Christmas in History and Spirit
The First Christmas Celebration
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. II Corinthians 9:15
Scrooge sternly said to His nephew: You keep Christmas your way, and let me keep it in mine. His nephew responded, But you don’t keep it! To Scrooge, Christmas was only a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer; a time for balancing your books and having every item in ‘em through a round dozen of months presented dead against you?
In 1843, Charles Dickens published “A Christmas Carol” and it quickly became a very popular work of fiction. In it, we see something of the Christmas spirit that existed at that time in England.
No one knows for certain when the first Christmas celebration took place. For the first three hundred years of the early church, there was not much emphasis given to anyone’s birthday. The most significant day recognized was when a believer died and went to Heaven.
Some Roman bishops concluded that Christ was born on December 25 (based on a supposed date of conception of March 25).1 It appears that some of these celebrated His birthday in the year 336. At the same time, there were many pagan cultures around the Mediterranean and across Europe that observed festivals marking the winter solstice. Some of these worshipped the sun god who supposedly died when shot by a mistletoe arrow. The Jews celebrated the festival of lights while the Germans celebrated a yule festival. The Romans held pagan feasts at which time they gave gifts to the poor and the key element of their celebrations was liquor.
As Christians began to celebrate Christ’s birth, they began to replace many of the heathen tales with Scriptural accounts of His birth but they held onto many of the customs of the heathen festivals — the lighting of candles, kissing under the mistletoe, exchanging gifts, evergreen trees, boughs and wreaths, burning of incense, yule logs, and even the punch bowl.
Christmas trees were common in Germany. Many believe that Martin Luther first established this custom, justifying it based on Isaiah 60:13. England picked up the custom from the Germans. And it was about this time that many Christians (such as the Puritans) forbade the celebration of Christmas, considering it a pagan celebration. Early in America, Governor Bradford threatened New Englanders with work, jail, or fines if they observed it.
Before we continue, ask yourself this question: Why do I/We celebrate Christmas? Consider the statements by Scrooge and ask yourself: How do I/We keep Christmas? Is Jesus Christ the reason for your celebration and is He the center of it? Can you honestly say that God is glorified in your celebration of Christmas? Is your celebration more Christian or pagan?
The Meaning of Christmas
And she (Mary) brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7
If you have watched any of the Hallmark Christmas movies this year, Hallmark clearly believes that the meaning of Christmas is all about families and family gatherings, Christmas celebrations, helping one another, and romance.
The Encyclopedia Britannica reveals that early Christians did not celebrate Christ’s birth and that no one knows with accuracy the date of his birth. Further, there is no place in the Bible where that exhorts us to celebrate His birth. It is also true that many traditions of our holiday come from pagan celebrations going clear back to the second century. A Roman harvest festival called Saturnalia, celebrated the winter solstice or the return of the sun and it honored the god of sowing. As Christmas developed, some believe that it was the means of replacing the worship of the sun with the worship of the Son. By the year 529, Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire and the celebration of Christmas became a time of conspicuous consumption and unequaled revelry.
Today, we normally think of the word Christmas as referring to the birth of Jesus Christ. However, by definition, it the term refers to the death of Christ. The early English phrase, Cristes Maesse means Mass of Christ.2 The word Mass is literally a Catholic word. The word Christmas originally came from Christ-Mass, or the Mass of Christ. A Mass is a Catholic sacrament in which the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is repeated over, and over, and over, and over again, totally contrary to Scripture. For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. So Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation (Hebrews 9:26-28).
But let us consider something else. Should not family be just as important throughout the year? And more: If family is important then should not our church family be almost as important – brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. And even more: Why zero in on one celebration a year in which so much time and energy is given when in reality every Lord’s Day ought to be just as important. Just think how many people who claim to know Christ do not consider the Lord’s day equally important. Above, I asked: Is Jesus Christ the reason for your celebration and is He the center of it? Can you honestly say that God is glorified in your celebration of Christmas? Is your celebration more Christian or pagan? Add to these: What about your observance of the Lord’s Day and your consideration of your church family — other brothers and sisters in Christ?
Regardless of its origin, it appears that God has kept the celebration on our calendar through the years that we might honor our Lord and Savior and that in so doing, God is glorified. Some of the Christmas Carols are full of biblical theology and are glorious, not only to enjoy and encourage our worship, but also as instruments that are useful in sharing the glorious gospel with others. The gatherings of friends and families is always healthy especially when those in the gatherings are brothers and sisters in Christ.
I have always felt that you cannot really celebrate Christmas as a Christian without linking it to its purpose. We must link the birth of Jesus Christ with the death of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote, But God forbid that I should glory, save IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world (Galatians 6:14). It was the cross that was the object of glorying to Paul. The whole satanic world system opposes to this kind of glorying. Consequently, we have Santa Claus and many other substitutes for all the aspects of both Christmas and Easter. Just as the old Saul was crucified and buried with Christ, the new Paul lived to glory in Christ and so must we. Jesus Christ must be the center of our celebrations. That is part of our confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord and glorifying God the Father at the same time.
George Stiekes serves as a Lay Pastor at Bethany Bible Church in Hendersonville, NC. See here for a more complete bio of brother Stiekes extensive ministry. We republish his material by permission.