Theological scholar Andrew McGowan examines December 25

Theological scholar Andrew McGowan examines December 25

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| PentecostalTheology.com

               

December 25th for Christmas was a pre-Constantine tradition.

“Around 200 C.E. Tertullian of Carthage reported the calculation that the 14th of Nisan (the day of the crucifixion according to the Gospel of John) in the year Jesus diedc was equivalent to March 25 in the Roman (solar) calendar.9 March 25 is, of course, nine months before December 25; it was later recognized as the Feast of the Annunciation—the commemoration of Jesus’ conception.10 Thus, Jesus was believed to have been conceived and crucified on the same day of the year. Exactly nine months later, Jesus was born, on December 25.d”

Quoted from

Theological scholar Andrew McGowan examines how December 25 came to be associated with the birthday of Jesus and became Christmas, a holiday celebrated by Christians around the world.

4 Comments

  • Reply December 11, 2018

    Guest;

    You have great knowledge on everything it seems. I have also heard that Mary went to visit Elisabeth before Jesus was born. And Elisabeth was expecting John THE Baptist. When Mary told her about the angel coming to her she was going to have a Son, Conceived by the Holy Ghost. The Baby , John leaped in Elisabeth Womb , and was filled with the Spirit. And the preacher that was preaching said you Count from Elisabeth Conceived , and the time Jesus was born , counting from then , would make Jesus born on September 24 th. A day before my birthday. I can’t put things together like that. I just thank God He was born.

  • Reply December 11, 2018

    Guest;

    I think they say He Was the one who brought freedom of Christianity in you are a good Historian. You can put that together without to look it up. History was one of least liked subjects in school. I studied it enough to pass. But I thought why do I need to know what happened and remember the dates on things. I sure didn’t use knowledge on thinking like that. It is one of my most liked subjects now. If I could go back to those days. That would be my greatest subject. I found that out real early in life. Now I have to look a lot of things up to find the answer. I found it out when I started putting a lot of study to the Bible. And history is so important just studying the Bible. I have to look a lot of things. When I’m studying the Bible. I like to know the history behind it. I like to know the be gat. Who is this fellow. Woh was his daddy. And hoe many generations you go through. Before you find just where he started. It’s real interesting. So I messed up for not putting time in history. The Bible I remember. But the history behind it. I like to know.

  • Reply December 11, 2018

    Guest;

    That’s what I think I would do is see when the Angel told Mary She was going to have a Son and call His Name Jesus. For He shall save the people from their sins.

  • Reply December 11, 2018

    Guest;

    It is unknown exactly when Christians began formally celebrating December 25th as a feast. What is known, however, is that the date of December 25th “had no religious significance in the Roman pagan festal calendar before Aurelian’s time (Roman emperor from 270-275), nor did the cult of the sun play a prominent role in Rome before him.” According to Tighe, Aurelian intended the new feast “to be a symbol of the hoped-for ‘rebirth,’ or perpetual rejuvenation, of the Roman Empire…. [and] if it co-opted the Christian celebration, so much the better.” http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/the-myth-of-the-pagan-origins-of-christmas/

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