Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on December 25?
December 25 is the traditional anniversary of the birth of Christ, but most scholars are unsure about the true date for Christ’s birth. The decision to celebrate Christmas on December 25 was made sometime during the fourth century by church bishops in Rome. They had a specific reason for doing so.
Having turned long ago from worshiping the one true God and creator of all things, many early cultures in the Roman empire had fallen into sun worship. Recognizing their dependence on the sun’s yearly course in the heavens, they held feasts around the winter solstice in December when the days are shortest. As part of their festivals, they built bonfires to give the sun god strength and bring him back to life again. When it became apparent that the days were growing longer, there would be great rejoicing.
The church leaders in Rome decided to celebrate Christ’s birth during the winter solstice in an attempt to Christianize these popular pagan celebrations. For the most part their efforts failed to make the people conform, and the heathen festivities continued. Today we find ourselves left with a bizarre marriage of pagan and Christian elements that characterizes our modern celebration of Christmas.
Regardless of the pagan background of so many December traditions, our goal is still to turn the eyes of all men upon the true Creator and Christ of Christmas. The light of the world has come. And the Christmas season and celebration presents the church with a wonderful opportunity to preach the good news – that men can be made righteous and have peace with God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.
What is probably the first mention of Jesus’ birth on December 25 dates back to the 3rd century, when Hippolytus of Rome wrote, “The first advent of our Lord in the flesh, when he was born in Bethlehem, was December 25th, Wednesday” (Commentary on Daniel, tr. by Schmidt, T. C., 2010, Book 4, 23.3). The earliest mention of some sort of observance on that date is in the Philoclian Calendar, representing Roman practice, of the year 336.
People have put forward various reasons for the choice of December 25 for the birth of Jesus:
1) December 25 is nine months after March 25, which the historian Sextus Julius Africanus and the early church father Tertullian calculated to be the date of the Passover on which Jesus was conceived (Tertullian’s Adversus Judaeos, Ch. VIII). This reckoning was based on the tradition that Jesus was conceived and died on the same calendar day.
2) According to another tradition, March 25 was the anniversary of the creation of the world. Jesus’ conception on that date would lead to His birth on December 25.
3) December 25 coincided with a pagan festival celebrating the winter solstice. The church thereby offered people a Christian alternative to the pagan festivities and eventually reinterpreted many of their symbols and actions in ways acceptable to Christian faith and practice.
4) Probably the most convincing calculation of the date of Jesus’ birth is the reasoning from looking at the birth of John the Baptist. Luke 1 tells of Zacharias, who was from the priestly order of Abijah, and his barren wife, Elizabeth, becoming pregnant with John the Baptist after his days of service in the temple. In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel visited Mary with the news that she would give birth to Jesus. The approximate month of Jesus’ birth can thus be determined by counting from the date of Zacharias’ priestly service until the birth of Jesus.
Jewish priests were divided into 24 courses which ministered throughout the year in the temple. The order of Abijah was the eighth priestly course (1 Chronicles 24:6-19) which served in the temple during the 10th week of the priestly cycle. The start of the 10th week coincided with the second Sabbath in the month of Sivan, which runs approximately from mid-May to mid-June, let’s say June 15. Soon after Zechariah returned from his priestly duties Elizabeth became pregnant with John the Baptist. Luke 1:24-28, 31 records these events, “Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, ‘Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.’ Now in the sixth month (that would be June 15 to December 15) the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’…And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.”
Therefore, if John the Baptist was six months into his gestation making it approximately December 15, and Mary conceived Jesus about then, we can approximate the month of Jesus’ birth to be around the time of Tishri (mid to late September). To arrive at this date, start at the conception of John the Baptist, Sivan (June), count forward six months to arrive at Gabriel’s announcement of the conception of Jesus, Kislev (December), then count forward nine more months, the time it takes for human gestation, to reach Tishri (September), when Jesus was born which would coincide with the Feast of Trumpets – again seems appropriate!
5) December 25 has become more and more acceptable as the birth date of Jesus. However, some argue that the birth occurred in some other season, such as in the fall. Followers of this theory claim that the Judean winters were too cold for shepherds to be watching their flocks by night. It was customary for the Jews to send their sheep to pasture from the spring until early October. As the cold winter months began, the flocks would return from the fields for shelter and warmth. Since the shepherds were still tending their flocks in the fields around Bethlehem, possibly the angels announced the news of Jesus’ birth no later than October. History proves otherwise, however, and we have historical evidence that unblemished lambs for the Temple sacrifice were in fact kept in the fields near Bethlehem during the winter months. With that said, it is impossible to prove whether or not Jesus was born on December 25. And, ultimately, it really does not matter.
