Is Christmas biblical?
score:5
Potential dup (or near question) Why is Christmas on December 25th?
Regardless, the information there (and in its sources) help form an answer to your question.
December has carried significant "spiritual" weight throughout humanity, probably attached to the Winter Solstice. In addition to the things that you've mentioned, the traditional date for the purification of the Temple by the Maccabean Revolt (leading to a brief period of Jewish independence just before the birth of Jesus) is Dec. 25th (V-Day for the Maccabees). Also, it was the day that Sol Invictus became the official cult religion of the Roman Empire in the 200s which gave rise to a celebratory festival in the honor of the cult god on the 25th.
edit
Extending this, there is the potential that early Christians walked the fine line between being good citizens of both Heaven and Earth by not completely disrupting the societal norms (and holding a festival) but explicitly dedicating it to the birth of Jesus. As Christianity became more readily-accepted (ultimately with Constantine) perhaps the festival took on the more Christian understanding.
The relationship to Sol Invictus and the solstice is reason for 15th C. Christians rejecting its celebration.
Justo Gonzales has some good stuff in The Story of Christianity vols 1 & 2 which I am drawing upon (memory, though).
Upvote:2
There are two 'holidays' celebrated on December 25 in America.
- A secular holiday celebrating good children and awarding them with gifts.
- A Christian religious holiday celebrating the incarnation of the logos.
It is NOT a birthday party. Originally Jesus' birth was not celebrated. Because of Christian assimulation, the Christians wanted a reason to have a celebration on an already popular date full of tradition. Some of which is tied to the secular holiday such as praising children. Another holiday celebrated by the Romans was something like Holloween for adults. Slaves would act as the master and the master would act as the slave for the day. Early Christians made a holiday on this day as a feast day to celebrate the incarnation of the logos. Years later it was simplified to the birth of the christ child (same event, but different... meaning).
Different groups had different holidays on this day. Some people believe it was for the solstice.. and it was... but it isn't the only reason or the origin of the holiday.
I make mention of America because this holiday (secular or not) is not celebrated the same way through the world.
Upvote:7
If Christians were left to celebrating sacred events on days where no other pagan celebration has ever occurred, there would be no days available for Christian celebrations. So, on a day where some people at a certain time celebrated the birth of a god that never existed, Christians (Catholic and Protestant) choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Messiah. The two celebrations have absolutely nothing to do with each other, other than that they occur on the same day. (The common days for the Orthodox Christmas are January 6 and 7).
It is certainly possible that it was originally selected because it had been the celebration of a birth of a false deity before. That would make sense. The idea of redeeming a day of worshiping the birth of a false deity by celebrating the birth of the one true Lord and Messiah and worshiping Him is a great idea.
This would be especially so for people who come out of false religions worshiping false gods. As they continue to live in a culture that has various sacred observances, why not provide an alternative to these that worship the true and living God?
So, Jesus was definitely born, and it's a great thing to remember this incredible event each year in worship. We don't know exactly what day He was born, but December 25th is certainly fine. The kids are out of school, there are a lot of sales going on, and we have a day off of work. Why not?
More post
- 📝 What does Jesus say about your spirit going to heaven?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, if there is human dignity is there also an angelic dignity?
- 📝 What do Southen Baptists believe about Jesus' dual nature?
- 📝 Can someone tell more about this artwork of Jesus Christ?
- 📝 According to Roman Catholicism, at what point does original sin affect the human soul?
- 📝 Exorcism and repentance
- 📝 What's the point of the second commandment?
- 📝 How is Union with Christ understood across Christianity?
- 📝 What is the scriptural evidence that faith comes from God?
- 📝 How could Jesus get through locked doors?
- 📝 Why does the Messiah have to be God?
- 📝 What does Paul mean when he says that we are no longer under the law but under grace?
- 📝 Are there historical accounts of the character of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah?
- 📝 Why is Jesus looking on an oddly standing stone?
- 📝 How do Christians make sense of exorcisms in other religions?
- 📝 Does Numbers 5:11-22 describe sanctioned abortion?
- 📝 The Christian Duck Test?
- 📝 Is the Babylon of Revelation 14 the same as the Babylon of Revelation 18?
- 📝 What is the significance of verb choices in Genesis 1?
- 📝 How do I know whether I am already a Catholic?
- 📝 According to Roman Catholicism, what is their doctrinal view of the inerrancy of Scripture?
- 📝 Did Jesus/God/Jehovah know that Jesus would die on the cross BEFORE coming to Earth?
- 📝 Why did God speak Hebrew?
- 📝 Why do some Bible Translations omit John 7:53-8:11?
- 📝 Do the church fathers ever include quotes of Jesus that aren't from the Bible?
- 📝 God Telling Hagar to Return and then to Leave
- 📝 How does Christianity define idolatry?
- 📝 Why were verses taken out of the Bible when it was being formed? Was there any major stuff taken out?
- 📝 According to the LDS Church (Mormons), how specifically did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon?
- 📝 According to the Catholic Church, do conjoined twins have two souls?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the claim that abortion is immoral?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis to claim that masturbation is a sin?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the concept that Jesus spent time in Hell?
- 📝 What is the biblical justification for permitting female pastors?
- 📝 Biblical basis for baptism as a prerequisite for salvation
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for Jesus being God incarnate?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for Total Depravity?
- 📝 How is ignoring clear Biblical instructions in Leviticus justified?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for believing in the Book of Mormon?
- 📝 Is there any Biblical Basis for 400 years of silence between Old and New Testament?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for saying Lucifer is an angel?
- 📝 Why is Christmas on December 25th?
- 📝 What are the biblical arguments that the Bible canon is closed?
- 📝 What is the Biblical support for Purgatory?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for Universal salvation?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for disbelief in the doctrine of the Trinity?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the Immaculate Conception?
- 📝 What is the Biblical evidence against the perpetual virginity of Mary?
- 📝 What is the Biblical Basis for a Good person going to hell simply for not believing?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for Unconditional Election?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for Limited Atonement?
- 📝 Biblical basis for the separation of church and state
- 📝 What is the Biblical evidence that there are ONLY three persons in the "Trinity"?
- 📝 What are the Biblical and theological problems with theistic evolution?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis against inter-faith marriages?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for unitarianism?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis against the idea of luck?
- 📝 Is there a Biblical basis for not believing that Global Warming is occurring?
- 📝 Why is Easter celebrated on a different day every year and Christmas is not?