Tuesday 2nd Dec 2008 by Gary Auker 1
Star of Bethlehem
a talk to
Springfield Park Baptist Church
by
Gary Auker
on Tuesday 2nd December 2008
Tuesday 2nd Dec 2008 by Gary Auker 2
Star of Bethlehem: Talk Overview
• What time of year was Jesus born ?
• Which year was Jesus born ?
• The Politics of the Time
• Herod the Great
• Prophesy of Jewish Messiah known in many parts of Middle East
• Magi came from the East
• Who were the Magi ?
• Candidates for the Star of Bethlehem
• When was Christ’s real 2000th Birthday ?
Tuesday 2nd Dec 2008 by Gary Auker 3
Star of BethlehemTime of Year clue from
• Luke 2:8
“And there were
shepherds living out in
the fields nearby, keeping
watch over their flocks at
night.”
• Keeping a watch on
their flocks at night is
what shepherd’s do
during the lambing
season in Spring Lambing occurs in Spring not Winter
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Star of Bethlehem
• If Jesus was born in the Spring as reading Luke may imply
why do we celebrate his birthday on 25th December each year ?
• To answer this question we need to understand a little about
Roman culture in 1st century & some early church history
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Star of Bethlehem
Why celebrate Christmas on 25 December ?
• Sol Invictus (Unconquered Sun) Festival introduced in 274 AD
by Emperor Aurelian celebrated on 25 December
• Celebration of Jesus’ birthday pre-dates the Sol Invictus festival,
The earliest record of the celebration of Christ's birthday
on December 25 dates to 243 A.D.
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Star of Bethlehem
• Why celebrate Christmas on 25 December ?
• Saturn – Roman God of Agriculture & Harvest celebrated.
• Saturnalia – Roman Festival held to Saturn 17 - 23 December
since Julian calendar was introduced in 45 BC
Slaves were exempt from punishment.
Public holiday were Masters would serve their slaves at a banquet.
Toga not worn but informal clothes, and the Freedman’s hat (Pileus)
was worn by everyone.
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Star of Bethlehem• Why celebrate Christmas on 25 December ?
• Pope Julius I chose December 25.
It is commonly believed that the church chose this date
in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan
Saturnalia festival.
Julius I Papacy 337 – 352 AD
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Star of Bethlehem
• Which year was Jesus born ?
• We know the current year is not 2008 after his birth
• It wasn't until 525 AD that the year of Jesus' birth was fixed.
by Dionysius Exiguus who determined Jesus was born 8 days before
Roman New Year's day in the year 1 A.D.
• The Gospels provide us with clues that Dionysius Exiguus
was wrong. Herod the Great died before 1 AD.
• Jesus most likely born between 8 BC censors & 6 AD censors
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Star of Bethlehem
• Josephus (AD 37 – c. 100), also known as
Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph, son of
Matthias). His works give an important
insight into first-century Judaism.
• Josephus fought the Romans in 66-73AD
as a Jewish military leader in Galilee.
• Josephus and one of his soldiers
surrendered to the Roman forces
• In 71AD, he arrived in Rome & became a
citizen of Rome. It was while in Rome, and
under Flavian patronage, that Josephus
wrote all of his known works.
• Josephus was granted accommodation in
conquered Judaea, and a decent, if not
extravagant, pension.
Jewish History recorded by the Jew & later Roman citizen Josephus
Roman bust possibly of
Josephus (AD 37 – c. 100)
Tuesday 2nd Dec 2008 by Gary Auker 10
Star of Bethlehem : Empires
Persian Empire
Parthia, an Iranian
kingdom, c.60 BCE
Roman Republic c 44 BC
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Star of Bethlehem• The Politics of the Time – Palestine under Roman rule from (63 BC)
Emperor Augustus
27 BC to 14 AD
was adopted nephew of
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Dictator of Rome
Empire 49 – 44 BC
Mark Anthony
Co-ruled 44-31 BC
Octavian later re-named
Emperor Augustus
Emperor
Tiberius
14 AD to 37 AD
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Star of Bethlehem• The Politics of the Time – Palestine under Roman rule from (63 BC)
• Disagreement between Octavian and Anthony erupted into civil
war, in 31 BC.
• A family fight : brother-in-laws Mark Anthony & Octavian fall out
• Anthony was defeated by Octavian at the naval Battle of Actium
near Greece, and in a brief land battle at Alexandria, Egypt.
• Mark Anthony committed suicide, and his lover, the
Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, killed herself shortly after.
