Martin Luther expresses his appreciation of Christmas, not just that Jesus was born, but how and to whom he was born:
If Christ had arrived with trumpets and lain in a cradle of gold, His birth would have been a splendid affair. But it would not be a comfort to me. He was, rather, to lie in the lap of a poor maiden and be thought to be of little significance in the eyes of the world. Now I can come to Him. Now He reveals Himself to the miserable in order not to give any impression that He arrives with great power, splendor, wisdom, and aristocratic manners. But upon His return, on that Day when He will oppose the high and the mighty, it will be different. Now He comes to the poor, who need a Savior; but then He will come as a Judge against those who are persecuting Him now. ~ from a sermon from 1530
Remember Christ dwelt with us in humility so that we might approach him receiving the covenant of peace which he secured for us by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1.19-20)
What is taught in Scripture is not that Mary had been either born or made sinless, but that portion of Mary, that cell out of Mary that was to be developed into the body of the Son of God was cleansed from sin; and that only.
So Mary remained sinful, but this portion that she transmits to her Son has been delivered, set free from sin; and it is to that that the Son of God is joined. That is the human nature He takes unto Himself. It is a miracle, of course; and we are told specifically that it is a miracle. It was because she did not realize that a miracle was to happen that Mary stumbled at the announcement of the Archangel Gabriel, and his reply to her is: “Do not try to understand this. The power of the Highest shall overshadow you, the Holy Ghost will come upon you, you are going to conceive of the Holy Ghost” – who has power to work this cleansing so that the body of the human nature of the Son of God who is to be born of you shall be entirely free from sin.
So we reject the so-called doctrine of the “Immaculate Conception”; but we assert with all our power the doctrine that the human nature of the Son of God was entirely free from sin.
There is considerable debate concerning the birth date of Jesus Christ. Many suspect he was born in April or May. Others suggest, and even celebrate, a January birth.
Traditionally, of course, we cling to the 25th of December.
The earliest recorded celebration of Christmas was in the year 86AD. It was about 40 years later before Christmas became a regular custom of the church, and even then it was only in some parts of the world.
Some people feel that celebrating Christmas at all is a prostitution of the event, citing both commercialism & possible pagan influence as reasons.
A Roman holiday, Saturnalia, was annually celebrated from December 17-24, a week long celebration to Saturn. This celebration marked the coming increase of daylight, and the diminishing of winter. It was the anticipation of Spring. The people exchanged gifts, closed down schools & government offices. All official functions virtually ceased. And there was an increase of partying.
With the excesses in gift giving and the antics at many parties during this season of the year, it is not difficult to sympathize with those who suggest that Christmas is no more than an attempt to “Christianize” a pagan holiday.
But, despite those non-Christians who rationalize that Christmas was just an attempt to copy & “Christen” Saturnalia; and the arguments of faithful Christians who want to determine a date more feasible to the world, I cannot bring myself to accept that, in fact, Jesus was not born on December 25. While I cannot be certain, I choose to accept the traditional date.
Here’s why:
In the late 19th Century historian Alfred Edersheim wrote The Life & Times of Jesus the Messiah. It is sorta the standard for studying the life of Christ. In Appendix VII Edershim offers a very interesting hypothesis of why it is most likely that Jesus was born on December 25.
Let me summarize his reasoning:
We know that on August 5, AD70 the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman General Titus. At that time, Jewish history records, and Josephus confirms, a group of priests, the Jehoiarib, was serving at the Temple.
Some background: If you look back into OT history you will find that David divided the priesthood into 24 groupings – or 24 Courses – with each group serving for about two weeks at a time in the Temple. This particular group – Jehoiarib – was the first Course. And they were serving at the particular time the Temple was destroyed.
If you trace the service of the various Courses back through time, when you come to October a year before Christ was likely to have been born, you will find the Division of Abijah serving the first week of October.
Now, who do we know that would be serving in the Temple with the Division of Abijah?
We find that a certain godly priest named Zechariah, who had a wife named Elizabeth – but no children – served the Temple with the Course of Abijah.
While serving at that time the Lord visited Zechariah, declaring that he & his elderly, barren wife would have a child. Zechariah laughed at the very thought, and was struck speechless as a sign of the promise. I suspect you know the story: Elizabeth did conceive and gave birth to John the Baptist.
From Luke we also know that John the Baptist was six months older than his cousin Jesus.
Now, if you begin in early October, add nine months, then add six months to that, it brings us to mid to late December of the following year.
It is very possible Jesus was born December 25. So it is historically & biblically appropriate to celebrate Christmas on the traditional date
Just something to think about; an interesting historical note…
The angel has come to Mary and says: “Mary, you are going to give birth to the long-promised Messiah.” This was a unique promise, and unrepeatable. There is something totally unique here: the birth of the eternal second Person of the Trinity into this world.
What was her response?
She could have rejected the idea and said, ‘I do not want it: I want to withdraw; I want to run’…
She could have said, ‘I now have the promises, so I will exert my force, my character, and my energy, to bring forth the promised thing’.
But what she did say is beautiful, it is wonderful. She says:
‘Behold, the bondmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy Word.’ – Luke 1.38
There is an active passivity here. She took her own body, by choice, and put it into the hands of God to do the thing that he said he would do, and Jesus was born. She gave herself to God…
This is a beautiful, exciting, personal expression of a relationship between a finite person and the God she loves.
GRACE & PEACE 