Jesus is Jehovah in Matthew

Jesus is Jehovah in the New Testament: Index

1. INTRODUCTION
This "Jesus is Jehovah in Matthew" is the first in my series, "Jesus is Jehovah in the New Testament," in which

[Right: Saint Matthew, Ebbo Gospels, 9th century, Municipal Library, Épernay, France: Wikipedia]

I will document every verse in each New Testament book which shows that the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament is Jehovah (Heb. Yahweh) of the Old Testament, come in the flesh. These verses are from my morning `quiet time' study and already posted on my web page Jesus is Jehovah!

This page has now been completed, so after adding some further quotes, I will start working on "Jesus is Jehovah in Mark" in parallel with posting my completed pages on 1 Thessalonians and other New Testament books in chronological order (see also my "Jesus is Jehovah in Galatians").

Also, as previously explained: "That the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in the New Testament as being Jehovah (Heb. Yahweh) of the Old Testament, does not preclude the other two Persons of the Holy Trinity (Mt 28:19; 2Cor 13:14; 1Pet 1:2): the Father (Dt 32:6; Isa 63:16; 64:8; Mal 1:6) and the Holy Spirit (Lk 4:18 = Isa 61:1; Acts 5:3-4,9; 2Cor 3:17), also being, as revealed in the New Testament, Jehovah: the one Triune God."

Unless otherwise indicated, Bible verse links will be the American Standard Version, because it translated the Heb. Yahweh as "Jehovah," rather than "LORD."

2. JESUS HAS NAMES & TITLES OF JEHOVAH
Jesus (Heb. Yeshua, "Yahweh is salvation"). Jesus' name (Heb. Yeshua, " Yahweh is salvation"), (France, 1985, p.78; Rhodes, 1992, p.178; WB&TS, 1989, p.209) was uniquely given to Him by God (Mt 1:20-21,25; Lk 1:30-32; 2:21). Yet salvation belongs to Jehovah (Ps 3:8).

God. Jesus is "God [Gk. ho Theos "the God"] with us" (Mt 1:22-23; Isa 7:14). Jesus is "the Mighty God" [Heb. 'el gibbowr] (Isa 9:6-7. Cf. Mt 4:13-16 = Isa 9:1-2). But Jehovah is the Mighty God [Heb. 'el gibbowr] (Isa 10:20-21; Jer 32:18).

Son of God. Jesus is "the Son of God" (Mt 4:3-4; 14:25-33; 16:15-17; 26:63-64; 27:38-43; 27:54), i.e. equal in nature to God the Father (Hoekema, 1972, pp.132-135). Or simply "the Son" (Mt 11:27; 21:38; 24:36). God the Father acknowledged Jesus as "my beloved Son" (Mt 3:16-17; 17:5; Ps 2:7. Cf. Mk 1:9-11; 9:2-7; Lk 3:21-22; 9:28-35; Jn 1:32-34). The demons recognised that Jesus was the Son of God (Mt 8:28-29; Mk 3:11; Lk 4:41; 8:27-28). Jesus claimed that as "the Son" only He truly knows the Father (Mt 11:27 = Lk 10:22; Jn 1:18). Jesus is the vineyard owner's "beloved son" in the Parable of the Tenants (Mt 21:33-41; Mk 12:1-9; Lk 20:9-16). He is the son of the king in the Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Mt 22:1-14).

Jesus made a distinction between His and the disciples' relationship with the Father: between "my Father" (Mt 7:21; 10:32-33; 11:27; 12:50; 16:17; 18:10,19; 20:23; 25:34; 26:39,42,53 and "your Father" (Mt 5:16,45; 6:1,8,15; 7:11; 10:20,29; 18:14; 23:9); between "my heavenly Father" (Mt 15:13; 18:35) and "your heavenly Father" (Mt 5:48; 6:14,26,32; Lk 11:13). Cf. John 20:17.

Son of Man. Jesus claimed to be the Son of Man (Mt 8:20; 11:19; 12:32,40; 16:1; 17:9,12,22; 20:18; 20:28; 26:2,24,45; Dn 7:13-14); who has has authority on earth to forgive sins (Mt 9:6; Mk 2:10; Lk 5:24). Who is "Lord of the Sabbath" (Mt 12:8; Lk 6:5). Who sows the good seed (Mt 13:37). Who is sitting at the right hand of God the Father (Mt 26:64; Mk 14:62), from where He is going to come again (Mt 24:27,37,39; 24:44), with power and great glory (Mt 24:30; 26:64), and with his angels (Mt 16:27; Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26); who He will send out to gather the wicked (Mt 13:41) and reward each person according to what he has done (Mt 16:27). Who will sit on his glorious throne in heavenly glory (Mt 19:28; 25:31). The Jewish religious leaders regarded Jesus' claim to be the Son of Man as "blasphemy" (Mt 26:65; Mk 14:64).

Second Person of Trinity. Jesus the Son is mentioned in the same verse(s) with the Father and Holy Spirit (Mt 3:16-17; 28:19. Cf. Mk 1:10-11; Lk 1:35; 3:21-22; Jn 1:32-34; 3:34-35; 2Cor 13:14; Gal 4:6; 1Pet 1:2). Jesus' disciples are to be baptised into the "name" (singular) "of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19).

