Rachel Evans
The exact date of Jesus' birth is not mentioned in the Bible, but it is widely believed that he was born in December. The month of December is significant in the Christian faith as it marks the celebration of Christmas, which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. While the specific day of Jesus' birth is not explicitly stated in the gospels or historical sources, biblical scholars and ancient historians estimate his birth year to be around 6 to 4 BC. Various theories and calculations have been proposed to determine the month of Jesus' birth, with some suggesting December 25 as the exact date. However, other dates such as September and October have also been considered. The choice of December 25th by the Church is attributed to its ancient origin and widespread acceptance among Christians.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Jesus' birth | 25 December, late September, 20 May, 28 March, 19 April, 20 April, 6 January |
| Date of Jesus' birth according to | Adam C. English, professor of religion at Campbell University, Hippolytus, Clement of Alexandria, Theophilus, Hippolytus, Duchesne, Susan Roll, biblical scholars and ancient historians |
| Month of Jesus' birth | December, September |
| Year of Jesus' birth | 2 BCE, 6 to 4 BCE |
| Jesus' age | "About 30" in Luke 3:23 |
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What You'll Learn
The Bible doesn't state Jesus's birth date
The Bible does not state Jesus's birth date. The nativity accounts in the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Luke do not mention a date or time of year for the birth of Jesus. The date of the birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources, and the evidence is too incomplete to allow for consistent dating.
Most biblical scholars and ancient historians believe that his birth date is around 6 to 4 BC. Two main approaches have been used to estimate the year of the birth of Jesus: one based on the accounts in the Gospels of his birth with reference to King Herod's reign, and the other by subtracting his stated age of "about 30 years" when he began preaching.
Some interpreters of Luke determine that this was the Census of Quirinius, which the Jewish historian Josephus described as taking place around AD 6 in his book Antiquities of the Jews. Since Herod died a decade before this census, most scholars generally accept a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC. On the other hand, a census was not a unique event in the Roman Empire. For example, Tertullian argued that several censuses were performed under Sentius Saturninus simultaneously. Some biblical scholars and commentators believe that the text in Luke refers to a different census.
Luke and the other gospel writers offer no hint about the specific time of year he was born. The biblical reference to shepherds tending their flocks at night when they hear the news of Jesus's birth (Luke 2:8) might suggest the spring lambing season; in the cold month of December, on the other hand, sheep might well have been corralled. However, most scholars urge caution about extracting such a precise but incidental detail from a narrative whose focus is theological rather than calendrical.
The extrabiblical evidence from the first and second centuries is also sparse, with no mention of birth celebrations in the writings of early Christians. The early Christians did not celebrate Jesus's birth. Origen, a writer of the third century C.E., insists that "of all the holy people in the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday."
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the true birth date of Christ is unknown. While the Bible does not directly answer the question, 'When was Jesus born?', it describes two events surrounding his birth that lead many to conclude that he was not born on December 25. Firstly, shortly before Jesus was born, Caesar Augustus issued a decree ordering "all the inhabited earth to be registered." Everyone had to register in "his own city," which might have required a long journey. This order, probably made to support taxation and military conscription, would have been unpopular at any time of year. It is unlikely that Augustus would have forced many of his subjects to make long trips during the cold winter. Secondly, the biblical account of Jesus's birth mentions shepherds in the fields, which some argue is improbable during the winter.
Despite the lack of evidence, some people argue for the veracity of 25 December as Jesus's date of birth. According to the Christian treatise De solstitiis et aequinoctiis from the late fourth century AD, Jesus's birth is associated with the "birthday of the sun" and Sol Invictus. Early in the fifth century, Maximus of Turin said in a Christmas sermon that people frequently call this day of the Lord's birth "the new sun," even among Jews and pagans.
Adam C. English, a professor of religion at Campbell University, supports the 25 December date. He suggests that John the Baptist was conceived on Yom Kippur, dating this to the autumn equinox the year before Jesus's birth. He dates Jesus's conception to the following spring equinox and concludes that Jesus was born on 25 December. According to Normand Bonneau, earlier Christians also conjectured this. However, Susan Roll says that this calculation hypothesis is historically the minority opinion on the origin of Christmas.
