When Was Christ Born?
Material adapted from appendix 179 of the Companion Bible.
1. All scholars agree that December 25th is not Christ’s birthday. What is the date then? According to 1 Chronicles, there were 24 divisions of the sons of Aaron who ministered in the temple.
1 Chr 24:1,5-19 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 5 Thus they were divided by lot, one group as another, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of the house of God, from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar. 6 And the scribe, Shemaiah the son of Nethanel, one of the Levites, wrote them down before the king, the leaders, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and Levites, one father’s house taken for Eleazar and one for Ithamar. 7 Now the first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, 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 Jehezekel, 17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, 18 the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 19 This was the schedule of their service for coming into the house of the LORD according to their ordinance by the hand of Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.
There were 2 ministrations of each division. They started at the commencement of the civil year in the month Ethanim or Tishri, our September-October. Rosh Ha Shanah is Tishri 1. All the divisions served together at the great feasts.
2. Zacharias was of the division of Abijah.
Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
3. The first ministration does not fit our calculations to allow for pasture when the shepherds were “living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). It would put the birth in March. However, the 2nd ministration was 12-18 Sivan, our June 13-19, which would put the birth in the fall.
4. Each ministration began on the Sabbath. Therefore, the day after his ministration was complete, the 20th, was a Sabbath, so Zacharias would stay until the next day, June 21.
5. Zacharias lived in the hill country of Judah (Luke 1:39), about 30 miles away. It would take a man “well advanced in years” (Luke 1:7) probably 2 days to get home. That would make his arrival June 23rd.
6. The miraculous conception of John probably took place the night of June 23-24, 5 B.C.
Luke 1:23-24 And so it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived.
7. The begetting (Mat 1:18) of Christ by the Holy Spirit was the 6th month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.
Luke 1:26 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 favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.:30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.”
8. Therefore, if our suppositions are true, the begetting of Christ 6 months after John was December 25, 5 B.C.
9. After a perfect 280 day gestation, He was born. The date was September 29, 4 B.C.
10. The “Festival of Michael and All Angels” was on September 29. That’s when the heavenly host appeared.
Luke 2:9-14 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
11. This was on the 1st day of the Feast of Tabernacles.
John 1:14 o logo" sarx egeneto kai eskhnwsen (tabernacled), not katoikew, dwell, found 10 times.
John 1:14 the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. skhnow is only found here and Rev 7:15; 12:12; 13:6; 21:3. All are coupled with the tabernacle except 13:6, believers tabernacling in heaven.
12. Therefore, we should celebrate this great day, December 25th, as Annunciation day when God became flesh.
