Christmas — The birth of the SON or the birth of the SUN?

Editor: Ancient pagan people were very superstitious. They believed that the SUN was leaving them when the fall (autumn) of the year approached. They questioned; was this the end of the world? It seemed no one could predict with reliability that the earth would recover from such depressing darkness and cold.{{more}}

Consequently, many superstitious practices and customs began to attach themselves to the winter solstice. This is the term applied to the shortest day of the year, when the sun seemingly stands still in the southern heavens, and then begins a new journey north.

The early Apostolic Assembly began zealously to witness the truth of the Messiah’s advent to the world. They took the message into the far reaches of the known world. Especially outstanding was the Apostle Paul, who accomplished much through his extensive travel, preaching throughout the Roman Empire.

But, a very strange thing took place. Ancient ethnic peoples could not maintain sound doctrine. The pagan people appropriated the account of the supernatural person of Yahweh’s true Messiah, and superimposed His life upon their pagan customs and practices. Worldly people prefer their traditional pagan practices, but at the same time, they want salvation as well.

With unreasoned abandon, the people of the western world, which includes our country, St Vincent and the Grenadines, spend lavishly for gifts and ‘goodies’ which very often they cannot afford. They indulge in parties featuring alcoholic beverages. They feast on a variety of seasonal delicacies. All of these traditional practices are done in the name of celebrating the birthday of the one they profess to be their king. As a matter of fact, the reverse is true. Through false doctrine, the Messiah becomes subservient to their own human concepts. Would Yahshua the Messiah approve of such loose conduct to celebrate His birth? Obviously not! Does the Bible support the celebration of Christmas? Certainly not!

Actually, the diligent Bible student knows that nowhere within the pages of our Bible can you ever find any commandment to observe a birthday, especially that of the Messiah. As a matter of fact, three times birthdays are mentioned in the Bible, and on each of these occasions, a violent death occurred. Please verify this from Genesis 40: 9-22, Job 1: 4 & 19 and Matthew 14: 3-12.

The celebration of birthdays was unknown in primitive Judaism, so it is certain that Yahshua never celebrated His birthday. Apparently, Almighty Yahweh did not wish it to be observed, and consequently, we can readily understand the reason for omitting mention of a specific day in the scriptures.

Did you know that it was over 200 years after the birth of the Messiah before anyone ever fixed December 25 as His birthday? Apparently the first one to set the date of December 25 for the Saviour’s birth was Julius Sextus Africanus, a historian of Alexandria, Egypt, who composed a chronicle of events of the world to 221 C.E. Did you notice that date? It took historians two and a quarter centuries after the Messiah’s birth to decide upon the date of December 25 as His birth.

December 25 is not the birthday of Yahshua; but this date is closely tied to ancient pagan worship of the SUN (winter solstice) and it is also linked to the ancient Roman festivals of the Saturnalia and the Mithraic Feast of the Sun God. It is from these idolatrous festivals that most of the traditions of Christmas were derived. So, should we continue to celebrate Christmas? I think not! The sincere Bible-follower should return to the pure worship of Yahweh by keeping His commandments and not the pagan traditions of men (Matthew 15: 7-9).

Ulrick Sutherland

Assemblies of Yahweh