Star of Bethlehem

undercover

The Bible, only in Matthew(I think) speaks of the star that the astrologers followed to find the baby Jesus. The WTS has claimed that this star obviously was a product of Satan, since the astrolgers first wound up in Jersusalem, met Herod, who conspired with them to locate the baby. After that, the astrologers continued on to Bethlehem.

A couple of questions:

1. Does anyone else outside of JWs believe this theory?

2. Is there any prophecy earlier in the Bible about people following a star to the Messiah?

3. If Satan is the one who produced this light or star, why didn't Jehovah just extinguish it so it couldn't lead the astrologers to Herod instead of having an angel warn them in a dream to not return to Herod?

There's not really a lot of detail in Matthew about this, so just how does one claim if the light is from God or the Devil?

cruzanheart

Good questions, and I don't know the answers so I'll bring this to the top so maybe someone else will respond.

Nina

jschwehm

Hi:

This link is an interesting read on your question:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09527a.htm

Jeff S.

undercover

Interesting information. Thanks for the link.

Only a miraculous phenomenon could have been the Star of Bethlehem. it was like the miraculous pillar of fire which stood in the camp by night during Israel's Exodus (Exodus 13:21), or to the "brightness of God" which shone round about the shepherds (Luke 2:9), or to "the light from heaven" which shone around about the stricken Saul (Acts 9:3).
Some of the Fathers (St. Irenaeus, "Adv. Haer.", III, ix, 2; Progem. "in Num.", homil. xiii, 7) think the Magi saw in "his star" a fulfilment of the prophesy of Balaam: "A star shall rise out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel" (Numbers 24:17). But from the parallelism of the prophesy, the "Star" of Balaam is a great prince, not a heavenly body; it is not likely that, in virtue of this Messianic prophesy, the Magi would look forward to a very special star of the firmament as a sign of the Messias. It is likely, however, that the Magi were familiar with the great Messianic prophesies.....
But there must have been some special Divine revelation whereby they knew that "his star" meant the birth of a king, that this new-born king was very God, and that they should be led by "his star" to the place of the God-King's birth (St. Leo, Serm. xxxiv, "In Epiphan." IV, 3).

Answers a couple of questions, though I'm still curious if any other group holds to the idea that the star came from Satan.

I just can't see Satan advertising for free the birth of the Messiah. If he wanted him dead, why not send some demons to possess some pigs to trample the manger or something? That's a flip illustration, but the demons supposedly had that kind of power for the scriptures speak of the possessed ones. So, why all the cloak and dagger? Why not go straight for the kill?

heathen

I know the old testament mentions that the messiah would be born in bethlehem but don't remember a star being mentioned . The WTBTS said something like the astrologers were pagans that followed the star for 2yrs. They were aware of the old testament prophesy . That is pretty much the evidence the society gave as far as , since the star first took them to king herod who clearly was an enemy, that the star was some sort of satanic illusion. There was another prophesy fullfilled about the young children being murdered by herod . We know from the account that the astrologers did not make it to the manger on the night jesus was born as many people seem to believe and make nativity scenes around their christmas tree. The lousy schmucks at the inn, wouldn't even give them a room for the night. The story is in the " the greatest man who ever lived book". I did read it several years ago and found it interesting .

heathen

To answer the question of do other churches teach that the star is satanic? , I seem to remember some lutherans telling me that as well .

Narkissos

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/62912/1.ashx

lurk

I just can't see Satan advertising for free the birth of the Messiah. If he wanted him dead, why not send some demons to possess some pigs to trample the manger or something?

ROFLOL

wiith all this stuff about the star i noticed one thing no one mentions.

1) mary and joseph are not said to have turned down the gifts. so they must have excepted them.
they excepted rich gifts from magi.

2) jehovah warned the magi .did he didnt kill them ? did he reduce them" evil" astrologers to a pile of ashes? or open up the earth and swallow them?

amazing really isnt it.wheres the holy anger? and the comdemnation ?and the destruction of evil doers????.......they worshped his son .they gave him gifts ..then god warned them for his sons saftey. not to tell herod where he was and they didnt.yes the astrologers did what god said ..and there was me thinking only jehovahs witnesses or the bibles true worshippers of god (same thing )did what was right.

and then those darn magi go and throw a spaner in the works ..how dare they get a dream from god like other faithfull ppl whe the WTS gets nothing .how dare he be nice ot them and except there gifts ...or even have magi gifts prophecised about is the bible .hehehehehehehehe. wohhh

if jehovah ever joined the WTS he wouldnt last long he'd be out on his ear with all that softy liberal stuff.

ive got a question though.

QUESTION :.if the magi gifts were prophcised(i know its splet wrong but im tired) in the bible then does this mean god new that satan wwould stick a light up in the sky to point to his son??so if the star was wrong how can the gifts be part of a prohecy that shows his kingship.

surely its good then that the star came or we'd have ben up the khyber with no paddles and no magi for jesus big entrance ??

A Paduan

how dare they get a dream from god like other faithfull ppl whe the WTS gets nothing .how dare he be nice ot them and except there gifts

That's probably how the scribes & pharisees thought when the 'desert bums' came and told them about seeing and following His star.

Besides, the Magi accepted the Messiah, and His mother (within themselves)

and entering the house they found Jesus with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him

And Jesus got birthday presents.

Leolaia

Please see my post on the same subject:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/62912/963338/post.ashx#963338

The Star of Bethlehem was viewed as fulfilling several prophecies about the Messiah: that he was the "star" of Jacob, that he would be born in Bethlehem, and that gentiles would worship and pay their respect to him. The idea that the miraculous "star" was a product of Satan was foreign to early Christianity. In fact, the earliest person to mention it outside the Bible (A.D. 115-117) claimed the exact opposite.

Leolaia

Star of Bethlehem

Share this