Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey (Bible study)
December 16, 1990, evening
Matthew 2:2-10
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
I. Who were the "Magi"?
A. Ancient Persian word for soothsayers (magicians/astrologers)
from area of modern Iran and Iraq.
1) Word also occurs in Acts 13:6,8 of a pagan magician.
2) Other "magi" had a better reputation.
B. Some believe the astrological association should be downplayed.
1) Astrology is consistently condemned in Scripture.
2) The text merely says they saw a star and tied it with a Jewish
king. There is no mention of planets, horoscopes, or
readings of the zodiac. God gave them direction (Matt 2:12).
3) However, the pagan prophet Balaam makes a similar prophecy
on the basis of magic, and God uses it. See Num. 24:15-19.
It associates a star and a Jewish king, and may have been
the prophecy that influenced the magi.
4) At any rate, they probably made the association of a star
with a Jewish king from what Jewish exiles told them of
Old Testament prophecies.
C. They were religious leaders, not kings.
1) "Kings" was read into passage from Psalm 72:10,11,15 and
Isaiah 49:7.
2) Later they were given names of Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior.
D. There could have been more than three.
1) Three has been inferred from the 3 gifts: gold, frank., myrrh.
2) Gold is a gift for a king, frankincense is a gift for a priest,
and myrrh is a gift for a funeral.
E. It took them some time to arrive. Note that Herod had all the
babies killed "up to two years", and that Jesus and his family
were in a house at this time. The magi did not arrive at the
same time as the shepherds, and the shepherds are not said to
have seen a star. That the magi were there for his birth was
later inferred from Isaiah 60:3.
II. What was the star they saw?
A. Supernova.
1) The oldest theory is along these lines.
2) However, supernovae do not "move" unless you consider the
turning of the earth, and if you consider the turning of
the earth then they cannot be said to "stand still."
3) There are no records of a supernova in this period. (Visible
ones are quite rare).
B. Comet.
1) Comet Halley arrived around 12-11 B.C. This would be too
early for the birth of Jesus (6-4 B.C.) Note that they
saw the star when they left and when they arrived.
2) Comets in general were considered signs of bad events.
3) A comet is not similar to a star.
C. Conjunction of planets.
1) First proposed by rationalist (liberal) commentators in the
1600's.
2) They saw Jupiter in the east, knew that a conjunction was
approaching, and started out. When they arrived, they saw
the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces (constella-
tion of the fish). Jupiter was the "star of the universe,"
Saturn was the planet of Palestine, and Pisces the sign of
the last days. This would have happened around 7 B.C.
3) Other conjuctions are proposed. In general, something happens
in a constellation associated with the Jewish people.
4) This theory is most popular in planetarium displays.
5) However, conjunctions are never called "stars".
D. Supernatural act of God.
1) The Shekinah glory of the Old Testament may have been along
this line. God caused a disturbance in the atmosphere, or
some such light that the magi saw.
2) Note that it reappeared after they talked with Herod (2:9).
III. The purpose of the star.
A. Verse 2 states, "We saw his star in the east and have come to
worship him."
B. The star authenticated and publicized the incarnation.
C. The adoration of the Magi illustrate the universal extent of
Christ's salvation.
