Series: When Was Jesus Born?

This year I would like to do a blog series, leading up to Christmas. The topic, of course, will be – When was Jesus born?

It’s actually a topic that has come up quite frequently. There are, of course, unbelievers who try to point out discrepancies in the stories of Jesus’ early life in the Gospels. There are some doubt who most of the Christmas story, suggesting that it was all some kind of pagan invention.

Then there are Christians, too, who avoid “Christmas” altogether because of its “pagan roots”, or at least suggest that we’re celebrating at the “wrong” time of year.

After all, “everybody knows” that December 25th was a pagan holiday that was Christianized. “Everybody knows” that Jesus wasn’t born year 0 (well, I have to agree with that one wholeheartedly, since there never was a “year 0”!). So if Jesus wasn’t born right at the beginning of the “common era”, and he wasn’t born on the 25th of December – when was he born?

And does it matter?

A few articles may not be enough, but hopefully we can separate a few of the myths from a few of the facts, and get a better idea of when the shepherds first heard the good news from the angels.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5