Christmas Dates! When was Jesus born When did the Magi arrive Dr. Randy White
What day was Christ born? • Did Christians adopt December 25 at random? • Did Christians adopt December 25 because other gods were born that day? – Dating of Christmas comes prior to Saturnalia – Christian forefathers gave their lives for the faith, would they use this simple excuse for merrymaking?
• Did Christians adopt December 25 on the basis of Biblical conclusions?
Luke 3:23 Jesus is “about to be 30”
Aug. 19, 14
1/1 to 12/31, 29
January 1, 15
53 days to 12/31
Year 1 30-31
Year 2 31-32
Year 3 32-33
Luke 3:1
Heshvan 15
Baptism (29)– Passover (30)
Nissan 14
1,260 days
Amount of Calendar between Baptism and 30th Birthday
Unused Used
53 days Temptation
40 days in the Wilderness
“When they had ended, He became hungry. And the devil said…” Luke 4:2-3
December 25 November 8
December 31 December 18
13 days
Day 3
Day 7
Jesus makes Disciples
7 days of Temptation
Water to wine
“Rabbi” (John 1:38)
End of Wilderness December 18
January 2 January 1 December 25
January 6
Jesus goes to Egypt The Arrival of the Magi 5 days Magi arrive in Jerusalem Magi return to their own country
December 25, 2 BC
Herod goes to Jericho, never to return
9th of January, 1BC Herod kills Matthias in Jerusalem, and shortly thereafter goes to Jericho.
Slaughter of the innocents
2 Shevat (Approx. Feb 1)
Herod gathers “all the Herod kills his principal men of the son, Antiper entire Jewish nation” (late January) to Jericho. Does he do this when he discovers he has been tricked by the Magi?
40 days of purification To Egypt and back
December 25, 2 BC
2 Shevat (Approx. Feb 1)
“they returned to Galilee” Luke 2:39
What must be reconciled • Magi came to Jerusalem and met with King Herod • After the 40 days of purification, Jesus was brought to the Temple, then the family returned to Galilee, to their home in Nazareth (Luke 2:39) • His parents went to Jerusalem “every year” for the Passover (Luke 2:41) • So Jesus must go from Bethlehem to Egypt to Jerusalem to Nazareth in a period not much longer than 40 days. • The only way for these criteria to be met is to understand that the Magi visited Jerusalem very shortly after the birth of Jesus, in the final days of Herod’s life.
Questions? • Read “Why the A&E Phil Robertson Frazzle is only a Blip” • Listen to my interview of Dr. John C. Whitcomb