Two years ago I posted an item on the Star of Bethlehem. I love evidence for the truth of the Gospels.
This month I gave two talks at my church (Trinity Church, Vero Beach, Florida) on the Star of Bethlehem and the Astronomy of Jesus. Here is a video of the first, which focuses on the Star and when Jesus was born:
I like giving talks and interacting with people, and I also like that, when preparing, I learn wonderful things. Here’s a fact that blew me away – Marco Polo visited the tombs of the Magi (translated in the Gospel of Matthew as “wise men”)!
“In Persia is the city of Saba, from which the Three Magi set out… and in this city they are buried, in three very large and beautiful monuments, side by side. And above them there is a square building, beautifully kept. The bodies are still entire, with hair and beard remaining.”
–Marco Polo 1299 AD
This city is now called Saveh, and it is about 60 miles southwest of Tehran. The Magi traveled about 1200 miles to see Jesus.
My second talk focused on the date of the cross:
Multiple lines of evidence point to April 3, 33 AD. I learned that a Roman historian wrote that “on the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness” on the day that Jesus died. This great darkness is recorded in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) as taking place from noon to 3 pm, the hour that Jesus died. How stunning to find an independent Roman record of this “most fearful darkness”! The Roman record also notes the great earthquakes mentioned in the Gospels.
Merry Christmas and thanks for reading!