5 Myths of the Christmas Story

The Bible’s Christmas story is one of the most well-known scenes of Scripture.

You’ve probably heard or read it countless times. But like many legendary stories, it’s collected some myths throughout its long history.

Let’s clarify a few of them.

WE “THREE” KINGS

The number three is a biblical number that fits nicely within the halls of Christian trios (The Trinity, Peter/James/John, Shadrach/Meshach/Abednego, etc.). We interpret three wise men from the number of gifts given to Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

However, none of the Gospels records the specific number of Magi who visited Jesus. What we do know for certain is the amount was more than one, for the Greek translation of “Magi” is plural. But any guess after that is speculation.

LATE TO THE PARTY

We’ve all seen movies and nativity scenes depicting three wise men arriving punctually to witness Jesus’ birth. In reality, when they paid their royal visit is a broad and open-ended question.

Multiple views have been set forth.

Some say at least 40 days after, when Jesus would have been dedicated as a child according to Levitical tradition (Luke 2:24). At this time, Mary and Joseph could only afford birds as a sacrifice instead of the typical lamb offering. But if the Magi had already arrived with their valuable gifts, then Mary and Joseph could have easily purchased a lamb. For this reason, many believe the Magi visited after the 40-day mark.

Another proposed date is at least two years after Jesus was born. This number comes from Herod’s sweeping decree to kill every male child of two years and under in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16). This broad range makes it difficult to pinpoint Jesus’ exact age when the Magi came. To make mud even murkier, Herod likely overestimated the age to cover all his bases.

All in all, the Magi probably came after 40 days but less than two years from Jesus’ birth. However, one thing is certain: they weren’t present at the time of his birth, nor did they arrive 12 days after (as one popular Christmas carol declares).

THE CENSUS

A subject of perennial debate is the census that required Mary and Joseph to travel in the first place.

Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian, confirms a census did occur under Governor Quirinus, but during 6 AD — roughly a decade after Jesus’ birth. At the time of his writing, Luke knew of this later census, which is why he distinguishes Jesus’ by writing “the first census” under Quirinus.

The best interpretation of this detail leads logically to one conclusion: Luke recognized his audience would know the 6 AD census and didn’t want the reader to confuse it with the earlier one.

”AWAY” IN A MANGER

After discovering no room in the inn, Mary and Joseph weren’t simply kicked to the curb to find any dusty stable around town.

The word “inn” most accurately translates to “guest room,” meaning they might have been staying with family. Bethlehem was Joseph’s hometown, so one would imagine he had relatives living there.

Also, most first-century Palestinian homes had a stable or cave connected to the home. Yes, Jesus was laid in a manger where animals were kept, but it was likely connected to a house of relatives and loved ones — not on the desolate outskirts of town.

DECEMBER 25th?

If we celebrate Christmas on December 25, then it’s reasonable to assume this was the day of Jesus’ birth. But the Bible reveals no exact details about the date of his birth, unlike his crucifixion.

Instead, several springtime dates have been proposed throughout church history. So why December 25?

The origin of this date for Christmas is derived from Jesus’ supposed death date: March 25. Some evidence suggests that in ancient Jewish tradition it was believed a holy person’s death date coincided with their conception date (i.e. Moses).

Hence, nine months later we celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25.

We hope this myth-busting not only adds to your arsenal of Christmas Bible trivia for the dinner table, but also helps you see the Christmas story even more clearly this year.

---