Here is what I discovered without wearing WT-goggles.. Just my 2 cents.
The Star .
I literally did a verse by verse breakdown of Matthew and Luke’s accounts. I used the NWT and the Emphatic Diaglott. What is interesting to me is that if you go on-line and use the " Good Land " brochure maps, you can calculate the distances from the cities mentioned. Also, this is one of those accounts where you have to read both Matthew and Luke to get the entire story straight.
Joseph, Mary and Jesus did not flee to Egypt until " after " the Magians visited and presented the gifts. ( Matthew 2:11-15 ) Then in Luke we get more info for establishing a timeline of the events. Jesus is born in Bethlehem, 8 days later he is circumcised. Then sometime after 40 days from the birth of jesus, Mary, by law, has to go to the Temple to have sacrifices made and do the purification procedures, by law.
This is important because they are still poor at this point, only being able to offer up 2 pigeons or turtledoves. So the actual written evidence we have would seems to indicate that they had not been given any of the " gifts " yet. We cannot imagine two people as faithful as Joseph and Mary, offering a skimpy sacrifice to save money when they have been chosen to raise Gods son. Next, after everything was taken care of " according to the law " they went back to their hometown of Nazareth. Luke 2:39
If we look at both accounts, and add up the amount of time it would take from Jesus birth to arriving in Nazareth at a "house", there is no reason to believe that Jesus was 2 or 3 years old before the Astrologers, Astronomers, Wise-men, Magians, presented the gifts. Joseph, Mary and Jesus could have taken it easy at an Inn or at someone’s house for a Month or two and then went to Nazareth, we just dont know. Whatever the case the Magians could have been led to the " house " and presented the gifts before Jesus even reached the age of 1 year. Especially when we know that the family did not go to Egypt until after they received the gifts, and they remained there until after Herod died. I don’t think they waited around a couple of years and then fled to Egypt.
Things did not happen instantly like they do today either. So after Herod met with the Magians the second time, secretly, and told them to find the child, some time had to pass. Also, Herod was the one doing all the deceiving at this point. So if the Magians were not far from Nazareth, they were in Jerusalem about 68 miles away, they could have found Jesus anytime after the Families trip to Jerusalem. They could have found Jesus in Nazareth in under 2 months including travel time for everyone involved. That would make sense because Jesus is described in both accounts as an " infant " in Greek. Even when some translations say " child ", the Greek word is the same, and it is infant.
So from what I have found, there is no reason to teach definitively that the Magians were led by Satan or were working for Herod. We know Herod was wicked and tried to cover the bases by having all children 2 and under killed. We also know that the Magians did exactly what they claimed to have come for, to honor Jesus. Here is what I have found, sorry to be so long-winded about it.
The Bible does not say:
1. Jesus was 2 years or older when the Magians found him.
2. The Magians were working with Herod.
3. Jesus was not an infant when found.
4. The " star " was from Satan.
The Bible does say:
1. Jesus was born in Bethlehem
2. Herod wanted to kill Jesus, and lied to the Magians.
3. The Magians kept thier word about honoring Jesus
4. The Magians followed Gods direction and did not follow Herod's.
5. The Magians were led to Jerusalem and to a house,( probably Nazareth) by a " star ".
6. Joseph followed Gods direction and fled to Egypt after the Magians visited and offered their gifts to Jesus.
So Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth, traveled to Bethlehem where Jesus was born, then went to the temple, then back to Nazareth, then fled to Egypt, then came back to Nazareth! That’s a crazy trip, but it was necessary. So do you think I am missing anything, or adding anything that should not be there? It seems dogmatic to say we have proof that Satan led the Astrologers, and then to print it as truth. Add to it the fact that " apostasy " is now defined as " Deliberately spreading teachings contrary to Bible truth as taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses ", according to the Elders book. I think the whole story of how awesome Jesus birth was has been downgraded. It is okay to realize the importance of this event, and it is irresponsible and dishonest to teach anything that Gods word does not teach.
I wrote this a couple of years ago. Any thoughts or comments from faders or apologists?
DD