Modern astronomy has provided another theory for Jesus's birth date. On 17 June 2 BC, there was a conjunction of Venus (the planet of love) and Jupiter (the King planet). The Magi saw this and made plans to leave in October for their journey to Jerusalem. They followed Jupiter, which made three retrogrades. The third retrograde occurred on 25 December 2 BC when the Magi arrived with their gifts. Scripture states that the Star "stopped over Bethlehem." This is why Christmas is celebrated on this date as it was the first celebration of the birth of Christ.
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The Gospel of Luke hints at spring
The exact date of Jesus's birth is not mentioned in the Bible, nor is it mentioned in any historical sources. The Gospel of Luke, like the other gospels, offers no explicit hint about the specific time of year Jesus was born. However, some biblical scholars and ancient historians believe that Jesus was born sometime between 6 and 4 BC.
The Gospel of Luke does provide some indirect hints about the timing of Jesus's birth. For example, Luke mentions that Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great, who died in 4 BC according to most scholars. This suggests that Jesus was born sometime before 4 BC. Additionally, Luke places the birth of Jesus during a census decreed by Caesar Augustus when Quirinius was governing Judah. This census is believed to have taken place around the time of Herod's death, further supporting a date of birth before 4 BC.
Another hint about the timing of Jesus's birth in Luke is the reference to shepherds tending their flocks at night when they hear the news of Jesus's birth (Luke 2:8). This could suggest the spring lambing season, as sheep may have been corralled during the cold month of December. However, scholars urge caution in extracting such precise but incidental details from a narrative focused on theological rather than calendrical information.
Adam C. English, a professor of religion, has interpreted the Gospel of Luke to support a spring birth for Jesus. English argues that John the Baptist's conception, which occurred before that of Jesus, took place on Yom Kippur during the autumn equinox. This would date Jesus's conception to the following spring equinox and place his birth on 25 December. However, Susan Roll notes that this calculation hypothesis is historically a minority opinion.
While the Gospel of Luke does provide some hints about the season of Jesus's birth, the exact date remains uncertain. The focus of the Gospel is on the theological significance of Jesus's birth and its fulfilment of God's promises to Israel, rather than providing a precise chronological account.
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Some early Christians linked Jesus's crucifixion to Passover
The exact date of Jesus' birth is not known, and there is no definitive answer in Catholic tradition or Scripture. However, most scholars and Christian denominations believe that Jesus was likely born between 6 BCE and 1 BCE, with the most commonly accepted range being between 3 BCE and 1 BCE. One key piece of evidence that early Christians used to estimate Jesus' birth date was the reign of King Herod. Matthew's Gospel states that Jesus was born during the time of King Herod's reign, which historians generally date from 37 BCE to 4 BCE. This helps narrow down the possible range of years for Jesus' birth.
Now, let's focus on the topic at hand: some early Christians linked Jesus' crucifixion to Passover.
Some early Christians believed that Jesus' crucifixion occurred around the time of the Jewish Passover festival, as described in the Gospel accounts. This belief holds significant theological importance for Christians, as it connects Jesus' sacrifice on the cross with the Passover theme of deliverance from bondage. By linking Jesus' crucifixion to Passover, early Christians emphasized the idea of Jesus as the "Lamb of God," whose sacrifice brings freedom and salvation.
All four Gospels provide details about the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion, his trial and execution, and the discovery of his empty tomb. While there are some variations in the specific details among the Gospel accounts, they all generally agree that Jesus' crucifixion took place during the Passover period. For example, in the Gospel of John, it is explicitly stated that the Jewish leaders did not want to enter Pilate's headquarters during the trial of Jesus because "they wanted to be able to eat the Passover meal" (John 18:28). This suggests a close association between Jesus' crucifixion and the timing of the Passover festival.
The Gospel of Mark also supports this connection by mentioning that the day after Jesus' death was a "day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath" (Mark 15:42). In Jewish tradition, the Passover lambs were slaughtered on the afternoon of the day of Preparation before the Passover meal was eaten later that evening. This symbolic act aligns with the idea of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb, further reinforcing the link between his crucifixion and Passover.
