Some Things You Probably Didn’t Know About That First Christmas

The season is here for carolers, decorations, Nativity scenes, and Christmas cards with "The First Noel" themes. You may be surprised to learn that many of the details you know about the first Christmas are wrong. The Christmas carols and card companies are all wrong. To get you in the holiday spirit (and rectify some historical errors), here are ten things you probably didn't know about the first Christmas.

10. December 25th?

Actually, Jesus probably wasn't born in December. In the Bible, shepherds guard their flocks in the fields. December surely would have been cold, unproductive, and the livestock probably confined. Shepherds kept their flocks in the fields when lambing.

Why is Christmas on December 25? Clement of Alexandria gave the earliest birth estimates (circa AD 200). Various parties have identified Jesus' birth date as March 21, April 15, April 21, or May 20. The truth is that December 25 originates from early Christian celebrations, not pagan ones. Many historians say Jesus wasn't born in December.

9. Room (or no room) at the Inn

First-century residences frequently contained a main room on the ground floor where the family resided and a "upper chamber" or "guest room" where guests may stay. It was a dishonor in the Middle East to reject hospitality to someone in need. If there was no vacancy in the "guest room," it was probably already occupied. Instead of finding the nearby motel full, Mary and Joseph slept with a relative in Bethlehem.

8. About That Stable

Mary and Joseph likely stayed with a relative in Bethlehem, Joseph's homeland. It would have been a shame to turn away a relative with a pregnant wife, despite the complete guest room. Many families kept young animals in mangers inside their homes. Some were built into peasant dwellings' floors or occupied a main-floor room.

Mary and Joseph likely gave birth in the manger since the guest chamber was full. Mary and Joseph were presumably in a relative's home when Jesus was born and laid in a manger.

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7. Mary Gives Birth

In the Western version of the Christmas story, Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem just in time and Mary gives birth that night. The truth is more mundane.

The first Christmas tale says, "When they arrived, her days were over and she was delivered. And she had a son." "Her days were done" links to "when they were there." It suggests they were there before she gave birth.

Like Rome, a Roman census didn't take a day. There would have been queues and waiting, just like now. Mary and Joseph were likely in Bethlehem before and after she gave birth.

6. The Wise Men's Arrival

In practically every Nativity scene, three wise men carry gifts for the newborn king. Standing with the shepherds, Mary, Joseph, and infant Jesus, they complete the Christmas story. No?

"And entering the house, they found the infant with Mary his mother," the Bible reads. They may have been living with family in Bethlehem or in a leased home. Second, a "child" was found. The Greek term is paidion, meaning "toddler," not brephos, or "baby"

After the wise men tricked King Herod by returning another route, he ordered all children two years old and younger slain. The data point to Jesus being a child when the wise men visited him one or two years after his birth.

5. The Shepherds Didn’t Follow The Star

Many imagine the shepherds as ancient men cuddling lambs in a stable as angels sing. Many think the shepherds followed a star to the manger. This is another Christmas myth.

Misconception created by mixing two separate stories (shepherds and wise men) that happened at different times. The star didn't bring the wise men to Bethlehem the night Jesus was born. The shepherds were told by the angel to look for the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. Shepherds used these two indications to find the baby king.

How would they find a baby in Bethlehem? It's simple. Births in the first century were a major affair. If Mary gave birth in one of Joseph's relatives' homes, there would have been much joy. Shepherds were led by the baby's cries and joyful noises.

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4. More Than Three Wise Men?

We know them as Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, the three wise men from the East who rode camels to Bethlehem. Was it just three? These three names weren't added until the 7th century in Latin sources.

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh are presents in the Christmas tale. No count of wise men is given. Assuming each wise guy brought a gift, there were three. In actuality, more worshipers may have come.

3. The Wise Men Weren’t Kings

"We three kings of orient" is sung during Christmas to honor the journey of the wise men. Were they really kings?

The Greek word used in Matthew 2:1 is magos. The word is used to describe priests or intelligent persons among the Medes, Persians, and Babylonians. They were learned men who studied astronomy, astrology, and enchantment. Sometimes translated as "wise man," sometimes as "magician." The Greek Old Testament employs the same phrase in Daniel to designate Daniel as the "leader of the magicians."

This accords with the Christmas tale, where we're told the wise men "saw his star in the east" and came to worship the baby. Magi examined the stars and saw meaning in the object that dominated the night sky at the time. Rather than rulers, it is more likely that the wise men were Eastern astronomers.

2. Mary And Joseph Were Married When Jesus Was Born

Mary's immaculate pregnancy was part of the scandal surrounding Jesus' birth. This is why Joseph decided to divorce her privately rather than have her stoned to death for adultery. A first-century unwed mother was pregnant.

Not so fast. Joseph and Mary were engaged when Mary became pregnant. They probably signed a Jewish ketubah. This was legally binding and could only be broken by divorce.

Joseph took his wife after dreaming of an angel. In the eyes of the average first-century Jew, they were technically married, even though they hadn't consummated.

1. The Christmas Star May Have Been A Planetary Conjunction

There are many interesting things regarding the star that guided the wise men. The star is stated to have risen "in the east," "appeared" at a specified time, "gone before them," and "stopped" above Bethlehem.

Taken together, these traits can't define a star, but they do explain planets, which the ancients called "wandering stars." They rise in the east, pass across a set field of stars, and are governed by planetary motion laws, so they appear at certain times. They can even stop when in retrograde motion.

Evidence shows Herod the Great died in 1 BC, not 4 BC. A planetary conjunction between Jupiter and Regulus in 2 BC would have been one of the brightest things ever observed. Jupiter is called after the greatest Roman god, Regulus meaning "regal" or "kingly." This symbolism was not lost on the magi (astronomers).

Computer simulations can tell us when Jupiter became retrograde and looked to stop. 2 BC December 25. Jupiter would have appeared over Bethlehem to wise men gazing toward it from Jerusalem. So December 25 may not have been Jesus' birthday, but the day the wise men gave him presents.

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