Posted on 11/20/2024 3:28:28 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Could the $50 purchase of an ancient coin by a Rutgers astronomer have unlocked the mystery of the Christmas Star? For years, scientists have looked, with little success, to astronomical records for an explanation of the magical star that guided the Magi to Christ's manger. Intrigued by the image he found on the latest addition to his coin collection, Michael Molnar thought there might be more to learn by looking, instead, at the teachings of ancient astrologers.
Molnar argues in his book that the Star of Bethlehem was not a star at all, but rather a regal portent centering around the planet Jupiter that was eclipsed by the moon. He bases this theory on the actual beliefs of astrologers, such as the Magi, who lived around the time of Christ. Molnar found some intriguing clues to the mystery while researching the meaning of astrological symbols he found an ancient coin, which bore the image of Aries looking back at a star. He found that Aries was a symbol of Judea at the time, and that ancient astrologers believed that a new king would be born when the moon passed in front of Jupiter. Molnar wondered, could the coin have been issued as a response to the Great Messianic Portent, the Star of Bethlehem?
To match the story of the appearance of the Christmas star, Molnar also knew the event had to happen when Jupiter was "in the east." Using these criteria and a computer program, he was able to chart an eclipse of Jupiter in Aries on April 17, 6 B.C., a day when Jupiter was precisely "in the east," which confirmed his theory. Moreover, he found that a Roman astrologer described the conditions of that day as fitting the birth of a "divine and immortal" person.
According to Harvard University Professor Owen Gingerich, "this is the most original and important contribution of the entire 20th century" about the Magi's star. Using clues from astronomy, astrology, and history, Molnar has created a provocative, fascinating theory on the Christmas Star. He weaves together an intriguing scientific detective story which resolves one of the world's greatest mysteries: The Star of Bethlehem at the birth of Christ.
Happy Thanksgiving brotherman!
April,6 B.C.
An alignment of multiple planets and bright stars in the night sky might be the best explanation.
Kind of like a footnote in history.*
The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay...
*
And when the wise guys were come into the house..
In the Hebrew world, a house is a beit [בית], which is also a... byte [בית].
A box:
23 = 8, and the "Mother of all Israel" -- i.e. Rachel [רחל] = 238.
(It's the interconnectedness of every little bit.)
*Follow the star and Bob's your uncle! So EZ, yet who ever really pays any attention to the fine print?
Indeed, it had to be something the Jews were NOT looking for but which would have of interest to Magi.
Rachel!?!
.
Tomorrow Thanksgiving/$
Your All on the dope.
Should be the Star of Nazareth, since that’s where the Wise Guys visited Mary, Joseph, and 2-year-old Jesus.
6 BC...Jesus, the one truly ahead of His time
Nah, the baby wouldn’t have been able to sleep because that rock band was practicing all hours of the day and night.
Who sent that “star” to lead the astrologers?
Religious leaders commonly
teach that God sent the “star.”
Did he really?
Remember, the “star” did not first lead those astrologers to Bethlehem.
Rather, it led them to King Herod in Jerusalem.
They revealed Jesus’ existence to that jealous and powerful murderer and even gave him strong reason for hating the child who was to become “king of the Jews.” (Matthew 2:2)
Herod told them to report back to him on the precise location of this child,
Claiming that he wanted to honor it as well.
The “star” then led the astrologers to Joseph and Mary.
So the astrologers were on a course that would have doomed the young child had God not intervened.
Happily, he did intervene. So enraged was Herod when the astrologers did not report back to him that he ordered all the male children two years of age and younger in and around Bethlehem to be killed.—Matthew 2:16.
Another “myth” about this story is “The Three Wise Men!”
There was nowhere in the scriptures that called them Wise Men.
In the original Greek, the Bible calls them neither kings nor wise men.
They were magi, or astrologers.
They were evidently practicers of the
pagan art of divination based on the stars.
The Bible record reveals neither the names nor the number of these visitors.
:^) It’s good I have an extra week to lose some weight. I just have to remember to call the US Geological Survey with this update, I have to let them know when I move more than a few miles in any direction, it screws up the rotation of the Earth. /slightexaggeration
Explanation point!
Location: [on the way to] Bethlehem
https://aish.com/our-mother-rachel/
Bethlehem = "House of bread"
But as far as the ginger man is concerned, you'll find him here of course, in the house of bread:
Filled with country charm! The kids all love him.
Yet just watch -- people are gonna act all surprised. Worse than if they woke up with their heads sewn to the carpet.
No ancient astrologer worth his salt would have referred to a conjunction as a star. They certainly knew to the day when Jupiter and Saturn would conjoin. They’d have found it noteworthy but not arduous journey worthy.
The prime suspect is an object, possibly a nova or supernova, that was observed by Chinese astrologers in 5 BC. It was seen in early March and lasted more than 70 days. There’s a page here: http://www.observadores-cometas.com/cometas/Star/Visibility_Star.htm
which gets rather technical sometimes but it’s probably the best exposition online. Short version, the object was observed somewhere in the vicinity of the horns of Capricorn, and the constellation Aquila. The article doesn’t go far into the esoteric significance of al-Gedi, in the horns of Capricorn, but in ancient times this was regarded as the sacrifice, the atonement. Which may have meant something to the Magi.
As for the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction nearest that time, they conjoined in Pisces in 7 BC if I’m not mistaken...and visually they weren’t close enough to appear as a single bright object.
I hate it when that happens...
They were wise to Herod! He told them to report back to him where the child was located, so that he might worship him...and they decided against it.
A big thank you for this work of Links. God Bless.
He is wrong.
It is a special star that moved in the sky that the wise men followed until the star STOPPED in the sky over where Christ lay.
2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
2:3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
2:5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
“
5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah”
2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Matthew
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