This Jew Boy will be Celebrating Christmas on the 25th of December

I for one will continue to celebrate the birth of the Messiah (on the 25th of December), because if not for His birth I would not have been reborn!

With so much foolish conjecture over the dating of Christmas—and by conjecture I mean that there is no irrefutable evidence to point to who first decided on the date of Christmas or who first celebrated Messiah’s birth on the 25th of December. We are wise to examine the motivation for the argument against celebrating Christmas.
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Many so called Messianic Gentiles (Judaizers: not Jews) are asking the question, “Should we celebrate Christmas?” and concluding, “Believers should not celebrate Christmas!” But their conclusions are based on foolish assumption and a revisionist interpretation of history that only leads to needless arguments and the condemnation of others.

“That you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing G-d’s work—which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the Torah, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.” – 1 Timothy 1:3-7

For an extensive rebuttal of the anti-Christmas movement, please click on the link below:

http://bethmelekh.weebly.com/yaakovs-blog---14991514148914971493-15131500-1497150615111489/christmas-an-open-letter-to-the-haters

If we are asking the question, “Should we celebrate Christmas?” we’re already in error. Why? Because the question itself comes from the yetzer ha-ra (the evil inclination). The motivation behind this question is illuminated when we expand the meaning of the composite title Christmas: Messiah is sent. What we are actually asking is, “Should we celebrate the birth of the Messiah?” The motivation is clearly seen in the fruit of those who refuse the current date for celebration, many of whom cease to celebrate Messiah’s birth altogether.

The question, “Should we celebrate Christmas?” is at best foolishness and at worst Satanic. First, it causes confusion and brings condemnation upon the unlearned, and is itself supported by supposition rather than fact. It is in fact a question asked by the pseudo learned of the unlearned, a prime example of the blind leading the blind. Second, this question gives way to a greater tragedy, which is the deciding against celebrating Messiah’s birth entirely, regardless of when He was born. This in turn eventually breathes doubt into the historical legitimacy of His birth and when that doubt is watered by conspiracy it gives way to disbelief. Third, if Yeshua’s birth is not remembered and celebrated based on the fact that it’s not directly commanded by G-d, there is then no remembrance platform for Messiah’s earthly life and ministry, making the celebration of His resurrection an equally unbiblical practice. After all, if Christmas is unbiblical because it’s not commanded in the Torah, then Messiah’s death, resurrection and ascension are also unbiblical.

As I’ve explained, the root of the problem is the motivation for the question. Contrary to popular belief, there are wrong questions, they’re those questions asked by the evil inclination, born of human folly, and fuelled by satanic delusion. Rather than give in to this darkness, we should allow the Holy Spirit to ignite the yetzer tov (good inclination), and ask a right question.

In the present case the wrong question is, “Should we celebrate Christmas?” Whereas the right question is, “Why shouldn’t we celebrate the birth of the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus the Christ)?” The former begins with an argument over dates and ends by calling into doubt the legitimacy of the celebration of Messiah’s birth, whereas the latter results in the celebration of the greatest new arrival of all time.

In light of the abundant conjecture entered into by so many, may I offer what I believe to be a conjecture that is in the true spirit of the Gospel? We know that Chanukah begins on the 25th of Kislev. Isn’t it possible that early Jewish and Gentile followers of Yeshua saw a correlation between Messiah’s birth and dedication (Chanukah), the celebration of light (the festival of lights), and wanting to secure their belief in the historical fact of Messiah’s birth through a practice of remembrance, decided together, Jew and Gentile, to celebrate the human birth of the light of the world on the 25th of December. And isn’t it further possible, that all this happened long before the second century CE and the politicizing of Christianity, and that the date was maintained rather than usurped from a pagan celebration. Sometimes I think the majority of protestant Christian historians are so enamoured with the word syncretisation that they’ve become unable to see beyond the walls of their own myopic thinking.

Regardless of dating and tradition I am determined not to be swayed by those who argue over the keeping of days, and act in a contrary manner to the Gospel by condemning other believers:

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Messiah.” –Colossians 2:16-17

Note that the reality of all these occasions is to be found in Messiah.

I for one will continue to celebrate the birth of the Messiah (on the 25th of December), because if not for His birth I would not have been reborn!

© 2015 Yaakov Brown, 25 Kislev 5776