Connecting Point: Christmas Confusion

Christmas is in the air with school plays, business parties, and church, and community events. Last-minute decisions are being made about travel, or what will be served during the day’s celebration. Here in the Whitehall valley, there is no question about having a “white Christmas” this year, and honestly, I prefer the typical warmer weather we are accustomed to. Most importantly, I am grateful because the message of Christmas is for every day of the year—Jesus came to save us from our sins.

Confusing messages have abounded regarding Christmas ever since that event over two-thousand years ago. One, Christ wasn’t born on the traditional Christmas Day, the 25th of December. Some are even more critical, suggesting this date started as a pagan holiday that celebrated the birth of the sun, as if this taints Christ’s celebration. Most Biblically-minded believers celebrate Christ’s birth on the traditional date and understand that the exact birth date of Jesus is unimportant. This focus is on the fact that Jesus came as the Savior of the world.

Other Biblical evidence points to summer or fall dates for Christ’s birth. Luke 2:8 reads, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” December nights in Israel are cold and mixed with rain and snow, so it is highly improbable that shepherds were tending their livestock that late in the year. Most would suggest early to late fall.

Rome was conducting a census at the time of Christ’s birth. Luke 2:1-3 states, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to their own town to register.” Again, due to weather conditions, this event would have been in late summer or fall as well. Despite the calendar discrepancy, we can celebrate Christ’s birth; in fact, those who follow Jesus rejoice in His existence all year round.

Another surprising yet conflicting message about Christmas includes the virgin birth. We are fully versed on Christmas carols which refer to Christ being born of the Virgin Mary. Of course, this stems from Old Testament prophecies, and especially the New Testament texts Luke and Matthew. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,’” (Matthew 1:22-23). Unbeknown to many today one major world religion holds a shockingly different view outside of the Bible. Elohim (God) came to earth and impregnated Mary, “The birth of the Savior was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood—was begotten of his Father, as we are of our fathers,” (Brigham Young). This particular belief contradicts what is taught in the Bible.

A third confusing message occurs regarding the history of the Three Kings. Matthew chapter 2 speaks of the “Magi.” In Greek “magos” means “one of a learned or priestly class.” Magi even date back to the days of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2). Some suggest that these “Kings” didn’t exist but Biblical history helps us to understand that a group of prominent or learned individuals traveled with large companies to Bethlehem to witness Christ’s birth.

Good Biblical teaching separates facts from fiction, and confusion from lies. Christ was born to be the Savior of the world. Let there be no confusion.