The Actual Date of Jesus’ Birth
The truth is we simply don’t know the exact date of our Savior’s birth. In fact, we don’t even know for sure the year in which He was born. Scholars believe it was somewhere between 6 BC and 4 BC because Herod the Great died in 4 BC making Jesus’ birth before that so that Herod could issue the order to kill all male babies born in Bethlehem. One thing is clear: if God felt it was important for us to know the exact date of the Savior’s birth, He certainly would have told us in His Word. The Gospel of Luke gives very specific details about the event, even down to what the baby was wearing – “swaddling clothes” and where He slept – “in a manger” (Luke 2:12). These details are important because they speak of His nature and character, meek and lowly. But the exact date of His birth has no significance whatsoever, which may be why God chose not to mention it.
( Swaddling clothes are cloths and bands used in the practice of swaddling, or essentially “wrapping” an infant tightly in cloth. The idea behind swaddling is that it helps the baby transition from the womb (a very snug place) to the outside world. Swaddling clothes are still used today, but with some modifications. In general, swaddling has been proved to help infants sleep better, to prevent them from scratching themselves, and to reduce the risk of SIDS. In ancient times, like today, a swaddled infant was safe if wrapped and watched properly. Many cultures still practice swaddling today.
The biblical passage that refers to swaddling clothes is Luke 2: “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn”. We can assume from the fact that she swaddled the baby Jesus that Mary was an attentive and loving mother. The angel who spoke to the shepherds on the hillside mentions swaddling clothes as part of the sign to the shepherds that they had found the Messiah (Luke 2:12).
There are some interesting theories about Luke’s detail of Jesus’ swaddling clothes. Some have postulated that the swaddling clothes were a foreshadowing—a prophetic reference—of Jesus’ burial cloths. The Greek word “sparganoo” is the root word used in the phrase “swaddling clothes,” and it means “to clothe in strips of cloth.” But this word “sparganoo” is never used in the New Testament to refer to burial cloth. In the descriptions in the Gospels of Jesus’ burial, we see variations on the phrase “wrapped in linen cloth,” and different Greek words are used for the binding. The swaddling clothes could prefigure Jesus’ burial (the Magis’ gift of myrrh in Matthew 2:11 is a clearer bit of foreshadowing), but the link can’t be proved linguistically.)
Where Was Jesus Born?
The question “Where was Jesus born?” is surprisingly tricky. Do we mean where in the sense of the location of the town Bethlehem in Israel, or do we mean where “in” the town of Bethlehem was the exact location of the birth of Jesus? The simple answer is, “In Bethlehem.” But weren’t there more than one “Bethlehem”? Yes, but also, where in Bethlehem did the actual birth take place? The typical nativity scene features the holy family in a stable that looks like a barn, separate from the Inn, where there was no room. But is this accurate? Most historians and scholars say, “Not so much.” Since many people are growing increasingly cynical about the particulars of the nativity, it’s important to teach it accurately so they can have confidence in the Christmas message.
What We Know
We know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was no room “in the inn,” and that he was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger. Some who look at the word “inn” here (which is “kataluma”) see that it is not the normal word for inn. And that’s true. There’s a different word for inn which means a hostelry, an inn with food and bedding and all of those things where there is a host. And that’s not this word. But the word kataluma is used in Luke 22:11 to speak of the guest room in a house. And so some feel that what really happened was Joseph and Mary were coming along in Bethlehem anticipating that they were going to stay with some friends or relatives or acquaintances and that they would use their guest room. But the hospitality was not available to them for perhaps the reason that the guest room was already occupied. Which Bethlehem? There were two, but the second one was in Galilee, was not called the City of David, and for clarity in Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
“And Joseph also went up (a reference to the fact that Jerusalem and surrounding close villages, one of which was the particular Bethlehem, were at a higher elevation than surrounding territory of Israel – consequently “went up”) from Galilee (indicating that the other Bethlehem in Galilee was not the right place), from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Luke 2:4-7
Aside from these basics, there’s a lot of detail left open: Why were they turned away from “the inn?” Why not “inns” – was there only one inn in Bethlehem? We do not know except Scripture says “inn” – singular. Why was there a manger (meaning animal feeding trough), and does that mean they were in the barn with the animals? Where did people in ancient Bethlehem keep the animals? These types of questions have led to a few different theories about where Jesus was actually born, which are briefly summarized below.
