CHRISTMAS: NEWER CHANNUKAH VERSUS SATURNALIA INSIGHTS: More recent scholarly studies prove that Christmas Tree is from the Tree of Eternal Life (Ge 2:9, 3:22) depicted in church plays of the Middle Ages, not Luther or Druid tree-worshippers, although outdated articles for example in Worldbook still repeat the legends and Luther may have originated the use of candles attached to Christmas trees.
The giant cedars of Lebanon used to build the temple at Jerusalem themselves had bright green needles with tan-colored cones, and John 10:22-3 says Christ visited the successor temple during the Jewish "Festival of Dedication," namely Channukah, during winter. Also called the Festival of Lights, it had singing, the carrying of tree branches, homes filled with lights and joy. Celebrated 8 days each time, its date varies yearly but the first Channukah was December 25, making it an even more likely source for the December 25 celebration than Rome's Saturnalia which came later in the month. Some believe Christ was actually born about Oct 1, which would mean Mary conceived 9 months previously, that is about or on December 25. As to Santa Claus, no, he did not come from a vaguely known Asian god who descended chimneys to bring gifts or Siberian wizards but instead the Christian Nicholaus a famous gift-giver in Turkey in the Middle Ages.
In fact Christ himself was wrongly attacked as a "glutton and drunkard" simply for believing in a good time (Mt 11:19). He once turned water to wine at a wedding party in Cana (Jn 2:1-11), told followers to invite needy persons to parties (Lu 14:13-14), and accepted gifts. Interestingly, Revelation 1:14 even describes the resurrected Christ's hair as like "white wool" or "snow," his cloak was scarlet-colored (red with a bluish tinge--Mt 27:28), and white
symbolized purity. True, all that just coincidentally reminds one of Santa Claus, but do note that the earliest Christians enjoyed balanced merriment at "love feasts" (Jude 12), the angels celebrated Christ's birth (Lu 2), and Job's children had enjoyed birthdays (Job 1:3, 3:1, 3).
Those not celebrating Christmas for example from lack of correct knowledge do so with a clean conscience deserving respect, but those observing it honorably also deserve respect (Ro 14). Visit our nonprofit Jah Christians egroup at the following to request more free Bible information: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jahchristian, or contact:
CHRISTMAS INSIGHTS: The Christmas Tree is from the Tree of Eternal Life (Ge 2:9, 3:22) depicted in church plays of the Middle Ages, not Luther or Druid tree-worshippers, although outdated articles for example in Worldbook still repeat the legends and other writers frequently copy what they say. In fact the giant cedars of Lebanon used to build the temple at Jerusalem themselves had bright green needles with tan-colored cones, and John 10:22-3 clearly says Christ visited the successor temple during the Jewish "Festival of Dedication," namely Channukah, during winter. Also called the Festival of Lights and sometimes also spelled as Hannukah, the holiday both had and still has singing, the carrying of tree branches, homes filled with bright lights and joy. Celebrated 8 days each time, its date varies yearly according to lunar positions but the first Channukah was December 25 (Hebrew: Chislev/Kislev 25) ,
making it an even more likely original source for the December 25 celebration than Rome's Saturnalia which many articles also point back to.
Some believe Christ was actually born about October 1 instead of December 25, which however would mean that Mary conceived 9 months previously, that is about December 25. (Count back 9 months and see for yourselves) As to Santa Claus, no, he did not come from a vaguely known Asian god who descended chimneys to bring gifts or Siberian wizards but instead the Christian named Nicholaus a famous gift-giver in Turkey in the Middle Ages. Some feel that the "have a
good or merry time attitude" that is associated with the modern Saint Nick or Santa is wrong but others note that Christ himself was wrongly attacked as a "glutton and drunkard" for believing in a good time (Mt 11:19). In fact Christ once turned water to wine at a wedding party in Cana (Jn 2:1-11), told followers to invite needy persons to parties (Lu 14:13-14), and accepted gifts such as expensive nard oil. Interestingly, Revelation 1:14 even describes the
resurrected Christ's hair like "white wool" or "snow," and we know that his cloak was scarlet-colored (red with a bluish tinge--Mt 27:28), and that white symbolized purity.
True, all such points may only be coincidental in reminding one of Santa Claus, but note also that even the earliest Christians enjoyed heart-cheering get-togethers or parties as noted from the fact that Jude 12 calls these "love feasts" (Jude 12), angels celebrated Christ's birth (Lu 2), and Job's children had enjoyed birthdays (Job 1:3, 3:1, 3). Those not celebrating Christmas for example from lack of correct knowledge do so with a clean conscience deserving respect, but those observing it honorably also deserve respect (Ro 14).
Many Christmas trees are topped by a star remindful of the Christ star. According to John Mosley's The Christmas Star (1985) from September 3 BC to June 2 BC Jupiter, known as "the royal planet" passed Regulus "the king star" in the constellation Leo, reversed then passed again, turned and passed a third time. By June 17 Jupiter and Regulus were so close they seemed a single star when seen by the eye. This then is one intriguing possible source for the
Christ star in the Bible.
Now prior to Christ's birth an unspecified number of men called the "magi" in Biblical Greek came from the East first to Jerusalem (Mt 2:1-2) then went on to find the Christ child in Bethlehem. Some translations render the word magi as astrologers because its root like the word "magician" is linked to the idea of being a person of great might. However even though magi may refer to people who tried to predict the future by observing the stars, using omens and
consulting spirit beings in opposition to the prohibition against spiritism at Deuteronomy 18:10-12, it can also refer to people who worked to predict future weather patterns, good times to plant and harvest, buy and sell crops, etc via careful observation of the clouds, stars and other natural phenomena and with very little to absolutely no special focus on the occult.
Indeed it wuld be illogical to think that the Bible speaks well of or even in neutral tones of the magi if spiritistic persons had come to visit the Christ child, and so with solid reason excellent Bible translations continue to translate the magi as simply "the wise men" or even "stargazers." Again, this is because many magi were more like a combination of modern weather forecasters and astronomers than persons devoted to promoting the occult as also proved when the Bible in positive tones record that they brought gifts for Christ and then also protected him by leaving without telling his location to King Herod who wickedly desired to slay him. Therefore, many in no wise see it as improper to enact or enjoy nativity scenes that commemorate the good deeds of the "wise men."
So long as one acts out of a sincere desire to please God, both those who celebrate Christmas and those not doing so deserve respect according to what Paul writes at Colossians 2:16 which you are encouraged to read. As to who wrote this, who write are part of an international, informal nonprofit fellowship of Christians, usually meeting in homes or by the internet, called the Active Christians of Jehovah. We encourage all interested readers to reproduce copies of this and distribute them to others so that they too may know such basic Bible truths. Visit our nonprofit Jah Christians egroup at the
following to request more free Bible information:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jahchristian, or contact:
