When we think of Christmas, Christians worldwide tend to believe that it is the anniversary
of Jesus Christ, but is that true?
Jesus's exact date of birth is unknown and will always be.
However, there is some biblical evidence that can lead us to an approximate date.
Let's take a look at one biblical passage, Luke 2:8-9:
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks
at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and
they were terrified.
It was a Jewish habit to send their sheep to pasture from spring until early October.
Afterwards, they would return from the fields for shelter and warmth.
So, since the birth of Jesus was announced during the time they were on pasture, it gives
us a timeline from March to October to work with.
For a more precise date, we can also use the birth of John the Baptist as a reference,
which Luke 1, tells us of, Zacharias, John's father, began working on
a temple and after he left, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant of John.
When Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy, Gabriel visited Mary to announce that she
would give birth to Jesus.
Therefore, Jesus's birth can be reckoned from the date of when John's father Zacharias
priestly service ended.
Jewish priests were divided into 24 courses which ministered throughout the year in the
temple.
Zacharias served the order of Abijah, which was the eighth priestly course as described
in 1 Chronicles 24:6-19 6 The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite,
recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest,
Ahimelek son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites-one
family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.
7 The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9 the fifth to Malkijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shekaniah,
12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,
16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
17 the twenty-first to Jakin, the twenty-second to Gamul,
18 the twenty-third to Delaiah and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
19 This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the Lord,
according to the regulations prescribed for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the Lord,
the God of Israel, had commanded him.
This order served the temple during the 10th week of the priestly cycle, of which its start
coincides with the second Sabbath in the month of Sivan, which by our calendar goes around
mid-May to mid-June.
Luke 1:24-28, 31 records these events: 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth
conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away
my reproach among people."
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named
Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name
was Joseph, of the house of David.
The virgin's name was Mary.
28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord
is with you; blessed are you among women!"
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His
name Jesus.
With this evidence from the bible, we can finally approximate Jesus's birthday to be
around the time of Tishri (mid to late September), a date that can be obtained by starting at
john's conception, Sivan (June), counting 6 months until Gabriel's announcement of Jesus's
conception, Kislev (December), finally add another 9 months for the time it takes a human
gestation and we reach Tishri (September), the month Jesus was born.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét