Western Christians differ from their Eastern counterparts in the timing of their celebrations of the birth of Jesus. In the West, Catholics and Protestants observe this event on December 25th, while Orthodox Christians in the East celebrate it on January 7th each year. The celebration, known in English as “Christmas” and in French as “Noël,” originates from the Latin word nativitas (birth). However, the tradition of celebrating Christmas did not begin until the mid-fourth century, following the Roman Empire’s conversion to Christianity under Emperor Constantine. The selection of December 25th as the date of the celebration remains unclear, though this date coincided with the Roman celebration of “Helios,” the sun god, prior to the empire’s adoption of Christianity.
The details we have about the life of Jesus come primarily from the Qur’an and, to some extent, from the New Testament (the Bible of Christians today). These sources offer limited information about his birth and life. The Qur’an does not specify a date for the birth of Jesus (Isa ibn Maryam) nor his death, nor does it mention a precise location for his birth, other than describing it as “a place to the east” relative to the residence of his mother Mary’s family.
As for the four Gospels of the New Testament, neither Mark nor John mention the birth of Jesus. However, Matthew and Luke provide differing accounts regarding the timing and location of his birth. The Gospel of Matthew states that Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod, who passed away in 4 BCE. Conversely, the Gospel of Luke suggests that his birth occurred during the Roman census, which took place in 6 CE.
Matthew’s account reads: “When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired where the Christ was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea…’ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.’ After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.”
The Greek Taxes
From these accounts, we find that Jesus’ birth was tied to two different time frames: one during the reign of Herod, and the other during the Roman census. Neither account, however, specifies the exact day or month of his birth. Thus, the two primary sources from the Gospels differ significantly in pinpointing the date of this event.
Even as we enter the third millennium of the Gregorian calendar, there remains no definitive historical information about the life of Jesus. It was once believed that the Gospel writers recorded firsthand accounts of events they themselves witnessed. However, this assumption has been disproven, as the earliest of the Gospels available to us was written approximately half a century after the events it describes. Furthermore, these texts underwent revisions during the second century CE.
According to the Gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod, who ruled Palestine for forty years and passed away in 4 BCE. Following his birth, Mary fled with her son to Egypt to protect him from the king’s wrath. Prophecies had identified the time and place of Jesus’ birth, suggesting he would one day claim the throne of David. Mary and her child only returned to Palestine after Herod’s death, settling in Nazareth, a town in Galilee (northern Palestine).
Why Was Jesus’ Birth Placed in Winter?
The assignment of Jesus’ birth to winter appears to be a coincidence. Bishop Barnes explains that December 25th coincided with a major pagan Roman festival celebrating the Sun. The Church, unable to abolish this popular holiday, incorporated it into its own traditions as a celebration of the “Sun of Righteousness.” This practice became an established custom from that point onward. The decision to celebrate Christmas in December among Western Christians was finalized after lengthy discussions around the year 300 CE. This view, supported by Bishop Barnes, is referenced in both the Encyclopedia Britannica (15th edition, Volume 5, pages 642–643) and the Chamber’s Encyclopedia.
