Examining the Accounts of the Birth of Jesus
(Main Reference: The Star That Astonished the World, by Ernest L. Martin, ASK Publications, 1998)
​
Luke 2:1-7
A decree regarding a census- 2 BC was Augustus’ 25th year as Emperor, and it also was understood to be the 750th year since the founding of Rome. A year before, in 3 BC, a decree was issued that all Roman citizens and others within the Roman Empire who were particularly of a distinguished rank or royal lineage among their people should register themselves as a sign of allegiance to Augustus at their ancestral home. The period for this registration was most probably in summer and early autumn. Early Jewish writer Josephus says “the whole Jewish nation took an oath to be faithful to Caesar”. (This decree was not related to tax purposes. Roman taxation censuses were every 20 years, in 28 BC, 8 BC, 14 AD, with a re-registration for official Roman citizens every 5 years)
The 1st census when Quirinus was “governor” (ruling/administering) in the province of Syria: He was a Procurator at this time, and possibly was ‘acting governor’ at this time during the absence of the governor, and later became the governor officially.
Joseph went to Bethlehem because he was descended from King David. Mary apparently was, also.
The baby Jesus was placed in a manger (feeding trough), because there was no room for them in the “inn”/guest room (same Greek word as for the “upper room”).
Matthew 2:1-12
Astronomy, the study of the ‘stars’, including the sun, moon, and stars, and seeing a significance in their movements, was very common in the ancient world. Now, using computers, we can see exactly how the night sky would have looked from anywhere on earth at any time in human history.
​
Magi/“wise men”- were priestly counselors to Persian kings, from the area of modern Iraq/Iran (Babylon/Media/Parthia), who were respected even by the Jews and were not idol worshippers; they had a connection to Daniel (see Dan.5:11). So they were aware that a fulfillment of the revelations to Daniel about the coming of God’s King was expected at the time of Jesus’ birth. (This is also referred to by the Jewish writer Josephus, and by Roman historians Suetonius and Tacitus; and it is reflected in the later advice of Nero’s astrological advisors for him to move to Jerusalem, and his fear of the meaning of the appearance of Halley’s Comet, believed to be the harbinger of a new king).
Note: Astronomical symbolism is found elsewhere in the Bible: Gen. 1:14-18 (‘signs’, ‘govern’); God’s names for the constellations in Job 38:31-33; perhaps including the ‘voice’ of the heavens in Ps.19:1-4 and quoted in Rom.10:18; the lion, eagle, man and bull/ox of Ezek.1:14-28>Rev.4:1-8, representing the 4 main seasons of the zodiacal year- Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius and Taurus; a ‘sign’ (the common Greek word for a zodiacal sign) in heaven of a woman giving birth in Rev.12:1-5. Other Jewish writings, including the Dead Sea Scroll documents and the Sibylline Oracles, also show their interest in the Zodiac and the symbolism of the stars. But the warning against astrologers in Is.47:13 makes it clear that the signs in the heavens do not control aspects of life on earth, and should not be a basis for prophetic interpretation generally, nor can they save.
​
The “star” of Bethlehem: (planets were commonly known as ‘stars’ then) is described at 3 points:
a) “in the east” or “at its rising” (2:2)
b) “the exact time the star had appeared” (2:7)
c) “the star…went ahead of them until it stopped over the place” (2:9)
From the summer of 3 BC to the end of 2 BC there were many unique astronomical events in the sky above that part of the world:
​
*Aug. 12, 3 BC- Jupiter (commonly known as the “father of the gods”, often associated with the birth of kings) rose as a ‘morning star’, with Jupiter and Venus (the Mother, “goddess of fertility”) very close, at the end of an astrological cycle.
*June 17, 2 BC- Venus moves east and ‘meets’ Jupiter in the western sky of Babylon, as an evening star at the beginning of a new astrological year; this conjunction was in the constellation of Leo (representing royalty/Judah). The constellation of Leo is dominated by Regulus, the “King Star” (star of the Messiah to the Jews), which is located ‘between the feet’ of Leo.
