Merry Christmas! A Saviour is not born on this day.
"What...?!?!?"
Allow me to explain...
First, Jesus is the reason for every season, Christian. He created the entire universe. He is the Word that was "in the beginning...with God" (John 1:1). By His word, the universe was spoken into existence (Gen. 1). "All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being" (John 1:3). "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" (Col. 1:16-17). He "upholds all things by the word of His power" (Heb. 1:3).
Second, Christians who argue "Keep Christ in Christmas" do so out of ignorance. Christ does not belong in Christmas. Why are Christians insisting on a seasonal greeting that is entirely rooted in Catholicism? Aside from that point, why are Christians demanding that unbelievers utter a greeting with which they do not believe? As Todd Friel said in a Wretched Newsletter recently, "Forcing our culture to say something they do not believe is the opposite of Christianity." Early Christians did not make a point of celebrating the birth of Christ. Their main holiday was that of "Easter" (the crucifixion and resurrection).
So why December 25th?
The practice of celebrating the birth of Christ on December 25th is a practice instituted by the Roman Catholic church. The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in A.D. 336, during the time of Roman Emperor Constantine. Although the Bible does not give the date on which Christ was born, Pope Julius I (Pope from A.D. 337 until his death in A.D. 352) chose December 25th. The date may have been chosen due to the Winter Solstice and the ancient pagan Roman midwinter festival called Saturnalia. Upper-class Roman citizens apparently celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25th, a date instituted by the Roman Emperor Aurelian in A.D. 274. Christmas itself originates from the Mass of Christ, a mass service (sometimes called Eucharist) that was the only one allowed to take place after sunset and before sunrise the next day. So people had it at midnight. The Christ-Mass was later shortened to Christmas.
An early Catholic tradition taught that the day when Mary was told she would bare the Saviour (called the Annunciation) was on March 25th. Nine months later is December 25th. But there is a problem with this tradition (as there is with all Catholic traditions). This tradition ignores the details presented in Scripture, and one very specific detail that we will investigate now.
In Luke 1:26-27, it says, "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary."
In Luke 1:36, is says, "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month."
How do we determine what time of year this is? According to Luke 1:5 and 8, "a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah . . . was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division." According to 1 Chronicles 24:10, the division of Abijah had received the eighth lot for serving in the temple. Each division served for a week, but during the Lord's Feasts, all the divisions served together. The ecclesiastical calendar began with the month of Nisan. If we assume that the 1st of Nisan was on a Sunday, here is how the first 10 weeks of service in the temple would look:
According to this, Zacharias would have served in the temple early in the month of Sivan. The Feast of Weeks would have immediately followed Zacharias' week to serve, in which all the divisions would have served together. So Zacharias would have served two seeks back-to-back. If the 1st of Nisan fell on a Monday to Saturday, Zacharias' end date for serving would move forward from the 11th of Sivan anywhere up to the 5th of Sivan. So John's conception was quite possibly in the middle of the month of Sivan.
Mary visited Elizabeth either during the month of Cheshvan (using the inclusive method of counting) or the month of Kislev, when Elizabeth would have been in her sixth month of pregnancy. According to Luke 1:41-45, Jesus was likely already conceived by the Holy Spirit. If one of these two months is when Mary conceived Jesus, that would put the birth of Christ between the months of Tammuz and Elul (depending upon whether there was a leap year or not). These months correspond to our late June to early September.
With this information in mind, let's do some calculations.
Why do certain individuals dogmatically insist that Jesus had to be born on the 15th of Tishrei, the Feast of Tabernacles? Using John 1:14 as your support for Jesus being born on the Feast of Tabernacles is reaching at best. Why could He not have been born on the 1st or 2nd of Tishrei, the Feast of Trumpets announcing His coming? After all, "a multitude of the heavenly host" appeared to the shepherds praising God. That seems like an awfully big deal. Why could He not have been born on the 10th of Tishrei, the Day of Atonement, since that is why He was coming? Despite claiming to know the exact day, these people really do not know because Scripture does not say. Their guess is as good as anybody else’s guess. Best we can do is narrow it down. If God determined one of these festivals to be a shadow of the birth of Christ, their dating would be our September to October.
See my article The Birth of Christ Jesus for more information regarding the birth of Christ.
| Nisan 1st - Nisan 7th | Jehoiarib's division |
| Nisan 8th - Nisan 14th | Jedaiah's division |
| Nisan 15th - Nisan 21st [Feast of Unleavened Bread] |
All divisions |
| Nisan 22nd - Nisan 28th | Harim's division |
| Nisan 29th - Iyar 5th | Seorim's division |
| Iyar 6th - Iyar 12th | Malchijah's division |
| Iyar 13th - Iyar 19th | Mijamin's division |
| Iyar 20th - Iyar 26th | Hakkoz's division |
| Iyar 27th - Sivan 4th | Abijah's division (to which Zacharias belonged) |
| Sivan 5th - Sivan 11th [Feast of Weeks] |
All divisions |
According to this, Zacharias would have served in the temple early in the month of Sivan. The Feast of Weeks would have immediately followed Zacharias' week to serve, in which all the divisions would have served together. So Zacharias would have served two seeks back-to-back. If the 1st of Nisan fell on a Monday to Saturday, Zacharias' end date for serving would move forward from the 11th of Sivan anywhere up to the 5th of Sivan. So John's conception was quite possibly in the middle of the month of Sivan.
Mary visited Elizabeth either during the month of Cheshvan (using the inclusive method of counting) or the month of Kislev, when Elizabeth would have been in her sixth month of pregnancy. According to Luke 1:41-45, Jesus was likely already conceived by the Holy Spirit. If one of these two months is when Mary conceived Jesus, that would put the birth of Christ between the months of Tammuz and Elul (depending upon whether there was a leap year or not). These months correspond to our late June to early September.
