South End
Church of Christ
4001 Taylor Blvd
Louisville, KY 40215

Who We Are About Us Classes Contact Us Study Materials Audio Sermons Order Free CDs Articles The Abiding Truth Charts

10 Facts About Christmas
Aaron Erhardt

1. Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1)

2. We are not told when Jesus was born (1)

3. Nativity scenes are not accurate (2)

4. Christ never commanded Christmas (3)

5. Early church never observed Christmas (4)

6. We commemorate Christ’s death (1 Cor. 11:23-26)

7. Unauthorized holy days are not to be observed (Gal. 4:10) (5)

8. December 25th was a pagan observance (6)

9. The name Christmas is of Catholic origin (7)

10. We can observe Christmas as a civil holiday (8)

Footnotes:

1. At the time of Christ’s birth, shepherds were in the fields (Lk. 2:8). Shepherds were in the fields from April—October. Therefore, it is unlikely that Jesus was born in late December.

2. We are not told how many wise men there were, and they were never at the manger. They went “into the house” (Matt. 2:11).

3. Jesus said, “…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20). Where did he ever command Christmas?

4. Christmas was not celebrated until the fourth century. It was first celebrated in Rome in 354, in Constantinople in 379, and in Antioch in 388.

5. The same principles which would forbid the religious observance of Jewish holy days in this text would apply to the religious observance of Catholic holy days.

6. Dec. 25th was celebrated among the Romans as a special day in honor of the sun-god.

7. The name “Christmas” is derived from the medieval Christes Masse, the Mass of Christ.

8. It is not wrong for Christians to observe Christmas as a civil holiday, so long as there are no religious connotations. This falls into the same category as circumcising one’s child for reasons non-religious.