Posted on 12/21/2001 5:11:00 AM PST by blam
Early Christians hid the origins of the Bethlehem star
13:15 21 December 01
Marcus Chown
A US astronomer claims he has found the first mention of the star of Bethlehem outside the Bible. The reference is in a 4th-century manuscript written by a Roman astrologer and Christian convert called Firmicus Maternus.
Photo: Bridgeman Art Library
Michael Molnar, formerly of Rutgers University in New Jersey, is the originator of the idea that the star of Bethlehem was not a spectacular astronomical event such as a supernova or a comet but an obscure astrological one.
The event would nevertheless have been of great significance to ancient Roman astrologers. After studying the symbolism on Roman coins, he concluded that the "star" was in fact a double eclipse of Jupiter in a rare astrological conjunction that occurred in Aries on 20 March, 6 BC, and again on 17 April, 6 BC (New Scientist magazine, 23 December 1995).
Molnar believed that Roman astrologers would have interpreted such an event as signifying the birth of a divine king in Judea. But he lacked proof. Now he says he has found it, in the Mathesis, a book written by Maternus in AD 334. Maternus described an astrological event involving an eclipse of Jupiter by the Moon in Aries, and said that it signified the birth of a divine king.
No names
"Maternus did not mention Jesus's name," says Molnar. "But Roman astrology was a popular craze at the time and everyone reading the book would have known the reference was to Jesus and that the astrological event was the star of Bethlehem."
So why did Maternus not mention Jesus by name? According to Molnar, early Christians hated pagan beliefs and did not want to justify the Biblical story with astrological mumbo-jumbo. The idea that the stars govern our fate flew in the face of belief in a Christian God as the controlling force in the Universe.
"Being a pagan who had converted to Christianity during his lifetime, Firmicus was torn," says Molnar. "Hence his use of astrology to support the Christian story, but in a veiled way."
According to Molnar, it was essential to early Christians that the true nature of the star be hidden, otherwise theologians would be mired in debate about celestial influences that were not part of Christianity. So they buried the knowledge of the star's astrological roots and in time it was forgotten.
"I take Molnar's work quite seriously," says Owen Gingerich, a historian of astronomy at Harvard University. "Anything he comes up with along these lines has to be considered as being very likely correct."
13:15 21 December 01
I agree with your concepts, but woollyone, how can anyone prove a negative?
I didn't read the article, but how do you "hide" something in the sky?
Even if they used whiteout, it would still show up.
Now that would be a miracle.
Thank you, my dear brother in Christ. May God in all His glory continue to pour His blessings down upon you.
Ping.
"Atheism makes no rational sense."
Agreed, it makes no sense of any kind. If there is one belief system I don't understand AT ALL it is atheism. How can one believe that we are put on this earth and go through all our emotions and care about things like art and this is all for nothing? It is all just a big ACCIDENT!?!?!
I don't get it. I can certainly understand not believing in one religion or another, I can understand not believing in any "religion" at all, but I cannot understand not beliveing in God the creator.
Because the birth of Christ was a miracle, God certainly could have advertised it to the Magi by angelic, or miraculous, means.
No we live in a world ruled by physics for God's creations, but not for God. If God chose to put a star up and then take it away, it would be well within his power to do so. I can't fly without assistance of some sort. With your logic, does that mean that Christ did not ascend into heaven as the Bible stated that He did?
Magi weren't astrologers they were Zoroastrians. Magi is the literal name for the Priest in Zoroastrianism. In fact, their Priests are still called Magi.
That's where the word Magic and Magus came from.
Thanks for the info!
"With your logic, does that mean that Christ did not ascend into heaven as the Bible stated that He did?"
Since I'm Jewish, that's an affirmative, sir. :)
Even if He did put a star up there and take it away - it could only happen within the laws He had created.
It gets even more interesting when you realize that He would have had to create the star millions of years earlier so that it's light would reach Earth at just the right time.
If that's the case, there goes the concept of free will... it's predestination all the way.
It's hard to believe the Magi wouldn't know a star from a conjunction. Now a supernova, that might impress them. The Chinese records have one appearing in the spring (March/April) of 5 BC.
Wow. Three year old bump. It's from "Christmas Vacation" BTW. I know you don't really think it's Rebel.
You're right, it was a wild guess. Just sounded like something James Dean would have said. Not familiar with
"Christmas Vacation", so sadly failed your test,TF.
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Thanks again blam. Note: this topic is from 2001. |
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Here’s a suggestion for a re-ping.
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/staroftheeast/index
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/michaelmolnar/index
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