Christmas Facts and Myths
We’re only a few days from Christmas, so manger scenes and wise men are everywhere. But what really happened two-thousand years ago? Let’s look at a few Christmas facts and Christmas myths.
Was Mary a virgin?
Yes. Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-35 both affirm that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived and born.
Did angels appear to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds?
Yes. The appearance of an angel to Mary is described in Luke 1:26-38. The appearance of angels to the shepherds is described in Luke 2:8-14. And an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, as described in Matthew 1:20-23. (An angel also appeared to Joseph in a dream to tell him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath, per Matthew 2:13, and again to tell him to return to Israel, per Matthew 2:19-20.)
Was Jesus born in Bethlehem, and was he wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger?
Yes. This is confirmed by Luke 2:1-7.
Was Jesus born in 0 A.D.?
No. Per Matthew 2:1 and Luke 1:5, Jesus was born when Herod the Great was king of Judea. Since Herod died in 4 B.C., Jesus must have been born before that. Scholars estimate that He was born between 7 and 4 B.C., probably closer to the former.
Was Jesus born the same day Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem?
Probably not. The Bible does not say he was born the day they arrived, and Luke 2:6 implies that the birth happened at least a few days after their arrival: “While they were there [in Bethlehem], the days were completed for her to give birth.”
Was Jesus born in a stable because there was no room at the inn?
Very unlikely. Luke 2:7 does not say anything about a stable, only a “manger.” A manger was a feeding trough for animals. In first century Israel people often brought animals inside their homes at night for the safety of the animals and for the added warmth from their body heat. So many first century Jewish homes had mangers inside for the animals.
Also, “inn” is really a mistranslation. Luke 2:7 uses the Greek word, kataluma, which means “guest room.” Inns—as in Luke 10:34, Jesus’s parable of the Good Samaritan—were usually along trading routes and located in large towns. Bethlehem was neither.
In addition, Eastern hospitality traditions would have precluded turning away a relative, or even a stranger, and especially one with a pregnant wife. Since Joseph’s ancestors were from Bethlehem, he and Mary probably stayed with relatives there, at least until sometime after Jesus’ birth. What Luke 2:7 probably means is that Mary and Joseph stayed downstairs with the animals because the kataluma—which was upstairs—was full.
Was Jesus born on December 25th?
Doubtful. The first record we have of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336 A.D. A few years later Pope Julius I made December 25th the official date for celebrating Christmas.
The Bible does not tell us the month or day on which Jesus was born, or even the season. Many scholars point out that late December would be an unusual time for shepherds to be tending their flocks “out in the fields” at night—as stated in Luke 2:8—because the average low temperature in Bethlehem that time of year would be in the low 40s. They contend that the fall or spring is more likely, although this is hotly contested by many traditionalists.
Merry Christmas.
Next week: Facts and myths about the wise men
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