When Was Jesus Born?

Every year billions of people celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25. How did this tradition begin? Was Jesus really born on Christmas day?

We find the story about the birth of Jesus in Luke chapter 2:

Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. … So all went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.

While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. (Luke 2:1-8)

The first thing we see from the Bible is that Jesus was born at the time of a Roman census. Some Bible scholars explain that it is very unlikely that this census was in December, when cold, wet weather made travel difficult.

The second detail we notice is that shepherds were staying out in the field with their flocks at night. But shepherds in Bethlehem don’t leave their sheep out at night during the cold December weather (nighttime temperatures in Bethlehem at the end of December are usually 2-9 °C [35-48 °F]).

From these facts we can be certain that Jesus was not born during the cold, rainy months of December, January, or February.

So when was Jesus born? The Bible doesn’t say.

The online Encyclopedia Britannica says:

“during the first two centuries of Christianity there was strong opposition to recognizing birthdays of martyrs or, for that matter, of Jesus.” (Encyclopedia Britannica, ”Christmas“)

Since the early Christians didn’t celebrate birthdays, they didn’t think it was important to record the date Jesus was born.

Did Wise Men Give Jesus Gifts on His Birthday?

In Matthew 2 we find the story of wise men from the East who came to worship Jesus. Many people assume that the wise men came on the night that Jesus was born. But if you read the story carefully, you will notice that they didn’t begin their journey from the East until they saw a star, which probably appeared when Jesus was born.

Many months later when they arrived in Jerusalem, they asked where the king of the Jews had been born—so obviously Jesus had already been born. When the wise men finally arrived, Jesus wasn’t in a stable any more. He was living in a house. So the visit of the wise men was not the beginning of the Christmas tradition.

When Did the Christmas Tradition Begin?

The tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25 began about 300 years after the death of Christ. Encyclopedias indicate that the Christmas festival probably began in Rome or Constantinople near the end of the reign of Emperor Constantine.

Why Is Christmas Celebrated on December 25?

Before the reign of Constantine, Christianity was often persecuted by the Romans. But Constantine’s mother was a Christian, and Constantine decided to establish Christianity as the favored religion of the Roman Empire.

However, Constantine was also a sun worshiper. He worshipped the Roman sun god called Sol Invictus. December 25 was considered the birthday of the sun, because at that time the days begin to get longer again. So in the Roman Empire, December 25 was a special day for people like Constantine who worshipped the sun god. For example, in in 274 AD, the emperor Aurelian dedicated a temple to the sun god on December 25.

No one knew when Jesus was really born, so someone decided that December 25—the birthday of the Roman sun god—would be a good time to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

That is how Christmas began.

Since the very beginning of the Christmas tradition, there have always been some people who refused to keep Christmas because of its connection with pagan festivals.

But does it really matter?

Does God want us to celebrate Christmas on December 25, or not?

Why not read your Bible to see what it says about Christmas?

You can start with Deuteronomy 12:30-32 and Jeremiah 10:2-5.

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