The Christmas Fable: Unwrapping the Birth of Jesus
As we approach Christmas, many Christians are eager to ‘put Christ back into Christmas’ or remind others that ‘Jesus is the reason for the season.’ These sentiments express a desire to reconnect Christmas with its supposed Christian roots. But what if the Christmas we know today is based more on myth than on the Bible? In this study, we’ll explore the origins of Christmas, specifically focusing on the birth of Jesus and the date we associate with it—the 25th of December. You might be surprised by what we discover.
1. Christmas: A Fable?
When we think of a fable, we often think of a fictional story with a moral lesson, usually featuring mythical beings or inanimate objects taking on human qualities. In a way, the traditional Christmas story as we know it today fits that description—it’s built on centuries of storytelling, cultural adaptations, and traditions that have little biblical basis. The celebration of Christmas, especially on December 25th, and many of its associated customs, are steeped in history that predates Christianity and points to pagan origins.
The Word “Christmas”
The word “Christmas” itself gives us the first clue. It is derived from the Old English term Cristes Maesse, meaning the “Mass of Christ.” While this may seem straightforward, it’s peculiar when we consider that a “mass” in the Catholic tradition typically commemorates the death of Christ, not his birth. How did a festival celebrating Jesus’ birth come to be associated with his death?
2. When Was Jesus Really Born?
We know from the Bible that Jesus was born, but the exact date is not recorded in any of the Gospels. Surprisingly, even the Catholic Encyclopaedia admits that “the date of the Messiah’s birth is not known.” The story we all know from Luke’s Gospel, where angels appeared to shepherds in the fields, offers a clue that Jesus was probably not born in winter. Shepherds typically kept their flocks outside only until late October, when the cold would drive them back to their homes. In Judea, December is cold, sometimes snowy, making it highly unlikely that shepherds would have been outdoors with their sheep at that time.
3. The Early Christians and Christmas
Interestingly, early Christians did not celebrate Jesus’ birth at all. There is no historical evidence that the birth of Christ was observed during the Apostolic or early post-Apostolic periods. In fact, the early church fathers, including Irenaeus and Tertullian, omitted Christmas from their lists of Christian feasts. This omission isn’t coincidental; birthdays were not traditionally celebrated by early Christians. In fact, they were often viewed with suspicion, as they were associated with pagan customs.
Origen, an early Christian theologian, noted that none of the holy people in Scripture are recorded to have kept a feast or held a banquet on their birthdays. Instead, birthdays were seen as celebrations reserved for sinners, like Pharaoh or Herod.
4. How Did December 25th Become Christmas?
If early Christians didn’t celebrate Christmas, how did December 25th come to be associated with the birth of Christ? The answer lies not in Christian history but in pagan traditions, specifically those related to sun worship.
In ancient cultures, the sun played a crucial role in survival—providing light, warmth, and the ability to grow food. Sun gods were worshipped across various cultures, from the Near East to Rome. These deities were often celebrated during the winter solstice when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky, marking the “rebirth” of the sun as the days slowly begin to lengthen again.
In Rome, the festival of Saturnalia, held from December 17th to 23rd, was a time of revelry, gift-giving, and feasting. It was followed by the celebration of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti—the birthday of the “Unconquered Sun”—on December 25th. This celebration marked the sun’s return to its ascent, symbolising hope and new life.
When Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire under Emperor Constantine, the church faced a dilemma. How could they wean people off their beloved pagan festivals? The solution was to blend Christian beliefs with pagan practices. The Roman church adopted December 25th as the date to celebrate Jesus’ birth, not because it was the actual date of his birth, but because it coincided with the popular pagan festival of the Sun. It was far easier to rebrand a holiday than to convince the masses to give it up altogether.
5. Constantine and the Sun God
Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, was instrumental in solidifying the connection between December 25th and Christ’s birth. Before his conversion, Constantine had been a follower of Sol Invictus, the sun god. Even after his conversion, he continued to use sun imagery, and it’s likely that his decision to promote December 25th as the birth of Christ was influenced by his former pagan beliefs.
In fact, Constantine’s famous vision before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD—where he reportedly saw a cross in the sky—may have been a natural phenomenon known as a “solar halo,” caused by ice crystals in the upper atmosphere forming a ring around the sun.
6. The Spread of Christmas Traditions
By the time of Constantine, Mithraism—a religion centred on the worship of the sun god Mithras—had spread throughout the Roman Empire. Roman soldiers had adopted the cult of Mithras, which taught that the sun was an all-powerful force. This belief system played a significant role in how Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25th.
As Mithraism and Christianity began to intersect, many of the traditions associated with sun worship were absorbed into Christian celebrations. The veneration of the sun, the giving of gifts, and the celebration of light coming out of darkness all found their way into Christmas, as the church sought to make Christianity more palatable to the pagan masses.
7. The Biblical Significance of Jesus’ Birth
While it’s clear that December 25th has no biblical basis as the date of Jesus’ birth, this doesn’t diminish the significance of his birth itself. The Bible tells us that Jesus was born to be the Saviour of the world, and this is indeed cause for celebration. The Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary in Luke 1:31–33 is filled with wonder and prophecy:
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.”
Jesus’ birth marks the beginning of God’s plan to save humanity. It is a profound event, filled with hope and promise, but the Bible never instructs us to celebrate his birth. Instead, Jesus asked his followers to remember his death and resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 11:24–26, Jesus commands his disciples to take bread and wine in remembrance of him, proclaiming his death until he returns.
8. What Should We Remember?
The focus for Christians should not be on the birthday of Jesus, let alone the birthday of a sun god. Instead, we are called to remember his life, his teachings, his sacrifice, and his resurrection. The Bible makes no mention of celebrating Jesus’ birth, but it repeatedly calls us to remember his death and resurrection.
The early Christians obeyed this command, gathering each week to break bread and remember Jesus’ sacrifice. We can follow their example by focusing on the life-changing events of Jesus’ death and resurrection rather than becoming entangled in the customs and celebrations that have no basis in Scripture.
Conclusion: The True Light of the World
As we near another Christmas season, we have an opportunity to reflect on what we are truly celebrating. Will we continue to participate in traditions rooted in paganism, or will we focus on the true light of the world—Jesus Christ?
As the Apostle Paul warned in Galatians 4:9–10, “Now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!”
This year, let us remember not the birthday of the sun god but the death and resurrection of the Son of God—the true light of the world.