Explanation The Star Of Bethlehem

For centuries, astronomers have speculated about the famous Star of Bethlehem, where the three Magi (the Three Kings / Three Kings), followed by the birthplace of Christ. Of course, the star can defy scientific explanation of everything, and be considered a miracle. However, several astronomical theories have been proposed, including the star could have been a comet or a supernova (exploding stars), or a "planetary alignment" (a gathering of planets in a part of the sky). In this column we will examine two of the most popular theories of today, who argue that the planet Jupiter has played a key role.

First, however, it is useful to remember what the Bible says about the most famous story of the star:

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked," Where is he that is born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and are come to worship him. "When King Herod heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. When he summoned all the chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where. Messiah would be born "in Bethlehem of Judea," they replied, "because that is what the prophet wrote:" But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders Judah, because of thee shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel "Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared .. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go look carefully for the child. Once you find him, report to me, so I can go and worship.

"After hearing the king, they departed, and the star they had seen when it rose went before them until it stops at the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced. On coming home, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they bowed down and worshiped him. When they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. and having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another way. "Matthew 2:1-12

If you Google "Star of Bethlehem", the website of a DVD best-seller, The Star of Bethlehem, is at the top. DVD's lawyer has America, Sunday school teacher and amateur astronomer Rick Larson, who has done extensive research on scientific, historical and theological foundations of the Star of Bethlehem.

After careful examination of Scripture, Larson identifies nine characteristics of the star he believes that any scientific theory on the star must satisfy to be compatible with Christian faith. For example, we see Matthew 2:1-12, the star means the birth of a king, he was associated with the Jewish nation and "it stopped above the place where the child was "- Bethlehem.

Larson then draws on his study of ancient history to address all major issues regarding the year that King Herod died. 2 Matthew after the birth of Jesus, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, asked Joseph to flee to Israel and to take Mary and baby Jesus to Egypt to avoid Herod's wrath, which had issued orders that all male children his kingdom under the age of two be executed. Later in Matthew 2, an angel informs Joseph that Herod is dead and it is safe to return to Israel. So the argument goes that we must take two years from the year of the death of Herod the estimate of the year Jesus was born. Knowing years, Jesus gives birth astronomers estimated to make computer simulations of the positions of stars and planets as they appear in the night sky during the approximate time for the birth of Jesus.

Most historians and biblical scholars put the death of Herod, about a year 4 BC, that is, at times Jesus would be born around 6 BC. But Larson, referring to a recent study, claiming that Herod died in 1 BC, the year that would put Jesus' birth around 3 BC.

Modern astronomical software, Larson, then run computer simulations of the night sky in the Middle East, 3 and 2 BC, and grew to two significant results - and the planet Jupiter.

View the night sky over Jerusalem in mid-September, 3 BC, an observer can see Jupiter, known as the "King Planet" (classical mythology) together with (for example, near) the star "Regulus", known as "King of the stars. In addition, Regulus is in the constellation (area of ​​the sky at night)" Leo ", a lion, which was the symbol of Judah.

In addition, Larson said, the night sky as the planets move in relation to "fixed" stars: If you find the location, say Jupiter in relation to stars such as Regulus night night, then usually you will notice that Jupiter moves eastward over the night sky in a row. However, at times, Jupiter appears to stop the movement towards the east, and go west through the night sky in a row. (This is an optical illusion - called "backward movement" - which is due to the fact that the orbit of Earth around the Sun is in Jupiter's orbit around the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn and other planets outside of 'Earth's orbit shows the same backward movement as we see the planets from Earth, which is in motion. in orbit around the sun. planet in orbit around the business, combined with the orbital motion of the outer planets because backward movement the optical effect.

) Like Jupiter switches to move east to west, moving (or vice versa), Jupiter appears stationary relative to the stars. Thus, Jupiter appeared to stop "the place where the child was" as we read in Matthew 2.

But, says Larson, is conjunct Regulus in Leo may have marked the conception of Jesus. If we run the computer simulation of the night sky over Jerusalem before nine months from June of 2 BC, we find that Jupiter and Venus - the two brightest planets in the night sky - come together very closely, and as so that the two planets appear together as one, very bright "star" in the night sky!

So Jupiter with Regulus, 3 BC, and / or Jupiter with Venus in nine months, in 2 BC, might well have been after the star of the Magi.

If we go back to Google search results for "Star of Bethlehem", found on the website by professional astronomer Michael Molnar, who takes a different approach to the star of Bethlehem. In his book The Star of Bethlehem: L Legacy of the Magi Molnar explores not only the biblical story of the star, but also in terms of the Magi, which Molnar says were astrologers / astronomers in the ancient Roman world, astrology and astronomy were indistinguishable. The Magi were held in high esteem in Roman culture, and was regarded as very well informed, yes, wise men.

Molnar, who does not believe in astrology, however, is widely studied in the astrological beliefs of the Roman general in the world. He argues that modern astronomers, who believe that the Star of Bethlehem is making a mistake by focusing on what you have seen spectacular displays across the sky at the time of the birth of Jesus, as the appearance of a very bright star. Focus on the amazing celestial display a bias in the relatively modern astronomers, says Molnar. Magi of ancient Rome, Molnar says, were primarily the logic of the astrological system, which is mainly due to where and how the planets in the night sky - planets in order of the night sky, constellations, were, to what extent have appeared above the horizon at dawn, etc.

So, for example, Jupiter and Venus were so close together that it appeared as one of a very bright star is not necessarily significant Magi. Rather, the Magi would be much more interested to know if Jupiter and Venus in the eastern part of the west of Venus, Earth, Constellation (s), where the two planets were in place, and how high above the horizon two planets appeared to Sunrise . Star Map

Accept the consensus of most scientists who probably died of Herod in 4 BC, Molnar believes planetary positions in the night sky two years earlier - in 6 BC - and is a special arrangement of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mars and Mercury, the Moon and the Sun would have been of great astrological significance of magic, which indicates that a king was born. In addition, the center of this particular planetary arrangement in and around the constellation of Aries significant, partly because in Roman astrology Aries is a sign of Judea. Thus, the magic, the arrangement of stars and planets in 6 BC leads them to believe that a great king was born in Judea. Moreover, we should remember retrograde motion of Jupiter, and the spirit of revolution in the air at the time - the idea that the Messiah would soon lead the Jewish people in rebellion against the Roman Empire.

All these factors combined, then naturally led the Magi to travel to Jerusalem - the capital of Judea - to ask where the newborn king.

So, if we take a more Bible-oriented Larson, astrologically oriented more or analysis of Molnar, we find interesting conditions that support the idea that the star of Bethlehem was a real historical event.