Christmas

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AnneNoel

Guest
#1
#1
Was Jesus actually born on Christmas?
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#2
Jul 3, 2015
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#2
Not likely, since shepherds were in the fields tending the sheep. It is more probable He was born in late summer or early fall. :) Some believe Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot.
 
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AnneNoel

Guest
#3
#3
I've been reading a lot of different information & am very puzzled?!?! WHY do we all think his birth is on December 25th then???
 
wattie

wattie

Senior Member
#4
Feb 24, 2009
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#4
Magenta said:
Not likely, since shepherds were in the fields tending the sheep. It is more probable He was born in late summer or early fall. :) Some believe Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot.
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Yeah, you can look for clues from scripture about the time of year. Given that there was the time of the census around the birth of Jesus. Also like you say.. the shepherds tending sheep.

People get caught up in doing all the 'religious observerances' sometimes. They go thru the motions without the special focus on Jesus.

Eg.. Having Lords Supper EVERY sunday.. set.. ritualised. Takes the meaning out of it.

Doing Lent.. Advent.. etc.. because thats what it says what time of year it is in the church newsletter.

Christmas can be like this.. going to a service on December 25.. thru the motions.. nothing special about it.

Nothing really wrong with marking the times.. but religious actions and rituals take away from the special meaning. Especially with the Lord's Supper.. given that it is in a church family, and the Holy Spirit will be 'in the midst' of that church family as they take part in it.
 
wattie

wattie

Senior Member
#5
Feb 24, 2009
3,080
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#5
AnneNoel said:
I've been reading a lot of different information & am very puzzled?!?! WHY do we all think his birth is on December 25th then???
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December 25 I think is the date of a pagan festival. Christians took the date to mark Jesus birth I think as a kind of counter to it... or as an extension of it.

We could celebrate Jesus' birth at any time. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, you could every time you meet at church :)
 
A

AnneNoel

Guest
#6
#6
image.jpg



IS THIS TRUE??
 
D

dalconn

Guest
#7
#7
Jesus The Christ was around long before the baby birth in Bethlehem, in fact, He has always existed and has no beginning or end. I suppose that's why we shouldn't get worked up over trivial details about celebrating His birthday. Any holiday that draws attention to our Saviour should not be frowned upon in my opinion :)
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#8
Jul 3, 2015
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#8
AnneNoel said:
I've been reading a lot of different information & am very puzzled?!?! WHY do we all think his birth is on December 25th then???
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That was the time the RCC chose to acknowledge it, to coincide with, hopefully overshadow, and Christianize a pagan tradition connected with the winter solstice (the return of the sun).

[video=youtube;OWglwnZJn4s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWglwnZJn4s[/video]
 
JimmieD

JimmieD

Senior Member
#10
Apr 11, 2014
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#10
Magenta said:
Not likely, since shepherds were in the fields tending the sheep. It is more probable He was born in late summer or early fall. :) Some believe Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot.
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The reference to sheep being in the field during late summer or early fall ultimately comes from the Mishnah, but the Mishnah also says that sheep were kept in the field year round, particularly because they were used year round for sacrifices in the temple. So the fact of "shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flocks" doesn't really tell us anything about the time of year.
 
JimmieD

JimmieD

Senior Member
#11
Apr 11, 2014
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#11
AnneNoel said:
I've been reading a lot of different information & am very puzzled?!?! WHY do we all think his birth is on December 25th then???
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Armenians celebrate it on Jan 6th. Copts celebrate it on Jan 7th.

Little known facts to American Protestantism.
 
JimmieD

JimmieD

Senior Member
#12
Apr 11, 2014
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#12
wattie said:
December 25 I think is the date of a pagan festival.
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What's your source? And hopefully that source is a historical source, not simply a random internet article with no historical sources.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#13
Jul 3, 2015
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#13
JimmieD said:
Armenians celebrate it on Jan 6th. Copts celebrate it on Jan 7th.
Little known facts to American Protestantism.
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January 6th is celebrated as the Epiphany, or the revelation of Christ to the gentile world.
 
JimmieD

JimmieD

Senior Member
#14
Apr 11, 2014
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#14
Magenta said:
January 6th is celebrated as the Epiphany, or the revelation of Christ to the gentile world.
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Not in the Armenian Church. There, Jan 6th is also Christmas.
 
JimmieD

JimmieD

Senior Member
#15
Apr 11, 2014
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#15
AnneNoel said:
IS THIS TRUE??
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No. First, Winter Solstice is not always on 21 Dec, especially not on the Julian Calendar which the Romans used. Second, it should be obvious that 21 Dec does not equal 25 Dec and the explanation about that being the first day that would have noticed the solstice had occurred is given without citation, so it's probably just a made up explanation.
 
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crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#16
Nov 24, 2012
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#16
Choose whatever day you want to celebrate your Lord's birth. But if you want to celebrate it with the rest of us goof balls then 25th's the day.:rolleyes:
 
JimmieD

JimmieD

Senior Member
#17
Apr 11, 2014
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#17
AnneNoel said:
I've been reading a lot of different information & am very puzzled?!?! WHY do we all think his birth is on December 25th then???
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The original tradition seems to be that Jesus was conceived on the same day that he died. Count back 9 months from Christmas.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#18
Jul 3, 2015
56,451
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#18
John the Baptist conceived ... Luke 1:5-25
Jesus conceived .... Luke 1:26-55
Birth of John the Baptist .... Luke 1:56-80
Birth of Jesus .... Luke 2

Jesus' date of birth....Tishri 15 (First day of Sukkot)
Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) celebrated from Tishri 15 to Tishri 22.

http://hopetotheend.com/HBJ.html

Relevance of this festival in relation to the birth of Jesus:
Jesus' humanity was a temporary dwelling via the veil of His flesh.

There was a thread on feasts/festivals a while ago...

But I cannot find it. Here are some on Christmas, though :)
http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/117851-should-christian-celebrate-christmas-easter.html
http://christianchat.com/bible-disc...-christians-shouldnt-celebrate-christmas.html
http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/103586-birth-our-king.html
 
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Nautilus

Nautilus

Senior Member
#20
Jun 29, 2012
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#20
AnneNoel said:
I've been reading a lot of different information & am very puzzled?!?! WHY do we all think his birth is on December 25th then???
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I don't think most people are a) dumb enough, or b) ignorant enough to honestly think dec 25th is his legit birthday
 
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