Is the star of Bethlehem a REAL star?

For centuries we've come to believe that the star of Bethlehem in the Biblical narrative of Christ's birth was some sort of supernatural cosmic event. 

But, was it a LITERAL star?

As explained in the Greek Interlinear concordance, the word "star" can be rendered LITERAL or FIGURATIVE! My conclusion it should be considered figuratively or something else than a real cosmic star.

LITERAL VIEW : THE STAR WAS A SUN

We all know that a star is a Sun that can be millions if not billions of light years away. Even though God could in His infinite power move a Sun so far away as it would appear in our sky and shine where Jesus was born, it would still not agree with the complete narrative of the Nativity story.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST BEING A LITERAL STAR

Astronomers, understanding the laws of physics, have a hard time believing the narrative and I would not blame them. A sun cannot do what the Bible said it did. Actually, sympathetic astronomers have gone out of their way to convert the star into a meteor to make it more plausible. This of course adds no validity to the story.

Because of this literal view, it ends up making the Bible look unscientific, erroneous and so classified as a fable, to the point that the Bible can be dismissed as man made stories and not a Divine book. This of course is not the case.

FIGURATIVE VIEW

I strongly believe the Bible is God's word and as such does not make errors even in the sphere of science. The answer to this puzzle lies in the definition of the word "star" in the Bible.

There are TWO definitions:

    Literal : As a sun in our Cosmos

    Figurative : As an angel

Guess which fits better the narrative? An angel, of course.

The Distinguishing aspects of both a star and an angel:

    They shine

    They move in the air

    They announce a special event or message

Angels and stars have similar attributes, so keep these in mind as we continue.

THE PROOF

The Bible often uses the word "star" to mean a "Messenger".

"The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches." Revelation 1:20

Here we clearly see that the Bible names angels as "stars". These angels were used by God as messengers to the churches.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16

Even Jesus is called a star. Why? Because He was a messenger for God to fallen humanity.

"We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." 2 Peter 1:19

This verse poetically describes Jesus as the Morning Star. Note He was THE message, He shines and then rises, in this case, not the sky but in our hearts.

"These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea,foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever." Jude 12

 

In this verse, the Bible calls false teachers as "wandering stars". Note they wander and bring a message, in this case a false message, but instead of light, they offer darkness.

On a secular note, we call movie actors "stars"! For similar reasons, they shine and present a message to us from a stage that is most often above us.

EVIDENCE IN THE NARRATIVE

"After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was." Matthew 2:9

It's obvious a Sun could not have led the Magi through the streets of Bethlehem and then stop right above the house where Jesus was living. It would make no scientific sense and would make the Biblical narrative look ridiculous or faulty at best. The star being an angel is the only correct, Biblical and logical explanation that importantly honors God's word as being divinely written.

PROPER INTERPRETATION

I final and important note concerns the "context". To properly understand the definition of which "star" was intended, we have to consider the context in which it was used. The context concerned the advent of a new revelation from God and not a discussion of the cosmos! The "star" had nothing to do with the subject of the cosmos but of a supernatural event where men were being informed and guided by God.

Well I hope I didn't dull the ambiance of the Christmas story but rather strengthened your faith in God's perfect word.