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Is God against Christmas?
When opponents of the observance get down to particulars they voice objections on five specific grounds. Christians should not celebrate Christmas because of the name of the holiday, because of the commercialization of the observance, because of the use of the abbreviation Xmas, because Christmas trees are condemned in the Bible and because December 25th is the wrong date.
What's wrong with the use of the word Christmas?
The ecumenical atmosphere which seems prevalent in many religious circles today tends to muffle this objection, but it will be heard this year and next and probably for a long time to come. The objection to the name pertains to its derivation. Christmas is obnoxious to some because it represents the combination of two words, "Christ" and "mass." The word means "the mass of Christ."
But what does "mass" really mean in the compound word Christmas? Any authoritative dictionary will reveal that the English term mass evolved from the Anglo-Saxon word maesse, which derived in turn from the Latin missa, which is a form of the verb mittere, which means "to send."
Consequently, the root meaning of Christ-mass is "to send Christ," or "Christ is sent."
Is God against describing the coming of His son with a word meaning "Christ is sent"? Did not Paul refer to Immanuel's incarnation as the sending of Christ? "When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman..." (Galatians 4:4). Moreover, the Savior spoke often of "him who sent me." There is nothing inherently obnoxious in the name Christmas. The term accurately represents what the holiday is all about or should be--the sending of Christ.
But Christmas is becoming terribly commercialized. Shouldn't Christians repudiate its observance on that score?
No Christian would justify much that goes on in the name of Christmas. No one disputes that the holiday is grossly prostituted to unchristian purposes. The world abuses Christmas. Alas, the church often abuses Christmas. But does abuse dictate abandonment of the observance?
We'd have very little left if we gave up everything which is abused or misused. We couldn't eat corn, for distillers misuse it in making whiskey, which robs families of food, clothing and shelter. We'd have to prohibit all fires, because arsonists employ them for criminal ends. We'd have to eliminate knives from the kitchen because murderers use them to kill.
Christians certainly deplore the modern manner of celebrating Christmas. But that does not mean we must discontinue the holiday. We don't do away with all birthday parties because some of them become drinking bouts. We don't discard the Bible because false cults misuse it. No more does the abuse of Christmas dictate its repudiation by Christians. God is certainly against the gross commercialization of the birthday of His Son. But millions of believers celebrate Christmas reverently. Is God against this?
"But the use of the abbreviation Xmas takes Christ out of Christmas!" opponents allege. "Xmas is an irreverent modern substitute for Christmas. The abbreviation represents the substitution of X (which means the unknown quantity) for Christ."
Most Christians today would nod in agreement with those charges. And certainly some who use the abbreviation may employ it for such purposes. Neither is it my intention to whitewash the use of Xmas. But in all fairness and honesty we must recognize that the abbreviation did not originate either to take Christ out of Christmas or as an "irreverent modern substitute for Christmas."
Xmas is not of modern coinage. The Oxford English Dictionary documents the use of this abbreviation back to 1551. Undoubtedly it was employed before that. Now 1551 is fifty years before the first English colonists came to America and sixty years earlier than the completion of the King James Version of the Bible! Moreover, at the same time, Xian and Xianity were in frequent use as abbreviations of Christian and Christianity.
You see, the X in Xmas did not originate as our English alphabet's X but as the symbol X in the Greek alphabet, called Chi, with a hard ch. The Greek Chi or X is the first letter in the Greek word Christos. Eric G. Gration claims that as early as the first century the X was used as Christ's initial. Certainly through church history we can trace this usage. In many manuscripts of the New Testament, X abbreviates Christos (Xristos). In ancient Christian art X and XR (Chi Ro--the first two letters in Greek of Christos abbreviate his name. We find that this practice entered the Old English language as early as AD 100. Moreover, Wycliff and other devout believers used X as an abbreviation for Christ. Were they trying to take Christ away and substitute an unknown quantity? The idea is preposterous.