With this information in mind, let's do some calculations.
| 01. Nisan (30 days) | - |
| 02. Iyar (29 days) | - |
| 03. Sivan (30 days) | When Zecharias, of the division of Abijah, served in the temple. John's likely conception. When exactly was John conceived? Was his birth exactly 280 days later? Was he early? Was he late? |
| 04. Tammuz (29 days) | - |
| 05. Av (30 days) | - |
| 06. Elul (29 days) | - |
| 07. Tishrei (30 days) | - |
| 08. Cheshvan (29 or 30 days) | By the inclusive method of counting, (starting with Sivan), this would be the 6th month of Elizabeth's pregnancy. The likely conception of Jesus. When exactly was Jesus conceived? Was his birth exactly 280 days later? Was he early? Was he late? |
| 09. Kislev (30 or 29 days) | By the "0" method of counting, this would be the 6th month of Elizabeth's pregnancy. The likely conception of Jesus. When exactly was Jesus conceived? Was his birth exactly 280 days later? Was he early? Was he late? |
| 10. Tevet (29 days) | - |
| 11. Shevat (30 days) | - |
| 12. Adar I (30 days) [only in leap years] |
With a leap year, from the 1st of Tammuz until the 30th of Adar I gives us 266 days. (29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+30=266) We still have to add however many days remain from Sivan to this count for John's birth. That would be 19 to 25 days, depending when Zacharias finished his service. Mary would be 3 months pregnant. |
| 13. Adar / Adar II (29 days) | Without a leap year, from the 1st of Tammuz until the 30th of Adar (II) gives us 265 days. (29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+29=265) We still have to add however many days remain from Sivan to this count for John's birth. That would be 19 to 25 days, depending when Zacharias finished his service. Mary would be 3 months pregnant. |
| 01. Nisan (30 days) | Certain individuals claim that John the Purifier was born exactly on the 14th of Nisan, the Passover. From the 5th to the 11th of Sivan until the 14th of Nisan, with a leap year, would be 328 to 334 days!!! That's 11 months!!! Elizabeth would have been over an entire month overdue (48 to 54 days)!!! (19+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+30+29+14=328) (25+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+30+29+14=334) Without a leap year, you would still be looking at 298 to 304 days!!! That's 10 months!!! That is still 18 to 24 days overdue!!! (19+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+14=298) (25+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+14=304) |
| 02. Iyar (29 days) | - |
| 03. Sivan (30 days) | - |
| 04. Tammuz (29 days) | With a leap year, since we do not know what time exactly during Cheshvan Mary could have conceived Jesus and visited Elizabeth, this would be the earliest month in which Jesus could be born. Calculating from the 1st of Cheshvan forward, 280 days brings us to the 14th of Tammuz. (29+30+29+30+30+29+30+29+30+14=280) |
| 05. Av (30 days) | Without a leap year, since we do not know what time exactly during Cheshvan Mary could have conceived Jesus and visited Elizabeth, this would be the latest month in which Jesus could be born. Calculating from the 1st of Cheshvan forward, 280 days brings us to the 14th of Av. (29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+15=280) With a leap year, since we do not know what time exactly during Kislev Mary could have conceived Jesus and visited Elizabeth, this would be the earliest month in which Jesus could be born. Calculating from the 1st of Kislev forward, 280 days brings us to the 14th of Av. (29+30+29+30+30+29+30+29+30+14=280) |
| 06. Elul (29 days) | Without a leap year, since we do not know what time exactly during Kislev Mary could have conceived Jesus and visited Elizabeth, this would be the latest month in which Jesus could be born. Calculating from the 1st of Kislev forward, 280 days brings us to the 14th of Elul. (30+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+14=280) If Jesus was conceived on the last day of Kislev (at the latest, to keep with the "sixth month" detail), and if it was a leap year, whether He was early or overdue, this would be the latest month in which He could have been born. (1+29+30+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+13=280) |
| 07. Tishrei (30 days) | If Jesus was born no earlier than exactly 281 days from conception, having been conceived on at least the last day of Kislev (to keep with the "sixth month" detail), and if it was not a leap year, He could have been born on the 15th of Tishrei, the Feast of Tabernacles. "The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us" (John 1:14). He could have been conceived a few days earlier and still accomplished this, but it is highly unlikely that He would have been 30 days overdue!!! (1+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+30+29+15=281) |
| 08. Cheshvan (29 or 30 days) | - |
| 09. Kislev (30 or 29 days) | - |
| 10. Tevet (29 days) | - |
| 11. Shevat (30 days) | - |
| 12. Adar I (30 days) [only in leap years] |
- |
| 13. Adar / Adar II (29 days) | - |
Why do certain individuals dogmatically insist that Jesus had to be born on the 15th of Tishrei, the Feast of Tabernacles? Using John 1:14 as your support for Jesus being born on the Feast of Tabernacles is reaching at best. Why could He not have been born on the 1st or 2nd of Tishrei, the Feast of Trumpets announcing His coming? After all, "a multitude of the heavenly host" appeared to the shepherds praising God. That seems like an awfully big deal. Why could He not have been born on the 10th of Tishrei, the Day of Atonement, since that is why He was coming? Despite claiming to know the exact day, these people really do not know because Scripture does not say. Their guess is as good as anybody else’s guess. Best we can do is narrow it down. If God determined one of these festivals to be a shadow of the birth of Christ, their dating would be our September to October.
See my article The Birth of Christ Jesus for more information regarding the birth of Christ.