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The date of the birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources and the evidence is too incomplete to allow for consistent dating.[1] However, most biblical scholars and ancient historians believe that his birth date is around 6 to 4 BC.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Two main approaches have been used to estimate the year of the birth of Jesus: one based on the accounts in the Gospels of his birth with reference to King Herod‘s reign, and the other by subtracting his stated age of “about 30 years” when he began preaching.
Aside from the historiographical approach of anchoring the possible year to certain independently well-documented events mentioned in Matthew and Luke, other techniques used by believers to identify the year of the birth of Jesus have included working backward from the estimation of the start of the ministry of Jesus[8] and assuming that the accounts of astrological portents in the gospels can be associated with certain astronomical alignments or other phenomena
Why December 25 Became Christmas
🌟 1. Theological Calculation: March 25 → December 25
One early Christian idea was that great prophets were conceived and died on the same date.
- A 3rd‑century Christian writer, Sextus Julius Africanus, calculated Jesus’ conception as March 25 (the Annunciation).
- Add nine months, and you land on December 25 for his birth.
This wasn’t about pagan festivals — it was a theological symmetry that early Christians found meaningful.
🔥 2. The Roman Empire Made It Official (AD 336)
The first recorded celebration of Christmas on December 25 appears in a Roman calendar from AD 336, during the reign of Emperor Constantine. This is the earliest solid evidence that the date was formally adopted.
☀️ 3. Aligning With Popular Pagan Festivals
While the theological calculation came first, the date also conveniently overlapped with major Roman celebrations:
- Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”)
- Saturnalia, a week of feasting and gift‑giving These festivals occurred around the winter solstice, when the sun begins to “return.”
Troy Day
WRONG Michael Chauncey Michael Chauncey
Stop saying Christmas came from Rome! 🛑🏛️
It’s time to correct the history books. The date of December 25th wasn’t stolen from a pagan sun festival—it was derived from Scripture and early Christian theology long before the Romans got involved.
Here are the facts:
1. The African Connection 🌍
The date didn’t come from a Roman emperor. It came from Sextus Julius Africanus, an early Christian historian (who was African, not Roman). Writing around 221 AD, he studied the prophecies of Daniel and early tradition to find the true date of Christ’s birth.
2. The Biblical Calculation 📅
Early Christians believed in the “Integral Age”—the idea that great prophets died on the same day they were conceived. They believed Jesus was the Lamb of God who died on Passover. At that time, Passover was associated with March 25th.
If Jesus was conceived on March 25th (The Annunciation), you simply add a perfect 40-week pregnancy.
March 25 + 9 Months = December 25. 🎄
3. The Timeline Proves It ⏳
Critics love to bring up Sol Invictus (the Roman Sun Festival). But Emperor Aurelian didn’t establish that festival until 274 AD. Christians were already writing about the December 25th date more than 50 years before the Romans created their holiday! If anything, the Romans were trying to copy the Christians.
4. The Real Meaning of “Mass” ✝️
Finally, let’s look at the word itself. “Mass” comes from the Latin phrase spoken at the end of ancient church gatherings: “Ite, missa est.”
It translates to: “Go ye!” or “You are sent.”
So, Christ-Mas doesn’t just mean a service for Jesus. It literally means: “Christ… Go Ye!”
It is a command to take the Good News out into the world. Be sent!
#ChristmasHistory #Apologetics #FaithFacts #RealMeaning #SextusJuliusAfricanus #GoYe but so is Glynn Brown Why December 25 Became Christmas
🌟 1. Theological Calculation: March 25 → December 25
One early Christian idea was that great prophets were conceived and died on the same date.
A 3rd‑century Christian writer, Sextus Julius Africanus, calculated Jesus’ conception as March 25 (the Annunciation).
Add nine months, and you land on December 25 for his birth.
This wasn’t about pagan festivals — it was a theological symmetry that early Christians found meaningful.
🔥 2. The Roman Empire Made It Official (AD 336)
The first recorded celebration of Christmas on December 25 appears in a Roman calendar from AD 336, during the reign of Emperor Constantine. This is the earliest solid evidence that the date was formally adopted.
☀️ 3. Aligning With Popular Pagan Festivals
While the theological calculation came first, the date also conveniently overlapped with major Roman celebrations:
Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”)
Saturnalia, a week of feasting and gift‑giving These festivals occurred around the winter solstice, when the sun begins to “return.”
Troy Day
SO WRONG Jared Cheshire Neither. It was at the birthing of the lambs for sacrifice. The only time shepards were in the field at night. even Glynn Brown KNOWs Why December 25 Became Christmas
🌟 1. Theological Calculation: March 25 → December 25
One early Christian idea was that great prophets were conceived and died on the same date.
A 3rd‑century Christian writer, Sextus Julius Africanus, calculated Jesus’ conception as March 25 (the Annunciation).
Add nine months, and you land on December 25 for his birth.
This wasn’t about pagan festivals — it was a theological symmetry that early Christians found meaningful.
🔥 2. The Roman Empire Made It Official (AD 336)
The first recorded celebration of Christmas on December 25 appears in a Roman calendar from AD 336, during the reign of Emperor Constantine. This is the earliest solid evidence that the date was formally adopted.
☀️ 3. Aligning With Popular Pagan Festivals
While the theological calculation came first, the date also conveniently overlapped with major Roman celebrations:
Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”)
Saturnalia, a week of feasting and gift‑giving
Troy Day
SO WRONG Ross Chenault
Nobody knows. That’s not what matters. These kinds of questions are trivial. even Glynn Brown knows better than Philip Williams Why December 25 Became Christmas
🌟 1. Theological Calculation: March 25 → December 25
One early Christian idea was that great prophets were conceived and died on the same date.
A 3rd‑century Christian writer, Sextus Julius Africanus, calculated Jesus’ conception as March 25 (the Annunciation).
Add nine months, and you land on December 25 for his birth.
This wasn’t about pagan festivals — it was a theological symmetry that early Christians found meaningful.
🔥 2. The Roman Empire Made It Official (AD 336)
The first recorded celebration of Christmas on December 25 appears in a Roman calendar from AD 336, during the reign of Emperor Constantine. This is the earliest solid evidence that the date was formally adopted.
☀️ 3. Aligning With Popular Pagan Festivals
While the theological calculation came first, the date also conveniently overlapped with major Roman celebrations:
Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”)
Saturnalia, a week of feasting and gift‑giving
Troy Day
MAYbe Sarfraz Daimy would invent a new religion here
What ya think bout it ??? Robert Cox
will be calling on evangelist Jesse Morrell to strayUp all pro-gay-calvinism in Glynn Brown before noon today