*Aug. 27, 2 BC- There is an unusual massing of 4 planets together in a line, interpreted as showing a common agreement and a new beginning (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter)
​
To the Romans, all these astronomical events were seen as a divine approval of Augustus as Emperor. For the Magi, they instead pointed to a great king being born among the Jews.
​
In the fall of 2 BC Jupiter then left the other planets and drifted westward each morning. This seems to be the star which the Magi followed. Then, on Dec. 25, 2 BC Jupiter became stationary (all planets do at times as their cycle takes them through a retrogression and progression relative to the background of the ‘fixed’ stars, as viewed from a moving earth), in the middle of the constellation Virgo (the Virgin). Just before dawn on that day Jupiter ‘stopped’ just above the southern horizon over Bethlehem, which is on a ridge 6 miles away as viewed from Jerusalem, and remained stationary for 6 days. This seems to have been when the Magi visited the child Jesus. Interestingly, Dec. 25, 2 BC was also the “standing still” of the sun at the Winter Solstice, a common pagan day of celebration. For the Jews, Dec. 25 in 2 BC occurred during Hanukkah, the Feast of Re-Dedication of the Temple, a time for celebration and giving gifts; no fasting or mourning was permitted at this time. The gifts to the baby Jesus were customary gifts of subject nations to their superiors, gifts worthy for a king. See Is.60:6- (all 3 are mentioned in the Greek Septuagint text); I Kings 10:2, 10; Gen.43:11, 2 Chron. 9:24, Ps. 72:15, Song of Songs 3:6.
King Herod- He was brutal in crushing any threat to his power- he killed 3 sons, a wife and her mother; as he was dying, he ordered all the elders of the Jews to be killed at his death so the people would mourn.
Matthew 2:13-18
But when was Jesus actually born? A number of things suggest it was some time before Dec. 25 of 2 BC: Herod’s order to kill boys two years of age and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi (2:16); Mary and Joseph now living in a house (2:11); Jesus is referred to in the Greek text as a paidion (child), rather than as a brephos (infant, as in Lk.2:12-16); and also perhaps the time frame suggested by the preceding astronomical events.
Luke’s account and our knowledge of the priestly courses of Temple service would seem to put John the Baptist’s conception in late May, 4 BC, and his birth in March, 3 BC, followed by the birth of Jesus 6 months later in Sept. of 3 BC, during the time of that special census to honor Emperor Augustus.
Rev.12:1-5
​
Perhaps this passage in Revelation points to an amazingly precise and profound answer for when Jesus was born: “a great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head” giving birth. This symbolic description of the birth of Jesus, if meant to be astronomically precise, with the sun “clothing” the mid-body of Virgo the Virgin, would have only fit a 20-day period each year- early September in 3 BC; the location of the moon “under her feet” at the same time narrows the time down to the twilight period of Sept. 11. Strikingly, sundown on Sept. 11 in 3 BC was the beginning of the Jewish civil New Year, the “Day of Trumpets”, Rosh HaShanah, which commemorated the creation of the world and a new beginning. It was the day for the last blowing of the trumpet on the first day of each festival month, and the day for inaugurating and counting the period of a kingly rule.
Matthew 2:19-23
​
“After Herod died”– There has been confusion among scholars due to the misinterpretation of a statement by Josephus concerning Herod’s death. It is now established that he died early in 1 BC, as explained by Ernest Martin in his book.
​
“he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: He will be called a Nazarene.”– Here is a different phrasing than Matthew’s other Old Testament quotes, referring not to one specific passage but rather using a pun on the Hebrew word neser for “branch”, and connecting prophetic passages such as Is. 4:2 and 11:1 to his home in “branch-town”. Nathanael’s comment about Nazareth in John 1:46 can also reflect the prophecy of Isaiah 53:3 about the promised Messiah/Christ that “he was despised”.
​
​