Jehovah. I AM (Gk. ego eimi) Jesus is I AM. "It is I" [Gk. ego eimi, "I am" ] (Mt 14:27; Mk 6:50; Jn 6:20). Cf. Gk. ego eimi, "I am" (no "he") Jn 6:35,48, 6:51; 8:12,24,28,58; 9:5; 10:7,9,10-11,14; 11:25; 13:19; 14:6; 15:1,5; 18:4-6. Jesus is I AM, the Christ, the Son of God (Mk 14:61-62; Mt 26:63-64; Lk 22:70). But I AM is Jehovah (Ex 3:14-15; Dt 32:39; Isa 41:4; 43:10; 46:4; 52:6); God (Mt 22:31-32; Mk 12:26; Lk 20:37). Jesus never prayed to Jehovah, but to "Father" (Mt 11:25-26; 26:39, 42. Cf. Mk 14:36; Jn 11:41; 12:27-28; 14:16; 16:26; 17:1,5,11,21,24-25). And Jesus taught His followers to pray to "Father," not to "Jehovah" (Mt 6:9; Lk 11:2,13), which they did (Rom 8:15; Eph 1:16-17; 3:14; 5:20; Col 1:3). This is inexplicable for a devout Jew as Jesus was, unless Jesus is Jehovah.

Lord. The divine Name (Heb. YHWH, "Yahweh") was translated nearly7,000 times as Gk. kurios, "Lord," in the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which was the Bible of the earliest Christians. Yet Jesus is called "Lord" (Mt 8:2,6,8,21,25; 9:28; 14:28,30; 15:25,27; 16:22; 17:4,15; 18:21; 20:30-31,33; 22:43,45; 26:22); "O Lord" (Mt 15:22; Lk 5:8); "the Lord" (Mt 3:3; 18:27; 20:8; 21:3; 21:40; 22:44; 23:39; 24:50; 25:19; 28:6); "your Lord" (Mt 24:42); "Lord Lord" (Mt 7:21-22; 25:11; Lk 6:46). Jesus is David's Lord (Mt 22:41-46 = Mk 12:35-37 = Lk 20:41-44; Ps 110:1). Lord of the sabbath Jesus is "Lord of the sabbath" (Mt 12:8; Mk 2:28; Lk 6:5). But it was Jehovah who instituted the sabbath commandment (Ex 20:8-11; 31:12-16; 35:1-3; Lev 23:1-3; Dt 5:6,12-14).

Master. Jesus is the "lord" or "master" [Gk. kurios] with whom His servants must finally settle accounts (Mt 24:45-51; 25:14-3. Cf. Mk 13:33-37; Lk 12:35-48; 19:11-27). Yet Jehovah is the Master of His servants look to (Ps 123:2; Mal 1:6).

King. Jesus is "the King of the Jews" (Mt 2:2; 27:11, 29, 37; Mk 15:2,9,12,18, 26; Lk 23:3,37-38; Jn 18:33,39; 19:3,19,21); the "King of Israel" (Mt 27:42; Mk 15:32; Jn 1:49; 12:13); King of Jerusalem (Mt 21:5; Jn 12:15 = Zec 9:9). Yet Jerusalem is the "city of the great King" (Mt 5:34-35), who is Jehovah (Ps 48:2). Jesus is now reigning at God's right hand (Mt 22:44; 26:64. Cf. Mk 12:36; 14:62; 16:19; Lk 20:42; 22:69; Acts 2:25, 33-34; 5:31; 7:55-56; Rom 8:34; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3,13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1Pet 3:22 = Ps 110:1). Kingdom Jesus has the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 16:19; 18:18. Cf. Rev 3:7 = Isa 22:22). Jesus' kingdom is God's kingdom (Mt 16:28; Mk 9:1; Lk 9:27). Jesus is the King of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 18:23; 22:2,7,11,13; 25:34,40). Jesus will implement the Father's decision who inherits God's kingdom (Mt 20:23; 25:33-34). But Jehovah is King forever (Ps 10:16); the great King above all (Ps 95:3); the King of glory (Ps 24:7- 10); who will be King of all the earth (Zec 14:9).

Shepherd. Jesus is the Shepherd of Israel (Mt 2:6 = Mic 5:2; 2Sam 5:2). He is "the Shepherd" (Mt 26:31; Mk 14:27 = Zec 13:7; Mt 9:36; 25:32. Cf. Mk 6:34; Jn 10:2,11,14, 10:16; Heb 13:20; 1Pet 2:25; 5:4; Rev 7:17. The church is Jesus' flock (Mt 26:31; Lk 12:32; Jn 10:12,16,26-27; 21:16-17; Ac 20:28-29; 1Pet 5:2-3). But Jehovah is the shepherd of His sheep (Ps 23:1; Eze 34:15); the Old Testament church was Jehovah's flock (Ps 74:1-2; 100:3; Isa 40:11; Jer 13:17; 23:2; 31:10; Eze 34:17; Mic 5:4) and Jehovah called His followers "my sheep" (Eze 34:6,8,10-11,12,15,19,31).

Bridegroom. Jesus is "the bridegroom" (Mt 9:15 = Mk 2:19-20 = Lk 5:34-35; Mt 25:1-13. Cf. Jn 3:29; Eph 5:23-32; Rev 21:2,9; 22:17). But Jehovah is His people's Bridegroom (Isa 62:4-5; Jer 2:31-32; 3:1; Hos 2:18-20).

Angels. Jesus is "the Son" distinct from "the angels" (Mt 24:36; Mk 13:32; Heb 1:4-5). Jesus will come with all the angels (Mt 16:27; 24:30-31; 25:31. Cf. Jude 14; Zec 14:5), which are "His angels" (Mt 13:41; 16:27; 24:31. Cf. Mk 8:38; 13:27). Yet the angels are God's (Lk 12:8,9; 15:10; Jn 1:51; Rev 3:5).

Name. To receive someone in Jesus' name is to receive Jesus (Mt 18:5; 24:5. Cf. Mk 9:37; Lk 9:48). Jesus' followers will be persecuted for His name's sake (Mt 10:22; 19:29; 24:9. Cf. Mk 13:13; Lk 21:12; 21:17; Jn 15:21; Ac 9:16; Rom 1:5; Rev 2:3. Gatherings together are to be in Jesus' name (Mt 18:20; 1Cor 5:4).

3. OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES ABOUT JEHOVAH APPLIED TO JESUS
Mt 3:1-3; 11:7-10 = Isa 40:3; Mal 3:1. Jehovah who came was Jesus. John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the coming of Jehovah (Mt 3:1-3; 11:7-10 = Isa 40:3; Mal 3:1; Mk 1:2-4; Lk 3:2-6; 7:24-27; Jn 1:19-23), but it was Jesus who came (Mt 4:17; Mk 1:14-15; Lk 4:14-15; Jn 1:28-34).

Mt 27:9 = Zec 11:12-13. Jesus is Jehovah priced at thirty pieces of silver. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy of Jehovah being bought for "thirty pieces of silver" (Mt 27:9; 26:15; 27:3; Zec 11:12-13; Jer 18:1-6; 19:1-11; 32:6-9).

4. JESUS HAS ATTRIBUTES OF JEHOVAH
Omniscience. Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees (Mt 9:2-4; 12:22-25; Mk 2:3-8; Lk 5:18-22; 6:6-8); of their plotting to kill him (Mt 12:14-15). But it is Jehovah alone who searches every heart and understands every motive behind thoughts (1Ki 8:39; 1Chr 28:9); who searches, knows and understands man's thoughts and his every action (Ps 94:11; 139:1-2; Pr 24:12; 2Ki 19:27; Jer 12:3; 17:10).

Omnipresence. Jesus is God with His people (Mt 1:22-23; Isa 7:14). Wherever disciples are gathering together in His name, Jesus is in their midst (Mt 18:20). Jesus is with His disciples in all nations always (Mt 28:20). Yet it is Jehovah who is with His people always (Ex 3:12; Dt 31:6; Jos 1:5; Heb 13:5).

Holy. Jesus distinguished Himself from all other men who "are evil" (Mt 7:11; Lk 11:13). Jesus is "righteous" (Mt 27:19,24. Cf. Lk 23:47; Ac 3:14; 7:52; 22:14; Jas 5:6; 1Pet 3:18; 1Jn 2:1; 3:7). Only God is good (Mt 19:16-17; Mk 10:17-18; Lk 18:18-19), but Jesus is without sin (Jn 8:46; Acts 3:14; 2Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 9:28; 1Pet 1:19; 2:21; 1Jn 3:5); therefore Jesus is God.

Glory. Jesus at His transfiguration showed His glory (Mt 17:1-6; Mk 9:2-8; Lk 9:28-36; Jn 1:14; 2Pet 1:17). Jesus will come again in His own glory (Mt 25:31; Lk 9:26; 21:27; Tit 2:13) and in His Father's glory (Mt 16:27; 24:30; Mk 8:38; 13:26). Jesus will sit on the throne of his glory (Mt 19:28; 25:31; Mk 10:37). But only Jehovah God has glory in that sense (Lk 2:9; Ac 7:2, 55; Rom 1:23; 3:23; Eph 1:17; Php 2:11; Rev 15:8).

Pre-existent. Jesus is the One "whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (Mt 2:1-6 =Mic 5:2). He had often wanted to gather Jerusalem's children together, as a hen gathers her chicks (Mt 23:37; Lk 13:34). But it is Jehovah who is spoken of as a mother bird protecting her offspring under her wings (Ps 17:1,8; 57:1; 61:1-4; 91:1-4; Isa 31:5).

Authority. Jesus taught with absolute authority (Mt 7:28-29; Mk 1:22; Lk 4:32). He did not say, "thus says Jehovah" but "I say" (Mt 5:22,28,32,34,39,44;11:22,24; 12:6; 17:12; 19:9; Mk 9:13; Lk 6:27)! Jesus closed the Old Testament era by declaring that John the Baptist was the last Old Testament prophet (Mt 11:13 = Lk 16:16).

Sovereignty. All things had been delivered to Jesus by His Father (Mt 11:27 = Lk 10:22). Jesus has been given "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Mt 28:18). Cf. Jn 3:35; 13:3; 17:2; Acts 10:36; 1Cor 15:27; Eph 1:20-22; Php 2:9-10; Dn 7:13-14. Yet Jehovah is above all (1Ch 29:11; Ps 95:3; 97:9; 113:4; 135:5).

Great. Jesus is greater than the temple, the prophet Jonah (and by implication all the prophets) and greater than King Solomon (and by implication all the Kings of Israel) (Mt 12:6,41-42).

5. JESUS DOES WORKS OF JEHOVAH
Commandments. Jesus gave His own commandments by improving on the Law of Moses: "You have heard" in the Law, but "I say ..." (Mt 5:21-22,27-28,31-32,33-34,38-39,43-44; 12:5-6; 19:8-9). Jesus also made pronouncements on His own authority (Mt 11:21-24; 17:11-12. Cf. Mk 9:12-13; Lk 6:26-27; Jn 13:34-35; 14:15,21,23; 15:10,12,17; 1Cor 7:25; 14:37; 2Pet 3:2. Jesus' disciples of all nations are to be taught to observe all that He has commanded them (Mt 28:19-20).

Covenant. Jesus made a New Covenant (Mt 26:26-28 = Mk 14:22-24 = Lk 22:19-20 = 1Cor 11:23-25. Cf. 2Cor 3:6,14; Heb 7:22; 8:6-13; 9:15; 12:24; 13:20). But Jehovah was to make that New Covenant (Jer 31:31-33; Heb 8:8-12; 10:15-17).