Some may use Xmas today as an unchristian shortcut for Christmas, but the ancient abbreviation by no means originated as such. The scribes who copied New Testament manuscripts had no intention of taking Christ out of the New Testament. They used the abbreviation simply to save time and space. We use abbreviations for the same purpose today, as witness FDR, HST, JFK, LBJ, and a host of others. Xmas is a legitimate abbreviation. I do not use it because of the possible misunderstanding it often causes as a result of its misrepresentation or abuse. But by no means can the use of the abbreviation be a valid objection to the observance of Christmas itself! Is God against abbreviations?
"But the Bible is definitely against Christmas trees!" many proclaim with reference to Jeremiah 10:2-4: "Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen....For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, that it move not."
Now if this passage refers to decorated Christmas trees, we most certainly would be disobeying God by having them. But by no legitimate interpretation can this 10th chapter of Jeremiah be twisted into a prohibition or condemnation of Christmas trees! The context plainly associates the action not with apostates in this Christian dispensation, but with idolaters who were alive at the time! Jeremiah is not foreseeing paganism 2000 years in the future (the first Christmas tree apparently was decorated in the 16th century AD), but denouncing rampant contemporary heathenism!
Jeremiah writes to Jews about to go into captivity in Babylon. The circumstance dictating his rebuke was the widespread idolatry in the land whither the captives were bound. The prophet's purpose was to forewarn the Jews against apostatizing further in their new and idolatrous environment, and to give guidance how to avoid involvement in rites and orgies indulged in by their eventual neighbors.
A reading of the entire chapter gives a proper perspective for understanding the chapter. Verse 11 offers a formula pious Jews might use to decline the invitations of their neighbors to participate in the ceremonies: "Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens."
But what about the tree in this chapter? Obviously the passage has nothing to do with decorating a tree. The warnings relate to the practice of carving idols! A man fells a tree and transports the trunk to a woodworker who carves an idol therefrom with his axe. While the rich could afford idols made of molten metals, the poor had to content themselves with gods of wood (cf. Isaiah 40:19, 20). In Jeremiah 10 we have a wooden idol plated with precious metals. The prophet outlines the steps in the "creation" of such gods: First, the log is felled--"one cutteth a tree out of the forest;" second, the trunk is carved--"the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe;" and third, the idol is plated--"then deck it with silver and with gold."
Verses eight and nine corroborate that this decking refers to the covering: "...the stock is a doctrine of vanities. Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men." Thus not only is the idol plated, it is clothed with bright rainment-- something true of no Christmas tree which I have ever seen.
But some might still be puzzled about why Jeremiah would refer to an idol as a tree. The prophet here uses a figure of speech called synecdoche by which the name of the material is used to denote the product made of it. Since the tree was used in making the idol, the finished product is by synecdoche called a tree. Likewise the Bible refers to Jesus' cross as a tree because its materials came from such a source.
Is God against Christmas trees? The Bible certainly does not so reveal. But even if he were, that would hardly dictate abolition of the whole Christmas observance. Is there anything intrinsically immoral or unrighteous about a decorated tree? Are lights on a fir tree more evil than candles on a birthday cake? Is a tree in the house more improper than having plants and cut flowers indoors? If you think so, then by all means remove your tree. But don't use a Christmas tree as a whipping boy to slander Christmas!
"December 25th is the wrong date."
Probably it is. There is one chance in 365 (or 366 if Jesus was born, as some suppose, in a leap year) that the date is correct. But because we do not know the date, must we ignore Christ's birth? We don't know for sure in what year Jesus came. Yet we mark our calendars according to anno domini (AD). We do know for sure that Jesus was not born in the year one of the Christian era, for Herod the Great died in what we call 4 BC! Shall we junk our calendars and stop keeping track of dates just because the year marked AD is incorrect?
Jesus' birth probably did not take place in December. But those who insist it could not have taken place in December go too far. They argue that shepherds could not have been in their fields as it was the height of the rainy season. However, weather is a variable quantity and the Palestinian climate is quite mild. The particular December--if it was December--could have been a warm, rather dry, month. But what if Jesus was born instead in January, March, April or October, as has been suggested? Would that make God object to the observance on December 25?
