It has been my experience that the Jehovah’s Witnesses consider the Star of Bethlehem to have been a device of Satan, primarily because it led the magi to King Herod, who wanted to kill Jesus.
Since it is that time of year in which the Star of Bethlehem is often spoken of, I thought I’d take the opportunity to discuss this matter, and perhaps prepare readers with a good answers in case any Jehovah’s Witnesses bring this up in conversation:
The biblical account of the Star of Bethlehem has very definite doctrinal points in the world wide congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Here is the whole biblical account as it reads in their Bible at Matthew 2:1-12 (The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures):
(1) After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, look! Astrologers from the eastern parts came to Jerusalem, (2) saying: “Where is the one born king of the Jews? For we saw his star [when we were] in the east, and we have come to do him obeisance”. (3) At hearing this King Herod was agitated, and all Jerusalem along with him, (4) and on gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born. (5) They said to him: “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is how it has been written through the prophet, (6) ‘And you, O Bethlehem of the land of Judah, are by no means the most insignificant [city] among the governors of Judah; for out of you will come forth a governing one, who will shepherd my people, Israel.’” (7) Then Herod secretly summoned the astrologers and carefully ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearing; (8) and, when sending them to Bethlehem he said: “Go make a careful search for the young child, and when you have found it report back to me, that I too may go and do it obeisance.” (9) When they had heard the king, they went their way; and, look! the star they had seen [when they were] in the east went ahead of them, until it came to a stop above where the young child was. (10) On seeing the star they rejoiced very much indeed. (11) And when they went into the house they saw the young child with Mary its mother, and, falling down, they did obeisance to it. They also opened their treasures and presented it with gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (12) However, because they were given divine warning in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another way.
Many people take notice that The New World Translation describes the men as “astrologers” instead of “magi“. In the original Greek language, the word used was “magi” — something the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, 1969 edition agrees with. According to Strong’s Concordance, “magi” is word # G3097 and is defined as:
- “Of foreign origin [H7248]; a Magian, that is, Oriental scientist; by implication a magician: – sorcerer, wise man.”
Since the definition does not specifically include the word “astrologer” we searched Strong’s for the Greek word for “astrologer” in the New Testament. Interestingly, a Greek word for “astrologer” simply does not exist in the Strong’s, meaning that a specific word for “astrologer” is not in the New Testament. Did astrologers exist in the New Testament? Most likely they did since astrology is closely linked to magic and sorcery. However, we find it curious that the writers of the New World Translation chose a specific discipline of magic — astrology — to describe these men, since the original Greek word doesn’t actually translate in such a specific way.
JEHOVAH’S WITNESS VIEWPOINT
The most unique belief that the Jehovah’s Witnesses have regarding this biblical account is that the Star of Bethlehem was a product of Satan the Devil, not a provision from God. Here is one place in which they explain this:
- Awake! July 8 (1994) pp.6-7 Probably one of the best-known stars mentioned in the Bible is “the star” of Bethlehem that guided the astrologers from “eastern parts” to the house where Jesus had been taken by his parents after his birth in a stable. What was that star? Certainly it was not an ordinary one, since it was low enough for the astrologers to follow it for about a thousand miles [1,600 km]. “The star” led them first to Jerusalem. Hearing of this, King Herod questioned them and then decided to kill the infant Jesus. Then “the star” led the astrologers to the particular house where Jesus was living. Certainly no normal star could do that. Did this starlike object originate with God? Since the astrologers’ visit led indirectly to the slaughter of ‘all the boys in Bethlehem and in all its districts from two years of age and under,’ is it not reasonable to conclude that “the star” was something used by God’s Adversary, Satan, in an attempt to destroy God’s Son?—Matthew 2:1-11, 16. It should also be borne in mind that the astrologers came from the East, perhaps from Babylon, which was an ancient center of magic, sorcery, and astrology. A number of heavenly bodies have been named after Babylon’s gods. In the days of King Nebuchadnezzar, divination was used to help him decide which route to take in his battle campaign.—Ezekiel 21:20-22.
Note that the article states that the star caused “the astrologers to follow it for about a thousand miles [1,600 km]” , and that it “led them first to Jerusalem“. Note, also, that this article states that these “astrologers came…perhaps from Babylon“. Although Jerusalem and Babylon were only 500 miles apart in a straight line geographically, the actual roads of travel between them did cause the Journey to be about 1,000 miles. The problem, though, is that the biblical passage doesn’t confirm any of this, as it merely states that they came “from the eastern parts“! It is only through speculation that the article decides that the astrologers/magi came 1,000 miles from Babylon. Although anyone can assume where these men came from, the Bible’s actual information is really quite vague. At this point, it is only the personal opinion of the article that is being taught. If you do decided to go by the article’s opinion, you will need to know that a “day’s journey” is considered to be about 20 miles /32 kilometers (Watchtower Society teaching agrees with this: Insight On The Scriptures, Volume 2, p. 119). This would mean it would have taken the astrologers/magi about 25 days to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem, assuming that it was the journey they took. Since Joseph and Mary were still in Bethlehem when these “astrologers” arrived, although by this point in scripture they were now in a house in Bethlehem (instead of a barn with a manger), the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the family stayed in Bethlehem for a while after the birth. The Bible doesn’t state how long the family stayed before being divinely called to Egypt (Matthew 2:11-14).