Miracles. Nature miracles. Jesus commanded a storm on the Sea of Galilee to be still and and it immediatedly became calm (Mt 8:24-27; Mk 4:37-41; Lk 8:22-25). But it is Jehovah God alone who commands the sea and it obeys Him (Job 38:8-11; Ps 65:5-7; 89:8-9; 107:23-30). Jesus fed a crowd of over five thousand by multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish (Mt 14:14-21; Mk 6:34-44; Lk 9:11-17; Jn 6:5-13; and another crowd of four thousand by multiplying seven loaves of bread and a few small fish (Mt 15:32-38; Mk 8:1-9). But it was Jehovah who through Elisha multiplied twenty loaves of bread and ears of grain to feed a hundred (2Ki 4:42-44). Jesus walked on a stormy sea (Mt 14:25-27; Mk 6:48-51; Jn 6:18-21). But it is God who treads the waves of the sea (Job 9:8; Ps 77:19). Jesus ensured that the next fish Peter caught would have a shekel coin in its mouth (Mt 17:27). Jesus cursed a fig tree and it withered overnight (Mt 21:19-20; Mk 11:13-14, 20-21).

Healing miracles. Jesus did many and varied miracles of healing, including sickness (Mt 4:23-24; 9:35; 14:13-14, 34-36); disease (Mt 4:23-24; 9:35); pain (Mt 4:24); demon-possessed (Mt 4:24; 8:16, 28-32; 9:32-33; 12:22; 15:21-28); seizures (Mt 4:24; 17:14-18); paralysis (Mt 4:24; 8:7-13; 9:1-7); leprosy (Mt 8:2-3; 11:4-6); fever (Mt 8:14-15); bleeding (Mt 9:20-22); blindness (Mt 9:27-30; 11:4-5; 15:29-31; 20:29-34; 21:14); lameness (Mt 11:4-6; 15:29-31; 21:14); deafness (Mt 11:4-6); dumbmess (Mt 15:29-31); shriveled hand (Mt 12:9-13); crippled legs (Mt 15:29-31) and death (Mt 9:18-19,23-25; 11:4-6). Jesus healed at a distance (Mt 8:7-13; 15:21-28). Some were healed by touching Jesus' clothes (Mt 9:20-22; 14:34-36). He healed large crowds (Mt 12:15; 14:14; 15:30; 19:2).Yet it is Jehovah who heals (Ex 15:26; Num 12:13; 2Ki 2:21; 2Ki 20:5,8; 2Ch 30:20; Ps 6:2; 30:2; 41:4; Isa 19:22; 30:26; 57:19; 58:8; Jer 17:14; 30:17; Hos 6:1).

Forgiveness of sins. Jesus forgave sins (Mt 9:2 = Mk 2:5 = Lk 5:20. Cf. Lk 7:47-49). Jesus claimed that He had the authority to forgive sins (Mt 9:6 = Mk 2:10 = Lk 5:26). But only God could forgive sins (Mt 9:2-3; Mk 2:5-7; Lk 5:18-21; 7:47-50; Ps 103:12; Isa 1:18; 43:25; 55:7; Jer 31:34; Mic 7:19).

Church. Jesus will build His own "church" [Gk. ekklesia (Mt 16:18. Cf. Act 20:28; 1Cor 1:2; Eph 1:20-22; 2:19-20; 3:21; 5:23-32; Col 1:24; 1Th 1:1; 2:14; 2Th 1:1). But the same Gk. word ekklesia was used in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint or LXX) of the assembly of Jehovah's people (Dt 4:10; 23:2, etc). Cf. Ac 7:38; Heb 2:12, etc). Jesus is the cornerstone of God's new spiritual building (Mt 21:42; Mk 12:10; Lk 20:17; Ac 4:11; Eph 2:20; 1Pet 2:6-7; Ps 118:22). The elect are Jesus' (Mt 24:31 = Mk 13:27).

Prophets. Jesus sends prophets, wise men and scribes (Mt 23:34; Lk 11:49). But it is Jehovah who sent the prophets (2Ch 24:19; Jer 25:4; 29:19).

Judgment. Judge Jesus is the Lord to whom we all will have to give account of our works on the Day of Judgment (Mt 7:21-23; 25:11. Cf. Ac 10:42; 17:31; 2Cor 5:10; 2Tim 4:1). All the nations will be gathered before Jesus' throne of judgment (Mt 25:32). But it is Jehovah, before whom all the nations will be gathered together for judgment (Joel 3:1-2). And only Jehovah is the judge of all the earth (Gn 18:25; 1Chr 16:33; Ps 96:13; 98:9) and of the wicked (Mal 3:5).Separation Jesus will separate the wheat from the chaff (Mt 3:11-12; Lk 3:16-17) and the sheep from the goats (Mt 25:31-32). But it was Jehovah who judged His flock between sheep and goats (Eze 34:17). Rewards One's attitude to those bearing the name of Jesus will determine one's eternal reward or punishment (Mt 10:42 = Mk 9:41; Mt 25:37-46). Eternal life Those who have left everything for Jesus' sake shall inherit eternal life (Mt19:29; Mk 10:29-30; Lk 18:29-30).Condemnation Jesus will decide who is to be eternally condemned (Mt 7:22-23). Punishment Jesus will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire (Mt 3:12; Lk 3:17). Degrees of punishment depends on rejection of Jesus' words (Mt 10:14-15).

6. JESUS RECEIVES HONOR & WORSHIP DUE TO JEHOVAH
Worship. Jesus was worshipped (Gk. proskuneo). by" the magi at His birth (Mt 2:2,11); those seeking healing (Mt 8:2; 9:18; 15:22,25) or divine favours (Mt 20:20); the disciples as "the Son of God" (Mt 14:24-33) and as the resurrected Lord (Mt 28:9,17). But only Jehovah was to be worshipped (Gk. proskuneo) (Mt 4:9-10; Lk 4:6-8; Dt 6:13).

Know. A personal relationship with Jesus is necessary to escape eternal condemnation (Mt 7:22-23).

Acknowledged. Jesus said He was to be acknowledged (Mt 10:32-33; Lk 12:8-9), echoing the same words that Jehovah had said He was to be acknowledged (1Sam 2:30).

