' birth.
                            4.Then for some reason, they decided to move to Bethlehem, where they set up house (Mt.2:11).
                            5. When the Magi arrived, the parents of Jesus were then living in a house (not a stable; Mt.2:11), and Jesus was being called a paidion (child), not a brephos (infant).
                            6. After the Magi presented their gifts, they returned home by a different route, having been warned by an angel.
                            7. The holy family fled to Egypt in late December, 2BC.
                            8. Herod, in his paranoia, murdered the male children in and around Bethlehem two years old and younger (Mt.2:16; this killing of all male children two and under makes sense in light of the astronomical phenomena of the previous two years).
  5. The real star of Bethlehem
  6.                         1. Some proposals include: a comet (which is a bad omen and does not "stand still", as "His star" is said to have done), a nova, a miracle star, and an angel (if Matthew is describing a miracle, then further astronomical consideration is useless).
                            2. Matthew reports that the Magi saw the "star" rising in the East, and so it would naturally be called a "morning star" (Christ said of Himself: "I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star", Rev.22:16; cp. 2Pet.1:19).
                            3. This shows that the celestial bodies were symbolically significant to NT writers, and clearly, this was the mindset of the ancient world.
                            4. With this in mind, let us recall that on the morning of 12 August, 3BC, (about 1 hour and 20 minutes before sunrise), Jupiter rose as a morning star in conjunction with Venus.
                            5. How would astrologers interpret such a phenomenon? Jupiter was known as the Father of the Gods. Jupiter had just left the vicinity of the Sun and conjoined with Venus. This could have been an indication of a coming birth. Jupiter was often associated with the birth of kings, and therefore called the King-planet [Hendriksen, Matthew, pg. 153]. To the Chaldeans Venus was Ishtar, the Goddess of Fertility. The conjunction of these two planets signified that the birth of a new king was imminent. This was a favorable sign, as these two planets were known by all astrologers as the Greater and Lesser Good Fortunes of all planets. And note also: while this conjunction was occurring, the Sun (Supreme Father), the Moon (also a Mother), and Mercury (the Messenger/Interpreter of the Gods) were located in the constellation Leo the Lion. [Note Olcott's comment: "The Lion was the symbol of the Tribe of Judah, and the constellation appears in the Hebrew zodiac. The association of Leo with Judah arose from the fact that Leo is Judah's natal sign. In the Bible there are frequent allusions to this connection between Leo and the tribe of Judah. Thus we read: 'Judah is the Lion's whelp', and again, 'The Lion of the tribe of Judah'", Star Lore of All Ages, pg. 233].
                             6. Following these planetary conjunctions, Jupiter then moved on to unite with Regulus (14 September, 3BC) on three occasions (the Romans called it "Rex," which means "King" in Latin. In Arabia, the star was known as the "Kingly One". The Greeks called him the "King Star". Of all the stars in the heavens, Regulus was universally associated by ancient astrologers with the attributes of greatness and power. It lay practically on the ecliptic [the path which the Sun takes in traversing the heavens], and it was thought that this position made it of special importance to the Sun. This close relationship to the Sun, the ruler of the heavens, made Regulus a "royal star", the one most associated with the birth of kings).
                              7. The first conjunction occurred on 14 September, 3BC, and here was Jupiter (the King-planet), which had just united with Venus (the Mother) in August, 3BC, now joining itself with the King-star, Regulus (the star of the Jewish Messiah; see Num.24:17) in the zodiacal sign of Leo (constellation of Judah), while the Sun (Supreme Father) was then located in Virgo (the Virgin). These features clearly reflect Biblical themes associated with the birth and person of Christ, who was prophesied to be born of a virgin and a descendant of David.
                               8. The 2nd conjunction of Jupiter and Regulus occurred on 17 February, 2BC, and amazingly, the Moon came to be positioned at that exact time between Jupiter and Regulus! At about 5 a.m, looking at the western horizon, an observer would have seen the Moon directly between Jupiter and Regulus. Indeed, it would have been occulting (covering up) the star Regulus with the lower 1/5th of the Moon's diameter. And then, on 8/9 May, 2BC (82 days later), the same conjunction occurred again. This time, however, the Moon occulted Regulus by the top 1/5th of its diameter. (The last conjunction would not have been seen in Palestine, since the Moon had already set some three hours earlier, yet any astronomers, such as the Magi, would have known what was happening.)
