Health & Lifestyle

The Bible Story Of Christmas And Birth Of Jesus Christ

Published on: December 24, 2015 at 10:43 PM
By Charisse Van Horn

The Bible tells the gospel story about Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ in more than one book. While Christmas may be a secular holiday that is filled with pagan influences, it is still a Christian religious holiday. The Bible tells the story of Jesus Christ’s birth and the first Christmas in Matthew chapter 1 and Luke 2:1-20. The birth of Jesus Christ as told in the Bible is also referred to as the Nativity. While the Bible clearly states the account, many traditions associated with Christmas aren’t in the Bible. Not only are some traditions and customs not found in the Bible, but they have their basis in pagan traditions and aren’t related to Christianity at all.

In both Matthew and Luke, the Bible states that Jesus Christ is the son of God who was born in human flesh to be savior of the world. This is the whole premise of the Bible and the gospel message. According to the Bible, the entire purpose of Jesus’ birth on earth was to reconcile humankind to God and provide restoration and relationship. It isn’t just Christianity that teaches about Jesus Christ. In addition to the Bible, the Quran also shares the Nativity or birth story of Jesus. The main differences is that in the Bible, Jesus Christ is God’s son in human flesh, while in the Quran, Jesus Christ is depicted as a prophet and holy man.

According to the Bible and Christmas tradition, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, his mother was the virgin Mary, and he was raised by Joseph. As the story of Christmas is told in two books in the Bible, many scholars have studied them thoroughly to determine if there are contradictions or discrepancies. While there are seemingly contradictions, some scholars reconcile them as being two different accounts and viewpoints that are in harmony with each other. What is interesting to note is that in the book of Matthew, the account of Jesus’ birth is told in a manner that features Joseph as a central figure. In the book of Luke, the Nativity story is told in a way that focuses primarily on Mary.

Many churches focus on celebrating the Bible’s account of the Nativity on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. This may take the form of plays, dances, liturgical readings, poetry, and more. Some churches have opted to depict living Nativity scenes with live, human cast members including a baby to portray Jesus Christ.

The Bible story of Jesus Christ’s birth is the most important of all to be found in the Bible. Regardless of the denomination or affiliation, for Christians, the birth of Jesus Christ means a chance to live a holy life and be with God for eternity according to the Bible. While there is no question the Bible story is paramount to the Christian faith, there are several facts that scholars have discovered that call to question the accuracy of many Christmas traditions as they are not found in the Bible.

The Bible never says that Jesus Christ was born in December. In Luke 2:8 (NKJV), it states “Now there were in the same country, shepherds living out in the the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

Scholars have determined that shepherds would keep their flocks outdoors throughout the months of March until December. Because of that long time span, no one can be certain the exact date of Jesus Christ’s birth. Jesus Christ may have been born in April, June, or November. There is nothing in or out of the Bible that points to Dec. 25 as being the exact date of Jesus Christ’s birth. Most scholars place the birth of Jesus Christ between 4 and 6 B.C.E, based upon the Bible account and historical research. The Catholic Encyclopedia has developed a detailed chronology of the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ according to the Bible and historical events.

The Bible Story of the Birth of Jesus Christ:

[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

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