The Birth of Jesus and Book of Isaiah
— Science vs Religion-Part II
On a particular night in April, in the year 4 BC, the vast expanse of the sky was illuminated by the radiant light of a solitary star. Over twenty kilometers away from Jerusalem, in the town of Bethlehem, this star appeared to be moving in a specific direction, as if guiding a path ahead. Three wise astrologers from the East, known as the “Magi,” were captivated by this celestial phenomenon. They sensed that it was a signal of the arrival of someone profoundly important in the world. Following the star’s trajectory, they eventually arrived at a quaint inn situated near the town of Bethlehem.
In contemporary understanding, we now recognize this star as a comet. In Chinese historical records, specifically the “Annals of Emperor Ai” within the “History of Han Dynasty,” there is mention of this celestial event: “In the third month of the third year of Jianping, during the yǒu hour, a comet appeared in He Gu (the celestial drum constellation).” This type of comet is referred to as “bè xīng,” while “He Gu” denotes the Altair. This comet, observed beside the Altair, corresponds to the phenomenon referred to as the “Star of Bethlehem” by the Eastern astrologers.
The small inn was already at full capacity, leaving no available lodgings. Just as the Magi were preparing to depart, an unexpected sound caught their attention — the cry of a newborn baby. Following the sound, they discovered its source emanating from a stable. Within the stable, they found a woman who had just given birth, cradling the infant in her arms. It was evident that the manger, where animals feed, served as an improvised cradle for this newly arrived child.
This newborn child was given the name Jesus by the woman. The choice of name had been conveyed to her through a divine encounter with an angel. Jesus’ conception, however, transcended the ordinary, as his existence was also profoundly intertwined with the divine, through the bestowment of the Holy Spirit by God. Thirty years later, Jesus would emerge to reveal and demonstrate his unique status as the Son of God. This woman, named Mary, would later ascend to the revered position of “Virgin Mary” within the tapestry of Catholic tradition, having birthed the embodiment of divine purpose.
However, during that time, the Magi didn’t quite grasp the reason why God chose to bring forth a great figure, whose glory surpassed even that of kings, to be born in a modest stable within a remote town. Of course, present-day believers are well aware that Jesus’ earthly parents, Joseph and Mary, made a journey from their home in Nazareth to the distant town of Bethlehem for the birth. This was due to a decree from the Roman Emperor Augustus, requiring everyone to return to their ancestral cities for a census. So, it happened that Mary, being pregnant, had to embark on this journey. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was in alignment with the prophecy of the ancient Hebrew prophet Micah in the Old Testament:“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Subsequent events revealed that Jesus was indeed the “rock not cut by human hands,” as mentioned by the prophet Daniel during his interpretation of dreams. This rock struck the statue’s feet, symbolizing the eventual crumbling of the mighty Roman Empire — and indeed, history confirms that the entire Roman Empire eventually embraced Christianity. “The rock that smashed the statue grew into a huge mountain and filled the whole earth,” isn’t this a truth that resonates? Today, there are approximately two and a half billion Christians across the globe. Christianity undeniably holds the status of the world’s predominant religion, with its influence extending to every corner of the world. Can’t we liken it to a mountain that has encompassed the entirety of the world?
Indeed, the prophet Daniel wasn’t the first to foretell the advent of Jesus. More than two centuries before Daniel’s time, there lived a prophet named Isaiah. In his work “The Book of Isaiah,” he prophesied: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations… He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering and familiar with pain… Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering… he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities… He was assigned a grave with the wicked,and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
If we were to suggest that the prophecies of the prophet Daniel regarding Jesus Christ were merely emblematic hints, then the portrayal of this “servant of God” by the prophet Isaiah harmonizes precisely with the historical Jesus in every aspect — character, experiences, mission, and ultimate fate. Isn’t it accurate that Jesus faced hostility, censure, and false charges with silence? Wasn’t Jesus’ crucifixion reminiscent of the sacrifice of a lamb? Wasn’t Jesus’ earthly mission centered on bearing humanity’s sins? On the cross, wasn’t Jesus flanked by two “wickced”? Wasn’t the place of Jesus’ final repose a tomb provided by a “rich man”? And isn’t the Christianity established by Jesus disseminating God’s justice from the Jewish people to nations across the globe?
Due to the astonishing precision of this prophecy, those historians hold the tenets of “science” have cast serious doubts upon the genuineness of the Book of Isaiah itself. Their conjecture follows two main veins: either the Book of Isaiah is a pseudo-scripture, concocted by Jesus’ disciples several years after his passing, a fabrication prevailed under the name of old prophet; or the passages in the Book of Isaiah foretelling Jesus’ coming were inserted and altered by subsequent scribes. This skepticism endured for well over a century, until an extraordinary turn of events disintegrated this standpoint.
It was during the summer of the year 1947, a young boy named Muhammad was shepherding his family’s flock of sheep on a hillside near the Dead Sea. All of a sudden, one sheep caught his attention, veering away from the flock and making the way toward a cave, seemingly seeking refuge from the sweltering sun. Muhammad trailed the sheep to the entrance of the cave, yet the sheep ventured deeper within. The interior of the cave plunged into an inky darkness, obscuring everything from sight. Wary of advancing, Muhammad seized a stone from the ground and threw it into the cave, aiming to scare the sheep into fleeing. A thud sound echoed, as if the stone had collided with some kind of container. Muhammad’s suspicion was aroused, perhaps the cave concealed riches like gold or silver.He called his family to come with him, and all of them started a journey to see what was inside the cave.
The object that the stone had struck was indeed a pottery jar, and not just one, but an abundance of them. Yet, these jars did not hold treasures of gold or silver. Instead, they contained scrolls, ancient parchments inscribed with writings. Unfortunately, the passage of time had ravaged most of these parchments, rendering them into countless fragments, crumbling at the slightest touch.
This discovery quickly spread across Europe. Archaeologists dedicated decades to sorting and restoring these ancient texts and fragments. Most turned out to be scrolls from the Old Testament of the Bible, penned in Hebrew. Scientific techniques like carbon dating indicated they were written over two centuries before Jesus’ birth. Even the much-debated Book of Isaiah was found, remarkably well-preserved. Scrutinized by Bible scholars, it closely matched the version of Isaiah widely known today. The notion that the existing Book of Isaiah is a “fake” or has been “tampered with” became untenable.
The unearthing of these “Dead Sea Scrolls” astounded the world. It undeniably validated the precision of biblical prophecies and the “legitimacy” of Jesus’ birth. Intriguingly, the Bible often likens Jesus to a sacrificial lamb for humanity and a shepherd tending to his flock. This time, a lamb led people back to an age-old cave, and a shepherd aided in the recovery of scrolls lost for two millennia. Lamb found lamb, shepherd found shepherd — could this be just coincidence or perhaps a matter of divine intention?
(To be continued)
