Jesus' Birthdate Revealed!

Although we celebrate the birthdate of Jesus of Nazareth on December 25 it is highly improbable that he was born on this day! The accounts found in Luke and Matthew do not give us an exact day they do relate a timeframe of the year. Consider Luke 2 and the revelation to the shepherds out in the fields at night. No shepherd would have his sheep in the wet cold winter in Israel! This is the season of little grazing grass necessary for their life and health. The time for flocks grazing is the Spring and Summer and early Fall but not Winter.

John's gospel directly links Jesus with the fulfillment of the Feast of Israel recorded in Leviticus 23. After Jesus immersion by John and his return from the wilderness the Prophet Forerunner of the Messiah declared- "Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29,35 The lamb and the shepherd are identified by Jesus as pictures of his own life and mission. Using the historical indicators identified in the gospel accounts mostly likely Jesus was crucified at the Passover in the Spring of AD 33 on Thursday or Friday April 2 ,3.  The shadow of Law meets its completion in Jesus dying as God's provided Lamb for the sins of his people.

In like manner Jesus birth is connected to the Fall feast of Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. The Hebrew lived in tents during their journey from Egyptian slavery to the Promised land. God also had his tent erected among them as they traveled. And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. Exodus 25:8-9 John connects Jesus incarnation with Tabernacles in chapter 1 of his gospel. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.... 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So does the writer of Hebrews in chapter 8,9,10. "Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. (Hebrews 8:1)

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:11-12

Again using historical data and information given in the gospel accounts we can arrive at the approximate date for Jesus birth in the Fall. 

But the most important truth is not the date of his arrival but the fact of the historical birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us for us people and our salvation.

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Transcript

Jesus’ birthdate! December 25? Right? No!

Most people do not give much thought about the day Jesus was born of Mary in Bethlehem. Based on Church tradition and council decreed people assume Jesus was born on a December night. But It is extremely unlikely that Jesus had a December birth.  Make no mistake. Jesus was born of Mary following 9 months of gestation-a natural birth in Bethlehem of Judea. But not in the winter months. The bible never gives a date but Luke does describes the circumstance. Listen carefully to the story recorded by Luke.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
     and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 

No date is given but a weather description indicator is provided in the location and activity of the shepherds. They were in the fields keeping watch over their flocks. This means there is much grass for the sheep to eat. Thus, either Spring or Fall but not December! Many sheep, thousands of sheep were need at these times for sacrifices in the festivals. The Hebrew feast were and are in the Spring and the Fall of the year. In the Spring there is Passover, Feast of Unleavened bread and First Fruits. This is recorded in Leviticus 23. Following a Lunar calendar these feasts all occurred in March-April. All 3 concerned redemption by blood and renewal by first harvest. The New Testament is very explicit in declaring that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of these feasts. The Passover celebrated God delivering the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt by the shed blood of a lamb as recorded in Exodus 11-15. These explicit instructions concerning the Passover are found in Exodus 12:1-19.

The Lamb is connected with Jesus at the very beginning of his ministry by John the baptizer, the immersionist, who cried out when he sees Jesus return from the wilderness where he had been tempted- “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! He repeated the declaration the next day when he was standing with two of his disciple. When He saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God! (John 1:29, 35f)

Jesus, spoke of himself as the Good Sheperd who dies for his sheep in John 10:11,14-15,17-18

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. … 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep… 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Then at the Last Passover that he celebrated with his disciples, Matthew writes, 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Paul explicated declared of Jesus, For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Paul writes of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Feast of First Fruits by his resurrection from the dead in 1 Corinthians 15. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Since Jesus is the fulfillment of the Spring feast then his fulfilment of the Fall festivals are also a foreshadowing of his person and work as the Messiah. The Fall feast which occurs in our Fall (September-October) are Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles.  The New Testament speaks of them as being shadows of the reality brought to completion by Jesus. The book of Hebrews says Jesus is our Great High Priest who applies his own blood sacrificed in the true Temple- Hebrews 9:11-12, 28. 

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption….

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him..

Now consider with me the feast of Tabernacles. Instructions are found in Leviticus 23:33-44 and Numbers 29. It commemorates the wilderness journey of the Hebrews to the promised land. During this pilgrim journey God supplied them with bread from heaven and water from the Rock. Paul in 1 Corinthians says that Christ Jesus was that Rock. 

1 Corinthians 10:1-4  For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

Jesus himself spoke of himself as the true manna from heaven and the source of light and refreshing life-giving water. Listen to his words spoken after his feeding the five thousand by a miracle: 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

John 8:12 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 4:10 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” … 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 7:38 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

Jesus is the Lamb God provided for the redemption of his people and he died at Passover time in Jerusalem. The type was brought to fulfillment. Jesus died and was buried at the time of the Passover. According to John, Jesus crucifixion was on Nisan 14, the Day of Preparation when the Passover lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple. 

John is the most deliberate of the gospel writes to connect Jesus to the Jewish feast. 

Now this brings us the fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles.  Instructions for this feast are in Leviticus 23:39ff “41 You shall celebrate it as a feast to Yahweh for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your God.”

During the time of Israel journey God had Moses construct the Tabernacle, the special Tent of his dwelling with the people. Exodus 25:8-9 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. Hebrews 9 details its furniture and how Christ fulfills its purpose in his ministry as Sacrifice and priest. The Tabernacle, the Tent of God’s living in the midst of his sinning people. There he could be approached through the God appointed mediator of the law covenant Moses for revelation and sacrifice.

Now it is the fulfillment of this feast that John uses to describe the coming of the Word into our world. John 1 reads, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ..14

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. …16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known..

Given the pattern we have observed of the links between the historical events of God with Israel in her redemption and arrive in the Promised Land and the ministry of Jesus Christ as their fulfilment we arrive at the time of the birthing of Jesus by Mary in Bethlehem. It would be on the feast of Tabernacles with a timeframe of late September to early October. We do not know the exact date but we are confident of the timeframe of his arrival in the world. Consider the meaning of Tabernacles and how John directly records the Word tabernacled among us, that is he tented in our midst, he took up temporary residence not as an alien but as one of us- flesh of flesh, bone of our bone! The writer of Hebrews relates that Jesus brings reality to the psalmist words, 

Hebrews 10:5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
     but a body have you prepared for me;
 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
     you have taken no pleasure.
 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
     as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” Psalm 40

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 2:14-15,14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 

So in what timeframe was Jesus birthed? He was born on during the 7-day Feast of Tabernacles, that is a late September or early October historical context points to a year before 4 BC, since Herod died in 4 BC… Thus, we arrive at 6-5 BC (CE)Fall Feast of Tabernacles which celebrated God dwelling among his people in the Wilderness. We can locate the probable time of Jesus birth, but the Bible does not focus on the date or time but on the meaning. God in the person of the Eternal Word, the Son pitched his tent among us.        

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By Wayne Conrad December 23, 2025

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