An article about early Christian writings describing the date of Jesus' Birth.

[dhermann1]

For a long time I've subscribed to the theory that the date of Christmas was fixed on Dec. 25th by early (like 3rd or 4th century) church fathers, to compete with the Roman and Pagan holidays. This article makes the whole thing a lot more moot, and a lot more interesting.
http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/christmas.asp

 

[Miss Neecerie]

oh...-this- is a good idea for a thread...:eusa_doh:

 

[dhermann1]

Oh, geez. I hope it doesn't start a forest fire!

 

[Miss Neecerie]

It's like gram always said...

Never talk politics or religion....

Wise words really

 

[Undertow]

Quite interesting, thank you!

 

[Dixon Cannon]

You know me!!!...

I'm standing by with a gallon of gasoline and box full of kitchen matches! Shall I get started now, or wait til the first chapter and verse is quoted???

Religion and politics - my favorite subjects! Who's ready to rumble??? lol

-dixon 'provocateur' cannon

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Very interesting, and really not about religion but detective work imo.

 

[Paisley]

Interesting article! I'd never heard of the second theory.

 

[Foofoogal]

on a side note I have always wondered about the fire they were all sitting around when Peter heard the cock crow at Easter.
Is it cold in Jerusalem in April?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091221/lf_nm_life/us_israel_jesus_1
is this what started this today?

 

[Foofoogal]

everyone that cares to read the Bible needs a Strongs Concordance and a Halleys Handbook.
I am fascinated with Archeology ever since I went on a field trip with my sons class to a dig.
http://www.bib-arch.org/

 

[Andykev]

DUH

on a side note I have always wondered about the fire they were all sitting around when Peter heard the cock crow at Easter.
Is it cold in Jerusalem in April?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091221/lf_nm_life/us_israel_jesus_1
is this what started this today?

No, they liked their dinner cold. Oh, it was a BBQ. Oh, the microwave wasn't plugged in, that's it!

 

[dhermann1]

Actually, it can get quite chilly in the Middle East, even when it's warm in the day time, it can cool off at night.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Actually, it can get quite chilly in the Middle East, even when it's warm in the day time, it can cool off at night.

Hot in the day and chilly at night because of the lack of the moderating effect of water. It is as dry as my post........

 

[Anneloes]

Hm, interesting! I knew about the theory that the date of Christmas was adapted to pagan holidays, and about how they put the date of his conception exactly nine months before December 25, but never thought about reasoning the other way around. I had never heard of the notion that he was presumably born and crucified on the same day of the year.

 

[reetpleat]

on a side note I have always wondered about the fire they were all sitting around when Peter heard the cock crow at Easter.
Is it cold in Jerusalem in April?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091221/lf_nm_life/us_israel_jesus_1
is this what started this today?

I don't know about Jerusalem, but the desert gets quite cold at night.

As for the thread, i see no reason why anyone should get at cross purposes. If you are a christian or care for other reasons, so be it. if you aren't or don't, then don't come to this thread again.

 

[reetpleat]

wouldn't there be a record of the roman census? Whenever that was, if the story from the bible is true, is when he was born.

 

[Geesie]

wouldn't there be a record of the roman census? Whenever that was, if the story from the bible is true, is when he was born.

Doesn't work. The census was taken a few years after Herod's reign, so Luke was probably mistaken.

 

[Dr Doran]

No records of Jesus exist from Roman non-christian sources from the period of his life. Non-christian sources mention a group of Christiani but these sources date from after Jesus' death.

Philostratos describes a wandering magic-worker named Apollonius of Tyana who is very similar to Jesus.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.livius.org/caa-can/caiaphas/caiaphas.htm

I found the priest.

http://www.livius.org/judaea.html

http://www.livius.org/men-mh/messiah/messianic_claimants05.html

as I have not read this information. I am just throwing it out here.

 

[Wally_Hood]

FWIW, my take is since there is no Biblical imperative (i.e., a commandment, or an implied directive) to observe or celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus, I focus on that for which there is an imperative, i.e., Communion or Lord's Supper, baptism, the assembling together, and so on.

Which is not to say I don't celebrate Christmas- I do! It's just not, for me, about the birth of the Savior.