What Was the Christmas Star?

The article (which even has an accompanying video) stated,

For centuries, religious scholars and astronomers have wondered this – and if it was real, what was it? The Gospel of Matthew was written around the year 85 CE based on a variety of sources and is the only one of the four canonical Gospels to mention the star. Originally written in Greek, αστερα was translated as “astra” meaning star, but it could also refer to other celestial objects like a planet or comet. A transient event of some sort is the favored explanation: a comet, supernova, or even a planetary alignment.

It then goes on to describe in detail which comet, supernova, or planetary conjunction it might have been that “coincided” with the birth of the Savior. They do preface all this discussion, though, with this:

That is assuming the event took place in the first place. Given that the star only appears in the Gospel of Matthew, the simplest explanation is that it is a fictional addition by the authors, possibly to link the birth of Jesus to the Star Prophecy from the Book of Numbers and strengthen his messianic claim.

There really was a star that heralded the birth of the new King and brought wise men to worship and give gifts to Jesus.

Of course, we outright reject this claim as the Bible is the God-breathed Word of the Creator who knows all things and does not lie. We know everything in his Word is true, even if it only appears once. So, yes, there really was a star that heralded the birth of the new King and brought wise men to worship and give gifts to Jesus. But what about their other ideas—what exactly was the Christmas star?

Well, as the article notes, over the years people have suggested a variety of astronomical phenomena that took place around the time of Christ’s birth as the true identity of the star. Was one of these events the Christmas star?

To answer any such question, we must always start with the text of Scripture first. And it tells us this:

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:1–12)

Reading the text tells us a few things:

• The wise men seem to have been the only ones who saw the star (Herod had to ask when it had appeared) or, at the very least, the only ones who are recorded to have thought it was notable.
• The star served as a sign to the wise men, but the text doesn’t say it guided them to Jerusalem/Israel.
• The star reappeared and guided them to the house where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were.

So this couldn’t have been a one-time event like a supernova or a comet, as the star appeared and later reappeared. It also moved to guide the wise men to the very house where Jesus was—that’s not the typical movement of any celestial object and doesn’t match with any of the proposed astronomical phenomena.

It seems the likeliest explanation for the star is that it was a supernatural event. It was a miracle from God. This wasn’t a normal, albeit rare, astronomical phenomena—this was a unique, supernatural event brought about by God for the express purpose of announcing the Savior’s birth in accordance with prophecy.

I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
    and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead of Moab
    and break down all the sons of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17)

Get More Answers on Answers News

This item was discussed yesterday on Answers News with cohosts Avery Foley, Dr. Gabriela Haynes, and Jessica DeFord. Answers News is our weekly news program filmed live before a studio audience here at the Creation Museum, broadcast on our Answers in Genesis YouTube channel, and posted to Answers TV. We also covered the following topics:

• Did the Pope bless same-sex unions?
• Why don’t flightless bats exist?
• What are teachers really teaching in the classroom?
• And more!

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Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.