Additionally, early Christian traditions and writings outside of the Bible also attest to this belief. For example, the early Christian writer Melito of Sardis, in his work "On Passover," explicitly connects Jesus' crucifixion with the Passover lamb sacrifice. He writes, "For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the old sour dough, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Here, Melito directly equates Christ with the paschal lamb, sacrificed during Passover, to emphasize the idea of Christ's sacrifice bringing salvation.
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Jesus's birth is celebrated annually on December 25
Although the exact date of Jesus's birth is not mentioned in the Bible, it is celebrated annually on December 25. This date was chosen due to its ancient origin and widespread acceptance, with fourth- and fifth-century writings mentioning it as a feast of Christ's birth. The early Christian treatise "De solstitiis et aequinoctiis" from the late fourth century AD also associates Jesus's birth with the "birthday of the sun" and Sol Invictus, falling on December 25.
Some scholars and historians believe that Jesus was born around 6 to 4 BC, during the reign of Herod the Great. Luke and Matthew's gospels associate Jesus's birth with Herod's rule, and Luke mentions a census decreed by Caesar Augustus during this time. However, the specific time of year is not indicated in the Bible, and there are no mentions of birth celebrations in early Christian writings.
Calculations based on the conception of John the Baptist, Jesus's cousin, suggest that Jesus may have been born in mid to late September. This calculation starts with the announcement of John's conception by Gabriel in Sivan (June) and adds six months to arrive at Kislev (December), then counts forward another nine months for human gestation, landing in Tishri (September). This timeline aligns with the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles, symbolising how Christ "tabernacled" with humanity.
Other dates have also been proposed for Jesus's birth. Some early Christians celebrated his birth on March 25 or April 19/20. Clement of Alexandria noted that Christians in Egypt believed in a May 20 birthdate. While the exact date remains uncertain, the annual celebration on December 25 is a widely accepted tradition.
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Some Christians believe Jesus was born in September
The Bible does not explicitly state when Jesus was born, but some Christians believe that he was born in September. This belief is based on several clues and calculations from the Bible, particularly from the Gospel of Luke.
One argument for a September birth is based on the timing of the birth of John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin. According to Luke, John's mother, Elizabeth, was Mary's cousin and was already six months pregnant when Mary conceived Jesus. If John was born in April, as some scholars suggest, Jesus would have been born in September.
Another clue is found in Luke's description of shepherds tending their flocks in the fields at night when Jesus was born. This suggests mild weather, which is more likely in September than in December. Additionally, it is argued that a Roman official would not have issued a decree for a census in December, as people would have had to travel through difficult terrain in Judea during the winter months.
The traditional date of December 25 for Christmas is believed to be related to pagan solstice festivals, such as the birthday of Sol Invictus, rather than based on historical evidence. However, some early Christians also associated Jesus' birth with the springtime Jewish holiday of Passover, resulting in a possible birthdate of March 25.
While the debate over Jesus' actual birth date is ongoing, most scholars agree that it likely occurred sometime between 6 and 4 BC, during the reign of Herod the Great. Ultimately, the exact date of Jesus' birth may never be known, and some argue that the spiritual significance of his birth is more important than the specific day or month.
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Frequently asked questions
The month of Jesus' birth is widely celebrated as December, specifically December 25. However, the Bible does not provide an exact date and the evidence is too incomplete for consistent dating.
The date of December 25 was chosen due to its ancient origin and widespread acceptance. The Christian treatise De solstitiis et aequinoctiis from the late fourth century AD associates Jesus's birth with the "birthday of the sun" and Sol Invictus.
Some sources speculate that Jesus was born in the month of Tishri, which falls in mid to late September. This speculation is based on the conception of John the Baptist, which is believed to have occurred in Sivan (June), and the announcement of Jesus' conception six months later in Kislev (December).
The significance of Jesus' birth date is that it marks the celebration of Christmas, which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time for joy, gift-giving, and family gatherings.
Most scholars believe that Jesus was born around 6 to 4 BC, with some specifically estimating the year to be 2 BCE.
