When was Jesus born?

[The Gauge]

I remember my Religious Education teacher telling us at school back in the 80's that Jesus couldn't possibly have been born on December 25th as there is mention of shepherds watching their flocks by night which must mean it was lambing season. Also Julius and Augustus hadn't added themselves to the calendar yet, so there would only have been 10 months in the calendar.

I went to a local history talk the other day and the professor speaking explained that Dec 25th was a date agreed on because it coincided with another festive/significant date, and it was thought that aligning Jesus birth date with that event would help spread the belief.

Can astronomers give a date to when the bright star may have appeared, possibly a comet etc?

I'm a non believer but find the subject fascinating.

[Hoofy]

In before the Pagans.

[Nigel_O]

Not religious either, but December was the tenth month (‘dec’ = 10) and shepherds can watch their flocks any time they want, not just at lambing time.

[Al Gorithum]

Is there any evidence that Jesus even existed?

[Blib]

Some random article said:

The Awassi sheep is a desert sheep, a fat-tailed breed that has existed in the Middle East for an estimated 5,000 years. It is the only indigenous breed of sheep in Israel. They are raised for wool, meat, and milk. Awassi sheep breed in the summer and drop lambs in the winter, when there is sufficient pasture for the ewes in milk. In Israel, the principal lambing season is December through January.

HTH.

[anonymous-user]

Are you sure they weren't washing their socks by night instead?

Maybe it got lost in translation or there are actually lots of people in the middle east called John, Luke, Mark and Paul?

[boyse7en]

Nigel_O said:

Not religious either, but December was the tenth month (‘dec’ = 10) and shepherds can watch their flocks any time they want, not just at lambing time.

Sure, shepherds can watch their flocks whenever they want, but in reality you only do it during lambing season as the rest of the time sheep pretty much look after themselves. If they spent the whole year watching their flocks they'd never get anything done or die from lack of sleep.

Anyway, Jesus was probably born on a Friday, as the Innkeeper said there was no room in Bethlehem hotels because they were full. Obviously small town hotels are busier during the weekend.
It couldn't be the Saturday, as he as Jewish and they're not allowed to work on the Sabbath, so the Innkeeper wouldn't have been working.

[simon_harris]

I was under the impression december was chosen by one of the Christian religions to usurp some pagan celebration.

[CypSIdders]

It's a trap!

[mac96]

No-one has yet responded: 'Who?'

[Mr Penguin]

Al Gorithum said:

Is there any evidence that Jesus even existed?

Yes, it's well established that he existed and that the circumstances of his birth, baptism, and death are broadly accurate. What happened between those events is a bit less clear.

[shirt]

25th dec was celebrated from earlier roman times [3rd century bc] for the sun as part of the saturnalia festivities

i won't point out that seasons in the middle east are somewhat different to those in the uk. surely even an RE teacher wasn't that dumb.

[Roofless Toothless]

Weren't Mary and Joseph on the road because they had to travel to register for a census, and the date of that census is known, and it definitely wasn't in December?

[Mr Penguin]

Joey Deacon said:

Are you sure they weren't washing their socks by night instead?

Maybe it got lost in translation or there are actually lots of people in the middle east called John, Luke, Mark and Paul?

They are translated names.

[Sheets Tabuer]

April 15th 5 BCE coinciding with the arrival of comet donati

[WrekinCrew]

Roofless Toothless said:

Weren't Mary and Joseph on the road because they had to travel to register for a census, and the date of that census is known, and it definitely wasn't in December?

I never understood why you had to return to your home town for a census. Wouldn't the Romans want to know where people were, rather than where they came from? And who did they put down for "father" when registering the birth?

[Countdown]

Reverend Holt told us it was roughly in September and roughly 4 BC

[ferret50]

I was out and about last night and I saw shepherds washing their socks.....all seated around the tub!

[richhead]

I think its fairly easy to pick holes in most fiction

[Mr Penguin]

WrekinCrew said:

I never understood why you had to return to your home town for a census. Wouldn't the Romans want to know where people were, rather than where they came from? And who did they put down for "father" when registering the birth?

They didn't have to travel for the census and there are a few factual errors in Luke relating to this, but it is odd that he would make that mistake since someone living around the Med in 100AD would be living under Roman rule.