THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.
It seems strange that the dates of the New Testament, occurring comparatively so late, are not at all agreed upon; yet so it is. Doubtless the world thought it beneath its notice to chronicle the events relating to the advent of our Lord. He, as it were, slipped in unobserved and unheeded, although He came to accomplish the greatest work this world ever witnessed, a work too in which the whole world is concerned. Yet no one knows when He was born! The rocks still bear witness to the achievements of the monarchs of the great nations who flourished long before the advent of Christ, telling forth their mighty deeds; but when God was manifest in the flesh there was no one to chronicle the event. All Jerusalem was troubled at the news, and the one who ruled in the name of Rome sought to put our Lord to death at His very birth.
But Christ was born of a woman; and though the nations have not registered the birth, God has caused certain occurrences of the world to be recorded in His book which enable us to approximate very nearly to the true date.
We are certain that Christ was born before the death of Herod: we may then ask, when did Herod die? and how long before his death was Christ born? Herod was made king of Palestine B.C. 40, but he did not obtain actual possession till B.C. 37. Josephus says (Ant. xvii. 8. 1), that Herod reigned thirty-seven years from the appointment by Rome, and thirty-four years from actual possession. This would bring his death to B.C. 4. Josephus further says that it was in the same year as an eclipse of the moon (Ant. xvii. 6. 4), which is also calculated to have been in B.C. 4. And this date is generally received as the true time of Herod’s death; it being borne out by other testimony besides that of Josephus.
It is also known to have been shortly before a passover, so that it is fixed to have been about April in that year.
Our next question is, How long before this was Christ born? The commonly received date is December B.C. 5; four complete years before the common Era A.D. But this would be only four or five months before the death of Herod, which, as we shall see, involves serious difficulties.
The first is, How can it be accounted for that, after careful inquiry of the magi when the star had appeared, Herod slew the children from two years old, if the star had been seen only four or five months previously?
To this it is answered, that the star may have appeared to the magi before the birth of Christ, perhaps at his conception; which would have given ample time for the journey; and then they would have told Herod that they had seen the star about twelve months previously.
But if this were so, another difficulty is, when, as to recorded events, could the visit of the magi have been made? For instance, was it just before or soon after the dedication in the temple?
Not before, because immediately after the visit they fled into Egypt (Matt. 2:13-1513And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. (Matthew 2:13‑15)), and remained there till after Herod’s death, and so could not have visited Jerusalem at the proper time for the dedication. Not after, because they went immediately from Jerusalem to Nazareth, and not back to Bethlehem (Luke 2:3939And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. (Luke 2:39)).
We must, therefore, seek another solution; and the most probable is, that the visit of the magi was about twelve months after the birth of Christ; that Joseph and Mary paid, as we should say, a casual visit to Bethlehem, probably at the anniversary of the birth, and at that time the magi arrived and found them there; all, of course, being arranged and ordered of God. The order of events, then, would be
Birth at Bethlehem.
Adoration of the Shepherds.
Presentation in the Temple.
They go to Nazareth.
Return to Bethlehem at a later period.
Visit of the Magi.
Flight into Egypt.
Massacre of the Infants.
Death of Herod.
With this arrangement there is one passage that seems to clash, namely, Matthew 2:11Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, (Matthew 2:1): “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.” But this is acknowledged to be an inexact translation; it should be, “Now Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judaea,” which leaves the time of the visit indefinite.
We believe therefore that the star appeared at the birth of Christ, and that the magi must have told Herod that they had seen it about twelve months previously. This would place the birth at the end of B.C. 6, or the commencement of B.C. 5; that is, five complete years before the common era of A.D.
Herod was at the time of the visit in bodily and mental suffering. He had put his own wife and two of his sons to death; he was waiting for permission from Rome to put another son to death; and in this his last illness he conceived the diabolical plan of confining the elders of Israel in the hippodrome, with orders that at his death they should all be massacred, to ensure there being mourning — for others, if not for himself. To be told during the last few weeks of his wretched existence that a King of the Jews had been born, would be sure to have called forth a cruel and determined effort to cut Him off. Leaving a large margin, he ordered the infants to be slain from “two years old and under.” But God was watching over all, and Joseph was directed to go into Egypt with the child Jesus. On Herod’s death the elders of Israel escaped the doom intended for them.