The date of the birth of Jesus is not stated in the Gospels or in any historical sources. Most biblical scholars and ancient historians believe that Jesus was born between 4 and 6 BCE.

Early Christians did not focus on Jesus’ birth. The key Jesus-event for them was Easter. They rejoiced in their belief that Jesus was raised from the dead and entered a new form of life: promising new life for all who believed and followed him. Christians were and are Easter people.

A brief explanation about our dating system: Our dating system was devised in 525 by Dionysius Exiguus (475 – 544) but was not widely used until the 9th century. Exiguus was a monk and a Roman theologian, mathematician, and astronomer. He used the terms anno Domini (AD) and before Christ (BC), because he mistakenly thought Jesus was born in the year 1. The term anno Domini in Latin means “in the year of the Lord.” Today scholars increasingly use the terms Common Era (abbreviated as CE), with the preceding years referred to as Before the Common Era (BCE).

It was not really until around 200 CE that Christians began to commemorate an actual ceremonial Jesus birth day. Not at first on December 25 but on January 6. The earliest source for setting December 25 as the date for celebrating Jesus’ birth is a document written by Hippolytus of Rome (c. 170 – c. 235). Hippolytus was an important second-third century Christian theologian. Early Christians connected Jesus to solar Sun imagery using such phrases as his being the “Sun of righteousness.” They Christianized and took over the Roman celebration of the winter solstice which was held on December 25.

The early Christian writer Lactantius (c. 250 – c. 325), who was an advisor to the Roman Emperor Constantine (c. 272 – 337), wrote “the east is attached to God because God is the source of light and the illuminator of the world and God makes us rise toward eternal life”. It is for this reason that the early Christians set up their posture for prayer as being eastward, towards the rising sun.

A late fourth-century sermon by Augustine the Bishop of Hippo (354 – 430) explains why the winter solstice was a fitting day to celebrate Jesus’s birth: “Hence it is that he was born on the day which is the shortest in our earthly reckoning and from which later days begin to increase in length. He, therefore, who bent low and lifted us up chose the shortest day, yet the one whence light begins to increase.”

The Christian leadership in Rome began officially celebrating Jesus’ birth date on December 25 in 336, during the reign of Emperor Constantine (272 – 337). Since Constantine had made Christianity the effective religion of the Roman Empire, choosing this date had the political motive of weakening the earlier established pagan celebrations.

New Testament accounts of the birth and early life of Jesus – the “Infancy Narratives” — are found only in Matthew 1:1 – 2:23 and Luke 1:5 – 2:52. More about these narratives next week.

Most of our contemporary imagery about Jesus’ birth however comes from the Catholic friar St. Francis of Assisi (c.1181 – 1226). Francis created the Christmas Creche tradition. That tradition originated in Greccio, Italy, where Francis had visited a community to celebrate Christmas.

Francis had wanted to create a scene that would be symbolic of Jesus’ birth and that would have an everlasting impact on those in attendance. He therefore collected hay and prepared a manger, which was a feeding trough for farm animals. He even brought an ox and donkey to location where he prepared the altar, on which placed a statue of baby Jesus. The scenery had clearly symbolized the poverty and simplicity that was associated with Jesus’ birth into the world.

Three kings? Neither Matthew nor Luke mentions “three kings.” Matthew mentions “wise men,” magoi in Greek, from which we get the English word “magi.” Although the “magi” are now called “kings,” there is nothing in Matthew that implies that they were rulers of any kind. In addition, nowhere in the New Testament do we find them called “Balthasar, Melchior, and Casper.” Those names are creations from the 8th century CE.

Next week more historical-critical observations about the “Infancy Narratives.”

Jack

Dr. John A. Dick – Historical Theologian

 

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