Disciples. One cannot be Jesus' disciple unless one's love for Him is greater than that of of his family and even his own life (Mt 10:37; Lk 14:26). But we are commanded to love Jehovah with all heart, soul and strength (Mt 22:37; Mk 12:30; Lk 10:27; Dt 6:5; 10:12; 11:13; 13:3; 30:6; Jos 22:5. A disciple of Jesus must bear his own cross of suffering and shame and come after Jesus (Mt 10:38; Lk 9:23; 14:27).

Obeyed. Jesus words are to be put into practice (Mt 7:24-27; Lk 6:46-49) But it is Jehovah who must be obeyed (Dt 13:4; 27:10; 30:2,8,10,20; 1Sam 15:22; Jer 3:13,25; 9:13; 26:13; 40:3; 42:6,21; Dn 9:10,14; Zec 6:15).

Followed. Jesus demanded His disciples follow Him exclusively and unreservedly (Mt 8:22; 9:9; 16:24; 19:21. Cf. Mk 2:14; 8:34; 10:21; Lk 5:27; 9:23; 9:59-60; 18:22; Jn 1:43; 10:27; 12:26; 21:19). But it is Jehovah who must be exclusively followed (Num 14:43; 32:12; Dt 1:36; 7:4; Jos14:8,9,14; 22:16,18,23,29; 1Sam 12:14,20;15:11; 1Ki 18:21; 2Ki 17:21; 18:6; 2Chr 25:27; 34:33; Isa 59:13; Hos 6:3).

Served. We are to take Jesus' yoke of slavery upon us (Mt 11:28-30) and He will paradoxically give us rest. But it was Jehovah who gives His people rest (Ex 33:14; Dt 12:9-10; 25:19; Jos 1:13; 11:23; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1; 1Ki 8:56; Isa 63:14; Jer 6:16; 31:2; Heb 4:1-11).

7. OBJECTIONS TO JESUS BEING JEHOVAH
Jesus occasionally spoke as though Jehovah was a different Person. However, some of these were Jesus quoted an Old Testament passage which mentioned Jehovah (Mt 4:7; Lk 4:12 = Dt 6:16; Mt 4:10; Lk 4:8 = Dt 6:13; Mt 5:33 = Lev 19:12; Num 30:2; Dt 23:21; Mt 21:42 = Ps 118:22-23; Mt 22:31-32; Mk 12:26; Lk 20:37 = Ex 3:4-6 and Mt 22:37; Mk 12:30; Lk 10:27 = Dt 6:4-5).

Lack of knowledge. Jesus did not know the day and hour of His second coming (Mt 24:36; Mk 13:32). But this may have been only a temporary self-limitation of Jesus' omniscience as part of His self-emptying in taking upon Himself a human nature (Php 2:6-8; Heb 2:8-9). After His resurrection, Jesus no longer says that He does not know the time or date of the coming of His Kingdom (Ac 1:7). Alternatively, since Mt 24:36; Mk 13:32 seems to exclude the Holy Spirit from knowing the time of Jesus' return, it may reflect a limitation (or self-limitation) of omniscience within the Trinity of the Son and Holy Spirit regarding the Father's plans, until He reveals them.

The Father is Jesus' God. Jesus called the Father "my God" (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34; Jn 20:17; Rev 3:2,12; the Father is "His God" (Rev 1:6); "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 15:6; 2Cor 1:3; Eph 1:1-3; 1Pet 1:3); "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph 1:17); "God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Col 1:3). In His human nature (Lk 24:15-31; 33-43; Jn 20:24-28; Jn 21:4-15), the Father is Jesus' God. And even if the Son is in a permanent state of subordination to the Father (Jn 14:28; 1Cor 11:3), that does not preclude the Son being one in nature and substance with the Father (Jn 1:1; 10:30; Php 2:6 NIV).

8. CONCLUSION
In Matthew, Jesus has the same names and titles as Jehovah; Old Testament passages about Jehovah are applied to Jesus; Jesus has attributes of Jehovah; Jesus does the works of Jehovah; Jesus receives honor and worship due to Jehovah; and there are no valid objections to Jesus being Jehovah. Therefore Jesus is Jehovah!

See `tagline' quotes below relating to the above (original emphasis italics, my emphasis bold).

PS. The next (second) posted in this series is "Jesus is Jehovah in Galatians."

Stephen E. Jones.
My other blogs: CreationEvolutionDesign & The Shroud of Turin

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"[Mt 1:21] The language reminds us of similar revelations in the Old Testament (Gn. 16:11; 17:19; etc.), as well as of Isaiah 7:14, soon to be quoted. Names, especially divinely revealed names, are full of meaning, and this is often revealed by a word-play which need not always correspond to the actual etymology of the name. In the case of Jesus (the Greek form of Joshua or Jeshua, a common name .. both the sound (cf. Heb. yosi'a, 'he will save') and the probable etymology ('Yahweh is salvation', or 'O save, Yahweh') contribute to the explanation for he will save his people from their sins. His people will be in the first instance the Jews (Matthew uses this term laos particularly for the chosen race), but the man who wrote 28:19 must have expected a wider application ultimately. Salvation from sins is an element in the Old Testament hope (e.g. Is. 53; Je. 31:31-34; Ezk. 36:24-31) and in later Messianic expectation (Psalms of Solomon 17:28-29, 41; etc.), but not the dominant one. Its isolation here warns the reader not to expect this Messiah to conform to the more popular hope of a national liberator, and sets the scene for the unfolding understanding of Jesus' mission in the Gospel." (France, R.T., 1985, "Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary," The Tyndale New Testament commentaries, Inter-Varsity Press: Leicester UK, p.78).

