# The Star of Bethlehem, redux

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-star-of-bethlehem-redux/818>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [March 14, 2000, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-star-of-bethlehem-redux/818 "2000-03-14T00:30:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2000, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-star-of-bethlehem-redux/818/1 "2000-03-14T00:30:00Z")

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I was unable to locate a thread whose title referred to the column about the Star of Bethlehem being a “conjunction,” or whatever. So I’ll take it up in a separate thread.  
Near as I have been able to determine, the accepted belief is that Jesus was born in 6 B. C., or thereabouts, extrapolating from the chronology given in the Gospels along with the commentary by translator William Whiston, in _Antiquities of the Jews,_ compiled by first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. For various reasons Whiston concludes that Jesus would have to have been born in 4 B. C., or 6 B. C., given the “two years” reckoning used by Herod the Great in ordering the slaughter of boys, one of whom might be the “usurper” of his throne. ☹  
There are, however, a number of inconsistencies in Josephus’ works; it’s not something I can automatically blame on Whiston. By another line of reckoning from Josephus’ works one could come to the year 1 B.C., or even A.D. 1. In fact, for various reasons, which I will post here if asked, it is likely that He was born in fact in early October of _2 B.C._–notwithstanding Josephus, Whiston, or the scene in _Back to the Future_ in which Lloyd’s time machine is set, for example, to “12-25-00.”

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2000, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-star-of-bethlehem-redux/818/2 "2000-03-14T01:56:00Z")

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Are you referring to the mailbag item _[What’s up with the star of Bethlehem? (10-Mar-2000)](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mstarofbeth.html)_

So why would Jesus be born in 2 B.C.? Are these reasons related to astronomy?

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2000, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-star-of-bethlehem-redux/818/3 "2000-03-14T05:24:00Z")

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Since this is a Mailbag item, not one of Cecil’s columns, I am moving this to the forum COMMENTS ON MAILBAG QUESTIONS.