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There is no evidence to give any accurate estimate of of the actual date of Christ's birth.
25 December was chosen arbitrarily from the theological point of view, but for purely practical reasons, it was chosen largely to coincide closely to the pagan festivals celebrating the Winter Solstice.
I quote the following:
"... If observed at all, the celebration of Christ's birth was usually lumped in with Epiphany (January 6), one of the church's earliest established feasts. Some church leaders even opposed the idea of a birth celebration. Origen (c.185-c.254) preached that it would be wrong to honor Christ in the same way Pharaoh and Herod were honored. Birthdays were for pagan gods.
Not all of Origen's contemporaries agreed that Christ's birthday shouldn't be celebrated, and some began to speculate on the date (actual records were apparently long lost). Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215) favored May 20 but noted that others had argued for April 18, April 19, and May 28. Hippolytus (c.170-c.236) championed January 2. November 17, November 20, and March 25 all had backers as well. A Latin treatise written around 243 pegged March 21, because that was believed to be the date on which God created the sun. Polycarp (circa69-circa155) had followed the same line of reasoning to conclude that Christ's birth and baptism most likely occurred on Wednesday, because the sun was created on the fourth day.
The eventual choice of December 25, made perhaps as early as 273, reflects a convergence of Origen's concern about pagan gods and the church's identification of God's son with the celestial sun. December 25 already hosted two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman "birth of the unconquered sun"), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian "Sun of Righteousness" whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival.
Western Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire's favored religion. Eastern churches, however, held on to January 6 as the date for Christ's birth and his baptism. Most easterners eventually adopted December 25, celebrating Christ's birth on the earlier date and his baptism on the latter, but the Armenian church celebrates his birth on January 6. Incidentally, the Western church does celebrate Epiphany on January 6, but as the arrival date of the Magi rather than as the date of Christ's baptism. ..."
From the christianitytoday.com website at:
http://funadvice.com/r/bfhu81eiu4c
-- Happy Christmas - Majikthise.
Jesus was born in the Judean city of Bethlehem. Luke’s Gospel reports: “There were also in that same country shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.” (Luke 2:4-8) This was not unusual. “The flocks had to spend the greater part of the year in the open air,” says the book Daily Life in the Time of Jesus. But would the shepherds be outside with their flocks on a cold December night? The book says: “They passed the winter under cover; and from this alone it may be seen that the traditional date for Christmas, in the winter, is unlikely to be right, since the Gospel says that the shepherds were in the fields.”
The birth of Jesus is indeed an important event in the Bible account. The Bible says that when Jesus was born, a multitude of angels appeared suddenly and erupted in joyful praise to God, saying: “Glory in the heights above to God, and upon earth peace among men of goodwill.” (Luke 2:13, 14) However, it is noteworthy that nowhere in the Bible is there even a suggestion that Jesus’ birthday should be celebrated. In contrast, there is a specific command to commemorate his death, which Jehovah’s Witnesses do once a year. (Luke 22:19) That is one way to honor Jesus.
On the last night of his human life, Jesus said: “You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you.” (John 15:14) He also said: “If you love me, you will observe my commandments.” (John 14:15) Clearly, there is no better way to honor Jesus Christ than to learn and follow his teachings.
@Laura : the precise date & time of Christ's crucifixion can be deduced from astronomical data that can pinpoint the time of Passover in the year of His crucifixion (33 AD).
I am happy to accept the astronomical & Biblical evidence that shows: Jesus Christ was crucified at high noon, and died at 3 pm, on 3 April, 33 AD. We celebrate Easter as a "movable feast" because the Jewish festival of Passover similarly moves it's date in accordance with the phases of the moon.
Of course none of that prevents the possibility that Christ was also born in Spring, and both Heidi's detailed references and thex13thxchild's shorter comment above, support the biblical evidence for Christ's birth during the Spring on the basis of the Shepherds tending the sheep at night - which is most plausible about lambing time in the Spring, .....
a conclusion that is consistent with your own earlier observation that:
Majikthise.
the answer by the skeleton homer is pretty good and sounds legit, you might be interested in this if you dont already know i was interested when i found out.
they say that the actual date of celebrating Jesus's birthday was on the 6th of December, and presents aren't an actual Christmas custom, it came from the story of St Nicholas who was an ordinary rich dude who was very generous and every 25th of December he would go to the orphanage and give presents to the children, he used to wear a lot of red and was big with a white beard ( that's were the description of Santa came from) and that's were it started from, so people started celebrating Christmas on the 25th and gifts became a part of Christmas
wrong, if you look in the bible it shows he was born in tghe SPRING. It was to gain more converts.They chose that day to coincide with the pagn festival for Mirtha.
Everyone has there own reason it is Jesus B-day but some family's do it to get together its the season of giving ti some ppl it's about love to
Hi oobergoober,
The link you had removed can be accessed via:
http://funadvice.com/r/14o6aol8b43
-- Majikthise
Yeah I know but we just picked a date to celebrate His birth! :) <3 Jesus ROCKZ :) Merry Christmas
But in the Bible it doesn't say when that Christ was born on the 25th December.
But in the Bible it doesn't say when that Christ was born on the 25th December.
Anyone know the real answer? I know some reckon Jesus was born in Spring.
Did you understand what I wrote? Since your answer says the opposite.
i thought he died in the spring, and thats why we have easter..
Everything you need to know is in this article. [link removed]
-that's when christ ws born duhh!!!!
-that's when christ ws born duhh!!!!
Because that is when Jesus was born
omg-facts.com/view/Facts/22326
Presents. Duh :)
Wrong duhh!!!!!
cheers
Amen!
