The Star of Bethlemem, the Real Story, Page 1

So I went back to the first-century Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus to see if I could determine the date of the nativity. Somehow, I had overlooked a wealth of documentation. To begin with, I wanted to know when Herod the Great died, and just how much “wiggle room” I could have to play with.

First of all, Herod was given Israel’s royal title in Rome in 40 B.C., three years before he established his rule. Herod conquered Jerusalem on Kislev 28 (January 1, 37B.C.), during the “Sabbatical Year.” Israel observed a Sabbatical Year, beginning on October 8, 38 B.C., and continuing until September 26, 37 B.C. (Antiq. XIV, xvi, 2). This is irrefutable proof that locks in the chronology.

    Furthermore, Herod conquered Jerusalem during the “185th Olympiad,” when “Marcus Agrippa and Caninius Gallus were consuls at Rome.” History agrees that these men came into office on January 1, 37 B.C. The 185th Olympiad began in July of 40 B.C., and continued for four years until July of 36 B.C. Josephus said that Herod’s victory over Jerusalem came on the same day on which Pompey had conquered Jerusalem “twenty-seven years” earlier.

      Pompey conquered Jerusalem on Kislev 28, (December 28,   63 B.C.), thus marking

the beginning of Herod’s 34-year reign on January 1, 37 B.C. — in the 27th year (being 26 years) after Pompey conquered Jerusalem.

     Furthermore, Josephus said that Herod ended the rule of the Hasmoneans after 126 years. That dates from the year, 163 B.C., when a peace treaty was struck between the Syrians and Judea (also a Sabbatical year), and Maccabeus was appointed to be the governor. Such a multitude of facts are impossible to ignore.

The Lunar Eclipse

     According to Josephus, a lunar eclipse occurred during the final months of Herod’s illness. Josephus reported that a group of young adult men were arrested while pulling down the golden eagle from above the door of Herod’s Temple. Their trial took place in Jericho. Herod was there to testify against them, but had to recline on a couch because he was too ill to stand up. His disease was growing increasingly worse. Josephus wrote that the men were condemned to be burned, along with the High Priest, Matthias: “Herod … burnt … Matthias, who had raised the sedition, with his companions, alive.

    And that very night there was an eclipse of the moon. But now Herod’s distemper greatly increased upon him after a severe manner, and this by God’s judgment upon him for his sins: for a fire glowed in him slowly, which did not so much appear to the touch outwardly as it augmented his pains inwardly” (Antiquities, XVII, vi, 4&5).

     Dr. Martin had suggested the date of a lunar eclipse on January 10, 1 B.C.     However, most historians hold to an earlier lunar eclipse that occurred on March 13, 4 B.C. According to Starry Night Pro, the moon began to show the earth’s shadow about 1:30 A.M., and finished around 6:30 A.M., with the darkest coverage being about 3:30 A.M., on the night of March 13, 4 B.C.

     Shortly before his death, Herod received a letter from Augustus Caesar about the wickedness of his son, Antipater, and suggesting that he should be either banished or executed. Herod was so despondent, he tried to commit suicide, but was restrained. His wailing caused the soldiers to dispatch a squad to execute Antipater. Five days later, Herod succumbed to his illness. Josephus wrote that he died “… having reigned 34 years; but since he had been declared king by the Romans, thirty-seven” (Antiq., XVII, viii, 1). This fixes Herod’s death in 4 B.C., some months after the lunar eclipse of March 13, 4 B.C.

     Josephus also records that Archelaus succeeded Herod as king, but was deposed after 10 years rule (Antiq., XVII, xiii, 2), and his kingdom was annexed to Syria, and placed under the jurisdiction of Cyrenius. This occurred in A.D. 6. Therefore, the date of Herod’s death had to be fixed in 4 B.C.


The Birth of Christ

   Herod’s death in 4 B.C., presents a problem for a proposed 4 B.C. birth date. Even if Herod was alive, he would have been too ill to meet with the Magi. While attempting to determine the day of the week on which the crucifixion occurred, I learned that if the crucifixion occurred in A.D. 30, it would have been on Friday. The full moon of Passover was observed on Thursday evening, April 6. If this was the date, and if Jesus was 33 years and six months old when crucified, then He would have been born in 5 B.C., possibly on Rosh Hashanah, Tishri 1 (Oct. 3rd, 5 B.C.). If this is the case, then my elaborate theory about Jesus being born in 3 B.C., just “went down in flames” (so to speak).

J. R. Church   Dec. 1, 2010