                               9. Jupiter then moved on its westward journey, and on 17 June 2BC, it had its extraordinary rare reunion with Venus. When Venus had extended herself as far east as possible to encounter Jupiter, a splendid conjunction resulted, visible west of Babylon. And note too: this beautiful conjunction occurred in the constellation Leo and at the exact time of the full Moon. So close were the two planets that they would have appeared very much like one gigantic star in a "marriage union" with each other. And most importantly, the Magi would have witnessed this union appearing on the western horizon precisely in the direction of Judaea. [Issac Asimov referred to this celestial occurrence and asked the question: "Is the fact that the unusual 'star' was seen in the direction of Judaea enough to make them think of Messiah?" The Planet That Wasn't, pg. 222]. This heavenly scene could well have produced a general excitement to look towards Jerusalem for the arrival of the Messianic king of the Jews. It could have been interpreted that these two planets, which possibly introduced the prophesied king when they were both morning stars some ten months before (12 August, 3BC), were now consummating their introduction with an impressively rare evening star union. What a beautiful display this last rendezvous would have made in the early evening sky west of Babylon, and especially to the people looking at it in Palestine! There had not been anything like it (nor would there be again) for generations.
                               10. This, however, was not all: on 27 August, 2BC (72 days later), there occurred the extremely close conjunction of Jupiter with Mars (planet of war), while Venus and Mercury homed in on them in an unusual massing of four planets. All the primary planets (except Saturn) were clustering in the constellation Leo, while the Moon was just entering Leo. The Sun, however, at that very time was entering the sign of Virgo!
                               11. The stellar body that played the most prominent role in the extraordinary year of 3/2BC and which figured in almost every celestial event was Jupiter.
                               12. Jupiter soon left the unusual union with the three other planets (August, 3BC) and proceeded in its apparent motion westward. Since the Magi came from the East, it could well be that they simply followed the normal movement of the planet toward Jerusalem as it progressed westward each day, for the Bible says the star "went on before them" (Mt.2:9), which means they let Jupiter lead them westward.
                               13. Upon reaching Jerusalem, the Magi were told to look to Bethlehem for the newborn king; this happened when the NT says the "star" came to a definite halt in the heavens; it stopped its motion of leading the Magi and "stood over where the Child was" (Mt.2:9). In a word, the celestial body became stationary.
                               14. It is this very action which has caused many interpreters to characterize the whole episode in Matthew as either fictitious or miraculous. Whoever heard of a normal heavenly body having the capability of stopping its movement over a small village in Palestine?
                               15. Matthew is describing a celestial phenomenon in popular language that astronomers are fully aware of and is explained as follows: Jupiter becomes "stationary" at its times of retrogression and progression. When we look at Jupiter, we see the planet normally moving eastward through fixed stars. This apparent movement is called "proper motion". The Earth, however, is moving in its orbit around the Sun faster than that of Jupiter. When Earth reaches point A, an observer would see Jupiter along nearly the same line as the Earth's own orbital movement. When the Earth is traveling more or less in a direct line toward Jupiter, the planet will continue to show "proper motion". But when Earth reaches position B, it is no longer heading toward Jupiter. The faster velocity of the Earth, as it makes its turn to B and beyond, causes the apparent motion of Jupiter to slow down. This continues until the Earth reaches C. At that point, the speed of the Earth in relation to Jupiter is the same as Jupiter's. That is when Jupiter appears to become stationary within the background of the fixed stars. As the Earth progresses from C to D, it has a greater relative speed than Jupiter and this causes Jupiter to retrogress (it reverses its motion and travels westward through the stars). At D, however, the speed of the Earth and Jupiter are again matched (relative to each other) and Jupiter stops its reverse motion. When D is passed, Jupiter returns to "proper motion". Each of the stationary positions of Jupiter repeats itself in about 13 months. It is this natural occurrence that caused "His star" to stop over Bethlehem.
    1. Amazingly, on December 25, 2BC, Jupiter came to a "stopped" position in the middle of the constellation Virgo, the Virgin! Precisely on 25 December, 2BC, Jupiter "stopped" in the abdomen region of Virgo1, right where a woman carries a child in pregnancy!
    2.                              17. But how was it possible for Jupiter to be stationary over the village of Bethlehem at that time? There is not the slightest problem for it to do so. The Bible says that the Magi saw the star come to a stop while they were in Jerusalem. And on 25 December, 2BC, at the ordinary time for the Magi's predawn observations, Jupiter would have been in meridian position directly over Bethlehem at an elevation of 68 degrees above the southern horizon. This precise position would show the planet shining directly down on Bethlehem while it was stationary among the stars! What a remarkable coincidence! This may be the major reason why people in the early Church said that 25 December was a day associated with the Magi presenting their gifts to the newborn Savior.
