Christmas

Can we find the word "Christmas" in the bible? 

Are the practices during Christmas have bible basis?

Is DEC. 25 the true date of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Do we really know what Christmas is?

To answer this question, we should know its history, let us read wikipedia:

History

“In 1743, German Protestant Paul Ernst Jablonski argued Christmas was placed on December 25 to correspond with the Roman solar holiday Dies Natalis Solis Invicti and was therefore a "paganization" that debased the true church.”

Dies Natalis Solis Invicti means "the birthday of the unconquered Sun." The use of the title Sol Invictus allowed several solar deities to be worshipped collectively, including Elah-Gabal, a Syrian sun god; Sol, the god of Emperor Aurelian; and Mithras, a soldiers' god of Persian origin. Emperor Elagabalus (218–222) introduced the festival, and it reached the height of its popularity under Aurelian, who promoted it as an empire-wide holiday. This day had held no significance in the Roman festive calendar until it was introduced in the third century.

The festival was placed on the date of the solstice because this was on this day that the Sun reversed its southward retreat and proved itself to be "unconquered." Several early Christian writers connected the rebirth of the sun to the birth of Jesus. "O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born...Christ should be born", Cyprian wrote. John Chrysostom also commented on the connection: "They call it the 'Birthday of the Unconquered'. Who indeed is so unconquered as Our Lord . . .?"


Winter festival

Pagan Scandinavia celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in the late December to early January period. As Northern Europe was the last part to Christianize, its pagan traditions had a major influence on Christmas. Scandinavians still call Christmas Jul. In English, the word Yule is synonymous with Christmas, a usage first recorded in 900.

“……..Various writers of the time condemned caroling as lewd, indicating that the unruly traditions of Saturnalia and Yule may have continued in this form. "Misrule"—drunkenness, promiscuity, gambling—was also an important aspect of the festival.”


Feast established

The earliest reference to the date of the nativity on December 25 is found in the Chronography of 354, an illuminated manuscript compiled in Rome in 354. In the East, early Christians celebrated the birth of Christ as part of Epiphany (January 6), and this festival included the celebration of the baptism of Jesus.

Christmas was promoted in the Christian East as part of the revival of Catholicism following the death of the pro-Arian Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople in 378. The feast was introduced to Constantinople in 379, and to Antioch in about 380. The feast disappeared after Gregory of Nazianzus resigned as bishop in 381, although it was reintroduced by John Chrysostom in about 400.


NATIVITY OF JESUS

“Nativity scenes traditionally include the Three Wise Men, Balthazar, Melchior, and Caspar, and who are said to have followed a star, known as the Star of Bethlehem, and arrive at his birth. However, this conflicts with Biblical accounts in that their names and number are never mentioned nor is their arrival at his birth. (Matt. 2:7–8, 16). Likewise, the Bible makes no mention of farm animals, though their presence might be inferred because Mary laid her baby in a manger.”


CHRISTMAS TREE
"The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianization of a pagan tradition and ritual surrounding The winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs and an adaptation of pagan tree worship."

In the world of Catholics and Protestants, December 25 is a red letter day that people await so much anticipation. As we approach the end of the year, particularly this date, the festive mood of what many Christian-professing people call “Christmas” becomes all too evident. The homes, the streets, the parks, the malls and the department store—practically nook and cranny of town and cities—are adorned with Christmas decors and the air is filled with Christmas carols.

All these point to the fact that the annual tradition of celebrating the birth of the savior—the “Nativity festival”,--is just around corner. Truly, at this time of the year people are now busy preparing for the celebration of the yuletide season. 

But, Does the bible tell us to celebrate the birth of Jesus? Did the early Christians commemorate the birth of the lord and on Dec. 25 at that? 

Make no mistake about this. The INC or Church of Christ is not against celebrating the birth of the savior as it is written in the bible that on the day of Christ’s birth, a great heavenly host rejoiced and praised god. In Luke 2:13-14, this is recorded:

“Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel, praising God and saying: "Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God.""

The birth of Christ is a day of celebration and rejoicing. When Christ was born, the heavenly host praised and gave glory to God. 

Now, one might ask, if the nativity of birth is a day of rejoicing, why is it then the INC members do not participate in those activities that people, particularly Protestants and Catholics, do during this so called yuletide season? 

The answer is simple: It is because our Lord jesus Christ has nothing to do with the Dec. 25 celebration although he is supposed to be the center of the festivities. There is absolutely nothing in the bible, particularly the new testament, that specifieces Dec. 25 to be the birth date of the Lord jesus Christ.


Extra biblical sources

Because the bible is silent about this celebration, we can only refer to some extra biblical sources concerning the December festival’s origin and how it started.

