The Virgin Mary, pregnant with the son of God, would hence have given birth to Jesus nine months later on the winter solstice. From Rome, the Christ’s Nativity celebration spread to other Christian churches to the west and east, and soon most Christians were celebrating Christ’s birth on December 25.
[12] We know Jesus ‘ birth was late in the evening, after sunset, or at night , because the shepherds were in the fields at night when the angel appeared to them (Luke 2:8 – KJV), and told them the Christ was born “this day.” Since “this day” started at sunset, as all Jewish days do, then the Messiah was born after
According to Luke, the couple traveled from Nazareth, where they lived, to Bethlehem, Joseph’s home town, and it was there that the baby Jesus was born. Thus it is more likely, he said, that Jesus was born sometime between late July and early October.
The Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus dated Jesus ‘ conception to March 25 (the same date upon which he held that the world was created), which, after nine months in his mother’s womb, would result in a December 25 birth .
The short answer is no. It is not believed Jesus was born on the day Christmas is globally celebrated. Instead, Christmas was chosen as a convenient celebratory day on the same day of a pagan holiday that celebrated the winter solstice, according to The History Channel.
With the story of the birth of Christ coinciding with this date, many Christian symbols for Christ use the astrological symbol for Pisces , the fishes. The figure Christ himself bears many of the temperaments and personality traits of a Pisces , and is thus considered an archetype of the Piscean.
“The shepherds were watching their flock and it was cold .” Shepherds usually allow their sheep to roam harvested fields for residual vegetation. So it might not be THAT cold around Bethlehem in fall.
Using these methods, most scholars assume a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC, and that Jesus’ preaching began around AD 27–29 and lasted one to three years . They calculate the death of Jesus as having taken place between AD 30 and 36.
We believe that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, April 6, B.C. 1. Kimball merely refers to his birthday on April 6th (presumably also at 1 BC) as a fact.
Jesus | |
---|---|
Born | c. 4 BC Kingdom of Judea, Roman Empire |
Died | AD 30 or 33 (aged 33–36) Jerusalem, Judea, Roman Empire |
Cause of death | Crucifixion |
Parent(s) | Mary Joseph |
The terms anno Domini (AD) and before Christ ( BC ) are used to label or number years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Traditionally, English follows Latin usage by placing the “AD” abbreviation before the year number.
More celebrities with birthdays today Actress Hanna Schygulla is 76. Rhythm-and-blues singer John Edwards (The Spinners) is 75. Actor Gary Sandy is 74. Blues singer/guitarist Joe Louis Walker is 70.
The nativity accounts in the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Luke do not mention a date or time of year for the birth of Jesus . Karl Rahner states that the authors of the gospels generally focused on theological elements rather than historical chronologies.
A Christmas gift or Christmas present is a gift given in celebration of Christmas . The practice of giving gifts during Christmastide, according to Christian tradition, is symbolic of the presentation of the gifts by the Three Wise Men to the infant Jesus.