Secular events are sometimes observed on dates different from their occurrences. England's late King George VI annually proclaimed a date in June for the celebration of his birthday, but he was born on December 14th. His people did not rebel, because they celebrated his birth and not just its date!
But isn't Christmas on December 25th a continuation of the pagan holiday of the same date?"
December 25th was indeed a (coincidently) pagan holiday. Which one? Your guess is as good as mine: Saturnalia, Mithria or Yule. According to non-believers (and some Christians)in ancient ages many new converts yielded to temptation to keep that feast. It seems that Christian leaders endeavored to counteract that practice by giving believers a Christian festival on the same day, celebrating the birth of Christ. Some churches in our day conduct special banquets or other attractions for their high school seniors on the night of the senior prom for much the same motive. (There could be some truth to that and they go on saying.)Certainly the celebration of Christmas is not a continuation of the pagan holiday. It is a unique Christian observance hailing the birth of Jesus Christ.
But the true “Christian” origin is found in its Judeo roots. It was on the 25th day of the Hebrew month Kislev (corresponding to our December) that Antiochus chose to desecrate the Temple and establish worship of his god because it was already an existing heathen holiday. Therefore, l and 2 Maccabees go out of their way to stress the fact that it was exactly three years later, to the day, that the Temple was cleansed and rededicated (the 25th of Kislev).
Now when the Church, long after the actual date of the incarnation had been lost in antiquity, chose the date to commemorate the incomparable occasion when deity dwelt within a human body, what better association than the Temple, where deity had also dwelt, and the 25th of Kislev, which was an already established date commemorating the cleansing and rededication of the Temple as a dwelling place for God?
The Church did not choose December 25th because it was an ancient heathen holiday, but because of the Jewish feast of Chanukkah that occurred on that date, and the added significance that Jesus gave to it. This date eloquently testified to the fact that at the birth of Jesus deity was dwelling in a human body (Temple) and shining out to give light in the midst of darkness. The great Hebrew-Christian scholar, Alfred Edersheim, whose writings on this period of time are still classic, shared this thought, "The date of the feast of Dedication (Chanukkah)—the 25th of Kislev—seems to have been adopted by the ancient church as that of the birth of our blessed Lord—Christmas—the dedication of the true temple which was the body of Jesus."
Moreover, December 25 is especially fitting in that it comes four days after the winter solstice. As the days grow longer with more light, Christians rejoice in the hope of the world in the birth of him who called himself the Light of the World. G. H. Montgomery wrote, "Church leaders saw in the birth of Jesus a triumph of light over darkness, spring over winter and of life over death. What more appropriate time could have been selected to commemorate the birth of the Man whose life, teachings and vicarious death were to change the trends of history, cause light to shine out of darkness and offer light to those who dwell in the valley of death! It will be good to keep these things in mind as you observe Christmas."
God isn't against Christmas. God is in favor of Christmas--of the proper observance of the holiday, that is. God planned and executed the first Christmas. No matter how flagrantly men may abuse this holiday, they cannot rob devout believers of its wonder and glory as expressed by the angel of old, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10, 11).
