On Friday, June 3, 2022 I penned my thoughts on the
Mystery of the Star in the East here:
https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/search?q=Star+in+the+East+&m=1
Today on Christmas Day 2025 I shall follow up my thoughts on the Mystery of the date when Jesus was born
Christmas is traditionally celebrated on the twenty-fifth of December as the day of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world. Although the Bible does not record the exact date of Jesus’ birth, the Church has, for centuries, set aside this day to commemorate the moment when God entered human history in flesh and humility. Christmas, therefore, is not primarily a claim of historical precision, but a celebration of profound theological truth and spiritual meaning.
The Gospel narratives themselves reflect this emphasis. Matthew and Luke, the only evangelists who describe the birth of Jesus, do not mention a specific date or even a clear season. Instead, their accounts focus on the significance of the incarnation: the fulfillment of prophecy, the humility of Christ’s birth, the angelic announcement, and the arrival of the Savior for all people. Luke records that shepherds were watching over their flocks by night, a detail that has led many scholars to suggest a warmer season, possibly spring during the lambing period, since sheep were commonly sheltered during the colder winter months.
This observation, while informative, remains suggestive rather than conclusive.
Historical considerations further support the uncertainty of the exact date. Based on the reign of King Herod the Great, who died around 4 B.C., and the events surrounding Jesus’ early life, historians generally place His birth between 6 and 4 B.C. This indicates that Jesus was born several years before the starting point of the Christian calendar and confirms that Scripture does not intend to anchor His birth to a precise day. The Bible remains silent on the matter, directing attention instead to the meaning of His coming rather than its timing.
Despite this lack of historical specificity, the early Christian Church eventually settled on December 25th as the day to celebrate Christ’s birth. This choice, made most clearly in the fourth century, was neither accidental nor arbitrary. It reflected both pastoral wisdom and theological symbolism.
December 25th coincided with popular Roman festivals associated with the winter solstice, particularly celebrations of the “Unconquered Sun.” At the darkest time of the year, when daylight begins to increase, early Christians proclaimed a powerful alternative message: that Jesus Christ is the true Light of the world, surpassing all cosmic symbols and earthly powers.
This symbolism resonates deeply with biblical theology. Scripture repeatedly presents Christ as the Light who overcomes darkness. His birth, celebrated at the turning point of the year from diminishing to increasing light, serves as a vivid reminder that God’s light enters the world precisely when darkness seems strongest.
In this way, December 25th became a fitting day to proclaim the spiritual reality of the incarnation, regardless of the historical season in which it occurred.
Another ancient tradition connects the date of Jesus’ birth to the date of His conception. Some early Christians believed that Jesus was conceived on March 25th, the day commemorating the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the Son of God. This date was also associated in early Christian thought with the creation of the world and, later, with the crucifixion. Counting nine months from March 25th leads naturally to December 25th. While this reasoning is theological rather than historical, it reflects a belief in divine order and sacred symmetry, affirming that Christ’s life unfolded according to God’s perfect timing.
In light of these considerations, Christmas is best understood not as a historical assertion about an exact date, but as a sacred tradition that expresses eternal truth. The Church does not claim absolute certainty about the day of Jesus’ birth; instead, it invites believers to remember and rejoice in the reality that God became human. As the Apostle Paul writes, it was in the “fullness of time” that God sent His Son, emphasizing divine purpose rather than calendar precision.
Ultimately, the enduring significance of Christmas does not depend on whether Jesus was born in winter, spring, or autumn. What matters is that He was born, that God drew near to humanity, and that salvation entered the world. Christmas calls believers to look beyond dates and debates and to contemplate the mystery of the incarnation: the eternal Word taking on flesh, the Creator entering His creation, and divine love revealed in the humility of a manger.
December 25th, then, stands as a chosen and meaningful day, rich in symbolism and spiritual wisdom. It unites believers across centuries in celebrating not a date, but a Person. In remembering Christ’s birth on Christmas Day, the Church proclaims a truth that transcends time itself, that the Light has come into the world, and the darkness has not overcome it.
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