The next interesting thing about this article is that it also states “The star led them first to Jerusalem“. But when you read the original Biblical account it says no such thing. The passage only states ” we saw his star [when we were] in the east, and we have come to do him obeisance“. They saw his star and then came — they didn’t say they “followed” his star to Jerusalem. The reality of the situation is that they recognized the star as a sign of Christ’s birth as a Jewish King. Since the Star was evidently positioned west of their location (which is why they came in from the east), it is logical that they’d assume they should go to Jerusalem because Jerusalem was known as the city in which the Jewish kings lived (David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Jehoshaphat, Mattaniah/Zedekiah, Ahab, Jehoram, etc.). In other words, if you were looking for a Jewish king then the first logical place you’d look would be Jerusalem. Their pilgrimage to Jerusalem was clearly a case of human error due to their own presumptions, not a clever scheme executed by Satan.
It is also notable that the Bible doesn’t speak of the Star as actually leading them until it was time to show them to the house in Bethlehem.
Okay, so the Star didn’t actually “lead” the astrologers/magi to Jerusalem. Could it still have been a product of Satan? Let’s take a look at another clip of information from Watchtower Society literature :
- Insight On the Scriptures, Vol.2 p.1033 “Star” Seen After Jesus’ Birth. The “astrologers from eastern parts,” hence from the neighborhood of Babylon, whose visit to King Herod after the birth of Jesus resulted in the slaughter of all the male infants in Bethlehem, were obviously not servants or worshipers of the true God. (Mt 2:1-18; see ASTROLOGERS.) As to the “star” (Gr., a‧ster′) seen by them, many suggestions have been given as to its having been a comet, a meteor, a supernova, or, more popularly, a conjunction of planets. None of such bodies could logically have ‘come to a stop above where the young child was,’ thereby identifying the one house in the village of Bethlehem where the child was found. It is also notable that only these pagan astrologers “saw” the star. Their condemned practice of astrology and the adverse results of their visit, placing in danger the life of the future Messiah, certainly allow for, and even make advisable, the consideration of their having been directed by a source adverse to God’s purposes as relating to the promised Messiah. It is certainly reasonable to ask if the one who “keeps transforming himself into an angel of light,” whose operation is “with every powerful work and lying signs and portents,” who was able to make a serpent appear to speak, and who was referred to by Jesus as “a manslayer when he began,” could not also cause astrologers to ‘see’ a starlike object that guided them first, not to Bethlehem, but to Jerusalem, where resided a mortal enemy of the promised Messiah.—2Co 11:3, 14; 2Th 2:9; Ge 3:1-4; Joh 8:44.
Because these “astrologers” were the only ones who are mentioned as seeing The Star, and because astrology is a Biblically condemned practice (Isaiah 47:12-14), the article writers teach that this is evidence of The Star having satanic origins. As further evidence they also use the connection of Satan’s ability to create false signs and portents to mislead people (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Interestingly, though, they forget that there has also been times when God Himself actually used pagan non-believers to accomplish His will as well:
1. God used King Cyrus of Persia to begin the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-2)
2. God used King Darius of Persia to praise His holy Name throughout Persia (Daniel 6:16-27)
3. God used King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to chasten His errant nation (Jeremiah 27:8)
4. God used one of the Pharaohs to settle Israel into the land of Canaan (Genesis 45:17-21)
5. God used Balaam to turn a curse into a blessing three different times (Numbers 22:4-24-10).
6. God used Rahab, a pagan harlot, in the human lineage of Jesus Christ (Joshua 2:1-6, Matthew 1:5).
7. And, it is possible that God used these three “astrologers” to give expensive gifts to the Christ child; gifts which would help finance their subsequent flight to Egypt (Matthew 2:11-14). (Remember, Joseph and Mary were poor, as evidenced by their offering of turtledoves — Luke 2:24 compared to Leviticus 12:8)
God who knows everything, already knew that Herod was going to try and kill the Christ child soon after his birth as evidenced by prior prophecies (Compare Matthew 2:17-18 with Jeremiah 31:15-16). God would also have already known the low financial position of Joseph and Mary, since He handpicked them as Christ’s human parents Himself (Luke 1:26-31). Keeping in mind that God knows the things a person needs and will provide them (Matthew 6:26-33), He would have ensured that they would have the financial means to make the sudden journey — quite possibly by sending these men with expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
So now we put the question before you: Was the Star of Bethlehem a crafty device of Satan in an attempt to assassinate Jesus Christ, or was it a loving provision from God to ensure Joseph and Mary would be financially secure enough to take care of Jesus as refugees in Egypt?
