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Star of Bethlehem

7 Episodes

The Star of Bethlehem is the celestial sign in Matthew’s birth narrative that alerts eastern magoi to the birth of Jesus and leads them toward Bethlehem. In critical scholarship, it is usually read less as an astronomical event to reconstruct than as a literary and symbolic device that links royal birth, messianic expectation, and the cosmic significance of Jesus in Matthew’s story.

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Start here for the best in-depth listening on Star of Bethlehem: featured segments, featured episodes, and the episode with the most mentions.

Quotes from Data

“If you take the text for what it says, it doesn't work. If you don't take the text for what it says, you still have a whole lot of conundrums both in terms of interpretation and just general historicity of the tale.”

Aaron Adair Episode 37

“One of the things that I talk about in one of the chapters in the book is this kind of linkage between stars and rulers.”

Eric Vanden Eykel Episode 38

“One of the things that I sort of noticed when I was looking at that story is this kind of early fascination with the star.”

Eric Vanden Eykel Episode 38

“The star is a sign that Caesar is, after his assassination, was divine or whatever. And then his son sort of uses this as propaganda to say, I am the rightful ruler.”

Eric Vanden Eykel Episode 38

Top episodes

Ranked by mentions of Star of Bethlehem across the transcript. Start with the top mention above, then keep going here.

All episodes

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