What is the actual birthday of Jesus Christ?

Answer 1

No one knows

Answer:

There is one study that traces Jesus' birth through the birth account of John the Baptist in the book of Luke. Mary, Elisabeth's cousin, was visited by the archangel, Gabriel, in Elisabeth's "sixth month" of pregnancy with John, which places Jesus' "conception" around our December, rather than His birth date.

A nine month pregnancy for Mary, then, would have put Jesus' birth date sometime in our "September"... right around the time of the FEAST OF TABERNACLES... when the Son of God "tabernacled with men."

John records: "And the Word was made flesh, and DWELTamong us..." (John 1:14).

The Literal Bible and Strong's Definitions says of this passage: "And the Word flesh became. And PITCHED {HIS} TENT among us...".

This is unique wording in The Bible regarding Jesus' birth. Strong's Definitions: "skenoo" (skay-no'-o) to tent or encamp, i.e. (figuratively) to occupy (as a mansion) or (specifically) to reside (AS GOD DID IN THE TABERNACLE OF OLD, a symbol of protection and communion): KJV - dwell."

In other words, John 1:14 can be translated: "...the Word was made flesh, and TABERNACLED among us...".

So, this particular Bible study puts Jesus' birth on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles that particular year. This would account for the "traveling" of Mary and Joseph... as well as all of Judea. Herod is reputed to have taken advantage of this annual mass migration of the Jews who would normally go to Jerusalem for the Feast, to take a census (a taxation, registry). Whereupon, he commanded that they all go to the places of their nativity, instead, that year... which landed Joseph in Bethlehem.

The overcrowded hustle and bustle conditions of the Feast time forced their taking shelter in the "manger"... "...because there was no room for them in the inn..." (Luke 2:7)... and the rest is history. Eight days later, on the Last Great Day of the feast, Jesus was circumcised, according to the law.

"And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, His name was called Jesus..." (Luke 2:21).

This is as close as anyone can get to knowing Jesus' birth date. Of course, we need to know exactly what year that was, to figure the exact day of the month... but God doesn't observe birthdays. He observes "death days":

"...A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth." (Eccle.7:1)

It's interesting, therefore, that Jesus' DEATH is remembered in another of God's annual Holy Days - the Passover.

"...THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME." (Luke 22:19)

Answer 2

Jesus' "true" birthday is unknown, because it doesn't matter.

If God wanted man to celebrate the birth of Christ, doesn't it make sense that He would have told us WITHOUT A DOUBT when it took place? And that He would make clear HOW He wanted it celebrated? Wouldn't the nativity story be found in all four gospels rather than only two?

Truth is, Christians are only told to celebrate the victory Christ accomplished with His resurrection, and memorialize IT by partaking of communion (Luke 22:19). No other celebration or memorial practice regarding Jesus is to be found in scripture.

The gospels tell of His birth in order to affirm that He was the promised Messiah, and that we might see its miraculous nature and take note of its humble circumstances - not to encourage us to throw Jesus a "birthday party." The carnal mind attaches significance to such things, but spiritually, it is unwarranted. What matters isn't when He was born...only THAT He was born. [Not to mention the fact that Jesus has always existed - only his "earthly incarnation" was "born."]

Answer 3

If we seek the true date for the birth of Christ, we look beyond faith and tradition. We have to be sure that Jesus was really a historical person who was indeed born around the beginning of the first century, because some scholars believe that Christianity predates the story of Jesus of Nazareth. They say that Paul, in his epistles, does not appear to realise that Jesus was a person who had lived and died in Palestine in the recent past, and that he even shows no interest in visiting any of the places associated with Jesus of Nazareth. Another early Christian book, Hebrews, never mentions Jesus as a person who lived on earth and simply portrays him as a high priest in heaven.

If the answer is to be found in the gospels, then it must come from Matthew's Gospel or Luke's Gospel. Both say that Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod, but Luke also provides information that he was born during a census undertaken by Quirinius when he was governor of Syria. This is a problem, because Quirinius was not appointed to Syria until 6 CE, whereas Herod died ten years earlier, in April 4 BCE. Raymond E. Brown (An Introduction to the New Testament) say the best explanation is that, although Luke likes to set his Christian drama in the context of well-known events from antiquity, sometimes he does so inaccurately. So, Luke's Gospel must be discounted as a source of information on the birth of Jesus. When we discount Luke's Gospel, we must also discount the story of the shepherds watching their flocks at night, which might otherwise lead us to a conclusion that Jesus was born during the warmer months.

Matthew suggests that Jesus was born some years before the death of Herod, perhaps 6 to 10 BCE, or even earlier, but does not provide any indication as to what time of year it was. Even this gospel may not be entirely reliable, since Bishop Spong describes its story of the magi ('wise men') as Christian midrash.

So we do not know the year that Jesus was born, although Matthew tells us that it was during the reign of King Herod and probably some years before Herod's death in April 4 BCE. Nothing is known regarding the month or day Jesus was born, since December 25th was only selected as the date to celebrate his birth during the fourth century.

Answer 4

The Scripture does not give an exact date. However, via the simple statements in the Gospel that shepherds were with their flocks in the fields (Luke 2:7-8), most scholars now believe this was during the Fall of the year and not the Winter. It is in the Fall that the Feast of Trumpets occurs and this would be an appropriate time for the King of kings to be born as a man.

As for the probable year, Luke 2:1-2 says Jesus was born during the reign of Caesar Augustus and the time of the first census when Quirinius was governor. Also, Herod the Great was still alive. It is thought that he dies somewhere during 4/3 BC. There are some records indicating Quirinius was governing in 4 BC. Given this information, many point to the birth of Christ in late September 4 BC.

Answer 5

It is not known. It is thought to be around 4 BC.

Answer 6

Jan 13