"Christ as the Son of God. The most recent Jehovah-Witness publication in which their view of the person of Christ is set forth and defended is a 64-page booklet published in 1962, entitled `The Word' - Who Is He? According to John. ... The authors claim that the title Son of God .. implied that Christ was ... a person inferior to God the Father ... In proof of this contention the authors adduce Christ's discussion with the Jews who had taken up stones to stone him, recorded in John 10. Though Jesus here said, `I and the Father are one,' the authors contend, he did not claim to be equal to the Father, but rather claimed to be less than God ... Jesus, it is said, here only claimed to be the Son of God; hence the Jews were quite in error when they thought Christ was uttering blasphemy. By way of refutation, it should first be pointed out that, according to John 5:18, the Jews sought to kill Jesus `because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God ' (NWT). The Jews, therefore, did not understand the expression Son of God as Jehovah's Witnesses apparently do. For the latter, the term means someone inferior to the Father. By the Jews of Jesus' day, however, the term was interpreted as meaning full equality with the Father, and it was on account of this claim that they sought to kill him. This point becomes quite clear when we compare John 10:33 with 10:36. The former verse reads, `We [the Jews] are stoning you [Jesus], not for a fine work, but for blasphemy, even because you, although being a man, make yourself a god" (NWT) [KJ, ASV, and RSV: `make yourself God.']. The latter passage reads, `Do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and dispatched into the world, "You blaspheme," because I said, I am God's Son?' (NWT). Putting together these two verses (if we translate verse 33 as in the standard versions), we see that Christ's calling himself the Son of God was interpreted by the Jews as a claim to equality with the Father. When Jesus was tried by Caiaphas, furthermore, He was asked, `By the living God I put you under oath to tell us whether you are the Christ the Son of God!' (Mt. 26:63, NWT). After Jesus had answered this question in the affirmative, the high priest is reported to have said, `He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses?' (v. 65, NWT). Obviously, the high priest understood the expression Son of God as meaning full equality with the Father since he called Jesus' assumption of this title blasphemy. If Jesus meant by the term Son of God something less than equality with the Father, He would by His affirmative answer be guilty of uttering an untruth, since for the Sanhedrin this title meant such equality. Surely if Jesus did not intend His words to be understood as meaning what the high priest and the rest of the Sanhedrin thought they meant, He could have and should have corrected their understanding of these words. When, after the trial before Caiaphas, Jesus appeared before Pilate, the Jews said to the governor, `We have a law, and according to the law he [Jesus] ought to die, because he made himself God's son' (Jn. 19:7, NWT). Again it is crystal-clear that the Jews understood the expression Son of God, which Jesus acknowledged as descriptive of himself, as meaning nothing less than full equality with the Father. Is it likely, now, that present-day Jehovah's Witnesses know better what Jesus claimed to be, when He called Himself the Son of God, than the Jews who were His contemporaries?" (Hoekema, A.A., 1972, "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, Reprinted, 1990, pp.132-135).

"Gabriel then said, `Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end' (Lk 1:30-33). The angel's pronouncement that the child would be called Jesus is full of meaning. The name `Jesus' means `Yahweh saves' or `Yahweh is salvation.' This name is the counterpart of the Old Testament name, `Joshua.' Just as Joshua in the Old Testament led Israel out of the wilderness experience into a new land and a new life, so Jesus would lead people out of a spiritual wilderness experience into a new sphere of existence and a new life." (Rhodes, R., 1992, "Christ Before the Manger: The Life and Times of the Preincarnate Christ," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, pp.178-179).

"Jesus Christ ... The Hebrew form of the name Jesus means `Jehovah Is Salvation'; Christ is the equivalent of the Hebrew Ma-shi'ach (Messiah), meaning `Anointed One.'" (WB&TS, 1989, "Reasoning from the Scriptures," [1985], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, p.209).

Jesus is Jehovah in the New Testament: Index

In my morning `quiet times' since January 2008, I have been

[Above (click to enlarge): Christ Pantokrator (Christ Almighty), Hagia Sophia, Istanbul: Icons Explained. The New Testament Greek word παντοκρατωρ, (pantokrator) is a compound of pas = all + kratos "rule," i.e. all-rule, and hence is translated "Almighty" in most English translations, e.g. of God 2Cor 6:18, Rev 4:8, 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 16:14, 19:6, 19:15, 21:22 ; and also of Christ (Rev 1:8. cf. Rev 1:7,17, 2:8, 21:6, 22:13). That Jesus is now all-ruling, and therefore Almighty, is also taught in Mt 28:18; Jn 17:2; Acts 10:36; 1Cor 15:27; Eph 1:20-22; Php 2:9-10; Dn 7:13-14. See supporting `tagline' quotes below (original emphasis italics, my emphasis bold).]

pursuing a study of every verse in the New Testament which indicates that Jesus is Jehovah, i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament is, in His pre-incarnate Divine nature, Jehovah (Heb. Yahweh) of the Old Testament. I have then been, usually day-by-day, adding each verse or verses to my web page Jesus is Jehovah (Gospels & Acts)!

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Jesus is Jehovah in:

Mt, Mk, Lk, Jn, Ac, Rom, 1Cor, 2Cor, Gal, Eph, Php, Col, 1Th, 2Th, 1Tim, 2Tim, Tit, Phm, Heb, Jas, 1Pet, 2Pet, 1Jn, 2Jn, 3Jn, Jude, Rev.

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I had been thinking that I would have to wait to the end of the study in several years time, to post the results here on my Jesus is Jehovah! blog in my book outline Jesus is Jehovah!. Then I suddenly realised that I could post the results by each New Testament book! And progressively of each New Testament book that I was currently studying.

So above is my index to each New Testament book I have and will study over time. I have already studied the four gospels and am currently studying Acts. However, after that I may study each New Testament book in chronological order.

