Was Jesus Born On Christmas Dec.25th?

[GlidingWings]

Most Christians Say Jesus Wasn't Born on Dec. 25, Poll Finds

By Anugrah Kumar , Christian Post Contributor

December 24, 2012|8:49 am

When King James Bible Online asked the 110,000 users on its Facebook page if they believe Jesus was born on Dec. 25, Christmas Day, 83 percent of those who responded answered in the negative. A majority of the respondents also said Santa Claus is a "lie."

The date of the birth of Christ was among the four questions King James Bible Online asked as part of its survey, titled "What Do Christians Really Believe About Christmas," that was conducted this month.

Only 11 percent of the respondents said tradition is right about the date of Jesus' birth. Six percent marked "Not sure."

King James Bible Online, a website inviting its visitors to read the Bible online, says 65 percent of its users live in the United States. And 96 percent of those polled said they are Christian.

Interestingly, while the majority of the respondents do not believe Jesus was born on Dec. 25, 71 percent said they think Christians should celebrate Christmas. One-fourth of the respondents said "No."

When asked, "Do you think it's OK to let kids believe in Santa Claus?" the majority, or 64 percent, said, "Definitely not, it's a lie." However, 28 percent said, "Yes, it's just for fun," and six percent had no opinion.

The last question of the survey was, "Do you think it's OK to have a Christmas tree in a church building?" More than half, or 58 percent, of respondents marked "Yes," while 39 percent said "No." Three percent said they were not sure.

The majority of those polled, 82 percent, reported they have been a Christian for more than 10 years, and 79 percent said they had read the entire Bible at least once. Females in the group made up about 60 percent of the respondents.

Several academics have made the claim that Jesus was born several years earlier than commonly believed.

In his recently published book, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, Pope Benedict XVI argues that the Christian calendar is based on a miscalculation. "The calculation of the beginning of our calendar – based on the birth of Jesus – was made by Dionysius Exiguus, who made a mistake in his calculations by several years," says the 85-year-old pontiff in the book that was published weeks before Christmas.

"The actual date of Jesus's birth was several years before," the pope argues.

Exiguus, or Dennis the Small, was a 6th-century monk from Eastern Europe who is best known as the inventor of the Anno Domini (AD) era, which is used to number the years of both the Gregorian calendar and the Julian calendar.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/most-christians-say-jesus-wasnt-born-on-dec-25-poll-finds-87144/

[Guest]

Merry

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Luke 2:21-32

Christmas (Sukkot?)

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:27-28

Beloved

[Guest]

Go, tell it on the mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain,

That Jesus Christ is born.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/gotitotm.htm

[Guest]

The odds are that Jesus wasn't born on December 25, but I don't see any harm in celebrating his birth on that day, especially since we don't know the actual date of his birth? I see no harm in a Christmas tree. I have one in my home. As for Santa Claus, I would only tell about him in the fairy tale sense, not as if he were a real person flying around on a sleigh giving out presents to children. Santa Claus has been made into a type of god for children, and that takes away from the real meaning of Christmas. As for a Christmas tree in a church building, my only concern would be that it might be a distraction during the service? I would often find myself looking over at the tree when I should have been paying attention to the message, when I was in a church with a Christmas tree.

Go, tell it on the mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain,

That Jesus Christ is born.

http://www.cyberhymn.../o/gotitotm.htm

[Tinky]

The Bible says shepherds had their sheep in the fields when Jesus was born. No way would Israeli shepherds have their sheep in the fields during that cold and rainy season.

[JohnD]

Amen Tinky

The original Greek in John's Gospel chapter 1 verse 14 gives us a clue in that he (the Lord) is said to have tabernacled among us (made his dwelling with us in English). The whole point of the feast of tabernacles is the suffering of being out in booths or tabernacles as in the wilderness wandering and in the sojourn of the Lord Jesus himself. We cannot imagine the sacrifice he made just becoming a man. Like a man becoming a quark I suppose... even less. But what that one man was able to do has universal implications and remedies in this realm and in the spirit realm.

Philippians 2:6 in the Greek morphe theos huparchon assures us Jesus remained God even though he became a man also. But what he did on the cross was as a man.The Jewish feasts all point to him and what he did. The feast of booths or tabernacles points to his tabernacling among us. September / October.

[JohnD]

If you read my Icon information, you'll find my interests are getting the Church back to its Hebrew roots. Diverting from them is where the Church began adopting traditions of men and even paganism like Easter (Astarte) and inventing celebrations like Christmas to combat pagan fertility feasts...

I recently got a lot of townsfolk sore at me (they really put on the parade etc for Christmas and have Keep Christ in Christmas bumper stickers) when I blogged that Jesus was born most likely in September / October and that Christ never really was in Christmas in the first place (but in name only). Prove me wrong biblically. They really love Christmas and they really believe its Jesus birthday.

