In Matthew 2:2 wise men from the east come to Jerusalem asking where the newborn king is. They say they saw his star and came to worship him. The Greek word is simply "star." Matthew never says what shape it was. The pointed star on Christmas cards was drawn by artists much later.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a small town in Judea, when Herod was king. Herod ruled the land under Rome.
Some time after the birth, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem. They were men who studied the stars, from a land far to the east. They were not from Jesus's people at all.
What they asked
They went to the capital and asked a dangerous question.
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Matthew 2:2 · King James Version
Herod was the king. When he heard about a newborn king, he was troubled, and he gathered the priests and teachers to find out where this child was to be born.
A star with no shape
The Greek word in the Gospel of Matthew is ἀστήρ (astēr), "star." That is all. It gives the star no shape. It never says five points or six points or any points at all.
Every pointed star on a Christmas card is someone's drawing, made long after. People sometimes argue about star shapes and what they stand for. The gospel never settled that, because it never drew one.
What it means
The story is not about the shape of a light in the sky. It is about who came. Strangers from far away, outside the family, were the first to travel to find him and bow down. The king in the palace was afraid. The foreigners were full of joy.
From the very start, Jesus was for everyone. If you have ever felt like a stranger to faith, the first visitors were strangers too. You can read the full teaching free in the Mercy app.
Read the whole chapter: Matthew 2
1Now 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,
2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11¶ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13And 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.
16¶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19¶ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
King James Version