I will post my study of each book in a separate page and then it will be hyperlinked from this index. If there is no link, then I have not yet posted that page. For very short books, e.g. 2Jn and 3Jn, I will probably post a combined page. Once a page for a book (or books) has been posted, I will not post it again but just update it, with an indication on this index page. Since my Jesus is Jehovah! web page is becoming large and to avoid doubling-up, when I have caught up with it here, I may cease doing it and this series of blog pages will become my Jesus is Jehovah, verse-by-verse, study.

That the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in the New Testament as being Jehovah (Heb. Yahweh) of the Old Testament come in the flesh, does not preclude the other two Persons of the Holy Trinity (Mt 28:19; 2Cor 13:14; 1Pet 1:2): the Father (Dt 32:6; Isa 63:16; 64:8; Mal 1:6) and the Holy Spirit (Lk 4:18 = Isa 61:1; Acts 5:3-4,9; 2Cor 3:17), also being, as revealed in the New Testament, Jehovah: the one Triune God.

Unless otherwise indicated, the Bible translation will be the American Standard Version (1901), because it translated the Heb. Yahweh as "Jehovah," rather than "LORD" as in most other English Bible translations.

The next post in this series is the first in it: "Jesus is Jehovah in Matthew!"

Stephen E. Jones.
My other blogs: CreationEvolutionDesign & The Shroud of Turin

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"In the New Testament the term theos takes the place of El, Elohim, and Elyon. The names Shaddai and El-Shaddai are rendered pantokrator, the almighty [Rev 1:8], [kurios pantokrator Lord almighty (2Cor 6:18)] and theos pantokrator [Rev 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 16:14 ;19:6; 21:22], God almighty. Sometimes the Lord [Jesus] is called the Alpha and the Omega (Rev. 1:8), who is and who was and who is to come (Rev. 1:4), the first and the last (Rev. 2:8), and the beginning and the end (Rev. 21:6)." (Thiessen, H.C. & Doerksen, V.D., 1979, "Lectures in Systematic Theology," [1949], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, Revised, pp.24-25).

"Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, First and Last When we say that Jesus is it `from A to Z,' we have in mind especially some of the titles of Jesus found in the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. Revelation uses three titles that mean the same thing: `the Alpha and the Omega' (to alpha kai to o), referring to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; `the first and the last'; and `the beginning and the end:' None of these titles occurs elsewhere in the New Testament. The title the first and the last clearly originates at least in part from Isaiah, in which the Lord insists that he is the only God: `I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.... I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.... I am he; I am the first, and I am the last' (Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12 ESV). In the context of Isaiah's prophecies, the Lord [Jesus] is asserting in these statements that he is the one in control of Israel's future and that God's people have a sure hope of restoration." (Bowman, R. M., 2007, Jr. & Komoszewski, J.E., "Putting Jesus In His Place," Kregel: Grand Rapids MI, pp.177-179. Emphasis original).

"Beyond controversy, Revelation applies the title the first and the last to Jesus, who explicitly claims it for himself. `Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look-I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades' (1:17b-18 HCSB). `The First and the Last, the One who was dead and came to life, says [this]' (2:8 HCSB). In the context of John's visions, Jesus is asserting in these statements that by his death and resurrection he has conquered death, and is assuring his people of their future resurrection and vindication in the age to come. Thus, the title the first and the last has a religious significance in Revelation that is parallel to that in Isaiah." (Bowman & Komoszewski, 2007, p.179).

"Some interpreters deny that Revelation also applies the titles the beginning and the end and the Alpha and the Omega to Jesus, noting that these titles apply explicitly in the book to the Lord God Almighty (Rev. 1:8; 21:6). Near the end of the book, however, both titles appear alongside the title the first and the last, which we already know belongs to Jesus. `Look! I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Rev. 22:12-13 HCSB)' The speaker's statement, `I am coming quickly,' is the second of three such declarations in the closing lines of the book (Rev. 22:7, 20).. The third very clearly is Jesus speaking: `He who testifies about these things says, `Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen! Come Lord Jesus!' (22:20 HCSB). Jesus also had said earlier in the book that he is coming to bring judgment on the unfaithful and reward for the faithful (2:16; 3:11). Elsewhere Jesus also warns that he is the one who will repay people according to what they have done (2:23; cf 20:13). Thus, the speaker in Revelation 22:12-13 declares that he is coming quickly, that he will repay people according to what they have done, and that he is the first and the last-all of which the book explicitly says about Jesus. In view of these contextual elements, and the fact that `the Alpha and the Omega' and `the beginning and the end' are obviously synonymous with `the first and the last,' we conclude that the book does assign these titles to Jesus." (Bowman & Komoszewski, 2007, pp.179-180).

"If we read the first occurrence of the title the Alpha and the Omega in this light, we find further confirmation of its application to Jesus: `Look! He is coming [erchetai] with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, including those who pierced Him. And all the families of the earth will mourn over Him. This is certain. Amen. `I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, `the One who is, who was, and who is coming [ho erchomenos], the Almighty.' (Rev. 1:7-8 HCSB) Verse 7, as everyone agrees, refers to Jesus as `coming.' Then God states in the next verse that he is the one who is `coming:' In light of the later references to Jesus using the title the Alpha and the Omega and synonymous titles, it would seem clear enough that verse 8 is identifying Jesus as God Almighty." (Bowman & Komoszewski, 2007, p.180).