What do these sources outside of the bible tell concerning Christmas? Can we be certain as to the right and exact date of the birth of Jesus? This is what authorities who have studied about this matter: 

“It is impossible to determine the exact date of the birth of Christ, either from the evidence of the gospels or from any sound tradition” Collier’s encyclopedia

There is no way we can be certain of the exact date of the birth jesus Christ because the gospels as well as reliable tradition simply do not give such information. The early Christians did not celebrate Christmas or the birthday of Jesus. This celebration simply cannot be traceable to them. The catholic book, The Externals of the catholic church by John F. Sullivan says:

“Celebration in Ancient times. How old is Christmas?... One would naturally think that the anniversary of so great an event as the birth of the son of god would have been a day of religious joy from the earliest years of the church; but it is clear that this was not the case. There is no mention of it in any oldest lists of church festivals.”

This Catholic author clearly states that the early Christians did not celebrate the birth of jesus and the commemoration of such was not included in the list of Church festivals during its early years.

 
It’s a myth

Since the celebration of Christmas did not come from the bible and from the early Christians, there are those who have studied Church history who simply regard the feast of the nativity, otherwise known as Christmas, as a myth: 

“The most widespread myth in the Christendom is that of Christmas. Those who take the Bethlehem birth story as history readily accept the traditional date of Christ’s birthday. But all branches of the church agree that no data exists for determining the day, month, or year of the event, nor was such festival celebrated in Apostolic or early post-apostolic times.” Paganism to Christianity in the roman empire

This book was quoted dismisses Christmas to be just a myth simply because there are no existing data, especially from the bible that determine the day, month or year of the vent. It should not come as a surprise then that the Christians in apostolic and early post-apostolic times did not celebrate the so-called birth of our lord Jesus Christ on Dec. 25. 

To what can we trace hen the origin of Christmas? If it is not from the bible, and the early Christians did not celebrate it, that’s why it is not included in their lists of festivals, when did this celebration just start?

John F. Sullivan sheds some light on this: 

“In part of the church which follows the Latin rite, the celebration of Christmas on the twenty-fifth of December was begun probably about the middle of the fourth century. An ancient tradition assigned that day as the probable date of the great mystery of the Nativity.” The externals of the Catholic church

The celebration of Christmas on Dec. 25 only started about the middle of the fourth century. The bible had already been long written when this celebration came about.

Thus, in the calendar of Catholic Church festivals, when was the first celebration of Christmas on Dec. 25? 

The book, A dictionary of Comparative Religion, provides the information: 

“Christmas, the exact time of year of jesus’ birth is not indicated in the gospels. Earliest mention of its commemoration on 25 Dec. is in Philocalian Calendar, showing Roman custom in 336.”

If the philocalian Calendar were to be relied on, the first Dec. 25 Christmas celebration would have been in “AD 336”. This tradition came more than three centuries after the blessed and joyous birth of Christ in Bethlehem in the first century. By the time people began celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25, Christ had long ascended to heaven, and certainly he did not have anything to do with this date, and with this tradition of celebrating his birthday.

Moreover, the apostles also had long been gone, so they could not have been the source of designating this date, for they been, they could have explicitly mentioned it in their inspired writing of the new testament. They could not have missed such an important date, the birth of the savior, in their writings.


It couldn’t have been December 25!

Not only the bible silent on the exact date of our Lord jesus, it even gives evidences contrary to what have been traditionally known as Christ’s birthday. Here is the account of Luke regarding Christ’s birth: 

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register ” “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galileo to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

He went there to register with Mary, who has pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because ethere was no room for them in the inn.”

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” Luke 2:1-8

Christ was born during the time of Augustus Caesar, When the roman census was in progress. On that day when Jesus was born, there were shepherds out in the fields keeping watch their flocks at night. Based on this biblical account, The Catholic encyclopedia, on the topic “Christmas”, gives these findings concerning Dec. 25 as the alleged date of the savior’s birth:

“ORIGIN OF DATE—concerning the date of Christ’s birth the gospels give no help; indeed, upon their data contradictory arguments are based. The census would have been impossible in winter:… Authorities moreover differ as to whether shepherds could or would keep flocks exposed during the nights of the rainy season.”

According to bible scholars, biblical account on the Nativity gives evidences to the contrary that Christ was born on Dec. 25. The roman census could not have been taken during the winter season and shepherds could not have risked exposing their flocks at night during such season. In view of this, the birthdate of Jesus could not have been Dec. 25.

 
Who appointed the date?


In the absence of New testament basis, who then was responsible in selecting and designating Dec. 25 as the date of the so-called Nativity Festival?

The handbook of Catholic practices by Catherine Frederick gives this piece of information:

“Formerly, Christmas was celebrated on January 6, but pope Julius I, at the beginning of the fourth century, changed the day to Dec. 25, since the actual date is unknown.”

