The Messianic Star

<p>The Star of Bethlehem the great portent of Christ's birth in the Gospel of Matthew has been central to Christian imagery for two thousand years. It is</p><p>still a popular feature of the modern Christmas card. The star was originally seen as a miracle sent by God to announce the birth of His son. Since the</p><p>seventeenth century astronomers have speculated that the star was some astronomical events such as a planetary conjunction or a comet or that it</p><p>possessed astrological significance. In this ground-breaking book Martin Wells shows that these claims are all unjustified. By going back to the original</p><p>texts Wells argues that we should understand the Star as an imaginative story intended to legitimise Christ's role as the new Messiah a story which resonates powerfully down to the present day.</p>