Christmas finds Christians around the world gathering to celebrate Jesus’ birth. But does the Bible really cite December 25 as the date the Son of God was born?
Christmas is the most magical time of the year, fondly looked forward to as an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends. But Christmas is, of course, most strongly linked with religion, with the big day celebrated by billions of Christians commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. But although this highlight of the festive calendar these days always lands on December 25, this was not always the case. Peter Lynas, U.K. director of the Evangelical Alliance, suggests the Bible offers few clues as to why Christmas came to be associated with Jesus’ birthday. He told Newsweek: « Jesus was almost certainly born in the main room of a Palestinian house because there was no room in the guest room, the better translation of inn or stable. « He would have been surrounded by family and despite the suggestion from Away In A Manger, he would have cried because he was fully human as well as fully divine. « The Bible doesn’t mention Mary riding a donkey, or three kings of the Orient or any animals around the manger. « We also aren’t told anything about the date—it wasn’t until the fourth century that we started celebrating on the 25th December. « But what is clear is that God showed up, the divine in a skin, Emmanuel meaning God with us. « Christmas is still celebrated around the world, giving gifts as God gave his Son to us and that moment, that rupture in time, still divides history to this day. » Andrew McGowan, dean and president of Berkeley Divinity School and McFaddin professor of Anglican studies and pastoral theology, agrees, adding the Christian holy book is lacking in date details. He told Newsweek: « No one knows when Jesus was born, and for a while, few people were even interested.