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Finding the Christian meaning in Christmas
Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas. Almost all cultures have some concept of a magical figure who brings gifts to the worthy and judgment to the unworthy. As the Christian church expanded through Europe, Scandinavia, and the British Isles, these pagan, mythological figures were supplanted by the Christian gospel. God alone is the Sovereign, it is from Him that all blessings ultimately flow, and it is His judgment that we should fear. He gave the greatest gift of all, the life of His Son on our behalf according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4). But the church also took the opportunity to use the life and death of one of its early leaders as a type of Christ, as an exemplary Christian life or role model by which we are reminded of what it means to be a Christian. Nicholas, a Christian bishop in what is now Turkey, came from a wealthy family but gave up his social position and wealth to dedicate himself to preaching, teaching, and evangelizing for the Gospel. He lived in the fourth century, was a defender of the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity at the Council of Nicea against the heretic Arius of Alexandria, and eventually was martyred for his faith. We call him St. Nicholas, because saint means someone who belongs to God. During his life he repeatedly sacrificed for the sake of others. One old story told of him is that he secretly paid the doweries of three young women whose father could not afford to dower them. Tradition tells us that late at night Nicholas went to the window of the house, from which hung the family stockings to air, and dropped the dower money through the window into the socks. In St. Nicholas' town there were many poor children. They didn't have enough food, clothes, or toys. St. Nicholas used his money to buy food, clothes, and toys for the poor children. He didn't want them to be embarrassed by his gifts, so he gave secretly. Nicholas was declared a special saint long after his death, commended by the church as a fitting role model of Christian charity and dedication to the gospel. St. Nicholas, who is especially honored at the beginning of December, became associated with Christmas because his gift-giving symbolized God's gift of salvation to us in Christ. St. Nicholas became the Santa Claus with which we are now familiar.
The Advent wreath. The circle stands for Christ's divine, eternal nature, and God’s everlasting love. The sprigs of holly with green leaves signifying eternal life and red berries signifying Christ's blood, shed for us. The four candles around the outside (marks the four Sundays before Christmas, one is lit each week) remind us that Christ is the light of the world and also stands for those who looked forward to the birth of Christ (the prophets, the angels, the shepherds, and the wise men), and the red candle in the center.
The first week people light the gold candle, reminding us of the prophets who announced Christ's coming. The second week they light the gold and white candles, the white signifying the angels who announced Christ's birth to the shepherds. The third week they light the gold, white, and green candles, the green signifying the shepherds, who told about the angels' message. On the Sunday before Christmas, they light four candles, the purple one reminding us of the royal wise men who came to worship Jesus.
Each week they read appropriate parts of the nativity story during our candle lighting, and each week the light from the wreath gets brighter. On Christmas Eve they light a large red candle in the center of the wreath. This signifies the coming of Jesus Christ, who was born a baby, but who later shed His blood so that we can have eternal life.
A manger scene or creche is an important part of Advent. Whether large or small, elaborate or simple, the manger scene reminds us that Christ's birth was an historical event in a particular place and time, not simply a subjective spiritual experience or belief. Most people and churches do not include the Christ child in the manger until Christmas Eve. That missing figure reminds us throughout the season that all of life would be meaningless without Christ.
Christmas trees Our custom of the lighted Christmas tree reportedly originated with Martin Luther, a great man of God. While walking in the moonlight and thanking God for sending his Son, he saw an evergreen tree covered in hoarfrost shining in the moonlight. He cut the tree down and brought it inside, and decorated its branches with lit candles to remind all that Christ is the light of the world, and the tree is symbolic not only of the tree Christ died on, but of the "Tree of Life" referred to in Revelation. Other things to consider the triangular shape (an ancient symbol of the Trinity) of the tree pointing toward heaven. Lights were added to symbolize that Christ is the Light of the World and that the light of the Gospel shines through us to the world. The star reminds us of the star that guided the wise men to the Christ child. |
Ornaments: The pear reminds us of Christ as the "partridge in the pear tree" (see below for resources about the Christian meaning behind what most people assume is a nonsense carol). The red apple reminds us that Christ came because we fell in Adam when he and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Our candy canes are always red and white -- the shepherd's crook reminds us of Christ our Shepherd, the white of his perfect sinlessness, and the red of his blood shed for us. The red heart reminds us of God's love displayed through His Son's sacrifice. The silver triangle reminds us of the trinity, the antique brass goose of God's bountiful provisions for us in Christ. Angels of those who announced Christ's birth and whom God has promised us will guard us in our daily lives.
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The Twelve Days of Christmas
Many people know the opening lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Christmas." But few know that behind the somewhat silly counting song is essential Christian doctrine.