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Star of Bethlehem• The Politics of the Time – Palestine under Roman rule from (63 BC)
Julius Caesar
Dictator of Rome
Empire 49 – 44 BC
Cleopatra & her
son Ptolemy XV
Also named
Caesarion
(Little Caesar)
• Caesarion was
proclaimed
“King of Kings” 34BC
by Cleopatra & Mark
Anthony. Caesarion was
Julius Caesar’s natural son
• Octavius invaded Egypt
30 BC.
• Octavius had 17 yrs old
Caesarion executed
in 30 BC
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Star of Bethlehem
• Herod was the pro-Roman
king of the small Jewish
state in the last decades
before the common era AD.
He started his career as a
general, but the Roman
statesman Mark Anthony
recognized him as the
Jewish national leader.
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Star of Bethlehem
Herod’s life
• Herod had 10 wives in his lifetime
• Mariamne I (48 BCE to 29 BCE) was the second wife
• Herod had 2 sons & 2 daughter by her
• Both sons Alexandros and Aristobulus were executed circa 7 BC
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Star of BethlehemHerod Timeline 30s BC
• 39–37 BC – War against Antigonus. After the conquest of Jerusalem and
victory over Antigonus, Mark Antony executes Antigonus.
• 38 BC Herod made King (age~ 35) of Judea by Mark Anthony
• 35 BC – Aristobulus III of Judea is drowned at a party, on Herod's orders.
• 31 BC – Judea suffers a devastating earthquake. Octavian defeats Mark
Antony, so Herod switches allegiance to Octavian, later known as Augustus.
• 30 BC – Herod is shown great favour by Octavian, who at Rhodes confirms him
as King of Judaea
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Star of BethlehemHerod Timeline 20s BC
•27 BC – An assassination attempt on Herod was foiled.
•25 BC – Herod imported grain from Egypt and started an aid program to combat the
widespread hunger and disease that followed a massive drought. He also waives a
third of the taxes.
•23 BC – Herod built a palace in Jerusalem and the fortress Herodion (Herodium) in
Judea. He married his third wife, Mariamne II, the daughter of high priest Simon.
•Circa 20 BC – Expansion started on the Second Temple.
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Star of Bethlehem
When did Herod die ?
Josephus wrote that Herod died after a lunar eclipse ?
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Star of Bethlehem
9 BC Jun 03 23:00 Total Lunar Eclipse9 BC Nov 28 18:50 Total Lunar Eclipse5 BC Mar 23 18:20 Total Lunar Eclipse5 BC Sep 15 20:10 Total Lunar Eclipse4 BC Mar 13 00:40 Partial Lunar Eclipse
3 AD May 04 19:26 Total Lunar Eclipse3 AD Oct 28 22:37 Total Lunar Eclipse4 AD Oct 16 23:02 Partial Lunar Eclipse6 AD Mar 03 20:22 Partial Lunar Eclipse7 AD Feb 20 20:08 Total Lunar Eclipse8 AD Feb 09 23:00 Partial Lunar Eclipse
Lunar Eclipses visible from Jerusalem including 8BC & 6AD Censors
and the Mass Oath to Emperor Augustus in 3-2 BC
Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA's GSFC
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Star of BethlehemLunar Eclipses 5 BC & 4 BC
Partial Lunar Eclipse
16 Aug 2008
Similar to 4 BC
Total Lunar Eclipse
28 Aug 2007
Similar to 5 BC
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Star of BethlehemHerod’s Death
The scholarly consensus, based on Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews is that Herod
died at the end of March or early April in 4 BC.
Reasoning as follows:
• Herod died 34 years after the death of Antigonus II Mattathias circa 37 BC.
Implies Herod died 4 / 3 BC
• Herod Philip II's death took place after a 37-year reign in the 20th year of
Tiberius 33 AD. Implies Herod died 5/4 BC.
• Josephus wrote that Herod died after a lunar eclipse, and a partial eclipse took place
in 4 BC. It has been suggested that 5 BC might be a more likely date– there were two
total eclipses in that year.
• However, the 4 B.C. date is almost universally accepted
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Star of BethlehemThe Census Problem
• The Census of Quirinius took place in 6–7 AD.
• The census Luke referred to could have been another event such as a mass oath
taking that took place when Augustus was given the title "father of the nation" (3–2 BC).
• Augustus is known to have taken a census of Roman citizens at least three times, in 28 BC, 8
BC, and AD 14
• Other scholars, however, argue that Luke was simply mistaken.
