whataboutchristbirth

What about Christ birth?
church of Christ

The United States and many other countries around the world celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25. None more so then those of the religious world. Who put a religious meaning to this day or season? Was it God or man? Many things are taught about it. Are they all true? I as a Christian had a great need or desire to know if this day and the things that are taught are from God's word or man thoughts or ideas. For it could cost me my soul. So with this in mind let us study what God's word has to say about it. We will begin our study in Matt. chapter 1. It teaches that Mary a virgin was with child and she was chosen by God to be the earthly mother of Jesus. That she conceived in the womb by the Holy Ghost. We also learned that Joseph was to raise Jesus as his own. Here is a little background or history of the culture of these people in that time and place. The bible tells us that she was espoused or engaged(Matt. 1:18) to Joseph but it also tells us she was his wife(Matt. 1:19) can both be true? Yes they can. The engagement was a far more important ceremony to them. They would celebrate the engagement for days. At the point of being engaged they were considered each other husband and wife, but the physical act of coming together(or having sex) was not done until after the marriage ceremony had taken place. The marriage ceremony was not done with a big party like the engagement was. This is why Joseph was alone and Mary was not by his side when he slept, when the angel came and spoke to him in a dream in v. 20 & 24. This baby that Mary carried was to be called Jesus and Emmanuel meaning "God is with us" v. 21 & 23. He was to save us from our sins. Now the world does teach most of these things and I do agree with them for God's word tell me this is so.

Now let us move on to the next chapter of Matt. In chapter two of Matt. it tells of Christ being born in Bethlehem in the reign of kind Herod (v.1). Also in v. 1 it tells us about wise men coming from the east and that they had seen his star also in the east(not over were he was born). v.2 states they came to worship the King of the Jews. Now remember king Herod was considered the king of the Jews in Jerusalem at that time. Can you imagine how Herod took this news. In v. 3 king Herod and the people seem to be shocked at what the wise men told them about Jesus. Now let us stop here for a minute and look back on these verses. If you note in v.1 it never tell us how many wise men there were but the world teaches us that there was three. It could have been 3, but all we really know is it was more then one. It also tells us that they came from the east but many teach they came from the Orient. Now this could be so of course or any other country in the east. Do you remember singing " We three kings". But God's word does not give us this information.

In v. 11 it does tell us that three gifts were given, but how many each gave or how many gave it, the bible is silent on. Now let us talk about the star mentioned in v. 2,7,9,10. It tell us the star was in the east not over where Christ was born at as some teach. Once the wise men left after speaking to king Herod, then the star lead them to where Christ the child was. Jesus was not in a manger but a house then.( read v. 11). Please note that Christ is always referred to as a young child in this chapter, not as a babe like it does in Luke. The bible shows in v. 2 & 9 that Herod did not know where or when Jesus was born, for he ask the wise men privately about it, obviously he had no understanding of the books of the old testament that spoke of Christ coming. From the information the wise men must have gave him of the time frame, he commanded that all children from two years and younger to be killed, trying to make sure he killed Jesus who he thought was a threat to him being king. It is for certain that king Herod was not doing any praising because of Christ birth. You have to remember it took time for these wise men to travel from their country to where Jesus was so the time frame of two years make sense. There were no planes, trains, or cars for them to take. In our study so far, we have seen that many things we have been taught and believed about this holiday from the world the bible never speaks of. If they bible doesn't tells us these thing then they must of come from man and his ideas.

Now let us study Luke chap. 2. Could have Jesus been born on December 25? What does the bible say so we might know. v.1-5 The time of Christ birth, was also the time for the Roman taxes to be paid by all the world, this included all the Jews. They were made to go back to the place that their lineage(or house) was from. Would it have been wise for the Romans to have people travel from far off in the winter month of December? Joseph and Mary both were from the line or seed of David(by different brothers or son's of David). I am sure that Bethlehem was running over with people that were from the seed of David just from David himself and his one son Soloman, that's not including all his other sons seeds. For they had many wife's and concubines, remember. During this time Mary was very close to having her baby. Some teach Mary traveled to Bethehem on a donkey, the bible said nothing about this. v.7 She brought forth her first born son meaning she had other children beside Jesus, even though many teach she never had anymore children. The bible teaches us this is false, read Mark 6:31 and Matt. 13:55-56 for yourself and see.

In v. 8-14 tells us about shepherds in the field in the same country as Mary and Joseph were. Why where these shepherds out in the field for? Were they letting their sheep eat. Why? In the winter time when nothing would have been green or growing. The weather in this area in December averages about 44 degrees in the day time and many times freezing during the night. What reason then would the shepherds have to be in the fields for then in the winter month of December none that I can see. The common pratice was to keep their sheep in the field from April-October. They were told by one angel about Christ birth. The bible then tells us suddenly there was with the one angel a multitude of angels. Praising God and saying not singing as so many of our Christmas songs tell us that the angels did.

Luke ch.2 v.16 Never tells us that the shepherds followed a star to where Jesus was as the world teaches us. The bible teaches us there was no drummer boy there or does it mention animals all about the manger with them talking about the birth of Jesus as some teaches either. There is no given date for Christ birth in the bible. Nor a command from God for it to be a religious holiday. Has man then added things to God's word to recognized it as one.(Rev.22:18) If most of the world's view on this bible story is false, have you ever thought how much more they teach that can be wrong. The bible never gives us an date of when Christ birth took place. The first century Christians never took part in such a holiday. But most of all it does not command us to celebrate December 25 as Christ birthday. You will hear some say well I know this wasn't the date but!!! or other who really do believe the bible tells us that it is Christ birthday. So just as the Jews of old who followed the traditions of their fathers and sinned. Are you going to follow the traditions of yours fathers and sin also.

A side note on this subject. A young brother in Christ had these thoughts on the subject of Christmas. We teach that Santa Claus is almost like God for he know everything, if were good or bad, if we are sleeping or awake. The use of magic is an evil sin in God's eyes and that he(Santa) knows all the people that live in the world as God does. When we teach our children about there being a Santa Claus we lie to them and God hates a lying tongue.

Now there are many more examples that could be give about this holiday and all the false teaching that goes with it but enough was said here that I will say to you "Judge for yourself" please. For your soul is at stake and it is the most important thing you have.