Tradition Vs Truth

Every December, the world lights up with nativity scenes and songs. Tradition holds that Jesus was born on December 25th. However, God's Word provides us with clues that point elsewhere.

The question is:

Do we accept tradition, or do we search the Scriptures for truth?

Luke says the shepherds were “living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). In Judea, that happens from spring through autumn.

Joseph and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, went to Bethlehem for a census (Luke 2:1–5). A mass registration in the middle of winter???

That's a bit hard to imagine, and it's unlikely to be the case.

However, in the autumn, after the harvest, before the rains, now that fits!

Then, there’s Zechariah - John "The Baptizer's" Dad. He served in the temple during the division of Abijah (Luke 1:5), the 8th division, which suggests a date in early summer - Let's say June. You can go back to (1 Chronicles 24:10) to see how King David split this up and deduce the time frame for yourself.

Now, John the Baptist was conceived "after these days", and six months later, the Angel Gabriel visited Mary, the Mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26,36). That places Jesus' Immaculate Conception, not His birth, around December; His actual birth would then most likely be in September or October, about nine months later.

And hang on to your stockings for this part...

John reminds us: “The Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled] among us” (John 1:14). And if Jesus was indeed born in the fall during the "Feast of Tabernacles", the picture being painted here is quite impressive of God dwelling with His people; another way to say this could be the Feast of Dwelling!

So then we're left asking ourselves who picked December 25 and why?

In the 3rd century, the Roman leader Emperor Aurelian fixed that date as the feast of the Unconquered Sun.

About 75 years later, Julius I, the bishop of the Roman church at that time, was in office when this transition happened. The date of December 25 began to be aligned with the birth of the Messiah, perhaps, and we can only hope, in an effort to draw people away from pagan festivals and point them toward the true Light of the World (John 8:12). Their intent may not have been wrong, but tradition is tradition and Scripture is Scripture.

Even our modern and obviously manipulated calendar whispers loudly to us. Have you ever stopped to consider why our twelfth month is even called December? Dec means ten, so right out of the gate, the math is failing to math.

And today, yes, today is the autumnal equinox. Some say it’s already past, but the Bible tells us that days begin in the evening (Genesis 1:5). What a reminder. The same God who set times and seasons sent His Son into the world at just the right time.

Our harvest comes in the fall, and Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2). How fitting that our Lord of the harvest may have been born in the season of harvest?!?!

The questions I'm presenting are

• What Do I Believe?

• Why Do I Believe It?

• Will I settle for tradition?

• Will I open the Word (Bible) for myself?

Whether September or December, the Angel’s words remain: “I bring you good tidings of great joy… For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).

That’s the truth worth holding on to.

Jason Becker