                                   18. Interestingly, while Jupiter was also in its "standing still" position over Bethlehem, the Sun was also "standing still". December 25 is the time of the Winter Solstice. The word solstice in Latin means "Sun stands still". ["General observance required that on the 25th of December the birth of the 'new Sun' should be celebrated, when after the winter solstice the days began to lengthen and the invincible star triumphed again over darkness", Cumont, Astrology and Religion Among the Greeks and Romans, pg. 89].
                                   19. One thing is for certain: the astronomical phenomena of the year 3/2BC did, in fact, occur. Those living at the time were no doubt stirred with excitement and wonder.
                                   20. Back in 1606AD, the ingenious Kepler suggested that the star of Bethlehem was possibly a conjunction of Jupiter. The theologian F. Steinmetzer, back in 1912, wrote an article stating his belief that Matthew was referring to one of those normal "stationary" positions of the planets [Irish Theological Quarterly, vol. VII, pg. 61].


  1. The Date Of Christ's Birth

               A. Jesus was not born on December 25, 2BC, when the Magi presented their gifts.
                          1. When the Magi arrived, Joseph and Mary were no longer with Christ in a stable, but in a house (Mt.2:11).
                          2. Jesus had been circumcised (Lk.2:21) and dedicated at the Temple some 40 days after His birth (Lk.2:22-24).
                          3. Soon after the Magi left, Herod killed the male children in and around Bethlehem who were two years of age or younger (Mt.2:16).
                          4. The fact that all children under the age of two were slain shows that Herod was taking every possible interpretation into account for the time of Christ's birth, since it was not clear in astrological interpretation whether the appearance of "His star" signified the conception or birth of the baby.
                          5. These evidences show that Jesus was some months old when the Magi arrived.
  1. Chronological information relative to the birth of John the Baptist
  2.                           1. We know that John was six months older than Jesus (Lk.1:24,26,36).
                              2. We know that John began his ministry sometime in the 15th year of Caesar Tiberius, which was reckoned from 19 August, 28AD, to 18 August, 29AD (Lk.3:1).
                              3. We know that at the time Jesus "began His ministry" He "was about thirty years of age" (Lk.3:23).
                              4. We know that John the Baptist was conceived during the time frame when his father "was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division" at the Temple.
                                        a. Zacharias' course was that of Abia (Heb., Abijah), which was the 8th course (of 24 courses established by David).
                                        b. The 8th course served two times (each course served one week twice a year), once in late Spring, and again in late Autumn.
                                                  1. Jewish tradition said that the first priestly course commenced its duty on the Sabbath before Nisan 1 (first month of religious year).
                                                  2. In 4BC, Nisan 1 was March 29, and so the preceding Sabbath was March 24, making the week of the duties of the first course (Jehoiarib; see 1Chr.24) from Sabbath noon, March 24 to Sabbath noon, March 31 (2nd: March 31 to April 7, etc.).

                                              3. The third course (started April 7) was interrupted by the period of the Passover when all priests officiated together; this interruption caused the third course not to end its administration until the Sabbath after Passover, which was April 21 in 4BC.
                                              4. The period for the 8th course of Abujah would have been from May 19 to May 26.
                                              5. If it was this late Springtime administration when the angelic messenger appeared to Zacharias about his wife's imminent pregnancy, then we have a chronological clue of the period for John the Baptist's conception.
                                              6. It must have happened around that time, indeed, because Zacharias was struck dumb during his administration, which immediately disqualified him, from that moment, from exercising the priest's office (Lev.21:16-23).
                                              7. He left for home and sometime near May 26 to June 1, Elisabeth conceived.
                                              8. Since the human gestation period is about 280 days (9 months and 10 days), this would place the birth of John near March 10 in 3BC (this would place Christ's birth in the 1st half of September, 3BC).
                                              9. The reason for rejecting the late Autumn session for Zacharias' duty in the Temple (John would have been born near mid-September, and Jesus in March) is the extreme unlikelihood that Jesus' parents would be traveling to Bethlehem during the rainy season. [Ramsay demonstrates in his book, Born in Bethlehem, that the general time of year for the start of censuses was from August to October, Pg. 193].
                                            10. In addition to this, we have the witness of Luke that John began his preaching and baptizing of people in the open air when Jesus was "about thirty" (Lk.3:23). If John were baptizing in August or September this makes sense, but if six months later, in February or March, then it would have been very cold for baptisms.
                                             11. A late Summer or early Autumn date has also been suggested because Luke said the shepherds were tending their flocks at night in the open when Jesus was born (Lk.2:8), and so, many think this precludes a Wintertime birth date, but this evidence is inconclusive, as some Winters were mild, and in mild winters sheep are often out of doors in Palestine all night [Hendriksen, Matthew, pg. 182].
