Was Jesus really born on December 25, 0?

1. 74

   anothermathgeekposted 14 years ago

   I was surprised to hear from a friend of mine who's a born-again Christian that Jesus was probably born in spring time.  She told me that its commonly agreed by Christian scholars.
   
   She told me that December 25 was selected more to convert pagans.  That Dec 25 was the time of the Winter Solstice.
   
   Is this true?  If anyone knows that facts regarding this issue and whether Jesus was really born on the year 0, I would love to know?

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   1. 78

      kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yup, I have heard this many times from all different sources

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   2. 0

      Ken R. Abellposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Jesus was not born December 25, 0000 -- that, I think, is a well established & accepted fact.
      
      Much scholarly evidence points to spring/summer in 2 or 3 BC as the ages are reckoned.  The selection of December 25th was for reasons about how you have described it - an attempt by the church to be culturally relevant.

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      TMMasonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I believe it would be about march or april? I don't remember the exact dates, but it would be as timed by Keppler's Conjuntion, The Star Of David.

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   4. 0

      Will Bensonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I was told that the earliest followers of Jesus were focused on what he said and did, not on the details of his life. Later, when a date was desired for celebrating his birthday, they chose the first day of the year, using the calendar in use at that time. That ended up Dec 25 on today's calendar.
      Good question.

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      1. 74

         anothermathgeekposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Interesting.  Thanks for this detail.

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   5. 86

      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely true.  None of the dates we celebrate as Christian holidays have anything to do with the actual dates they happened.  The early Christians were smart - they took over existing holidays.

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   6. 71

      relacheposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      A lot of Christian holidays were moved or established on Pagan holidays for the purpose of trying to gain converts or discourage people from practicing their traditional faiths in favor of Christian ones.

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      mohitmisraposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Some say Jan 6.

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2. 66

   goldenpathposted 14 years ago

   Yes, it was springtime.  The exact date I will not divulge here as it will only serve to incite people in an argument.  Email me if you wish deeper ideas.  Years are always approximate due to the calendaring throughout the ages.  Although my faith believes the birth to be in the spring we do commonly celebrate the birth on December 25 as the rest of society does.  As long as it's remembered is the key and not necessarily when we celebrate it.  The practice and locations of animals in the story setting are much more indicative of a spring birth rather than a December birth.  There are other indications of the spring birth but again I should not go into it in this setting.  Hope this helps a little.

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3. 59

   wsp2469posted 14 years ago

   To answer the simple, yes or no question: No, probably not.

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4. 80

   Bard of Elyposted 14 years ago

   Was Jesus ever born at all would be the question I would ask? There is a lot of doubt that he actually ever existed. I am a non-believer.

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5. 58

   Ellie DropDeadposted 14 years ago

   Hmmm This is Interesting I hear that the 25th was just marked as his Birth as a convenience too... Im Not Sure Though and the comments so far are pretty cool ... Im Thinking Was he ever born? I am A christian But i have doubts.

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      TMMasonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      In convience to the pagan high days, the winter solstice and dionysian feastivals, among other things. It was incorporated to draw pagans, and make it more comfortable for the newbies.

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      1. 58

         Ellie DropDeadposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Ah Okai !!
         Lol thank you!! lol
         now i know!!

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6. 0

   SirDentposted 14 years ago

   Although I have no evidence to back it up, I believe he was born in the fall. Maybe near the end of September or early October. To figure it out one must know the Hebrew calendar and how it works then go back through the years. Of course this is merely my oppinion.
   
   I was think about the passover and go about 6 months later to get near the date. He lived on the earth for approximately 33.5 years.

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7. 58

   Jeramiposted 14 years ago

   In answer to your question ;  I am glad to see that you have begun asking questions to your Faith.  YES  Faith is worth holding onto.  It only gets stronger when you question it.; is this true?  or is that true? Do I believe that "his" God" is the right one.... You have to find your own God.  And I pray that it is the right one to get you to where that you want to be.   Keep searching; You will find him. He is watching you in your hunt. And he will give ya a hint now and then if you are listening.
   
      And no...  Dec 25 was never actually believed to be his birthday. The christians also wanted to party so they brought over a bottle of wine and entered into THA PARTY; a pagan holiday.
       YE  HaW

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8. 74

   anothermathgeekposted 14 years ago

   It is fascinating that there seems to be a consensus here that Jesus was not born on Dec 25, 0000.
   
   So, why are nativity scenes put up on Christmas and why do people have signs: "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"?
   
   It seems confusing to me that such popular traditions do not match the facts.
   
   This would also suggest that the Christmas star did not exist on Christmas.  Should this star (if it existed) be more properly called the Spring Star or the Summer Star or the Fall Star?

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      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You are confusing fact and tradition.  A date had to be chosen as Jesus' birthday even though the date wasn't actually known.  Having chosen an arbitrary date, the Church then proceeded to make the celebration their own.  Simple.

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      1. 74

         anothermathgeekposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I agree with your point.  Tradition can be completely independent of facts.
         
         Traditions can also be independent of belief.  The challenge is figuring out what we celebrate solely as tradition and what we celebrate as part of our faith.
         
         At least for me, faith needs to have a foundation of facts. 
         
         I think we can celebrate the spirit of Christmas without ignoring the facts.

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      Jeramiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

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         Jeramiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            You were doing so good there; until the suggestion that the star did not exist at all just because they described itincorrectly

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9. 59

   dogluver1posted 14 years ago

   Jesus was born of December 25 I dont know what year.

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10. 60

    topshelfposted 14 years ago

    No Jesus wasn't born on 25 of Dec, it is a pagan holiday, and God forbids His children from following the ways of the pagans. Here's a website that talks about Christmas, Easter, and Halloween being holidays that worship the false gods. http://godkind.org/pagan-holidays.html

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11. 40

    efeguyposted 14 years ago

    cant tell,when we get to heaven GOD almighty will tell us the exact date,month and year.
    
    but celebrating him is ok,no matter the different date by different religions

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12. 0

    Will Bensonposted 14 years ago

    In the nativity story of Luke, it says that Jesus was born as Joseph and Mary were going to register for some sort "enrollment" or census. I wonder if there is any historical info from the Caesar Augustus era about a census being taken. That might help establish a date?

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    1. 58

       Jeramiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I did some research on that issue years back. If I am remembering correctly, The only census that scripture could have been talking about was in 6 BC and the next was around 5 AD. It is most commonly accepted that Herod the great died in 4 BC. If the story of the Nativity is true, the birth of Christ would have to have been before 4 BC making 6 BC the probable year of Jesus's birth. And Jesus was said to be about 30years old when he began his ministry which was the custom.
            This would put the crucifixion to have taken place in 26 AD.

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       1. 0

          Will Bensonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Great info. Thanks.

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          1. 58

             Jeramiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                 I was appempting to pinpoint when Gabriel said that it shall be 62 weeks and then they were going to kill the Messiah,(Daniel 9:26) ; and what year that they actually did.
                It seems that Gabriel said this in 538 BC and
             Christ was crucified in either 26, 30 or 33 AD.
                I think probably 26AD.
               Gotta go to work for a few hours.

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13. 0

    Over The Hillposted 14 years ago

    It`s been routinely accepted that Jesus was born o4-02-B.C.E. I have no idea of month.

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14. 67

    awareposted 14 years ago

    no

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15. 69

    IntimatEvolutionposted 14 years ago

    December 25th was chosen because it was a Celtic holiday, so the Pope incorporated their holiday to be a Christian holiday.  The same for Halloween.

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