CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS? Andrew Larkin
Was Jesus born in the year 0BC?
No, he was not. The reason we know this is because Herod the Great died in 4BC so his birth must have been before then. Scholars suggest it is likely to not have been before 7BC.
What was the star the magi saw?
There are different theories as to what the star could have been. It could have been Hayley’s comet, which was seen in 11 BC. It could have been a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which was seen several times in 7BC. It could, of course, have been a miraculous star. There are even suggestions the star was an angel of light, an idea John Chrysostom, among others suggested in the 4th century!
Was Jesus born on the 25th December?
He most probably was not. Some have suggested the date was chosen to coincide with Winter Solstice, emphasising Jesus is the light in the darkness.
Perhaps most common is the idea that, in the time of Constantine, the date was moved to December 25th in place of the pagan festival of Sol Invictus, the Sun God, worshipped in the Roman Empire. However, there is some debate around this. The first celebration of Christmas was AD 336 whilst, it seems, the first celebration of Sol Invictus was AD 274. However, there is the possibility that Christmas was celebrated on 25th December before AD 336 in North Africa which suggested no direct link with Sol Invictus.
Even if Sol Invictus came first, there is a difference, as Kevin DeYoung writes,
“…between roots that suggest a rip-off and roots that suggest a rebuke. The presence of some connection between a Christian celebration and a pagan celebration could imply a synchronistic copy-cat (“Hey, let’s Christianize this popular pagan holiday so as to make our celebration more palatable”), or it could mean a deliberate rejection (“Hey, this pagan holiday is horrible, so let’s put something distinctively Christian in its place”). After the conversion of Constantine in the fourth century, Christians did sometimes adapt and Christianize pagan festivals. Whether they did so wisely and effectively is open to historical debate, but the motivation was to transform the paganism of the Roman world rather than raze it to the ground. Even if Christmas was plopped down on December 25 because of Saturnalia and Sol Invictus, that by itself does not entail that the Christian celebration of Christ’s birth really began as a pagan festival.” For the whole article, go to: https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/is-christmas-a-pagan-rip-off
However, there is another possibility. In Jonathan Gibson’s devotional, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, he writes, “Contrary to popular opinion, the date of Christ’s birth on December 25 is not due to a pagan holiday that has been repurposed by Christians; rather, the date is based on a belief that Christ died around the same time he was conceived. The two dates commonly held for his death are March 25 (in the Western church) and April 6 (in the Eastern church). If this was the date on which he was also conceived, then his birth would have been around December 25 or January 6, depending on the respective church tradition.”
Is it ok to have Christmas trees in our home?
Some have argued, on the basis of Jeremiah 10:1-5 that Christians should not have Christmas trees in their homes, particularly because of vv.3-4 which reads:
For the practices of the peoples are worthless;
they cut a tree out of the forest,
and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
They adorn it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammer and nails
so it will not totter.
Eugene Peterson famously recounts the time his Mum read this verse and so decided they would not have a tree in the house, much to his uncle’s consternation.
A moment’s pause should help us see this is not about Christmas trees. First, they did not have Christmas trees in the Ancient Near East at the time. Secondly, Jeremiah is not condemning Christmas trees which look nice and add festivity to a home but the practice of carving down trees to worship them as idols. Idols, not Christmas trees is the issues. It can be a pain to clean up and pack down or throw away in January, for sure, but that is a different issue! ;-)
So, should we celebrate Christmas?
Christmas has been commercialised and there can be a lot of pressure on people around this time of year. Due to this, or the possible connections with Sol Invictus, many Christians choose not to celebrate Christmas. Fair enough. Others, however, do celebrate the Christmas season - commemorating the birth of Christ and enjoying the festivities with presents, food and drink and having fun.
In Romans 14, Paul speaks about those in the church who differ on certain issues and can disagree agreeably. Earlier, he talks of those who eat meat and those who only eat vegetables. Here, he writes:
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
I think this is helpful when thinking about celebrating Christmas. Some don’t want to; others do. Either way, let each be fully convinced in their own mind and let us not look down on others who choose a different option.
For my part, I have enjoyed my time in Advent this year which is getting me ready for Christmas. It is one of my favourite times of the year, I enjoy the good gifts we give and receive, and I am grateful to spend time in awe afresh at the birth of Jesus, the Word made flesh. I think this is worth celebrating…and I plan on doing so.
If you are celebrating, Merry Christmas one and al. If you are not, Happy Monday 25th December – as you were :-)