Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-09-26
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.
Evidence That Goes Far Toward
Confirming the Biblical story

Evidence That Goes Far ToWaro
Confirming the Biblical Story
Nearly 800 years ago the great as
tronomer Kepler, devout as well as
learned uan. sought mathematically
to demonstrate the truth OF the story
of the star of Bethlehem. Applying
the laws Of the motion of the stars he
had discovered, he calculated that on
the night of Dec. 1926, b. g., there
occurred visible in Palestine, maxi
mum conjunction of Jupiter and Sat
urn.
That is, on that night the two planets,
as seen from that part OF the earth'
were directly in line and for time
would be seen as one star, combining
the brilHancy of both. Kepler thought
this conjunction explained the appear
ance of the unusually bright strange
star which amazed the shepherds ana
which the wise men saw as they came
from the east.
Then scholars working on New Tes-
lament chronology became satisfied
that the dates of Dionysius, then gen.
orally received, were incorrect. Ihey
found evidence that Herod the Great
said in the gospels to have been living
Mt the time Of the nativity, died In the
fifth year before that then accepted as
the first of the Christian era. In fact'
it is generally admitted now, though
convenience prevents change, that
this is not the nineteen hundred anu
third wear since the birth of Jesus, but
Mt least the nineteen hundred and sew
enth. and probably the nineteen hun
dred and ninth.
This discovery of the error in the
traditional chronology, though II con-
firmed Kepler's calculations indirectly
did not cause his suggestion about the
star of Bethlehem to be wholly accept
ed. That the conjunction of the two
planets occurred about that time was
admitted. but 1t was not considered
proved that Jesus was born on exactly
that night In fact. the tendency was
10 regard the story Of the star as
wonder tale, produced by the universal
human habit of associating remark
able natural events with the births or
deaths of conspicuous personages.
But now Baron F. Won Aefele, IN
pamphlet published at Berlin points
ont that this maximum conjunction OF
Jupiter and Saturn is described In
list of the positions of the planets
from II B. c. to 10 A. D.. lately dis
covered in Egypt. Furthermore, the
old Egyptian star gazer gives mum
Der of details that correspond closely
with those set down in the second
chapter Of Matthew. Yet, again, the
Greek word translated "stood" in Mat
thew's account, which most commenta-
TORS have declared to be a poetlcal
EXPRESSION. turns out to be the tech
meal term used by the Egyptian as
tronomer to describe the conjunction
Of Jupiter and Saturn. which he re-
cords as occurring at a date CORE
sponding to Dec. 20. 6 B. c., OF our
calendar.
Baron Won Aefele draws from this
confirmation Of Kepler's computations
and Matthew'S narrative the conclu-
sion that the Christmas festival was
fixed on Dec. 20 not because it was
the time of the Roman saturnalia or
the festival of some popular pagan
god. but because the early Christians
knew exactly when the Founder OF
their faith appeared as a child among
men.
The main interest of the matter to
Christians Is that this Old Egyptian
record, taken with Keplers caleula-
tons. confirms the gospel narrative
1t shows that the birth Of the Founder
of their faith was attended by an ex'
ceptional aspect Of the heavens. IL
shows that the writer of Matthew
gospel did not fabricate this incident
of the nativity, though it was one that
the human mind in all ages has tended
to associate with the births OF great
leaders. as the Buddhist birth stories
show. and by thus confirming the care
full veracity Of the gospel narrative IL
that particular 1t strengthens belief II
Its truth in all others.-Chicago Inter
Ocean.