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When was Jesus' born? Theexact month and day of Jesus' birthday is also unknown. However, we can be fairly certain that it was not Dec 25. I fear many people know this basic fact, they just couldn't care less anyway. They are like "Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone." Hos 4:17.
1. The shepherds:
Luke 2:8 mentions that shepherds were living in their fields keeping watch over their flocks during the nighttime (and, one would assume, also during the daytime.) This is a good indication that Jesus' birth did not happen in December when the flocks would have already have been moved from the fields into pens. They were only in the fields during the warmer months. There is a remark in the Talmud that flocks were put out to grass in March and brought in during the beginning of November. During the Jewish month of Heshvan (our October/November) the fall rains hit and the animals are penned up. At best, the passage narrows down the birth month to one of 7 months in the late spring, summer, or early fall.
2. The census:
The same with the census at the time Jesus was born. The Romans were smarter than many would give them credit for. No sane mind would conduct a census in winter!
3. Some biblical evidence:
The approximate month of Jesus birth can actually be calculated with reference to the conception of John the Baptist:
- Luke 1:5 says that John's father, "a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia." (the eighth course)
- 1 Chronicles 24:15 assigned the priests of the Abijah division to begin temple service at the start of the 9th week of the year. But at the end of the week, Pentecost had begun, so he would have remained on duty until the end of the 10th week.
- Luke 1:23-24 records that Zacharias returned immediately to his home, and that John was conceived shortly thereafter - probably during the last half of Sivan, the 3rd month in the Jewish calendar.
- Allowing for a normal 9 months pregnancy, John would have been born in the springtime.
- Luke 1:36 records that the angel came to Mary when John's mother Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant.
- Luke 1:31 reports that Mary conceived very shortly after the angel's visit. Assuming a normal, 9 month pregnancy, Jesus would have been born about 6 months after John - sometime in the fall of the year.
If Jesus was born in the fall, why do so many Christians celebrate his birthday on Dec 25? Simple answer: paganism imported and baptized as Christian.
4. Christmas is paganism christianized
There have been many different religions active in the Middle East and Europe, each with a deity or pantheon of deities. Many of these gods were believed to have been born on Dec 25. That date was the best estimate that ancient people could make of the time of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. The solstice -- the shortest daytime in the year and the beginning of Winter -- actually happens sometime between Dec 21 to 23, depending on the year. With the techniques available to people in ancient times, it was only on Dec 25 that they were able to detect that the daytimes had become noticeably longer. So they settled on Dec25 as the birth date of their god. The Christian Church adopted this day from the Pagans for Jesus' birthday, even though it is in error. This was a common policy of early Christianity. They often built their cathedrals where Pagan holy places once were, and often adopted Pagan holidays for their own. This helped the common folk accept the new religion.
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Even if you know the exact date of Christ's birth, does that give you licence to celebrate His birthday in remembrance of Him? Did He command you to do it?
1Co 11:25
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."