The Popular Assumption: In a Barn
If you look at any manger scene or contemporary nativity sets, this is the popular image presented. The reasoning goes like this: Jesus was placed in a manger, which was a feeding trough for livestock, so he must’ve been born in the barn with the animals. This is where farmers today keep their animals, but people in the Ancient Near East (which includes Israel) simply didn’t do this. This theory is a product of contemporary Western life and is fairly easy to dismiss.
The Traditional View: A Cave
The Early Church Fathers wrote about Jesus being born in a cave. Justin Martyr (150 A.D.), Origen (250 A.D.), Jerome (325 A.D.) each believed this was the case. In 335 A.D, Emperor Constantine approved the cave that was the traditional site of Jesus’ birth to be turned into a holy site, known as the “Church of the Nativity.”
The people of Bethlehem were known to keep their flocks in an adjoining cave to their homes. There is archaeological evidence for animals being housed in caves. And yet, it is important to remember that despite the Church of the Nativity being commissioned as a holy site as early as 325 A.D., the Bible does not make definitive reference to a cave, only to a manger. It is entirely possible that Origen and Jerome simply followed Justin Martyr’s theory.
The Most Likely View: A House
Homes in Bethlehem were typically three floors. The bottom floor was a place for the most valuable animals to be housed, especially during inclement weather. The second floor was the primary residence for the family and always included an “upper room”, the third floor or the roof with enclosures, that would serve as a guest room for visitors. This is the type of room that Jesus and his disciples used to celebrate the Passover because it was completely expected for faithful Jewish families to show hospitality to travelers, especially to family. When Luke 2:7 says, “there was no room for them in the inn,” the Greek word is the word for this guest room, not for a hotel (there was a different word for that, which is used in the Parable of the Good Samaritan). Because of the census and lots of relatives arriving from around the country, the upper room was already too full for them to give birth, so they stayed in the lower level where there was enough room for everything that goes into birthing a child. This view also reflects the cultural priority of hospitality and the high unlikelihood that Joseph and Mary’s family would turn them away while she is in her final day(s) of pregnancy even despite the scandal of her being pregnant before their official marriage.
An Interesting Theory: Migdal Eder
This view highlights that the shepherds of Bethlehem, those to whom the angel announced Jesus’ birth, were specially tasked with birthing and caring for the lambs who would be provided for temple sacrifice. The Tower of Migdal (in Hebrew, Migdal Eder) was the watchtower for the special flock of appointed sheep who would be sacrificed for the atonement of Israel. Lambs were wrapped in swaddling cloths to keep them from injury and laid in mangers for their own protection. Thus, when Christ was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, and then worshipped by the shepherds, it was a clear reflection of Jesus Christ, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Micah 4:8 tells us the name of the tower that marked the area where the sheep bred for the sacrifices in the Temple were located. “And thou, O tower(Migdal) of the flock(Eder), the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.” This seems to point to Jesus’ birth, and Micah 5:2 refers to Bethlehem Ephratah and the prophecy of the ruler in Israel being born there. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Conclusion
The fact is that He was born. He came into the world to atone for our sins, He was resurrected to eternal life, and He’s alive today. This is what we should celebrate, as we are told in the Old Testament in such passages as Zechariah 2:10: “‘Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,’ declares the LORD.” Further, the angel that announced the birth to the shepherds brought “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). Surely here is the cause for celebration every day, not just once a year.
When They Saw the Star
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matthew 2:11). Each year, as Christmas approaches, articles appear in numerous publications, both secular and religious, “explaining” the famous star whose unspoken testimony led the wise men to Bethlehem when Christ was born. Many theories have been offered, by many learned men, seeking to account for this remarkable event recorded in Matthew 2:1-12.
But before considering the nature of the star itself, there are at least two intriguing questions about this remarkable event that are rarely discussed, even at Christmastime, but which do bear upon its true significance.
- Just who were these “wise men” and why were they the only ones who realized the importance of the star? None of the political or religious leaders of the Jews seemed aware of it until these men from a distant country suddenly showed up in Jerusalem.
- Why did the appearance of these three (and that is a BIG question as to the number of the Magi)) travelers, with their question, inspire such agitation among King Herod and these Jewish leaders? When the wise men saw the star over Bethlehem, they were excited and joyful. Why did not Herod and the Jewish leaders rejoice with them?
- Finally, just what was this star, and how could it possibly lead them on such a long journey to just the right location, especially since everyone else in the very city of the promised Messiah seemed unaware of it?
Let’s take a brief look at possible answers to these fascinating questions.