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
The first day of the Christmas celebration is counted from December 26, the day after Christmas, to January 6, the traditional day for celebrating the coming of the wise men to worship Jesus, also called the day of "Epiphany."
A partridge in a pear tree.
The mother partridge will lure enemies away from her nest of defenseless chicks in order to protect them. She will literally risk her life for her children. The partridge in this song is a hidden reference to Christ, who declared, "I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:14-15). Jesus himself uses a bird analogy in Matthew 23:37:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed The mother partridge will lure enemies away from her nest of defenseless chicks in order to protect them. She will literally risk her life for her children. The partridge in this song is a hidden reference to Christ, who declared, "I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:14-15). Jesus himself uses a bird analogy in Matthew 23:37: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. The pear tree symbolizes the cross, a literary usage called metonymy, whereby a thing is signified by a part or a whole of that thing. Jesus was crucified on a "tree," Paul says (Gal. 3:13); that is, a cross made out of a tree.
Two turtle doves
The turtle doves stand both for the two testaments in the Bible (Old and New), but also, according to some traditions, the two turtle doves offered at Jesus' dedication in the Temple when he was twelve (Lev. 12:8; Luke 2:24). All of the temple sacrifices are symbolic of the one sacrifice Christ made by giving his life as a just payment for the sins of all (Heb. 10:1-10).
Three French Hens
French Hens were very expensive during the 16th century, and thus are symbolic of the three costly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh given by the wise men (Matt. 2:10-11). An alternate significance is symbolism depicting the value of the three Christ virtues, faith, hope, and charity (sacrificial love) (1 Cor. 13:13). Other forms of the song use the French Hens to symbolize the three persons of the trinity.
Four Calling Birds
The Calling Birds stand for the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (see John 20:30-31).
Five Golden Rings
The Rings stand for the first five books of the Old Testament, the "law of Moses" so often referenced in scripture, the "Torah" as they are called by Jews. The Torah tells the story of man's fall into sin and reconciliation through the Messiah (see Luke 24:25-27).
Six Geese A-laying
Eggs are an almost universal symbol of new life. The "laying" geese, therefore, stand for the six days of creation (Gen. 1:31-2:2).
Seven Swans a Swimming
The swans symbolize the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in Romans 12:6-8:
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously, if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Eight Maids A-milking
The maids who milked the cows were the least of the servants in a home. Their job symbolized Christ's faithfulness even to us who don't deserve his love (Rom. 5:1-5). The eight maids stand for the eight "beatitudes" or blessings listed in Matthew 5:3-10:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Nine Ladies Dancing
The nine ladies remind us of the nine "fruits of the Spirit" described in Galatians 5:22-23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Ten Lords A-leaping
Lords established the law in their own jurisdictions. The Lords stand for the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:3-17), which are holy and good, by which we should live, and by which we are justly condemned because of our sin (Gal. 3:10-28).
Eleven Pipers Piping
The Pipers remind us of the eleven original apostles who did not forsake the faith (Acts 1:13) as Judas did in betraying Christ (John 17:12); and through whom the good news of the gospel was preached "to the whole world" (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 10:18-21).
Twelve Drummers Drumming
The Apostles' Creed is one of the earliest "confessions" of faith that summarize the basic teachings of biblical Christian faith. Orthodox confessions are not meant to add to or replace scripture, but to summarize its teachings. They can be recited at will to remind us of the basics of the Christian faith. The Drummers "set the pace," reminders of what we believe by symbolizing the twelve doctrines summarized in the Apostles' Creed:
I believe in God the Father, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, we crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell; the third day he rose from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.
He shall return to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy Christian church, the communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And life everlasting.
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What are some of the most common misconceptions about Jesus Christ's birth?
They typical story goes something like this....
