When Was Jesus Born?

Bro. James: "Having Jesus' birth coincide with that
of Tammuz and the feast of the Saturnalia by Divine
fiat is highly unlikely."

These are strange gods that you mention. I've never
heard of them.

Bro. James: "Sheep are not kept in the fields at night in the winter."

December in Jerusalem:
Average high - 55
averahge low - 43
Warmest ever - 79
coldest ever - 30

Where would you keep your sheep on 25 Dec if you don't
have a heated barn? Prior to 1950 over 95% of
all sheep in the Jerusalem area were kept in their
fields YEAR ROUND.

BTW, as i write this about 5:20PM CST on 12 Dec 2004
the early morning temp in Jerusalem is 64.

Dr Bob: " ... You remember Herod? ... "
There were a hatfull of Herods. Which one
was the boss of Judah when Jesus was born?
Which one was boss when the Wise Men came?
What was their physical condition of the
two guys at these two times?

 

You all have missed when Zachariah/Elisabeth conceived. Course of Abija (Abia) was after Yom Kippur (September).

Where did you come up with Passover? That would skew the months dramatically. </font>[/QUOTE]The birth of John the Baptist was prophesied to his father, while his father was ministering in the temple during the course of Abia(Lu. 1:5; Abijah, 1Chron. 24:10). With each priestly course serving for one week at a time and the course of Abia being the eighth from the beginning of the month Abib (also called Nisen, Est.3:7); the month of the passover, Ex. 12:2; April-May on our calender), then John's father was fulfilling his course in the eight week of the Jewish year, around the middle of June on our calendar. After finishing his course, he returned home and his wife concieved (Lu. 1:23,24). That brings us to the last few days of june. Since Jesus was conceived six months later, that would put the Lord's conception in Dec., not His birth. As far as being circumcised, the Lord was circumcised the eighth day according to the law(Lu.2:21), a covenant of the promise of God(Gen.17). A child is recongized at birth(Lu.2:11), not at circumcision. Just because the baby is not given a name, does not mean they are not recongized as an individual. In fact, it was a penalty of death to harm a baby while it was still in the womb. Truth is, we know that Christ was not born in December. Noone knows for sure what day or year He was born. All we can do is guess about sept-Oct of our calender.

 

Hey there, POB, you're welcome! I like your comment that Jesus was born on His birthday.

Yes, I thought that guy's theory about when Jesus was born was pretty well thought out and seemed to make sense, though I have not studied this at all.

 

Later tonight I will post evidence for 8 BC as the year of his birth.

 

Just got back from the second night of a live nativity musical. They had it outside with sheep, goats, donkeys and a camel; after the end the kids were allowed to pet the animals. Was a real blessing spiritually, could see it for another week and not get bored. Praise the LORD for his only begotten son who has redeemed us through his precious blood shed on the cross. Amen

As stated in Luke 2:1-7, the birth of Jesus occurred while Quirinius was serving his first term as governor of Syria. The works of Flavius Josephus indicates that P. Sulpicius Quirinius and his assistant, Titius, governed Syria from 11 BC to 8 BC. Ample secular evidence indicates that Quirinius fought the Homonadensean war in Cilicia (Asia Minor) from 10 BC to the spring of 8 BC. While Quirinius was preoccupied with the war his assistant, Titius, governed Syria from Roman headquarters at Antioch, Syria. For Quirinius the year 8 BC was his last year of his first term as chief legate of Syria. His successor in 8 BC was Sentius Saturninius and his assistant Volumnius.

Egyptian documents indicate that periodical enrollments were made in Egypt under the Roman empire, during the reign of Augustus. These same documents reveal that a census was held every fourteen years, commencing in 23 BC when Augustus received tribunician power on June 27, 23 BC. The census was always taken after the end of the year it was declared, and would include those born in the previous year. The first declared year of 23 BC was followed by an actual census in 22 BC. The second declared year was 9 BC followed by an actual census in 8 BC, when Quirinius was serving the last year of his first term as governor of Syria. The third declared year was AD 6, followed by an actual census in AD 7, the same census mentioned in Acts 5:37 when Quirinius served his second term as governor of Syria.

There is documented evidence that in 8 BC a census was conducted in Syria and Egypt. A census of Cilicia was also taken in 8 BC by Quirinius, following the Homonadensian war. Augustus, in his Monumentum Ancyranum mentions a statistical enumeration of Roman citizens in 8 BC.
Evidence of a 8 BC census in Palestine is not available, but since the same census gathering procedures were enacted by the same authority, Palestine had to be included in the Roman census of 8 BC. This is the year Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem and gave birth to Jesus. The Nativity could not of taken place between 7 and 4 BC, for Saturninus and Varus served as governors of Syria at that time.

 

I think that is interesting, however, your conclusion is not fact. That is why there is so many different theories. There is no hard evidence as to the day or year. We know fact from the Word of God, that He was about 33 years old when He died, what day He died, the date He died, what day of the week He rose from the , but we can only give our oppinions to the matter.