Was Christ Born on December 25th? Is this the Right Question?

He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it (Rom. 14:6 KJV)

Was Jesus born on  December 25th?  I like the comment by Grissom in his Book entitled “Christmas”: “No evidence remains about the exact date of the birth of Christ. The December 25 date was chosen as much for practical reasons as for theological ones”. December 25th was CHOSEN  as a date to Celebrate Christmas.  So should we celebrate Christmas based on this date?

Some believers decide not to celebrate Christmas based on the fact that the date of birth of Jesus remains unknown and December 25th is indeed speculative.  Such Christians have a point. If they choose not to celebrate Christmas, there is nothing wrong with that. You do not question, judge or condemn them. Celebrating Christmas is not a feast God ordained in the Word for the believer, so doing it neither makes you better or worse. Similarly, those who do not celebrate Christmas should not judge those who do.

I think the question regarding the validity of the date of the birth of Jesus is more relevant theologically than practically for the average believer. The IDEA of the celebration of the birth of the Lord on the earth is so overwhelming that choosing a date, no matter how random it was is an excellent idea for us to remember and rejoice in His birth as Christians. As Christians, you are not celebrating December 25th. Neither are you celebrating Santa Claus coming from the North Pole or Rudolf the Reindeer! You are celebrating the birth of the Savior, the day God took His first breath as a Human Being on the Earth. Is this worth celebrating even if the date is changed to May 13th? Absolutely! Let Theologians continue to debate and help us figure out the exact date of His birth, if possible. For you as a believer, whether it was December 25th, May 13th or even October 2nd, Jesus was born on one of the days in the year, and His birth is worth the commemoration, joy, and celebration! 

MEDITATE

Why is Christmas season the most joyful season of the entire year in our world today? Is it by chance, that even those who do not know him experience at least a glimpse of joy? ( Lk. 2:10)

APPLY THE WORD

Christmas is not like Halloween. It is not a Pagan feast that was “Christianized”, contrary to what some Christians believe. Christmas has always been a Christian feast of the celebration of the birth of Jesus from its inception. However, the DATE chosen had something to do with a pagan feast that the Roman Christians attempted to replace. Please read and be informed about this for yourself. You can consult the resource cited below or go online and look for a trusted resource on the story of Christmas.

PRAY

Thank the Lord for the coming to the earth as a Man to be the Saviour of humanity. 

REFERENCE

Grissom, F. A. (2003). Christmas. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 288). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Free Mini E-book: From Spiritual Dryness to Flourishing