"It's about 2000 years ago, the evening of December 25. Mary rides into Bethlehem on a donkey, urgently needing to deliver her baby. Although it's an emergency, all the innkeepers turn them away. So they deliver baby Jesus in a stable. Then angels sing to the shepherds. Afterwards, they all join three kings with camels in worshipping the quiet, newborn."
December 25: Although it's not impossible, it seems unlikely. The Bible does not specify a date or month. One problem with December is that it would be unusual for shepherds to be "abiding in the field" at this cold time of year when fields were unproductive. The normal practice was to keep the flocks in the fields from Spring to Autumn. Also, winter would likely be an especially difficult time for pregnant Mary to travel the long distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem (70 miles). |
Were angels present at the birth? It seems logical to assume that they were, however, Scripture does not report it, and there is no evidence that angels were visible to Mary and Joseph at this time.
Did three kings riding camels come to Jesus' birth? The Bible does not say that any kings or camels visited young Jesus.
The wise men clearly did not visit Jesus when he was still lying in the manger, as is commonly shown on greeting cards and in plays. The magi did not arrive until sometime after Christ's presentation in the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:22-39). At this time, Scripture calls Jesus a "child," not a "baby." It is possible that little Jesus was walking and talking by then. Based on the calculations of King Herod and the magi (Matthew 2:16), Jesus could been two years old or under.
Mary rides a donkey to Bethlehem: Perhaps, but there are various other possibilities. The Bible doesn't say how she got to Bethlehem. It only says that she came with Joseph.
urgently needing to deliver her baby:The Bible does not suggest this. They could have arrived weeks earlier. God's Word simply states, "while they were there [in Bethlehem], the days were accomplished that she should be delivered" (Luke 2:6). Arriving in town well before her due date would make more sense.
all the innkeepers turn them away: Perhaps, but there is no solid, biblical reason to believe that they even talked to the inkeepers. Although innkeepers play a prominent part in many Christmas plays, no innkeeper is actually mentioned in the biblical record of Christ's birth. Furthermore, it is likely that Mary and Joseph actually stayed in a house with relatives, not behind some kind of Bible-times hotel. (See below)
So they deliver baby Jesus in a stable: The text of Luke 2 notes there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the "inn." Unfortunately, the Greek term translated inn (kataluma) had multiple meanings, among them inn or caravansary. Used only on other time in the New Testament (Luke 22:11 and the parallel passage, Mark 14:14), it was the place where Jesus observed the Last Supper with His disciples. Here, Dr. Luke gave additional information about the kataluma. He said it was a furnished large upper story room within a private Jerusalem house. The kataluma of the last night of Jesus' earthly ministry was the "upper room."
Mary and Joseph came into town with Mary ready to deliver. Arriving at Joseph's ancestral home, they found it already full of other family members who had arrived earlier. While the exact reason space was not made for a pregnant woman is unknown, it probably indicates the house was full of elder members of Joseph's family, who had priority.
So that is when Mary and Joseph went to the barn, right? Not exactly. The Biblical account mentions neither barn nor cave - it is assumed because of the manger. Mangers are animal feeding troughs, and barns are where one would expect to find them. But in the ancient world, as well as in primitive modern cultures, mangers are also found within the house itself. Animals are regularly kept in homes at night.
A small number of flock animals were housed not in attached exterior sheds, but inside the house in one of the ground floor rooms. Here, animals, tools and agricultural produce were stored. Here too, food was prepared and possibly consumed. Family sleeping quarters were on the second floor (an upper room). By being inside, the animals were protected from the elements and theft. In addition, their presence provided body heat for cool nights, access to milk for the daily meal and dung as a critical fuel source.
Excavations in Israel have uncovered numerous installations within domestic structures which probably represent ancient mangers. Some are carved, but most are stone built. Wooden mangers, of course, have not survived in the archaeological record.
Consequently, Mary and Joseph did not find space in the living quarters of the ancestral family home. Instead, they stayed downstairs in the domestic stable, still within the ancestral home, where a manger or two was located. Here they were visited by the shepherds, and maybe the wise men some time later.
