10 Things You Might Not Know About Christmas
By Janice M. Geolin - December 24, 2016
1. The Bible gives no actual date for Christ's birth.
The exact date of Jesus' birth is not specified in the Bible. There have been several theories in dating His birth in the late 2nd century. Based on historical records, we find that Clement, a bishop of Alexandria (ca 155 - 220 AD) calculated Jesus' birthdate to be Nov 17, 0003 BC. Fitzmyer says it was sometime in September (approx. 6 months after Passover). Balkan nations celebrate the event on January 7 and some churches in the East do it on January 6. However, the date that was widely recognized as Jesus' birthday and still celebrated to this day is December 25.
How in the world did Christmas come to be celebrated on December 25?
There was a festival in the Roman empire celebrating the return of the sun in the winter solstice on that day. The Roman festival was called Saturnalia celebrating the God Saturn. The pagan tradition was celebrated carelessly with merriment, gift-giving, and feasting. But when the Roman emperor became a Christian and instituted Christianity as the "state" religion in 4th century, he Christianized the celebration because they could not suppress it. So, instead of worshiping the sun, they declared it to be the day of Christ's birth and to worship the Son of God, making the pagan holiday into a Christian one. Christians have celebrated it as such ever since.
2. The word Christmas is NOT in the Bible.
It may sound biblical, but the word "Christmas" is nowhere to be found both in the Old and New Testament. The word "Christmas" is a combination of the words "Christ" and "Mass", invented originally by the Roman Catholic Church. "Christ's Mass" shortened to Christmas is a special mass performed in the RCC. It is said that the first recorded celebration of Christmas was on December 25, 336.
3. Jesus' virgin birth foretold 700 years ago before He came to earth as a man.
The Prophet Isaiah wrote a biography of Jesus approximately 7 centuries into the future. Isaiah knew about the birth of the Messiah promised so long ago. We can see that in Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6 that reveals His deity. And we see how those all came to pass in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38.
Some of us may have a hard time believing that Jesus was born of a virgin. Some say that if Joseph has never had sexual relations with Mary prior to their marriage, then another man must have been impregnated her! But the Bible tells us differently! Mary (a virgin) was engaged to be married to Joseph when they found out she was pregnant (conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit). Being a human with limited capacity to comprehend, Joseph didn't believe it at first! He wanted to break the engagement off secretly because he didn't want to shame the pregnant fiancé in the public gaze! But when he was told by an angel about the mystery of the Child that Mary is having, Joseph believed and surrendered to the will of God.
4. There were NO Three Kings.
5. The star.
6. The three gifts the wise men brought Him.
a. Gold happens to be the most precious metal that day and was used to signify a King. The wise men brought gold because they recognized Jesus' lordship and dominion. They recognized that Jesus is Lord and King. We have to ask ourselves...who is Jesus to us? Do we realize that He is King of kings and the Lord of lords? Have we bowed our knees to Him, fell on our face before Him and crowned Him as the King to rule our heart and Lord of our lives?
b. Frankincense is one of the ingredients in a sweet perfume that's used in the tabernacle for the worship of God. It's sacred to be used only for God and not for any other purpose. They brought Him Frankincense. Why? They recognized Jesus as God. If Jesus was not God, then the magi have no business worshiping Him. He is not just some prophet, not some angel or some spirit. God was manifest in flesh. Isaiah 9:6. And if Jesus was worshiped, shouldn't we also worship Him?
c. Myrrh is one of the bitter spices/herbs they used to embalm the dead. You might be wondering why the wise men chose to give something like that to a child. They recognized His sacrificial death on that cross. In Matthew 26:39 we see how Jesus is about to drink a cup but it's not some tangible cup. It's a cup that He must drink spiritually. In that cup was our sins - the sins of the world. That He is going to be the object of the wrath of God, the curse. The magi brought Him myrrh because they recognized that He would take our sins, our place, and impute His righteousness unto us (2 Corinthians 5:21) when we believe in His finished work.
Some of us may have a hard time believing that Jesus was born of a virgin. Some say that if Joseph has never had sexual relations with Mary prior to their marriage, then another man must have been impregnated her! But the Bible tells us differently! Mary (a virgin) was engaged to be married to Joseph when they found out she was pregnant (conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit). Being a human with limited capacity to comprehend, Joseph didn't believe it at first! He wanted to break the engagement off secretly because he didn't want to shame the pregnant fiancé in the public gaze! But when he was told by an angel about the mystery of the Child that Mary is having, Joseph believed and surrendered to the will of God.
This is a misconception that has been going around in ages.
1. Kings
The Bible does not say that there were "kings" who have traveled from the East. In fact, the Bible uses the word "magi" which means wise men. It states that there were "wise men" from the East to seek and honor the baby Jesus in Jerusalem, but the country which they came from remains unknown. However, most scholars of the Word say that the magi must have come from Persia (Iran now). And that they were most likely students of the prophet Daniel who gave a prophecy about the timeline for the birth of the Messiah.
