Matthew 2:1-9

Based on Victor Porton's sermon

My next sermon on the New Testament. It gives a definite explanation of the Bethlehem star.

Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2:

Verse 1 “Now Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,” Verse 2 “Where is he who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”

These people who came to worship Jesus are usually called magi.

First, what the "star" (the ancient word translated "star" means any object in the heaven) cannot be? It cannot be a supernova: supernovas don’t go and stop (as seen from the Earth), but are visually moved together with the rest of the heaven. Also there is no Chinese and Babylonian records of “new stars” in this time period. Could it be a comet? A comet may happen to move on the heaven and at a moment stop visually. But how could ancient men calculate the exact house over which it stopped? Maybe, it would be possible for modern astronomers, but not for technology of that time. They saw the “star” staying over a particular barn, not just pointing to a city from a big distance, because they knew, as we see below, it’s Bethlehem, even without the “star”.

It seems that the only coherent explanation is that it was some kind of UFO: maybe a flying saucer or an object consisting of energy. They simply saw an UFO hanging at not a very high altitude over the barn where Jesus was born. If the altitude of the object would be high, the magi would be unable to determine the exact place that it hangs over.

Another note: The magi saw the “star” at the east, but they came from the east, too. I wonder, that they went in the direction opposite to the direction in which they saw the star. How did they guess that this star signifies the Messiah, not some other event? I think, the most coherent explanation that the UFO talked to them and called to visit Bethlehem.

Also note that at that time period there were several kings sharing the name Herod. It explains some apparent contradictions in the Bible.

Verse 3 “And Herod the king having heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” 4 “And having gathered together all the chief priests and scholars of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ is born.” 5 “And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea. For thus it is written through the prophet,” 6 “And you Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come forth a man who rules, who will tend my people Israel.”

You see from this, that the magi would be informed that Christ was born in Bethlehem even without the “star”. The “star” or rather UFO informed them about the particular house where he was born, not about the city.

Verse 7 “Then Herod having called the wise men privately, ascertained from them what time the star appeared.” 8 “And having sent them to Bethlehem, he said, After going, search diligently about the child. And when you find him, report to me, so that I also having come, may worship him.” [Herod lied.] 9 “And when they heard the king, they departed. And behold, the star that they saw in the east went before them until, having come, it stood over where the child was.” That is, UFO over a particular barn.