Was Jesus actually born on December 25?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

December 25 was chosen as the day to celebrate Jesus’ birth more for symbolic and traditional reasons than for direct biblical evidence, and the exact day remains unknown. Early Christians, including church fathers like Irenaeus and Hippolytus, linked Jesus’ birth to December 25 based on theological reasoning, such as counting nine months from March 25 (believed to be the date of His conception or Passion). This date was gradually accepted in the Western church, while Eastern churches often celebrated January 6 or other dates. Today, it serves as a meaningful celebration of Jesus’ birth rather than a confirmed historical birthday.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament does not directly tell us the date of Jesus' birth. However, it does provide prophetic and symbolic clues that help identify the nature, lineage, and location of the Messiah’s birth, rather than the specific time of year. Micah 5:2 prophesies that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem revealing location, not timing.
• Daniel 9:25–26 speaks of the coming of the “Anointed One” after a specific number of weeks of years. This has been interpreted as pointing to the general period of Jesus' arrival on earth but not His birthday.
• Some scholars see possible symbolic connections to Israel’s feasts such as the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in September/October. Some suggest this may align with Jesus’ birth due to the theme of “God dwelling with us” (John 1:14) and possible timing six months after John the Baptist’s birth (see Luke 1). However, the Old Testament never states that the Messiah would be born during a specific feast or season.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Biblically, the date of Jesus' birth is uncertain. In fact, we are uncertain even of the year in which Jesus was born. Matthew 2:1 tells us Herod was king when wise men from the east came looking for Jesus. This Herod died in 4 BC, meaning Jesus was born by then. Further, since Herod commanded all males two years old and under to be killed after the wise men did not return, this indicates Jesus could have been as old as two years by 4 BC, giving a window of 6—4 BC for His birth.
• The exact time of year of Jesus’ birth is uncertain, though some biblical and historical clues provide insight. Since a census was being conducted at the time of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:1-3), it likely took place after the agricultural harvest, suggesting a time frame between fall and spring.
• Additionally, Jesus was born about six months after John the Baptist (Luke 1:26, 36). John's father, Zechariah, received the angelic announcement while serving in the temple during his priestly division’s appointed time (Luke 1:5, 8-11). According to historical records of the priestly service divisions, this would have likely occurred in early June, with Elizabeth conceiving shortly afterward. This places John’s birth around March or April and Jesus’ birth approximately six months later, in September or October. Still, the exact date remains unknown and cannot be determined with certainty.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The birth of Jesus is celebrated on December 25, but the Bible does not specifically tell us when Jesus was born, meaning any dates proposed for His birth require extra-biblical information. The earliest known accounts associated with a December 25 birthdate can be traced back to church father Irenaeus (130—202) who connected Mary's conception of Jesus with the Passion Week (starting with Palm Sunday). Using March 25 as his Passion Week date, Irenaeus calculated forward nine months to December 25 as a birthdate. Hippolytus (170—236) specifically noted December 25 with the birth of Jesus, though he may have made this decision based on the earlier tradition of Irenaeus. Sextus Julius Africanus (160—240) noted December 25 as the date of Jesus' birth in the year 221. The influential church leader John Chrysostom (347—407) held to December 25 as well. Cyril of Jerusalem (348—486) was a writer who had access to the official Roman birth census and documented the birth of Jesus on December 25. This date would be accepted as the date on the Western church calendar. The Eastern churches selected January 6, with other churches selecting various dates between December 25 and January 6.

Though it is unknown which day Jesus was born, early believers selected December 25 based on the known information from that time. Regardless of whether this is the exact date, December 25 is now used to commemorate a key date in the history of all Christians—the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

UNDERSTAND

• The Bible does not specify December 25 as Jesus’ birth date, and the exact day remains unknown.
• Early Christians chose December 25 based on theological and symbolic reasoning rather than direct biblical evidence.
• December 25 became the recognized date for celebrating Jesus’ birth in the Western church, making it a traditional commemoration rather than a confirmed historical birthday.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that December 25 is not the exact biblical birthdate of Jesus affect the way you celebrate Christmas?
• How can you focus more on the meaning of Jesus’ birth rather than the specific date it happened?
• How can you use the Christmas season to reflect on Jesus’ significance beyond just the historical details?

ENGAGE

• For what reasons might early Christians have chosen symbolic dates like December 25 to celebrate Jesus’ birth instead of focusing solely on historical accuracy?
• How can we maintain the true meaning of Jesus’ birth while engaging with traditions that have developed over time?
• What impact does celebrating Jesus’ birth on a traditional date have on our faith and community unity today?