2. The number of men
The assumption that there were "three wise men" probably arose from the fact that the Bible mentions three gifts. However, the Bible DOESN'T say the number of the wise men. There could have been many more. Tradition has it that the three wise men were Gaspar, Balthazar, and Melchior. The Bible, however, specifies no names.
3. The time of their visitation
The time is not specified when Jesus was born. The wise men came months or possibly years later, not on the night of His birth. That is why in Matthew 2:11, it says the wise men visited and worshiped Jesus in a house, not at the manger or stable.
Here's the question, what do you think made the men "wise"?
1. They had the word of God and obeyed Him in spite of great difficulty.
2. They expected the Messiah's coming and recognized Him unlike the religious leaders at that time.
3. They humbled themselves and sought to worship Jesus.
The magi (wise men) traveled almost a thousand miles from the East to where Jesus was. Can you imagine that? How did they find the King of the Jews? The Bible says that a star helped them locate the Christ child. They consulted King Herod in Jerusalem concerning the birth of Christ and they were directed to Bethlehem.
In Matthew 2:9-10...it says they saw a star in the East and went before them, it literally moved before them. It was no ordinary star because it was leading them to where exactly the Christ child was. In Matthew 2:2 they called it "His star". The magi was in a great company of the Host indeed. Like the glory of God that led the people in the Old Testament. When the people of Israel was lead through the wilderness, the glory of the Lord could be seen as brilliance. A pillar of fire by night or a cloudy pillar by day.
This we know that when we humble ourselves and want to seek God wholeheartedly, God will make a way that we might know Him. He can use a star, a donkey, someone or whatever is necessary to direct us to the place where He wants us to be!
In Matthew 2:11, the wise men presented the three gifts.
Have you ever wondered why the magi brought such gifts to Jesus?
a. Gold happens to be the most precious metal that day and was used to signify a King. The wise men brought gold because they recognized Jesus' lordship and dominion. They recognized that Jesus is Lord and King. We have to ask ourselves...who is Jesus to us? Do we realize that He is King of kings and the Lord of lords? Have we bowed our knees to Him, fell on our face before Him and crowned Him as the King to rule our heart and Lord of our lives?
b. Frankincense is one of the ingredients in a sweet perfume that's used in the tabernacle for the worship of God. It's sacred to be used only for God and not for any other purpose. They brought Him Frankincense. Why? They recognized Jesus as God. If Jesus was not God, then the magi have no business worshiping Him. He is not just some prophet, not some angel or some spirit. God was manifest in flesh. Isaiah 9:6. And if Jesus was worshiped, shouldn't we also worship Him?
c. Myrrh is one of the bitter spices/herbs they used to embalm the dead. You might be wondering why the wise men chose to give something like that to a child. They recognized His sacrificial death on that cross. In Matthew 26:39 we see how Jesus is about to drink a cup but it's not some tangible cup. It's a cup that He must drink spiritually. In that cup was our sins - the sins of the world. That He is going to be the object of the wrath of God, the curse. The magi brought Him myrrh because they recognized that He would take our sins, our place, and impute His righteousness unto us (2 Corinthians 5:21) when we believe in His finished work.
7. The name Jesus.
In Matthew 1:21 and Luke 1:31, angels instructed both Mary and Joseph to name their son Jesus for HE will save His people from their sins. And that through Him, and only through Him, we might be reconciled to the Father as we see in 1 Timothy 2:5 and have everlasting life spoken in John 3:16-17.
8. Christmas Tree and the Mistle Toe
Mistletoe has been considered one of the most mysterious plants. It was used in many ancient medicine recipes and a protection from poison and evil. They also believed mistletoe possesses "life-giving" power. Ever heard of the song lyrics "kissing under the mistletoe"? History says in Scandinavia, a mistletoe was considered a plant of peace under which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses kiss and make-up.
Truth be told, even though they are commonly displayed in every household, they don't have any connection in celebrating the birth of Christ.
9. Santa Claus and gift-giving
St. Nicholas commonly called as Santa Claus today was a Roman Catholic bishop of Myra (Turkey) in the late 4th century. He was known for his faith proved through suffering, but most especially for his generosity to helping the poor and the needy. He is remembered because of his generous spirit. It's both funny and sad how he turned into a patron saint of the North Pole, became a white obese old man in a red suit who has a list of kids who have been naughty and nice and who magically delivers gifts with his elves coming in and out through a chimney around the globe with his reindeer sleigh ride.
It's crazy how most people know more of Santa and teach their kids about this fictional character who is somehow someone to be pleased. And we wonder why kids nowadays are growing with thirst for material stuff more than they would thirst for God and the gift He has given us. Do not be deceived. Satan, the father of lies, has used a lot of instruments to divert the attention of people from the Truth. And this has always been his strategy.