"Away in a manger the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes." Although this is part of a beautiful song, we cannot be sure that Jesus did not cry. The Bible does not report this.
Did angels sing to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem? Perhaps, but the Bible doesn't specifically say that the angels sang. It says that first an angel appeared and spoke, and then appeared "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God" (Luke 2:13).
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An acronym for C–H–R–I–S–T–M–A–S
C the first letter in Christmas, stands for the person who alone gives any day eternal significance: Christ our Lord. It is easy to shove Christ aside on this holiday, but we should celebrate the birth of Jesus, whose very name means “the Lord is salvation” and whose title, “Christ,” points to His role as the Redeemer of humankind. If Jesus is not Christ in your life, celebrating the birth of an obscure Jewish carpenter’s son is meaningless to you.
H stands for history. The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not myths or fantasy, but are historical realities. That God became man in Jesus Christ is an actual, testable historical event. Christmas reminds us that Christ is not just a warm feeling in our hearts, or an imaginary therapist enabling us to face life’s traumas.
R stands for rejoice, an appropriate response in recognition of what Christ has done. Favorite Christmas hymns show that rejoicing has always been an integral part of Christmas. We should rejoice because Christ came, not because of a nice present or a week off! We should rejoice like the psalmist, who said: “Come, let us rejoice in him” (Ps. 66:6).
I stands for the Incarnation, describing that glorious event in which God became man. Christ is not only eternal God (John 1:1), but at a time in history He became man as well (John 1:14). Matthew's gospel says, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel — which means, God with us” (Matt. 1:23).
S stands for St. Nicholas, the fourth century bishop of Myra, a Christian whose story — embellished by years of telling — nevertheless exemplifies Christian faithfulness and charity. Christmas should remind us of the faithfulness of God, without which we have no hope of redemption through His greatest gift, His Son (John 3:16). Little historical knowledge is available concerning St. Nicholas,3 commonly called by his German/English equivalent, Santa Claus. But he is known for kindness to children in need, and for his commitment to Christ through persecution and martyrdom. Many traditions associated with Santa Claus are objectionable — especially that he is all-knowing or able to be present everywhere. However, the themes of faithfulness and charity are biblical and honor Jesus Christ.
T stands for tradition, the stories and customs associated with Christmas. Christmas traditions are of three types: (1) those strictly non-Christian, inappropriate for Christians; (2) those that were initially pagan but were changed to affirm the gospel; and (3) those developed within the church.4 One inappropriate tradition from early pagan mid-winter festivals is drunkenness and immorality. The drunken Christmas party may reflect Rome’s ancient Saturnalia, but has nothing to do with celebration of Christ’s birth.
M stands for the magi, or wise men, directed by God to find and worship Christ. We shouldn’t forget that no one is wealthy enough, powerful enough, or far enough away that he or she should not bow before Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:15).
A stands for advent, a word referring to Christ's coming. Christ came once in Bethlehem —as an infant who grew to manhood, died for our sins, and rose again the third day. Christians eagerly look forward to His Second Coming — “the blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Many churches conduct advent services for the four weeks prior to Christmas, encouraging Christians to look forward to the birthday of Christ and also to His Second Coming.
S stands for salvation, made possible by the coming of Christ. The gospel story is so simple we often forget it, but so profound it affects every individual. We are all sinners, separated from God, with absolutely no way to reach God except He reached down to us through His Son. With the coming of Christmas comes recognition that because He came, He died, and because He died and lives again, we also may live (Rom. 6:8; 8:11).
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Where did candy canes come from?
The traditional candy cane was born over 350 years ago, when mothers used white sugar sticks as pacifiers for their babies.
Then around 1670, the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral was frustrated by fidgety kids at the long Nativity service. To keep them quiet, the choirmaster persuaded craftsmen to make sticks of candy bent at the end to represent shepherds' crooks, then he passed them out to boys and girls who came to the cathedral, to keep the youngsters quiet. The idea caught on, and candy sticks became common at living Nativities all over Europe.
