Jesus was not born on December 25: what the Bible says about the date of his birth.
For centuries, millions of people around the world have celebrated the birth of Jesus every December 25. Lights, trees, carols, and family gatherings have become part of a tradition that crosses cultures and generations.
But there is a question that few dare to ask: is that date really the correct one according to the Bible?
Scripture never mentions December 25 as the day of Jesus’ birth. In fact, when the biblical account is carefully analyzed, a very different story emerges.
The historical origin of December 25
December 25 was not a date established by Jesus, by the apostles, or by the early Christian church.
It was officially adopted in 336 AD, under the Roman Emperor Constantine.
In the Roman Empire, that day was celebrated one of the most important pagan festivals: the Natalis Solis Invicti, the birth of the Invincible Sun. It was a festival dedicated to the Sun god, very popular among the Romans.
When Christianity began to spread, Constantine decided to overlay the celebration of Christ’s birth on top of this pagan holiday, in order to facilitate the conversion of the Roman people. Thus, the date was Christianized, but it was not based on a biblical data.
The climatic test that rules out winter
Luke 2:8 describes shepherds tending their flocks during the night in the open field when Jesus was born.
This seems like a minor detail, but it’s actually key.
In the Bethlehem region, the winter months (December and January) have temperatures close to 0 degrees and constant rainfall. During that period, the shepherds did not leave the sheep in the open air; they were sheltered in covered corrals.
The herds only stayed in the fields from spring to autumn, roughly from March to November.
That means Jesus could not have been born in the dead of winter.
The Roman census: another piece of the puzzle
Luke also mentions that Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem by a census ordered by Caesar Augustus. That walk was more than 130 kilometers.
The Roman Empire never conducted censuses in winter. Roads became dangerous, muddy, and impassable, especially in mountainous regions. Censuses were always carried out in dry and temperate seasons.
Another clear evidence that the birth did not occur in December.
The hidden fact in Luke that reveals everything
The most precise key is in Luke chapter 1.
Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, belonged to Abijah’s priestly shift. According to 1 Chronicles 24, that shift served the eighth week of the Jewish calendar, which corresponds roughly to mid-June.
After completing his service, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant.
Nine months later, John the Baptist is born around March or April.
Six months into that pregnancy, the angel Gabriel visits Mary. That places the conception of Jesus around September.
Nine months later, Jesus would have been born between the end of September and the beginning of October.
The connection to the Feast of Tabernacles
That period coincides with the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), one of the most important celebrations in the biblical calendar, which commemorates when God dwelt in the midst of his people in the wilderness.
John 1:14 says that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” In the original language, that word literally means “tabernacle.”
In other words, Jesus would have been born precisely when Israel celebrated that God dwelt with his people.
Why was there no room in the inn?
In December, Bethlehem was a quiet town.
But during the Feast of Tabernacles, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem, and Bethlehem was completely filled.
That explains why Joseph and Mary did not find lodgings.
Even the rabbis expected it that way
Ancient rabbinic texts indicate that many Jewish sages expected the Messiah to be born during Sukkot.
Theology, prophecy, and the calendar fit together like a perfect puzzle.
So should we stop celebrating December 25?
That is a personal decision.
What is really important is not the exact day, but that Jesus was born, did come into the world, died and rose again.
December 25 is a human tradition, beautiful and full of cultural significance. But the Bible points to the Messiah’s birth occurring in the fall, during the Feast of Tabernacles.
Tips and recommendations
• Study the Bible for yourself and don’t rely on traditions alone.
• Learn to separate the cultural from the biblical without losing respect for both.
• Share this information with humility, not to generate division, but reflection.
• Remember that faith is not based on a date, but on a person: Jesus.
• Use these truths to strengthen your spiritual relationship, not to argue.
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