On a different note - although it's a very good gesture to give, but if we're being honest sometimes we give not out of love, but because we expect something in return. Sometimes we may also give to get praised or buy affection and affirmation from people. If we ever practice gift-giving, it is worth spending time to examine our own generosity. Why we (believers) give should be a reminder of God's generosity to us most especially His present to us - His own Son. No one should feel obliged nor oblige others to give as spoken in 2 Corinthians 9:7, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.
For a significant majority of people, food and drinking alcohol (often means drinking to excess) are the most celebrated aspects of the season. And who can forget the evening disco? Are all the gimmicks in alignment with God's heart?
(1) There are people who do not celebrate Christmas because they know it began as a part of a pagan culture. And I respect that perspective and the convictions. Why? Because I see in the scripture that the Lord never spoke of commemorating His birth, but rather told us to remember the sacrifice of His suffering and death which ransomed us from the penalty of our sins. The first century church did not observe Jesus' birthday nor have they instituted it. If it was, the first Christians could have written the exact date for its meaningful observance. But we don't get any of that in the New Testament books. However, it also doesn't mean that the birth of Christ have NO meaning to them. But that they are all pointing us to focus more on celebrating the crucified and resurrected Christ who ascended to the heavens seated at the right hand of God and who will SOON be coming back again, NOT as the babe in the manger wrapped in swaddling cloth or the little boy he once was but to judge all mankind, the living and the dead as said in John 5:26-29. So I understand when people say they do not celebrate Christmas at all. But I also hope we do not suppress other Christians' joy to worship Jesus on this day just as we normally wouldn't any other day. We all have the freedom to worship God whenever we want. (This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!) Can we still rejoice because the name of Christ is in the air everywhere at this time of the year?
(2) Although Christmas has some associations with a pagan culture, some Christians continue to celebrate it to remember the birth of the Messiah bearing Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:31 in their conscience. Some celebrate it as the season of gift giving, family being together, putting decorations such as manger scenes, feasting, merry making, and singing songs about the Messiah's birth. However, we also know that not everyone who celebrate it do so with Jesus in mind. So many people celebrate Christmas year after year and they never received God's gift (Jesus). Some of us have even made the "event" a chore, something to get through. You would be amazed how there are a lot of people who will be relieved when Christmas is over! And I can only hope and pray that the eyes of our heart be opened to see things as they are.
(2) Although Christmas has some associations with a pagan culture, some Christians continue to celebrate it to remember the birth of the Messiah bearing Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:31 in their conscience. Some celebrate it as the season of gift giving, family being together, putting decorations such as manger scenes, feasting, merry making, and singing songs about the Messiah's birth. However, we also know that not everyone who celebrate it do so with Jesus in mind. So many people celebrate Christmas year after year and they never received God's gift (Jesus). Some of us have even made the "event" a chore, something to get through. You would be amazed how there are a lot of people who will be relieved when Christmas is over! And I can only hope and pray that the eyes of our heart be opened to see things as they are.
(3) I have grown celebrating Christmas till I came to Christ in 2012. It's really hard to get away from all the family traditions, but what I find much harder now is ignoring personal convictions. Personally, I don't put up a tree nor do I glory in secular Christmas songs. I just observe the day as I normally would any other day unto the Lord whether I'm alone or with my family and friends. I like remembering God's faithfulness, how He always comes through on His promises! That God came down and was manifested in the flesh to restore our broken fellowship (because of sin) with our Father through Christ Jesus. This is the Good News.
“And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to ALL people.”
– Luke 2:10
PRAYER:
Father, open our hearts to the immensity of Your love. Lord Jesus, I know that You are King of kings, help me to take myself off the throne and enthrone You as my Lord. You are the Mighty God, and I stand in awe of You. Thank You for coming to be born in a manger, to die on a Cross that I might have forgiveness. Save me Lord Jesus, take control of my life and begin now to make me what You want me to be. I thank You for this great Grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
7 comments
Love this! 🎄🎁🎉
ReplyDeleteThank you Janice... I think you hit the head of the nail dead on with a hammer! This is worth sharing.
ReplyDeletePlease do so. Thank you for taking the time to read it. And to God be the glory!😊
ReplyDeleteWorth sharing! Love it, ffmate! ❤
ReplyDeleteSheer brilliance Janice! May I use parts of it in a book I am writing about the need to turn away from the established church and revert back to the Acts-type churches in homes and private dwellings please? I believe that in light of coming persecution of the Christian church in the west the need for the church to begin to move underground is increasing, which is why I'm writing the book.
ReplyDeleteAmen! Thank You, Jesus. Thank you for sharing ate Janice. God bless us in Jesus name.
ReplyDeleteAmen! Thank You, Jesus. Thank you for sharing ate Janice. God bless us in Jesus name.
ReplyDelete