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Star of Bethlehem
Prophesy of Messiah known in many parts of Middle East
• Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II captured Jerusalem
597 BC, deposed King Jehoiakim of Judah.
• Following a Jewish rebellion in 587 BC King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem
along with the 1st Temple to Yahweh (Almightly God)
• Daniel and leading Jewish leaders exiled to Babylon taking
Isaiah Prophesy (740 – 700 BC) of Messiah with them.
Tuesday 2nd Dec 2008 by Gary Auker 24
Star of Bethlehem3 Magi travelling on Camels ?
Not very likely
Its about as likely as the PM
Riding one of these on official business
Tuesday 2nd Dec 2008 by Gary Auker 25
Star of Bethlehem• Magi were of high status and would have used high status transport.
• In the Ancient World the only transport for people of high status
was the horse.
'Confraternity of the Star' in Florence, Italy
Star of Bethlehem
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Who were the Magi ?
• Matthew 2:1 - They came from the East
• Early Christian 6th Century mosaic shows them wearing
Persian clothing
Star of Bethlehem
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Who were the Magi ?
• Magi were most likely Zoroastrian Priests from Persia (Iraq / Iran )
• Zoroastrian religion founded 500 BC by Zoroaster
• Zoroastrians believe in One God (Ahura Mazda)
• Cosmic battle going on between truth and order against
chaos, falsehood and disorder.
• All will experience immortality and will share a
single purpose for a perpetual exaltation of God’s glory.
• All things will undergo a cosmic renovation and time will end
• There will then be a final purge of evil from the Earth.
Good will win in the end
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Star of BethlehemMagi’s Journey – probably along the Fertile Crescent
From Babylon to Jerusalem ~ 700 miles (take 2-3 months)
Star of Bethlehem
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Magi Gifts:
• Gold – Denotes Kingship
• Frankincense - this gift symbolizes sacrifice, Christ's divinity
When burned it produced a white smoke which
used for prayers and praises
Star of Bethlehem
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Magi gift of Myrrh
Myrrh promotes spiritual
awareness and is uplifting.
Used in embalming, as a cure for
cancer, leprosy, and syphilis.
Myrrh, mixed with coriander and
honey, was used to treat herpes. It
was used as an anti-infectous, anti-
inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent
and as a tonic.
Because of myrrh's various
medicinal uses this gift represents
Christ's human nature
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Star of Bethlehem
Bethlehem photo 1898
Bethlehem in 1880 Bethlehem today
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Star of Bethlehem: 7 BC triple conjunction ?
Triple conjunction between Jupiter & Saturn 7 BC
1 degree min separation
Tuesday 2nd Dec 2008 by Gary Auker 33
Star of Bethlehem: 6 BC Lunar occultation ?
Moon passes in front of Jupiter in constellation of Aries (The Ram) sign of Israel
in 6 BC
Star of Bethlehem
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Venus reappears from behind Moon
Wiltshire, UK
~ 5:15 PM , 1st December 2008
Venus disappears behind Moon
from Romania
~ 3:45 PM, 1st December 2008
Venus
reappears
Jupiter
Lunar Occultation's still occur: THIS HAPPENED LAST NIGHT !
Tuesday 2nd Dec 2008 by Gary Auker 35
Star of Bethlehem: Venus & Jupiter
conjunction June 2 BC ?
A Christmas Near Occultation - Venus and Jupiter , June 17, 2 BC
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Star of Bethlehem: A Comet ?
• The Chinese say the 5 BC comet appeared in Spring between
March 9 and April 6 and lasted over 70 days
70 days corresponds to Magi journey time from the East.
• Assuming the Star of Bethlehem was a comet, there were 3
possible years, 12 (Halley’s Comet), 5, and 4 B.C.
• This period has the added virtue of including the year's Passover,
a most propitious time for the birth of a Messiah.
• Chinese recorded a major, new, slow-moving comet -- a "sui-hsing,"
or star with a sweeping tail in the Capricorn region of the sky.
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Star of Bethlehem: 5BC Comet
Comet Hyakutake spring 1996 was exactly 2000 years after 5 BC Comet
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Star of Bethlehem: Jesus real Birthday
Comet Hyakutake spring 1996 was
exactly 2000 years after 5 BC Comet
may have declared Jesus real 2000th
birthday in the heavens
•A good fit to gospel account
is Jesus was born between
7 – 5 BC, apart from Luke’s
mention of a census that would
have taken place in 8 BC or 6 AD.
• Triple conjunction between
Jupiter (Kingship), &
Saturn (old order) 7 BC
• Bright Springtime 5 BC
comet
• 2 year uncertainty could
explain why order to kill boys
up to 2 years of age. Matthew 2: 16