Who Were the Wise Men and How Did They Know?
The common legend about the wise men says that there were three of them, named Melchior, Balthasar, and Gaspar, from three different nations (Babylonia, Persia, and India). One early writer called them three kings.
However, all this is traditional, with no basis in Scripture! The phrase “wise men,” in Matthew 2:1,7, is Magi (or Magoi) in the Greek original, and applies to members of a special group of men. A class of scholars called the Magi (from which our modern word “magic” is derived) may originally have come from a certain tribe in Media (which is modern Saudi Arabia) and may even have later become a part of the governing body of Persia. This is uncertain, but what does appear to be well established is the fact that they were especially interested in astronomy and the prophetic “wisdom” that this talent seemed to give them.
They eventually became a sort of priestly caste and were attached to the royal courts of Babylonia and Persia and even those of more distant lands such as Arabia and India, as consultants and advisers to the nobles of those lands. They sometimes were referred to as “king makers” because of their studies of the stars and the possible information about the future gained from those studies.
There is even an ancient tradition that Balaam, the notorious prophet from Mesopotamia, was an early member of the Magi, perhaps even their founder. If so, this fact would at least partially explain why the Magi at the time of Christ were aware that a special star would be used by God to announce the Savior’s birth to this world. It was Balaam’s prophecy, of course, as recorded in the Bible, that spoke of this future star. Here is his prophecy, actually inspired by God to be uttered against the prophet’s own will. “I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth, and Edom shall be a possession. Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.” (Numbers 24:17-19).
Thus, Balaam’s reluctant, but divinely inspired, prophecy, revealed that a unique Star associated with Israel would accompany a future Sceptre (that is, King) who would eventually rule the world.
The later Magi, sometimes referred to as “Chaldeans” and especially those in Babylon and Persia (where the influence of Daniel, as well as Mordecai and Esther) had been profound and long-lasting, would surely be familiar with this prophecy and also the various prophecies of Daniel (who had been the most respected of the “wise men” at the courts of Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus. Daniel 2:45; 6:28).
Some of the Magi may even have been Jews in religion, if not in ethnicity. At the time of God’s great deliverance of the Jews in Persia during the days of Queen Esther, it was recorded that “many of the people of the land became Jews” (Esther 8:17). This event in itself would constrain many of the Persian members of the Magi at that time to study the Jewish sacred books, especially the Messianic prophecies of Daniel. This lore would have become a key part of the Magi’s traditional learning, handed down generation after generation, even to the time of Christ.
Among these Daniel prophecies, of course, given during the reign of Darius the Mede, was the great prophecy of the “seventy weeks,” which revealed that the Messiah would come as Prince of Israel 483 years after the Persian emperor gave the commandment to the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24,25). It would easily be possible for the Persian Magi, as the promised date came near, to put these prophecies of Balaam and Daniel together, and thus be watching for “His star” to appear.
Something like this may at least partly explain why the Persian Magi and not the Herodians and the rationalistic Sadducees (who comprised most of the Jewish religious leaders of the time) were aware of the significance of the star when it appeared. It is quite possible also that the “wise men” from this same caste who were prominent as counsellors in Babylon and other lands (even Arabia and India) were also aware of what was happening. It may be possible (as the tradition suggests) that Magi from other lands as well as Persia joined the entourage journeying to Jerusalem to seek this promised “King of the Jews.” There is no convincing reason to think that only three Magi came. The fact that three types of gifts (gold, frankincense, myrrh) were offered does not mean that only three men offered the gifts. The Bible does not say how many there were, but there may well have been many more than three.
Why Were Herod and the Jews so Troubled by the Magi’s Visit?
It would, indeed, seem rather unlikely that the visit of three itinerant “astrologers” would create such a stir in Jerusalem. In the first place, how could these foreigners ever get in to see King Herod? Why would their question cause the king to be “troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matthew 2:3).
But all this becomes clear when it is realized that the visitors probably consisted of much more than three foreign “astrologers” (as a number of modern translations call the “wise men”). There were very likely more than three Magi in the group, probably a dozen, possibly many, many more! They had come from “the east,” and were themselves representatives of one or more great nations, traveling no doubt with a military escort and a sizable entourage of servants.
Even so, why should this upset a powerful king acting under authority of the great Roman empire, supposedly dominant in all the known world of that time. Herod had been appointed “King of the Jews,” by no less than the great Caesar Augustus himself, so why should he be troubled by these dignitaries from the east?
