© 2007 Luis Coll
© 2007 Urantia Association of Spain
There are some interesting data provided in the field of astronomy by Johannes Kepler (1604), Mark Kidger and by ancient Chinese and Korean observations.
In particular, the article in the magazine “Espacio” published in January 2007 (number 25, pages 52 and 53) and the comparisons, references and dates are very interesting, as they are very close to those described in The Urantia Book.
“All that night Mary was restless so that neither of them slept much. By the break of day the pangs of childbirth were well in evidence, and at noon, August 21, 7 B.C., with the help and kind ministrations of women fellow travelers, Mary was delivered of a male child. Jesus of Nazareth was born into the world,” (UB 122:8.1)
In the magazine “Espacio”, in the number cited above, he says: “To further specify the date, we can look at an apparently banal reference in verses 7 and 8 of the second chapter of that same text. ‘There were shepherds in the same region who kept watch and kept watch over their flock by night’. (Luke 2:7 and 8). If the reference is real, it is highly unlikely that the shepherds and their flocks spent the nights outdoors in December, since it is a rather harsh month in Israel, with rain and frost.”
The weather only improves from mid-March and stays that way until May, so we already have a fairly accurate time frame.
“These wise men saw no star to guide them to Bethlehem. The beautiful legend of the star of Bethlehem originated in this way: Jesus was born August 21 at noon, 7 B.C. On May 29, 7 B.C., there occurred an extraordinary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation of Pisces. And it is a remarkable astronomic fact that similar conjunctions occurred on September 29 and December 5 of the same year. Upon the basis of these extraordinary but wholly natural events the well-meaning zealots of the succeeding generation constructed the appealing legend of the star of Bethlehem . . .” (UB 122:8.7)
In the magazine “Space” Mark Kidger, an astronomer and one of the leading experts on the star of Bethlehem, believes that the Chinese observations “are quite reliable.” The coincidence of the date of the Chinese and Korean observations with that of the birth of Jesus is very striking. Mark Kidger thinks that the triple conjunction and planetary kneading in 7 and 6 B.C. de J.C put magicians on notice and, given the confidence that was then held in astrology, it would not be surprising that they interpreted the conjunction and subsequent kneading of Jupiter, king of the planets, with >Saturn, king of old age or wisdom in the constellation Pisces. This article becomes interesting in reference to the approach of the dates and events described in The Urantia Book, and the conclusions and studies of Mark Kidger. The magicians were priests and astronomers, or at least sky watchers, and they interpreted those conjunctions with the events that were occurring. And this supposed “star of Bethlehem” would imply these extraordinary conjunctions that occurred on those dates.
¶ References
- Light and Life Magazine (all old issues): https://aue.urantia-association.org/numeros-antiguos-del-lyv/