Would Jesus Endorse the Celebration of Christmas?

If Jesus were here on earth today, would He endorse or celebrate Christmas?

After all, it’s supposed to commemorate His birthday, right?

As the Son of God, it would be the grandest affair imaginable.

Would He take a leading role in planning, coordinating, and executing His own grandiose and elaborate Christmas party?

Will He use His full powers and influence to create a majestic and matchless worldwide celebration?

Will He Perpetuate Christmas Traditions?

As the very Son of God, will He make them even more magnificent?

Will lights and decorations embellish and flood all homes, cities, and nations around this world?

Will non-Christian nations undergo a crash-course to be educated in, and forced to celebrate Christmas? Will there be severe penalties for not keeping Christmas customs and traditions?

Will songs like “Jingle Bells,” “Dreaming of a White Christmas,” “I’ll be Home for Christmas” (among others—even if these songs contain nothing about Christ’s birth) be played on giant loudspeakers around the world, and in various languages?

Will giant-sized Santa Claus figures and massive, tall, decorated, and beautifully lighted Christmas trees dot every allowable spot in every city around this world?

Will Christmas parties with unlimited food and free-flowing wine be the greatest once-a-year event around the world, to honor and maintain this 4,000-year custom and tradition?

The true answers to these questions are very important, crucial, and pivotal because we are all supposed to obey His commands, follow in His footsteps, and live His way of life. But first…

A Brief History of Christmas

Obviously, Christ would know these Christmas facts. But let’s briefly review.

The practices connected with Christmas started about 4,000 years ago, long before He was born.

In my library is a very old book, published in 1953, titled 4000 Years of Christmas, written by Dr. Earl W. Count, a Professor of Anthropology at Hamilton College in New York. In this book, he documents his research on this subject through four millennia.

Brumalia is the ancient Roman-era predecessor of Christmas. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines it as follows:

Brumalia: a pagan festival held at the winter solstice from which some features of the celebration of Christmas seem to have originated.

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, in its article on “Christmas,” explains its development into modern times:

How much the date of the festival depended upon the pagan Brumalia (Dec. 25) following the Saturnalia (Dec. 17-24) and celebrating the shortest day in the year … cannot be accurately determined. [Because] the pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom … The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change …

Christmas Controversy article on Wikipedia:

[Because of its history] Christmas has … been the subject of controversy and attacks from various sources. Historically it was prohibited by Puritans when they briefly held power in England during the English Interregnum (1649–1660), and in Colonial America where the Puritans outlawed the celebration of Christmas in 1659. The Parliament of Scotland, which was dominated by Presbyterians, passed a series of acts outlawing the observance of Christmas between 1637 and 1690; Christmas Day did not become a public holiday in Scotland until 1958. Christmas celebrations have also been prohibited by atheist states such as the Soviet Union and more recently majority of Muslim states…

If humans are greatly divided on this issue, what would be Jesus Christ’s view on the matter?

Before we can give an answer to this vital question, it’s important to know who Jesus Christ was before His human birth.

Jesus Christ Was the God of the Old Testament

In the New Testament, He was quoted as saying:

Before Abraham was, I AM
~John 8:58

And talking about the Israelites’ wilderness history, the apostle Paul wrote:

… And they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
~1 Corinthians 10:4

The active God-Being in Old Testament times was the One who later became Jesus Christ. (For more details, please read our article, “Who Was the God of the Old Testament?”)

Would Jesus Christ Violate His Own Laws?

As the active God-Being (YAHWEH) in the Old Testament, He was the One who gave the laws and instructions to Israel and to the prophets. When He appeared as a Man on earth, commonly known as Jesus (His true name is Yahshua, meaning “Yahweh Saves”), it is therefore inconceivable that He Himself would violate His own laws and words.

10 Reasons Why He Won’t Keep Christmas:

1. Jesus stands for truth and nothing but the truth.

He Himself said we ought to worship God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

2. The truth: Jesus was not born on December 25.

Below are four biblical, logical, meteorological, and historical proofs:

1. His birth occurred during the time of taxation decreed by Caesar Augustus for the Roman Empire. The Roman rulers and the Senate would be foolish to declare an empire-wide taxation during mid-winter (Luke 2:1,2).