The fact is, however, that the Roman empire was not dominant in all the known world. In fact, the various nations “east” of Judea, Persia, Babylonia, Assyria, etc., were not part of the Roman empire at all, but rather part of the large and powerful Parthian empire, which was a serious rival to Rome and had defeated several attempts by the Roman legions (including one led by Herod himself, before he became king) to subjugate her. There is reason to believe that, at this time, the Parthians (i.e., Persians) were actually threatening Rome along the nearby boundaries of the Roman empire.
Herod had been appointed “King of the Jews” as his official title by Rome, but here was a delegation from a powerful enemy empire demanding information about someone “born King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). No wonder Herod was troubled. Furthermore, the entourage which included the many Magi, military escort, pack animals, and many attendants in total maybe numbering 200, was not traveling on camels (as the Christmas cards tend to picture them) but on strong horses (for that was how Persian nobles travelled), and they were quite confident that this coming King was already in the land and that His presence had been announced by God Himself through a star in the heavens.
The rest of Jerusalem was also “troubled” by what seemed an imminent threat of invasion. The religious leaders were undoubtedly embarrassed, as well as troubled, that they, of all people, had to be informed by foreigners about the coming of Messiah.
Although these Jewish religious leaders were not looking for the Messiah, and did not really want Him to come and upset their own profitable operations, they did at least know about the messianic prophecies. King Herod, who was a descendant of Edomites, did not know the prophecies himself, but when he inquired of the chief priests and scribes, they were able to tell him where this coming King Messiah was to be born. Paraphrasing Micah 5:2, they said: “Thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (Matthew 2:5,6).
Whether these Jewish leaders were familiar with Balaam’s prophecy of the Star or not, the account does not say. In any case, those Jewish leaders had not paid any heed to the actual Star when it appeared, though they must have seen it.
Just What Was This Remarkable Star?
If we really seek to take the Bible literally, we need to think of this star as a real star, not an angel or some miraculous atmospheric light which the wise men thought was a star. The Greek word “aster” occurs some 24 times in the New Testament. A similar word “astron” is used four times. Both words refer specifically to real stars, unless the context indicates otherwise. It is true that stars are sometimes used to symbolize angels (e.g., Revelation 1:20; 12:4,7) or even human beings (Jude 13). It is also true that planets, meteorites, and comets were apparently considered “stars” by the astronomers of that day and even by the Lord Jesus Himself (e.g., Matthew 24:29). But such usages are always apparent in the context.
The account of the wise men, however, is given as a simple historical record, and the Magi certainly knew what a star was as well as anybody in that day, and they called it a star (in fact, “His” star), not an angel or an atmospheric guiding light of some kind. They were familiar with the record of the glory cloud (the Shekinah) that had guided the Israelites under Moses in the wilderness (e.g., Numbers 14:14), for it was in the same book of the Torah as the account of Balaam’s star. Yet they called it a star, not a glory cloud or any other kind of moving light in the sky.
Furthermore, how would the Magi, far off in Persia over 600 miles away, recognize this supposed moving light as announcing the King of the Jews, impelling them to undertake a long and dangerous journey to greet Him? And why would the light not have led them directly to Bethlehem instead of Jerusalem and Herod’s court?
As a matter of fact, Matthew’s account never says the Star (or moving light, if that’s what it was) ever “led” them at all. It says merely that they saw the Star twice, once while they were at home “in the east,” then later, as it “stood over where the young child was” (Matthew 2:2,9). There is no record that they saw it at all during the long journey to Jerusalem.
A very popular explanation offered for the star by many is that the “star” was merely a conjunction of two or three planets at the time of Christ’s birth. The great astronomer, Johann Kepler, was apparently the first to suggest this type of explanation. In 1605 he calculated that there had been a conjunction of three planets (Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars) in 7 B.C. Many others have followed this idea, assuming that this conjunction constituted the Christmas star. It was said to have occurred in the constellation Pisces at that time, and this constellation was believed by astrologers to be the Zodiacal sign related to Israel.
Others have said that a conjunction of Jupiter, Venus, and the star Regulus in 3 B.C. was the Christmas star. All such conjunction theories, however, face several serious difficulties. It seems incredible that the Magi, as versed in astronomy as they were, would call such a group of stars “His” Star! No two of these stars were ever so close together as to look like a single star, never even appearing to touch each other! Furthermore, all such planetary conjunctions occur with some significant frequency, which could have been calculated easily enough by these experienced astronomers from the known orbits of the planets, so why would anyone, or several, such conjunctions be associated as a special “sign” with the promised King of Israel? There was certainly nothing miraculous about them.