Jesus said why do you call me Lord Lord and do not do the things I tell you? Luke 6:46.

He TOLD us to remember his death. What are the two biggest Christian holidays about? His birth and his resurrection.

Both are essential and wonderful and marvelous and all, but he said remember my death. Luke 22:19 / 1 Corinthians 11:24-25.

Bottom line... Truth plus untruth equals untruth.

When we go about affixing tall tales to the biblical accounts of Jesus Christ we diminish his truth with out fairy tales and lies.

No one made this more clear to me than an atheist I was witnessing to for years who was raised Catholic... he looked me in the eye and said "I believe in Santa Claus, you believe in Jesus." I balked that he knew as well as I that there is no Santa Claus. And he responded, "Oh so Santa Claus is fake and Jesus is real."

The traditions of man nullify the word of God.

Mark 7:13...

That should be enough for us to stop abiding by them.

This is where the division in the Church comes from. The traditions of men and people disagreeing with another's traditions or traditional interpretation of scriptures....

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NASB95)

20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Jesus prayed in John 17 that we in the Church be one as he and the Father are one. That is no small statement.

This division is where the false teaching of false prophets and cultists sneak into the mainstream of consideration and acceptance by mere mortal men who do not test anything and believe every lie.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NASB95)

21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

1 John 4:1 (NASB95)

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Acts 17:11 (NASB95)

11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB95)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB95)

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NASB95)

20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

John 16:13 (NASB95)

13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

And yes we are to test even the Holy Spirit, not because he is untrustworthy... because we are not adept in discerning if it really IS the Holy Spirit leading us.

There are no sacred cows... put all to the test of scripture.

And especially if a mere man or woman says they are above reproach or testing... run away from them or if you are able challenge them by the texts above in front of as many people as you can expose them before so the cat will be out of the bag.

And I beg no one to take MY word for anything but put me to the test.

[damo1]

Then who has the right answer what day was Jesus really born if we are to be told that Jesus was not born on the 25th of December only two bibles i read from are the NIV study Bible and The new spirit filled life Bible I use to have the kings James Bible but ended up giving it away to some one who needed a Bible

I have no problem celebrating the birth off Jesus on this day as it is what i was taught as a child and have done the same with my son and daughter so why change things which day do we Celebrate Christmas and new year if the pope is bluntly going to tell us we have it all wrong

one thing i told my son and daughter is that santa clause is not reall thats something i made sure that they dont listen to what the teachers say as i did not want them growing up thinking like the pagan world thinks when it comes to santa clause and have them asking questions like why we did not get any presents on christmas day and why did santa clause forget avoid our homes

This is what i have found concerning what the op of this thread has put up for us to ponder on

The earliest mention of December 25 as Jesus’ birthday comes from a mid-fourth-century Roman almanac that lists the death dates of various Christian bishops and martyrs. The first date listed, December 25, is marked: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae: “Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea.”³In about 400 C.E., Augustine of Hippo mentions a local dissident Christian group, the Donatists, who apparently kept Christmas festivals on December 25, but refused to celebrate the Epiphany on January 6, regarding it as an innovation. Since the Donatist group only emerged during the persecution under Diocletian in 312 C.E. and then remained stubbornly attached to the practices of that moment in time, they seem to represent an older North African Christian tradition.

There are two theories today: one extremely popular, the other less often heard outside scholarly circles (though far more ancient).⁴

The most loudly touted theory about the origins of the Christmas date(s) is that it was borrowed from pagan celebrations. The Romans had their mid-winter Saturnalia festival in late December; barbarian peoples of northern and western Europe kept holidays at similar times. To top it off, in 274 C.E., the Roman emperor Aurelian established a feast of the birth of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun), on December 25. Christmas, the argument goes, is really a spin-off from these pagan solar festivals. According to this theory, early Christians deliberately chose these dates to encourage the spread of Christmas and Christianity throughout the Roman world: If Christmas looked like a pagan holiday, more pagans would be open to both the holiday and the God whose birth it celebrated.

[Willa]

I don't think it is important so much when He was born, but that He was born. This is what I celebrate. No one knows the correct date.

There are some hints: it was when Caesar Agustus took a census so he could levey a tax. This occurred a few years before anno dominne according to historians. It was possibly the shepherds for the temple sacrefices that were guarding their sheep in that area.

This brings up the possibility that it really occurred before Passover. But now we are only guessing. Most great events were on Jewish

holidays.....Christ's death on Passover, the coming of the Holy Spirit, for instance. Perhaps He did come on a Jewish holiday. We don't know. Jesus claimed to be the Light of the World. Maybe it was Hannaka. But I do celebrate Christmas on Dec. 24/25. And later

the maji came within 2 years of his birth when he was a toddler. This we know from Scripture.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Willamina