2. When Christ was born, He was wrapped in “swaddling clothes.” The Greek word for “swaddling clothes” is spargano-o [Strong’s #4683] which means strips of cloths. If it was winter, Mary would have prepared thick woolen clothes (Luke 2:7).

3. There was “no room for them in the inn.” Why? Since Mary was advanced in her pregnancy, they had to travel slowly. When they arrived, all the inns were occupied. Why were all inns occupied? It coincided with the seventh month festival of the Jews, which is equivalent to our September (Leviticus 23:23-36; Luke 2:7).

4. The biblical account says, “…shepherds were out in the field keeping watch over their flocks by night.” This is another proof, meteorologically speaking, that Christ’s birth was not in the middle of winter or anywhere near December 25 (Luke 2:8).

3. December 25 has long been associated with the ancient pagan celebration of Brumalia. God won’t give nor share His glory on that very same date.

I am YAHWEH, that is My name; and I will not give my glory to another, nor My praise to engraved images.
~Isaiah 42:8; 48:11, Hebrew Roots Bible

4. God is a Jealous God (Elohim).

For you shall not bow to another Elohim, for YAHWEH whose name is Jealous, He is a jealous Elohim.
~Exodus 20:5; 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; Joshua 24:19, Hebrew Roots Bible

5. God’s command is not to follow pagan practices.

When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.”
~Deuteronomy 12:29-31

6. He won’t add or subtract from God’s commands.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
~Deuteronomy 4:2

Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
~Deuteronomy 12:32

NOTE: The Bible never commands us to celebrate His birthday, or pagan days.

7. The custom of decorating a Christmas tree comes from paganism, which God has forbidden.

Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles …
For the customs of the peoples are futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
~Jeremiah 10:2-4

8. We are warned not to follow human traditions that run contrary to God’s commands.

And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men … and many other such things you do.
He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”
~Mark 7:7-9

NOTE: Christmas is one ancient popular pagan tradition.

9. Elaborate birthday celebrations are not a practice among God’s chosen people.

Sadly, the only two birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible (Pharaoh’s and Herod’s) both involved deaths. Notice also that none of the holy men of God in the Bible ever celebrated their birthdays. Can we get a clue from this fact?

Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
~Genesis 40:20-22

But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
~Matthew 14:6-11; Mark 6:21-28

10. Jesus Christ’s existence did not start on earth.

He was co-eternal with the Father. They both had no beginning. Jesus existed from eternity with God the Father. By trying to celebrate His birthday, we are degrading His true divinity and denying His true identity.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
~John 1:1-2

NOTE: The “Word” = Jesus Christ

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
~Hebrews 1:1-3

NOTE: “Melchizedek” = Jesus Christ

Modern Human Justifications

“We are using Christmas to honor Christ’s coming to save us.”

1. Does the End Justify the Means?

Background information: The Bible preserved for us the story of Uzzah, whose intention was good, sincere, and pure. But contrary to God’s command, he held the ark to prevent it from falling since the oxen stumbled. Justified reason?

And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.
~2 Samuel 6:6-7

NOTE: The lesson? The end does not justify the means.

2. “To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice”

Background information: King Saul of Israel was commanded to kill all the Amalekites, including their animals (1 Samuel 15:3). However, he thought he was more sensible and merciful than God, so he spared their king (Agag), and did not destroy any of the fat animals, reasoning that they can be used as sacrificial offerings to God (1 Samuel 15:9). Here was God’s reply through Samuel:

Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.
~1 Samuel 15:22-23

3. Is It Possible to Worship God in Vain?

[Jesus said:] These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
~Matthew 15:8,9

NOTE: We can worship God in vain. Christmas is just of men.

Summary and Conclusion

This article clearly shows that the answer to the original question in the title is that Jesus, the Christ, will not celebrate nor endorse Christmas.

If you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, then you will heed the words of God and the voice of your Savior. Christ Himself said:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
~John 10:27

Are you a genuine follower of Christ? Do you heed His voice? Does your Savior know you as a humble and obedient follower?

You are now left with only two choices: Either follow the pagan tradition of Christmas or follow God and His words in the Bible. Now, choose.