Still more importantly, this sort of thing – associating star and planetary and Zodiacal positions with events on Earth – is a prominent feature of the occult art of astrology, and astrology is condemned in the Bible (Isaiah 47:13-15; etc.). It would not seem reasonable for God to associate anything concerning His promised incarnation with the pseudo-science of astrology which He had warned His people to avoid.
Similar objections apply to the suggestion of some writers, both ancient and modern, that the Christmas star was a comet. Comets also are fairly frequent and travel in regular, predictable orbits, just like planets and their conjunctions. They also have a different appearance than or binary stars or planets, with a sort of tail following each of them, and the Magi undoubtedly could distinguish them from real stars. They were also commonly used as astrological predictors whenever they occurred and would thus seem unsuitable for God’s purpose in sending His Star.
There does remain one special type of star which does not involve any of the difficulties discussed above. These are the novas (formerly called “new stars” but, as we now know, they are expiring stars) or, still more intriguingly, the rare supernovas. These are real stars, not conjunctions of stars, or comets, and certainly not atmospheric phenomena.
What Does His Star Mean to us Today?
Mary and Joseph had travelled from their home in Nazareth in Galilee, to Judaea some 70 miles and taking probably a month, in order to be counted in the Roman census at Bethlehem, the ancestral home of Joseph’s family. While there in Bethlehem, the child Jesus was born.
Although announced both by the heavenly host in the air above Bethlehem and also by the new star, neither announcement made any particular stir in Jerusalem. The shepherds had spread the news around Bethlehem, and later Simeon and Anna around Jerusalem (Luke 2:17; 2:38), but only a few realized the real significance of the event. After all, there had been various other alleged Messiahs who had come and gone. Not even the star had seemed to arouse any Messianic interest, although surely many had seen it. The Jews as a whole were interested in neither astronomy nor astrology. They apparently had little interest in Balaam’s prophecy of the star, either, possibly because he was a Gentile who had been slain by the Israelites at the time of Moses.
Now here is where most get the birth of Jesus story wrong! When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem, several months after they first saw the star (possibly even as long as two years or more after, in view of Herod’s later slaughter of the children, according to Matthew 2:16), they apparently assumed that the newborn King would have been brought to Jerusalem by that time, or at least that Herod could tell them where to find Him.
So, the Magi could not possibly have been seen alongside the shepherds all looking fondly on the baby Jesus. Instead, many months later after Jesus’ birth, Herod and “all Jerusalem” were “troubled,” widely fearful that the Parthians and Persians riding into Jerusalem some 200 strong might attempt to install this new King on the throne of Judaea. When the scribes cited Micah 5:2 as evidence that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, Herod sent them there in search of Him but intending, of course, for them to return to him, tell him where the baby was, and then send troops to kill him A threat to Herod’s rule was not to be tolerated by anyone, even a prophesied king!
Then, as, the Magi throng headed toward Bethlehem, six miles away, they suddenly saw the Star again. Even though they had not been able to see it while traveling to Jerusalem, it had indeed been going before them and now appeared once again, probably in the early morning sky. The Biblical account says that the star “came and stood over where the young child was” (Matthew 2:9). Note that Jesus was now a “young child”, probably a toddler since the Greek word for Jesus at this time was “paidion” which refers to a child anywhere between 1 and 7. That seems to indicate that, when the star reached its zenith position, it was over Bethlehem. Obviously, they didn’t need the star to guide them to Bethlehem, but when they saw it again, they “rejoiced with exceeding great joy,” because this meant that their understanding of Scripture was right and this was, indeed, His Star! When they finally saw Him, they forthwith “fell down, and worshipped Him” (Matthew 2:11).
And so should we!
Three Renowned Gifts
The gifts of the Magi were of extreme value. Though they were not given at Christmas, as we now know it, they present the origin for the giving of Christmas gifts. In fact, the Magi, those fabulously wealthy kingmakers from the East, brought gifts to the young toddler, Jesus. Their gifts were symbolic but were no doubt far more than that.
It is well known that Jesus was not actually born on the 25th of December. From calculations based upon the course of Zacharias’ priesthood given in Luke 1:5, we can actually calculate the birth of his son, John the Baptist, to a date in mid-March. Jesus would have been born six months later, probably on Rosh HaShanah, as given in Luke, chapter 2, when the shepherds were “keeping watch over their flocks by night.”
Once Again – Hold on to your hats – the Magi WERE NOT AT THE MANGER SCENE! Some fifteen months later or considerably longer perhaps, probably at the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication, the Magi came to Bethlehem (the “wise men” of Matthew 2:1) to visit the toddler Jesus. This would have been around the time represented by the modern Christmas date of December 25th.
