When was Jesus born?

The Gospels give historical markers rather than a calendar date. Matthew says Jesus "was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king" (Matthew 2:1), and Luke connects the birth to a decree from Caesar Augustus "that all the world should be taxed," adding that "this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria" (Luke 2:1-2). Most historians date the death of Herod the Great to 4 BC, and since Herod ordered the killing of Bethlehem's boys "from two years old and under" (Matthew 2:16), Jesus was probably born a year or two before that, around 6 to 4 BC. It may seem odd for Jesus to be born "before Christ," but our calendar was worked out in the sixth century by a monk named Dionysius Exiguus, whose calculation is generally thought to have been off by a few years. Luke's reference to Quirinius (Cyrenius) has been much discussed, since his best-known census is dated to AD 6, and scholars offer several ways of reconciling the accounts. As for the time of year, Scripture is silent. Some note that shepherds were "abiding in the field" at night (Luke 2:8) and suggest spring or autumn, while others reply that flocks could be kept outdoors near Bethlehem in winter too. December 25 is first recorded as the date of Christmas in Rome in the fourth century, and many Orthodox churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate on what is January 7 on the modern calendar. Whatever the exact date, Christians of every tradition celebrate the truth that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).

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