About Christmas

February 22, 2010 Radio

What did the first Christians believe and practice about Christmas?

• I know in a way that is a loaded question, because the word “Christmas” is found nowhere in the New Testament, nor is any noticeable celebration of Christmas as we know it.

• Among many Jews, birthday observance is eschewed as originating in Egypt, and that could have influenced many among the first Christians, most of whom were Jews.

• Whatever the case, there is nothing in the NT that so much as hints at celebrating Jesus’ birth.

• It could be argued that this fact does not militate against modern’s celebration, but that is not what interests me at this point.

• My question is what the first Christians believed and practiced relative to Jesus’ nativity.

I came across an interesting item published by the American Presbyterian Church, apparently published after last Christmas:

In the recent holiday season many Christians have been merrily, joyously, and some perhaps even seriously, solemnly, and reverently, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. However, one wonders how many gave any significant thought to the issue of when was Christ born. If they had they would quickly have discovered that despite all the mythology and legend that surrounds this holiday season, we really do not know when Christ was born. We know neither the year, nor the month, nor the day. For that matter we don’t know the time of day either. God in his wisdom has chosen not to reveal to us anything concerning the exact date of this momentous event so long foretold by the prophets and awaited by the faithful.

• They were, of course, dead right.

• That said, though, I think we can safely assume that the first Christians knew when Jesus was born, at least roughly, because Luke records events that seasonally place Jesus’ birth.

Luke begins his Gospel with the story of another birth—that of John the Baptist. “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us” (Luke 1:1 KJV).

• This I take to mean we can safely consider that in Luke’s Gospel we have a statement of things that were widely believed among the first Christians.

Luke seems to imply that, while he was not an eyewitness of all the events, he had systematically collected them and set them in order. “Even as they which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; delivered them unto us, It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth” (vv. 2-5).

• That this man was of the course of Abijah seems irrelevant at first, but maybe not.

• The priestly courses are laid out carefully in 1 Chronicles 24.

• It appears that lots were cast among the priests who were eligible at the time. The eighth lot fell to a priest named Abijah—a descendent of the priestly line.

• So, Zacharias would have been serving eight weeks after the new year that began just before Passover, or 8 weeks after what is called the Jewish New Year in the autumn.

• The article by the American Presbyterian church offered other reasons that point strongly to the early summer course of the priest.

“And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men (vv. 6-25).

• This was a hugely important event in Christian history, for John’s role was crucial in the fulfillment of prophecy and in laying the groundwork for Jesus’ work and ministry.

• It places the conception of John the Baptist in June, and the angel’s visit to Mary in December, and Jesus’ birth in Late September, or early October.

•

Did the first Christians know this? How could they not know it? Luke learned all this from them in the first place.

• So, what did they do about it?

• Apparently, not much.

• J.W. Bullinger places the birth of Jesus on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, and that may account for a lot.

• It would not have been surprising to the first Christians that Jesus advent would have coincided with a great feast.

• They knew well enough that the festivals were God’s appointments, and he tended to act on those days. So, a celebration of Jesus’ birth would have, if anything, been subsumed into the Feast of Tabernacles.

We can add to this that many Jewish rabbis teach that the only example of a birthday in the Bible is one observed in honor of Pharaoh, and since they were exhorted against observing the customs of the Egyptians, they abstained. More important to Jews was the bar or bat mizvah celebration of coming of age. So, it is not unreasonable to assume that the First Christians being mostly Jews, never gave it a second thought.

Yet, the birth of Jesus had to be a very big event in their minds, and we still have to wonder what they believed and what they did, if anything.

Matthew is the only other Gospel that remarks on Jesus birth. Mark doesn’t mention it at all.

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: {25} And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:18-25 KJV).

There is a hint, of sorts, in the beginning of John’s Gospel. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [Greek, camped or tabernacled) among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-14 KJV).

Toward the end of the generation that had seen and touched Jesus, there were some hare-brained ideas about him that began to arise.

• But that first generation of Christians had seen him crucified; some had watched him bleed and seen him buried.

• And there were witnesses who saw him as a babe.

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth” (Luke 2:1-39 KJV).

• God only knows how many people actually got to hold this child in their arms.

• I can’t even imagine the awe one would have felt holding him.

• The way he came into the world was a great miracle, and wondered at by many at the time.

But later there were some who apparently did not believe that Jesus was truly flesh and blood.

You get hints of it in later letters. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1 KJV).

This is the same John who introduced Jesus as the Word, but recorded nothing of his birth.

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world (1 John 4:1-3 KJV).

“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 1:6-7 KJV).

I think we can safely conclude that the First Christians knew nothing of Christmas as we know it. It was a later invention, as was the date for it. But they likely knew well enough:

a. That he was born. The significance of that is that he came into the world like the rest of us.

b. And they knew roughly when—in the autumn, around the Feast of Tabernacles. Which, strangely, few Christians nowadays, even notice.

Can you even imagine the First Christians with a legend of Santa Claus and Christmas trees?

Me neither.