                                             12. If John began his ministry in spring/summer of 29AD (it could have been August of 28AD), then Christ would have reached His 31st year in September of that year (having been born in September, 3BC).


  1. The Day of Christ's Birth

                A. The key is symbolically hidden in Rev 12:1-5: "A great sign (astrological] appeared in heaven [2nd]; awoman [constellation Virgo the Virgin which is the only sign of a Woman which exists along the ecliptic] clothed with thesun [the Supreme Father is mid-bodied in Virgo], andthe moon [also a symbol for a Woman; see Gen. 37:9,10] underher feet, and on her head acrown of twelve stars [in Norton's Star Atlas there are 12 visible stars around Virgo's head: (1) Pi, (2) Nu, (3) Beta [near the ecliptic], (4) Sigma, (5) Chi, (6) Iota - these six stars form the southern hemisphere around the head of Virgo. Then there are (7) Theta, (8) Star 60, (9) Delta, (10) Star 93, (11) Beta [the 2nd magnitude star], (12) Omicron - these last six form the northern hemisphere around the head of Virgo. All these stars are visible ones that could have been seen by observers]; and she was with child [Virgin Mary pregnant with Jesus]; and she cried out,being in labor and in pain to give birth. And another sign [astrological] appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon [this is represented by one of the Decans of Leo; "whose length stretches 1/3 of the way around the whole zodiacal sphere, completely expelled from the places into which he had intruded, fleeing now for his life, and the great Lion, with claws and jaws extended, bounding in terrific fury and seizing the foul monster's neck." Seiss, The Gospel in the Stars, p. 135] having seven heads and tenhorns, and on his heads wereseven diadems. And his tail sweptaway a third of the stars ofheaven, [fall of angels] and threw them tothe earth. And the dragon stoodbefore the woman who was about to give birth [in person of Herod the Great], so thatwhen she gave birth he might devourher. And she gave birth to ason [Christ], a male child, whois to rule all the nations witha rod of iron; and her childwas caught up to God [ascension] andto His throne.
               B. The astronomical synchronism of this sign in the year of Christ's birth in 3 BC.
                         1. Virgo occupies, in body form, a space of about 50 degrees along the ecliptic (The head of the Woman actually bridges some 10 degrees into the previous sign of Leo and her feet overlap about 10 degrees into the following sign of Libra the Scales].
                         2. In the year of Christ's birth, the Sun entered the head-position of the Woman about August 13, and exited her feet about October 2.
                         3. But the apostle John saw the scene when the Sun "clothed" the Woman" (to be mid-bodied], and this happens between about 150 and 170 degrees along the ecliptic, which occurs over about a 20-day period each year, which in 3 BC was from about 27 August and 15 September.
                        4. If John in the Book of Revelation were associating the birth of Christ with the period when the Sun is mid-bodied to the Woman, then Christ would have been born within this 20 day period. From the point of view of the Magi back in their homes in Babylon, this would have been the only logical sign under which the Jewish Messiah might be born. Especially if He were to be born of a virgin [Even today, astrologers recognize that the sign of Virgo is the one which has reference to a messianic world ruler to be born of a virgin. Devore, Ency. of Astrology, p. 366].
               C. The key to the very day of Jesus' birth is the words, "and the moon under her feet."
                         1. The word "under" signifies that the Woman's feet were positioned just over the Moon.
                         2. Since the feet of Virgo represent the last 7 degrees of the constellation (in the time of Christ this would have been between about 180 and 187 degrees along the ecliptic], the Moon has to be positioned somewhere under the 7 degree arc.
                         3. But the Moon also has to be in that exact location when the Sun is mid-bodied to Virgo.
                         4. In the year 3 BC, these two factors came to precise agreement for less than two hours, as observed from Palestine, on September 11.
                         5. The precise arrangement began about 6:15 p.m. (sunset, and lasted until 7:45 p.m. (moonset]. This is the only day in the whole year that this could have taken place.
                         6. One day before (Sept. 10] the Moon was located mid-calf, while one day beyond (Sept. 11] the Moon had moved so far beyond the feet of the Virgin that it was positioned at least 25 diameters of the Moon to the east of her feet.
                        7. This then, was the situation that prevailed in the heavens on the evening of the nativity when the angel announced Christ's birth to the shepherds out under the evening sky (Lk.2:8-11].
                        8. Apparently Jesus was born in the evening, and Revelation 12 shows that it was a New Moon day (moon 1st appears as a thin crescent; each of the 12 months began with a new moon].
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