Persians of vast wealth and power, they are said to have had the authority to make and break monarchies. They were called Magi, a Persian designation of their caste. As has long been known, they were monotheists, who had been heavily influenced by Jewish beliefs and the teachings of the prophets of Israel. They came to Bethlehem in their official role, to confer upon Jesus, the title of King and High Priest of Israel.
After making their official call upon Herod in Jerusalem, the Idumean pretender to Israel’s throne, they headed south, to Bethlehem. These were men of the highest wealth and power, riding their thoroughbred horses and travelling with wagons, food, luggage, tents and an army. Had they not come in strength, Herod would have ordered them killed where they stood. It is no overstatement to say that they had the power to launch and sustain kingdoms. They were also considered to be legitimate prophets in their own right.
Our contemporary view of them as simple wise men is totally mistaken. Certainly, they were wise, but they were also skilled in the politics of the Middle East and were sensitively aware that a prophesied King had come into their midst. Doubtless, it was their intention to assist Him – monetarily and politically – in His rise to power. Herod instinctively knew this and wanted both them and the new King out of the way.
Their three gifts to Jesus, the gifts numbered three – not the number of the Magi, have become part of the Christmas tradition, a singular act of adoration that resounded throughout the universe as the unique confirmation of the One who would restore all things.
Their first gift, gold, symbolic of monarchy, reminds us of the wealth of the Kingdom, founded by David and expanded by Solomon, who received nearly a billion dollars in gold (by modern reckoning) from the Queen of Sheba alone. The Phoenician navy brought more gold from the place called Ophir. No one knows how much.
“And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks” (1 Kings 10:21,22).
These Magi who bowed before Jesus, must have promised similar wealth. Given their reputation, they had it to give. They brought no mere chalice, or bracelet, or chain, or even a bag of gold coins. What they brought was the wealth appropriate to the King, affirmed by the kingmakers, themselves. They promised a fortune fit for Solomon, and probably more.
Their second gift, frankincense, symbolizes the acts of the Levitical priesthood, and the prayers of the people. It is included among the ingredients that were placed in the Tabernacle’s altar of incense by the priest. Its rising smoke signifies acceptable prayer:“And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy” (Ex. 30:34-36).
To the toddler Jesus, the Magi gave this gift, representing his priestly office. It prophetically pointed to his resurrected and glorified state, after which He would adopt His present intercessory office as our great High Priest. Through Him, our prayers are heard.
Their third gift, myrrh, is also associated with the Aaronic priesthood. It is the principal ingredient of the holy anointing oil, the ingredients of which were given to Moses by the Lord: “Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office” (Ex. 30:22-25, 30).
These verses tell us that myrrh was originally used for the ceremony of priestly anointment and was specially prepared for the consecration of the Aaronic order. It, too, speaks of priestly consecration. But in its actual use in Israelite society at that time, it carried another, and most significant, meaning.
Myrrh is a gum of exquisite fragrance. It is exuded from a tree that grows in the hotter climates of the Middle East. In the Old Testament, its fragrance is associated with beauty, as an ingredient in fine perfume. Therefore, the Jews used it to bury their dead.
In fact, since it was commonly used as a burial spice, its most powerful prophetic connotation is that of preparation for death. In the following Scripture, Jesus clarifies the actions of the woman with the alabaster box of ointment. He explains that through divine guidance, she was prophetically preparing Him for His burial.
Twice in the following passage, the word “ointment” is used. It is a translation of the Greek “muron”, from “murra”, the word for myrrh oil. Though it is elsewhere referred to as “spikenard”, it was probably a blend, based upon myrrh. Jesus specifically refers to it as an essential element of preparation for burial: “Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial” (Matt. 26:6-12).
Even at His infancy, the Magi recognized Jesus as King and Priest. But they also foretold His death and burial. Looking backward, we now see the importance of his death and entombment during the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. When he arose at Firstfruits, as the first of many who would be resurrected in His name, He gave back far more than He had received. The gifts of the Magi were only a dim foreshadowing of the gifts that the young Messiah would give to all mankind.
Christ’s Own Gifts
In a beautiful way, the Apostle Paul explains how Christ’s gifts, received from the Magi, are distributed to men. It was necessary for Him to die, as so often prophesied, to rise up and bless all mankind:“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:7,8; 11,12).
