Was Jesus Really Born December 25?

Next week, most of the whole world will be celebrating Christmas. A time of family, gift giving, good food and a little reflection of why we celebrate this special day. Christ Mass was a celebration of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem back in the days of King Herod in Jerusalem. This day was determined by the Holy Roman church back in the second to third century AD

Around 200 C.E. Tertullian of Carthage reported the calculation that the 14th of Nisan (the day of the crucifixion according to the Gospel of John) in the year Jesus died was equivalent to March 25 in the Roman (solar) calendar.9 March 25 is, of course, nine months before December 25; it was later recognized as the Feast of the Annunciation—the commemoration of Jesus’ conception. Thus, Jesus was believed to have been conceived and crucified on the same day of the year. Exactly nine months later, Jesus was born, on December 25. Andrew McGowan, Dean and President of the Berkeley Divinity School December 2023

There you go. However, if you read the scriptures, even a novice biblical scholar can find that this date is in error. It is clear that Jesus died in the Spring at Passover. The Bible is very clear on that. The Passover is the celebration by the Jewish people of the annual sacrifice to commemorate the Jewish freedom from Egypt. It would make since that Jesus would die as a sacrifice for his people. God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt and Jesus delivered His people from the slavery of sin. So if we know this date, we can work backwards to His birth.

According to scripture, Jesus was 33 when He died. How do we know this? Luke 3:23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age. Jesus ministry was three and a half years.

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” Rev 11:3

He was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue forty-two months. Revelation 13:5

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks prophecy.

It is well accepted that Jesus ministry was 3 and a half years long. If the beast was given 42 months in Revelation 13, then this must be because Jesus got 42 months to provide His case to the people.

There are many possible dates of Jesus crucifixion. Looking at the Jewish calendar, the Passover was April 16, 29 AD, April 26, 28 AD, April 9, 27 AD. Why not 33 AD? Well Jesus was born in the time of Herod. It was Herod who commanded the children to be slain after talking to the Wise men. Herod died in 4 BC. So Jesus must have been born prior to this.

Going back six months would put us in the month of October. Is there a Jewish holiday in October? Why yes, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. This is celebrated as God with us. It would make sense that Jesus would be born on the Day of Atonement because from that point on, God was with us in physical form. Why six months? Well if Jesus was thirty when He started His ministry (Luke 3:23) and it was 3 1/2 years, then His birthday would have been 33 1/2 years prior to His crucifixion. This would put it in the year 4 or 5 BC. Dates based on the Jewish Calendar for day of Atonement would be October 11, 5BC or October 1, 4 BC.

So Christmas has already passed? Based on the research of this novice Biblical scholar, the answer is yes! Should we change the date of Christmas?? That would probably be an impossible task. Are we going to celebrate this in the new Earth? Probably not.

In the meantime, let us reframe this holiday in a way that better personifies this event and how we should celebrate it. Without Jesus, we are all doomed to death and non existence. God the Father in His mercy, delivered us a way to overcome death and live eternally in the presence of Him just as it was originally designed in the Garden. This is the true gift and meaning of Christmas. Whether it is December 25 or October 1 does not really matter. What maters is that we are grateful and reverent to the One who makes this possible. Hallelujah! Come Lord Jesus and end our imprisonment in this life and free us from this carnal life.

And that is the Whole Truth!

May God truly bless you in your walk with Him.

And remember, God always answers His kneemail.