Christmas was originally celebrated on Jan. 6, but in the absence of an actual date, Pope Julus I changed it to Dec. 25. It is to this pope that Dec. 25 as the date of the Nativity is attributed.

But what actually influenced the selection of this date as the birth of jesus?

What were the surrounding circumstances that led to the choice?

The handbook of Christian feasts and customs by Francis Weisler sheds light on this:

“The choice of Dec. 25 was influenced by the fact that the Romans, from the time of Emperor Aurelian (275), had celebrated the feats of the sun god, (Sol Invictus: the Unconquered Sun) on that day. Dec. 25 was called the
“Birthday of the sun” and great pagan religious celebrations of the Mithras cult were held all through the empire.

What was more natural that that the Christians celebrate the birth of him who was the “Light of the world” and the true “Son of justice” on this very day?”

The choice of this date was influenced by the pagan religious celebrations of Mithras cult in the Roman Empire. It was deemed natural that Christian-professing people during those times celebrate the birth of Christ with that of Sol invictus. And the reason is simple: 

“The pagan Saturnalia and brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence. The recognition of Sunday (the day of Phoebus and Mithras as well as the Lord’s Day) by the emperor Constantine as legal holiday, along with the influence of Manicheism, which identified the Son of god with the physical Sun, may have led Christians of the fourth century to feel the appropriateness of making the birthday of the son of god coincide with that of the physical sun.

The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit or in manner.” The new Schaff-herzog Encyclopedia of Religious knowledge

It is clear that the Dec. 25 tradition is not only bereft of biblical basis but also daubed with pagan influences. Historian walter Hyde Woodburn could not have been more right when concluded that “there is ample evidence that the origin of Christmas is found in pagan heliolatry which, as we saw in chapter viii, culminated at rome under Aurelian in 374” (Paganism to Christianity in the Roman Empire). 

In the face of such overwhelming historical evidences, Christmas , definitely, is not the birthday of our lord Jesus Christ but the Romans’ pagan sun god, Sol Invictus. No wonder early Christians did not celebrate Christmas or the feast of the Nativity. They would not have, because they knew that paganism is opposed to Christianity and anything pagan is abhorrent to Christ who is supposed to be the celebrator on this date. In reality, it is not Christ who is being honored on his purposed birthday, but a pagan god.

 
Christianization of Pagan Festival

How the alleged birthday of our lord jesus Christ, the founder of true Christianity, was imbued with pagan influences is explained in the book Early Christian Art by Eduard Syndicus:

“The Christianization of the worship of the sun god produced the Christmas festival… Aurelian (270-5) made Dec. 25^th, the sun god’s birthday; an imperial festival. After the victory of the church it was taken over as the birthday of the true sun, as Christmas.”

The festival that used to be a celebration of the pagan sun god was adopted and Christianized and it became what Christian-professing people today celebrate as Christmas. This happened when the church emerged victorious in the roman Empire. But it was not only the date that was taken from pagan practices and then adopted in the celebration of Christmas. Even the use of Christmas lanterns and candles, associated with the Nativity celebration, was of pagan origin as stated in the book The two babylons or the papal worship by Alexander Hislop: 

“The candles, in some parts of England, lighted on Christmas eve And used so long as the festive season lasts, were equally lighted by the pagans on the eve of the festival of the Babylonian god, to do honor to him: for it was one of the distinguishing peculiarities of his worship to have lighted wax-candles on his altars.”

The lighting of Candles on Christmas eve and during Christmas season was copied from the celebration of the pagan god. And how about the Christmas trees that are so ubiquitous during the yuletide season, where did the use of such originate? The same book gives us information:

“The Christmas tree, now so common among us, was equally common in Pagan Rome and Pagan Egypt. In Egypt that tree was the palm tree; in Rome it was a fir; the palm tree denoting the Pagan messiah, as Baal-Tamar, the fir referring to him as baal-Berith.”

Even the use of Christmas trees in the celebration of the Nativity Festival traces its origin to pagan tree worship. And these are just some of the things, among the many, that are associated with Christmas, that trace their origin to paganism. That’s why members of the Church of Christ or Iglesia ni cristo do not take part in the celebration of Christmas.

Not because we were anti-social or we are against fostering peace and goodwill among men, or we are against rejoicing the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. It is simply because the bible does not command us to celebrate Christ’s birth annually in the same way that the people of this world do. But the more compelling reason is that the Dec. 25 tradition is not only unbiblical and un-christian, but also pagan in origin. Apostle Paul gives this strict instruction to the Christians: 

“In particular, I want to urge you in the name of the lord, not to on living the aimless kind of life that pagans live. Intellectually they are in the dark, and they are estranged from the life of God, without knowledge because they have shut their hearts to it.” Eph. 4:17-18, Jerusalem bible

True Christians ought not to follow the ways and practices of the pagans especially in matters concerning their faith and service to God and to Jesus Christ.