You make some very good points.
More than likely conceived on Channukah 6 BC, born Feast of Trumpets, 5 BC, visited by the Magi several months later, followed by death of Herod, April 1, 4 BC.
Another interesting idea as to when Jesus was actually born.
http://ldolphin.org/birth.html
Either way, I’m just glad He was born. Merry Christmas.
Actually, My point is to all those who would dispute the reality of Christ because of this or that or the day of His birth. Not everyone on Freerepublic name the name of Jesus.
Merry Christmas
I have not read all your points yet but to begin with your claim that Scripture places the birth of Christ under Herod the Great is incorrect. The Herod that is mentioned in scriptures is Herod the Great’s son. We know this from, among other clues in Scriptures, Matthew 14:3 where Herod places John the Baptist in prison for: “Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife”. Herod and Philip were the sons of Herod the Great and both were Tetrarchs (regional rulers). Herod the Great died about 4 years before the birth of Christ.
Furthermore, I believe any discussion regarding the date of the Crucifix need take into account the extensive research Sir Robert Anderson conducted and recorded in his book The Coming Prince which is available for free online on many sites. He places the Crucifix in the month of April, 32AD.
JB
I suppose pointing out that the Magi didn’t visit the manger in Bethlehem wouldn’t matter. They visited a “house,” most likely the family home in Nazareth.
I agree with much of your Biblical reasoning, but why wouldn’t the date that Jesus first “tabernacled” with us be the date He was miraculously conceived? Isn’t that when He truly began to dwell with man on earth? If His conception was 12/25, His birth would be at the end of Sept.
Owning sheep myself, I can tell you that if the pastures were lush, there is no way the shepherds would have gotten the sheep to head into town as they need to for lambing season. Those shepherds would not have left their sheep either. The sheep get used to patterns-come in from pasture to the lambing sheds, have their lambs, when the pastures are ready and lush again, they head back out with speed. Turning them around would be pretty difficult.
Did you take into account the 12-day shift in the gregorian calendar? If it actually was the 25th of december back in 1bc, it wouldn’t be the 25th today.
Have you seen this information? http://www.bethlehemstar.net I thought people would think it’s interesting.
Sounds like you are going to believe whatever you choose to believe. I will stick with what Luke had to say and accept that what ever day on the calender marked the shortest day of ‘sunlight’ was the day wherein Emanuel - God With us was conceived. John six months in the womb certainly recognized His presence. Now how did Luke know this?
It is interesting to me that events regarding Christ can be associated to 3 of the 4 days (’sunlight’) that mark season changes...
That's debatable from a scriptural standpoint. The strongest evidence against a Friday crucifixion/Sunday rising is this verse:
Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The only sign given by Jesus that he was sent by God was how long he would be buried: 3 days AND 3 nights. Some people take this to mean parts of days and nights, but even taking parts there's no way to add up to 3 days and 3 nights. The scripture Christ referred to was Jonah:
Jon 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Three days and three nights. I once asked a rabbi how long of a time period this was, or how long Jewish tradition considered it to be. He said basically around 72 hours. So the sign Christ was giving to the Jews was that he, the Lord, would be in the tomb for around 72 hours.
I say, let them move Christmas to June, July, or whenever they want. Then we can have the Christmas celebration all to ourselves. Then when December rolls around, and all these other “Holiday” celebrations unfold, and no one shows up, or no one shows up to do “Holiday shopping”, or to buy “Holiday trees”, then we Christians can enjoy watching them all go Kerplunk!
Interesting article and thread.shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach AdonaiPeople look everywhere except
in the Word of G-d for the answerA thorough reading of Luke 1, John 1 and Chronicles
disregarding man made traditions will yield only one answer.Yah'shua was born on the YHvH commanded
Feast of Tabernacles in early October.
Doesn’t matter. A mere tradition of men. No where did Christ instruct anyone to celebrate a Christ Mass. No where do I see where putting up a tree had anything to do with anything other than Jeremiah 10 where it says DON’T cut a tree from the forest and bring it in and decorate it with silver and gold. But what does that matter...people do what they want. God said if you love me you’ll obey me.
Who does that anymore? Oh the “vain imaginations of men.”