One Thing You Really Ought to Know about Christmas

The Holiday

Yes, it is true. We really do not know the exact date of Jesus’ birth. Early Christian writers favored a date around December 25th because they held to the belief that Jesus was conceived at Passover. However, this view was held with no known evidence. A birth in the spring or fall is favored by many modern scholars. One writer has commented that about the only thing we know for sure is that Jesus was not born on December 25th.

The word Christmas does not come from the Bible, but from the Roman Catholic Church. It is a shortened form of “Christ’s Mass,” a celebration of Christ’s birth, a celebration which originated in about the 4th century A.D.

What are we supposed to do with this information? Some believers feel that Christmas should not be observed since it is not in the Bible. Other believers love the holiday and would prefer not to be bothered with facts. Some folks who do not believe in Jesus look at the facts and think Christians to be foolish for celebrating a made-up holiday. (Of course, for non-believers, all holidays are made-up.)

When we turn to the Bible the birth of Jesus brought joy to those awaiting the Messiah, and it brought praise to God for fulfilling His promise of salvation. Yet, as joyful a time as it was, the earliest Christians do not appear to have celebrated His birth, nor were they instructed to do so in Scripture. That said, Christians today are given the liberty to celebrate Christmas if they wish, as they wish, whenever they wish...even in July.

The Wise Men

Yes, it is true. No one really knows how many wise men visited Jesus; and no one knows their names. It is somewhat unclear from scripture whether Joseph and Mary had returned to Nazareth or stayed in Bethlehem when the wise men visited. (Compare Matthew's account with Luke's account.) It is also unclear how old Jesus was when the wise men presented Him gifts. About the only thing we know for sure is that Jesus was not lying in a manger in a stable when the wise men visited. He was inside a house with His mother:

“After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." —Matthew 2:11

There are things we are accustomed to hearing and seeing at Christmastime, things we even expect: trees and stockings, fruitcakes and shopping; fa la la la laa, la la la laaaaa.

Whether you celebrate, or in whatever way you may celebrate, your Christmas traditions are yours: December 25th, the wise trio, manger & stable scenes, Tannenbaum and carols; the jolly, rotund, chimney sweep with a big bountiful bag; it is all up to you. But there is one thing you really ought to know about Christmas...

Peace on Earth

An angel announced the birth of Jesus to nearby shepherds. Then the heavenly host responded:

Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom he is well pleased.
—Luke 2:14 (NASB)

This was not a divine greeting, but a declaration. Peace on earth would be nice in any century, but God never promised everybody peace on earth. You ought to know that the only ones who will have peace are those "with whom He is well pleased." And that demands a response, not to the baby in a manger, but to the Christ upon the cross, to the risen Savior and reigning King.

Jesus, the adult Jesus, the one called Messiah, and Lord; the man that God acknowledged as his Son; He said that He had come to bring a sword (Matthew 10:34). His sword of judgment will one day separate believers from unbelievers for all eternity.

Jesus did bring peace to earth, but it was peace between God and sinful man. (Just read the first two chapters of the gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke and see for yourself.) Zacharias, the father of John said it; Mary said it; the old man Simeon said it; the angel announced it: 

Jesus came to bring peace between God and man...

            ...to those with whom He is well pleased.

Is God well pleased with you???
BELIEVE...

Mark Stinnett
(Revised: December, 2022.)