To keep them quiet, the choirmaster persuaded craftsmen to make sticks of candy bent at the end to represent shepherds' crooks, then he passed them out to boys and girls who came to the cathedral.
The use of candy canes during the Christmas service spread throughout Europe. In northern Europe, sugar canes decorated with sugar roses were used to brighten the home at Christmas time.
In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard managed to decorate his Christmas tree with candy canes to entertain his nephews and nieces in Wooster, Ohio. Many who saw his canes went home to boil sugar and experiment with canes of their own.
It was in the 1920's when peppermint and wintergreen, the candy cane's more recognizable striping was added. This was done by Bob McCormick, who ran a small confectioners in Albany, GA. He started by hand-twisting the colors into the candy canes, and eventually found a way to mechanize the process.
Personally I prefer the urban legend of the candy cane story :
A candy maker in Indiana developed the cane as a witness of Christ's love around 1900. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. The result was the candy cane.
He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. He chose white to symbolize the Virgin Birth, the purity (2 Cor. 5:21) and sinless nature of Jesus and hard to symbolizing the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church – Christ is the Rock (1 Cor. 10:4) of all ages, and the firmness of the promise of God.
The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" (1 Peter 5:4) with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.
Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. The stripes symbolize pain inflicted upon Jesus before his death on the cross. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging He received on our behalf when the Roman soldiers whipped Him and they also represent the power and presence of the Trinity (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Before the crucifixion Jesus was beaten; the crown of thorns was placed on His head; His back was raw from the whip. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life (Eph. 1:7)
Sometimes a green stripe is added as a reminder that Jesus is a Gift from God. The flavor of the candy is peppermint which is similar to hyssop. Hyssop is in the mint family and was used in the Old Testament for purification and sacrifice (John 19:29). Psalm 51:7 states,"Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Jesus is the Pure Lamb of God come to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
The candy cane is meant to be shared -- broken into pieces for all to share. That reminds us of Jesus' words, "This is my body which is broken for you" (1 Cor. 11:24).
What a sweet way to share the Gospel!
So the next time you see a candy cane, hear the Sermon it preaches: Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, is the Rock of all Ages who suffered and died for our sins.
Note: Candy canes were around long before there was an Indiana.
Should Christians Give Christmas Gifts?
The giving of gifts at Christmas is a custom which developed in imitation of the wise men, or Magi, who gave gifts to Christ [Matt. 2:11]. It is sometimes said, notably by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, that this biblical event is irrelevant to Christmas gift-giving. For one thing, they claim, the word “Magi” should be translated “astrologers,” and clearly God would not lead people to Christ through astrology. This claim is at best a half-truth: the Magi were trained not only in astrology but also in all of the arts and sciences of their culture, so that the translation “wise men” is actually much more accurate than “astrologers.” Besides, the Bible makes it very clear that the wise men were led by God, both by the star which led them to Christ [Matt. 2:9], and by the warning which they received in a dream not to go back to Herod, since it was given to protect Christ’s life [Matt. 2:11].
Jehovah’s Witnesses also point out that the wise men gave gifts to Christ, and they did not give gifts to one another. But that misses the point altogether. The now risen, glorified Jesus doesn’t need anything in the first place; but if we give to others Jesus Christ considers that as good as giving to Him [Matt. 25:31-46].
For most people the really troublesome aspects of Christmas gift-giving is the commercialism attached to it and the pressure it often puts on people to give gifts to people because it’s expected rather than freely given out of love. And you know, all of us can identify with that. But these are abuses and therefore do not invalidate the practice itself. What you ought to do is adopt sensible, biblically-based principles to guide your giving, and stick to them. Whatever you decide to give, give cheerfully, and use Christmas gifts to remind yourself and your loved ones of Jesus Christ, God’s incomparable gift to us.
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We would do well to look at the Jewish roots of our Christmas (which means "Christ is sent") and act accordingly. |
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