The conflicting records in dictionaries of Jesus Christ’s existence on earth and the conflicting traditional religious practices of Christians may lead to confusive arguments and duel.
My son had given me two sets of photo-copies reproduced from different dictionaries; and showed me the disagreeing records of existence of Jesus Christ, Our sovereign Lord, here on earth
The Dictionary published by Houghton Mifflin Company USA, recorded the existence of Jesus Christ from 4BC to 629AD or for 35 years.
What are the bases of these two disagreeing publishers related to Jesus birth? Traditions? Or the writing of Herodotus, that famous historian of the ancient world?
It is high time that the Christian writers shall unite to search the exact date of his birth and period of his existence to avoid confulsive arguments and duels over this question.
Records of Jesus existence can be tract down through the New Testament. What does the bible any about Jesus birth?
Luke 2:1-7 informed us that Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken through out the Roman Empire for taxation purposes. Bethlehem, a small town of Judah near the great City of Jerusalem was under the control of the powerful Roman Empire. It was there that Jesus was born. From Nazareth of Galilee, Joseph and Mary journeyed to Bethlehem to register their names as descendants of David in compliance with the Emperor’s decree.
Certainly the registration records of Bethlehem could manifest the date of their registration that could lead to the exact dare and year of Jesus birth.
In Luke 2:22-23 Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem from Bethlehem on the 8th day after Jesus birth to perform the ceremony of purification as the Law of Moses commanded. Records of Jesus dedication could have been preserved at the temple of Solomon as it was the seat of the Theocratic Government of the Jewish people.
In Mathew 2:7, King Herod called the three wise man from the east, His dignified visitors, to a secret meeting found out from them. The Exact date when the star of Jesus appeared.
Herod must have recorded the exact date as told by the three wise men. Added to this conflicting version of Jesus existence is the traditional practices of the people because of their religion.
Christians nowadays celebrate Jesus birth on December 25. Did Jesus birth fall really on December 25? This date is part of winter. At this time of the year Bethlehem is freezing cold. Because it is part of the Middle East, and this region belongs to the temperate zone. The climate is similar to that of southern United State of America.
This means that Jesus has born either in late summer or early winter. In winter shepherds cannot stay on the fields with their flocks
Another traditional religious practice which runs counter to the December 25 celebration is the holding of the December 8, Immaculate Conception festival of Mary. Based on this religion celebration Jesus should be born nine months from December 8. Then by computation, Jesus birth would fall on October 8, not December 25 which is three months and seventeen days later than the natural birth of man
Celebrating the birth of Jesus on October 8 is near the truth. It coincides with the later summer and early autumn of the region. The climate at this particular time of the year in Middle East, specifically in Bethlehem, is not so warm and not so cold so that the shepherds could stay on the fields at night.
I therefore challenged the publishers of dictionaries the bible of scholars. The Christian writers and historians to find out the truth-to avoid debates, arguments and perhaps duels in the distant future. For and is behalf of the millions and millions of believers in Jesus Christ, our savior, Our Lord and living God.
Tags: Bethlehem, Christian, conflicting records in dictionaries of Jesus, Houghton Mifflin, Nazareth of Galilee, religious practices
