When was Jesus born?

Now that festivities are almost over, let’s consider what Scripture says about the time of Jesus’ birth! Obviously he was not born in December because if he was 33 and 1/2 years old when he was crucified during the Passover feast, which is celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan between March – April (Exodus 12:1-11), then he certainly turned 33 years old, six months prior to that, in the Hebrew month of Tishri between September – October, which is the actual month of his birth! Moreover, it is winter time in Israel during December and in the whole northern hemisphere and nobody spends the night out, let alone the shepherds, whom the Bible says were keeping watch over their flocks at night! They do so during the shearing season that never happens to be during winter because the sheep requires enough wool to keep them warm in winter, which further proves that the time when the angels announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds couldn’t be the month of December!

Is it possible to prove the above fact from Scriptures? Let’s consider the birth of John, which holds the key! The Bible says that ‘in the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah .. Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Your wife will bear you a son and you are to give him the name John …” – (Luke 1:5-13) We also read in 1 Chronicles 24:3 that ‘David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering’ and the eight lot fell to Abijah (vs 10). Each of the 24 priestly divisions in the Temple of Jerusalem served for about two weeks per year. The priests also served during the three required feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. This meant that each division served twice in their appointed order and at the three festivals, which averaged to about five times a year. Since the month of Nisan (March-April) is the beginning of the Jewish new year ( Exodus 12:1-2), its from here they begin to count the weeks and the months for the  priestly duties in the temple at Jerusalem and the appointed feasts.

Therefore, Zechariah was on duty on the eight week starting from the first month of Nisan after which he returned home and his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. ‘When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth become pregnant ..’ – (Luke 1:23-24) Elizabeth conceived John in the 3rd Hebrew month of Sivan (May-June) and in the 6 month of her pregnancy which is the 9th Hebrew month of Kislev (Nov- Dec), ‘God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary and said, “… You will be with a child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus.” – (Luke 1:26-31) Considering that the normal period of human gestation to be 40 weeks or 280 days, Jesus was born in the seventh Hebrew month of Tishri (Sept-Oct), probably on Yom Kippur, which is celebrated on the 10th of Tishri or during the Feast of Tabernacles which is celebrated for 7 days from 15 – 21 of Tishri. If all new testament events coincided with old testament events: old testament Passover with the death of the new testament Passover Lamb of God; old testament Pentecost with new testament Pentecost , then obviously Jesus cannot be born in December, which is irrelevant in the Jewish calendar, but was probably born on Yom Kippur, which is a solemn day for the Jews because they believe that is the day when Adam fell and they fast, mourn and pray on that day. It was on that solemn day of mourning, that the Angels announced the glad tidings of the birth of a Saviour; the second Adam to the shepherds! ‘The angel of the Lord said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” – (Luke 2:10) Amen!