The First Christmas in Rome and What It Means to Us
A commentary by Gerhard Marx
United Church of God elder, United Kingdom
Posted December 17, 2009
 The
majority of Christians believe they are honoring Jesus Christ by observing
Christmas. A minority of Christians believe keeping Christmas does not
honor Christ. Where does the Bible stand on this question?
First, test yourself with the following question: When did the
Christian Church first commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec.
25?
Was it during the time of the New Testament apostles? Was it in the
second century when Christmas was first celebrated? Was Dec. 25 sanctioned
as an official celebration of the church sometime in the third century?
If you answered yes to the first, second or third centuries, you answered
incorrectly. Surprising as it may seem, the church in Rome didn't
sanction a Christmas celebration until well into the fourth century.
Notice this verification in the Oxford Dictionary of the
Christian Church: "Though speculation as to the time of
the year of Christ's birth dates from the early 3rd century….,
the celebration of the anniversary does not appear to have been general
till the later 4th century" (p. 277). The Catholic Encyclopedia adds, "Christmas
was not among the earliest festivals of the Church" (Vol. III,
p. 724).
Why did the church leaders wait over 300 years before instituting a
Dec. 25 observance?
No biblical authority for Christmas
There were two main reasons why the ecclesiastical officials didn't
sanction a Dec. 25 festival during the first three centuries. First,
the New Testament gave no authority to observe Christ's birth
as a religious celebration. "The observance of Christmas is not
of divine appointment, nor is it of New Testament origin" (Cyclopedia
of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, McClintock
and Strong, Vol. III, p. 276).
Second, Dec. 25 was already spoken for by the non-Christian Roman populace
who were celebrating it as the day to the unconquerable sun, dies
invicti solis in Latin. The Church identified this as an outright
pagan festival and refused to have anything to do with it. For example,
the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition, states, "In
Britain the 25th of December was a festival long before the conversion
to Christianity" (Vol. VI, p. 293).
But in the fourth century, in spite of its pagan association, Dec.
25 became acceptable as the date on which to celebrate the birth of
Jesus Christ. And what was the reason for this about-face?
Once the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great accepted the Christian
religion in the early part of the fourth century, the church was encouraged
to bring the Roman masses into the Christian fold. After all, the emperor
had accepted Christianity and worshipping the sun god on Dec. 25 had
to go. But this was easier said than done. The pagan population didn't
want to forgo their celebrations. It was decided to celebrate Christ's
birth on the Dec. 25 date and so try to prevent non-Christians from
worshipping their pagan sun god on that day.
Of course, it didn't really turn out that way. The pagan populace
continued in their superstitious ways and licentious behavior and so
brought their customs into the church. Many of those customs are still
observed in today's celebrations of this dubious festival. "There
can be little doubt that the Church was anxious to distract the attention
of Christians from the old heathen feast days by celebrating Christian
festivals on the same days" (James Hastings, Encyclopedia
of Religion and Ethics, Vol. III, p. 607).
When God called the children of Israel out of a superstitious and idolatrous
nation, Egypt, He realized their proclivity to copy pagan concepts rather
than follow His advice. That is why He warned them of that tendency
that would lead them away from the Creator and destroy their special
relationship with God. The warning is found in Deuteronomy 12:30: "Take
heed to yourself...that you do not inquire after their gods, saying,
'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.'"
Two ways to worship God
In worshipping God we can follow the instruction that Jesus gave in
John 4:24, "Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Or
we can follow the traditions that have grown up through the centuries
based on using human reasoning to decide how to worship the Almighty.
The alternative way of worship is the most popular. But a person who
worships God "in spirit and in truth" will allow God to
have the final say.
Jesus Christ makes it clear that human tradition can result in worshipping
God in vain. Notice His admonition: "In vain they worship Me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9).
Those who seek to honor Him by observing religious customs that have
no biblical basis but are based on human traditions drawn from pagan
religions can be worshipping God in vain.
God established festivals that help us worship Him in spirit and truth.
These days help us learn more about His great plan for mankind.
 For more details about these biblical Holy Days and what God wants
us to do about Christmas and other traditional holidays, see our booklet Holidays
or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?
Related Resources
The
Real Nativity Story: Surprising Truths You May Not Know!
The biblical accounts of Jesus Christ's birth present some surprising differences
from popular ideas and traditions. Do you know the facts from the fiction?
What's
Behind the Magnetic Pull of the Christmas Season?
Millions observe Christmas because it's a feel-good time with holiday
music filling the air, brightly decorated trees, Santa Claus for the
children and family togetherness. But does the Christmas season have
a strong, commercially motivated magnetic pull that goes unnoticed by
most?
4,000
Years of Christmas
'Tis the season for mistletoe and decorating the tree. But the origins
of Christmas may surprise you. Did you know one of the American colonies
outlawed observance of this holiday in 1659?
Where
Did Christmas Symbols Originate?
An enormous number of traditions we now associate with Christmas have
their roots in pre-Christian pagan religious traditions. Some of these
have social, sexual, or cosmological connotations that might lead educated,
culturally sensitive moderns to discard the traditions once they have
understood their roots more clearly.
Was
Christ Born on Christmas Day?
Do you observe Christmas because you think it's Christ's birthday? Was
He born on or anytime near Dec. 25? If Jesus lived on earth today, would
He celebrate Christmas at all?
Christmas
Before Christ: The Surprising Story?
If you discovered that Christmas had nothing to do with Jesus Christ's birth and actually predates that event by centuries, would you still celebrate the holiday? And if you realized that the Bible reveals Holy Days commanded by God, would you celebrate them instead?
Christmas
Reconsidered
Does the Bible permit a believer to observe religious festivals that
are not established by God? Does He allow us to use forms of worship
that originated in pagan ceremonies, adapting them to worship Him? Is
the New Testament more flexible than the Old, allowing us to disregard
God's prior instructions on how to worship Him? More to the point, can
we justify the observance of Christmas by Christians?
Are
the Biblical Holy Days Christian Festivals?
Why do most people keep holidays that are different from the festivals listed
and described in the pages of the Bible? When were the biblical feasts abandoned,
and why? How can we be sure which sacred days Christians should observe?
The
Biblical Festivals That Reveal God's Plan of Salvation
Sin has cut humanity off from God and brought the ultimate penalty of death.
But God has a plan to heal the broken relationship and save mankind. That
plan is revealed in the festivals of God found in the Bible.
The
Biblical Festivals That Show How God Will Bring World Peace
Will mankind ever experience lasting peace? Humanity's track record isn't
very good. But a series of biblical feasts reveals how God will indeed bring
lasting world peace! |
