Was Jesus Born on December 25th?

Why December 25th Is Associated With Jesus' Birth

Why do we celebrate Jesus' birth on December 25th? You've probably been told that Christmas was formerly the pagan feast of Saturnalia, but that feast has never been on December 25th. You may also have been told that Emperor Aurelian made December 25th the birth date of Sol Invictus, the god of the unconquerable sun.

Constantine, Aurelian, and the Origins of the Date

Years later, Emperor Constantine changed December 25th to the birthday of Jesus, but there's no proof that story is true. Constantine often gets far too much credit for a lot of Christian traditions, but has anyone ever questioned why Aurelian chose December 25th as the birth date of the sun in the first place?

The Winter Solstice and Pagan Sun Imagery

The winter solstice was on December 21st, the day the sun died, according to the pagans. Aurelian thought of the sun being dead for three days, the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, and then it came back to life on the 25th.

Hippolytus and the Christian Tradition of December 25th

Now where did he get that idea from? About 40 years before Aurelian's sun day, Hippolytus of Rome wrote in a commentary on Daniel that he believed Jesus was born on December 25th. The Christian tradition that December 25th is the birthday of Jesus precedes any pagan tradition that December 25th was the birthday of a false god.

Christ's Birth, Death, and Resurrection as Historical Facts

It's more likely that Aurelian ripped off Christianity rather than the other way around. We don't know for sure on what day Jesus was born, but his birth, his life, his death on the cross, and his resurrection from the grave on the third day are historical facts.

Whoever believes in him will be born again when we understand the text.