When the Magi came to pay their respects to Jesus, their visit was in fact, a prophecy, which is still in the long process of being fulfilled. One day, the world will recognize the beauty of the risen Christ, as these faithful men from Persia once did, even before He arose. In fact, there is a prophecy to that effect, given by Isaiah in his future view of the Kingdom, when Christ will be seated upon David’s throne:
“Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD” (Is. 60:5,6).
Note that the Gentiles are shown bringing tributes of gold and incense, typifying His Kingdom and His Priesthood. But myrrh is not included, nor should it be, since His death has already been accomplished, once for all time. His gifts, duly received and acknowledged, have been redistributed to humanity.
Recapture the Spirit of Christmas
Their cost and their value are inestimable. In some dimly-perceived way, our annual Christmas rush to bless others with a profusion of gifts is motivated by a recognition of what Christ gave to humanity in the ultimate act of self-sacrifice. At a conscious level, we tend to forget the details of his magnificent act.
But in their hearts, even the most faithless know that His act of love lies at the heart of everything we recognize as culture and civilization. They know that blessing comes from the Lord. Why else would secular men be so eager to eradicate every last trace of Christmas from the public concourse? A manger scene or a gift of love, even a brightly-colored tribute, is anathema to them. They know about the gift, and they want to cover it up.
This year, take a deep breath and think about what He has given you. His love will flow through you to others. In that moment, you might just recapture the elusive spirit of Christmas.
Should Christians have Christmas trees?
As the Christmas Season approaches, questions like this sometimes arise. Like everything in life, it is important to approach these issues with biblical discernment.
In this case, there is nothing wrong with the traditional Christmas tree. However, some have taught that it’s wrong for anyone to have a Christmas tree in their home. But are their reasons valid? Let’s look at the two most common objections people make against having a Christmas tree.
First, some object on the basis that Christmas trees have pagan origins. It is believed that Boniface, English missionary to Germany in the eighth century, instituted the first Christmas tree. He supposedly replaced sacrifices to the god Odin’s sacred oak with a fir tree adorned in tribute to Christ. But certain other accounts claim that Martin Luther introduced the Christmas tree lighted with candles. Based on that information you could say the Christmas tree has a distinguished Christian history. However, even if a pagan background were clearly established, that wouldn’t necessarily mean we could not enjoy the use of a Christmas tree.
Another common objection is the claim that Christmas trees are prohibited in Scripture. Jeremiah 10 is commonly used to support this viewpoint. But a closer look at the entire chapter of Jeremiah 10 will show that it has nothing to do with Christmas trees and everything to do with idol worship. Verse eight says, “A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.” No modern Christian traditionally putting up a Christmas tree worships it.
Idol worship was a clear violation of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:3-6 says, “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
There is no connection between the worship of idols and the use of Christmas trees. We should not be anxious about baseless arguments against Christmas decorations. Rather, we should be focused on the Christ of Christmas and giving all diligence to remembering the real reason for the season.
Of all the titles that Jesus bears in the Book of Revelation, this one is far and away the most common. It’s repeated again and again and again and again. He is, in Revelation, more than anything else, far more than anything else, called “the Lamb.” The Lamb. Because in order to be all of these other things, and to accomplish all of His other purposes, He had to be the Lamb of God. Slain. And in chapter 5, we see the Lamb standing, who had been slain. In chapter 6, we see the Lamb breaking seals. In chapter 5, they’re all saying, “Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb.” In chapter 7, they cry, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” Chapter 8, “The Lamb breaks the seal,” the seventh seal. Chapter 12, loud voice in heaven says, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb.” That’s chapter 12. Chapter 13, He is the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world.
In chapter 14, John has a vision of the 144,000 Jews who will evangelize the world during the coming tribulation. The Lamb was standing on Mount Zion. And with Him, 144,000. They’re standing with the Lamb, and they have His name, and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. Who are they? Verse 4: “The ones who have not been defiled with women. They’ve kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.”
In chapter 15, verse 3. There was singing of the song of the Lamb, the song of the Lamb. Song of praise. Chapter 17, verse 14. The enemies of Christ come and wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Chapter 19, verse 7. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” Chapter 21 verse 9. “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
Always the Lamb. Chapter 22 verse 3. “There will no longer be any curse; the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His slaves will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.”
This is Christmas future. And aren’t we glad that among all those things, He was the Lamb, the Lamb of God that John the Baptist said takes away the sins of the world?
Lord God, we thank You for this time together around Your Word this morning. What a wonderful time it’s been. Bless us all Lord Give us a wonderful and blessed Christmas. And may You be honored and glorified in every life. May Christ be exalted among us. We pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.