"There is something else about the title `the first and the last' that we should notice. When John introduces this description of Jesus, it is actually a three-part title: `I am the First and the Last and the Living One' (1:17b-18a, our translation). In form and meaning, this three-part title is synonymous with another title of deity in the book of Revelation: `the one who is and the one who was and the one who is to come' (Rev. 1:4, 8, authors' translation).' Both titles express the lordship of the one to whom they apply from three temporal perspectives: past ('the First'; `the one who was'), present ('the Living One'; `the one who is'), and future ('the Last'; `the one who is coming'). In Jesus, though, God's everlasting existence is seen not as static, unperturbed, or remote, but as fully engaged in our own life-and-death struggle: the everlasting one, the first and the last, is the living one on our behalf through his death and triumphant resurrection (1:18). The ungrammatical wording of the three-part title in Revelation 1:4, 8 (literally, `the being and the was and the coming'!) reveals such dynamic involvement in time and history to be true to the very nature of God." (Bowman & Komoszewski, 2007, p.180).

"We also should note that the title the one who is and the one who was and the one who is coming is likely a covert form or interpretation of the Old Testament divine name YHWH, or Jehovah. The first part of this title, `the One who is,' is identical to the Greek translation of God's explanation of his name in Exodus 3:14 ... Also suggesting that God's self-description in Revelation 1:8 is a self-description of Jesus Christ is the third element, `the one who is coming:' This Greek expression, ho erchomenos, is a messianic title found in all four Gospels (Matt. 11:3; 21:9; 23:39; Mark 11:9; Luke 7:19,20; 13:35; 19:38; John 6:14; 12:13; see also Heb. 10:37). [The title evidently derives from Psalm 118:26, which all four Gospels quote.] The evident application to Jesus of this three-part title of God in Revelation 1:8, and the parallel three-part divine title of Jesus in Revelation 1:17-18, recalls another threefold description of Jesus: `Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever' (Heb. 13:8). This description of Jesus would seem to be yet another affirmation of his unchanging, divine presence throughout time, and in which we hear another echo of God's self-description in Exodus." (Bowman & Komoszewski, 2007, pp.180-181, 343n).

"The Christology of the Revelation, when compared with that of other writings of the New Testament, is `advanced'. Constantly the attributes of God are ascribed to Christ, as in the opening vision of the first chapter, which is significantly a vision of Christ and not of God. The lineaments of the risen Lord are those of the Ancient of Days and of his angel in the book of Daniel (chs. 7 and 10). Christ is confessed as Alpha and Omega (22:13), as God is also (1:8)." (Beasley-Murray, G.R., 1978, "The Book of Revelation," [1974], New Century Bible Commentary, Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, Revised edition, Reprinted, 1983, p.24).

"Book ... Time of Writing (A.D.) ... Galatians [#2] ... 49, just after Paul's 1st missionary journey ... 1 Thessalonians [#3] ... 50-51, during the 2nd missionary journey ... 2 Thessalonians [#5] ... 50-51, during the 2nd missionary journey ... 1 Corinthians [#4] ... 54, during the 3rd missionary journey ... 2 Corinthians [#7] ... 55, during the 3rd missionary journey ... Romans [#8] ... 55, during the 3rd missionary journey ... James [#9] ... 40s or 50s ... Mark [#6] ... late 50s or early 60s ... Philemon [#10] ... 60 ... Colossians [#11] ... 60 ... Ephesians [#12] ... 60 ... Luke [#13] ... 60 ... Acts [#14] ... 61 ... Philippians [#15] ... 61 ... 1 Timothy [#16] ... 62 ... Titus [#17] ... 62 ... 2 Timothy [#18] ... 63 ... 1 Peter [#19] ... 63 ... 2 Peter [#20] ... 63-64 ... Matthew [#1] ... 60s ... Hebrews [#21] ... 60s ... Jude [#22] ... 60s or 70s ... John [#23] ... late 80s or early 90s ... 1 John [#24] ... late 80s or early 90s ... 2 John [#25] ... late 80s or early 90s ... 3 John [#25] ... late 80s or early 90s ... Revelation [#26] ... late 80s or early 90s ... " (Gundry, R.H., 1970, "A Survey of the New Testament," Paternoster: Exeter UK, pp.384-385).

Was Jesus born on December 25? #4: The case for

Continuing belatedly from part #3: Pagans borrowed December 25 from Christians!," with this final part #4 of a four-part series,

[Above (click to enlarge): The Roman Empire in 3rd century AD: J. Vanderspoel, University of Calgary. From Thrace (Bulgaria) to Gades (Cadiz, Spain), circled in red, is the extent to which in AD 386 the "festival .. of the bodily birth of Christ. ... On ... Dec 25 ... from long ago ... was a festival that was very well known and famous to those who dwell from Thrace to Gades" (see below).]

"Was Jesus born on December 25?," in which I will present the case for Jesus having in fact been born on December 25.

1ST CENTURY

Jesus' mother and brothers were Christians and would have passed on His day of birth to the early Church.

After Jesus' ascension, "Mary the mother of Jesus, and ... his brothers" were among the "about a hundred and twenty" foundation members of the Jerusalem church:

Acts 1:13-15. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty).

Jesus' brothers included the apostles James (not James the son of Zebedee), and Jude (Judas):

Mt 13:55 "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?"

Mk 6:3 "Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?"

1Cor 9:5 "Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?"

Gal 1:19 "I saw none of the other apostles-only James, the Lord's brother."

Jude 1:1 "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ."

Also after Jesus death, His mother Mary was taken in by the apostle John ("the disciple whom Jesus loved"):

Jn 19:26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son,"

The apostle John was Jesus' cousin and his mother Salome was Jesus' mother Mary's sister:

"This means that Salome is, on the one hand, the sister of the Lord's mother - that is to say, Jesus' aunt; and ... mother of the two leading disciples, James and John. This makes John first cousin to Jesus." (Wenham, 1984, "Easter Enigma," pp.34-35).

So even if Jesus was just another man and His birth just another birth, his near relatives, who probably lived in the same small village, Capernaum (Mt 4:13-21) would all have known and have celebrated His birthday (probably at least 30 times - Lk 3:23)! But Jesus was not just another man and His birth was not just another birth. His was the birth of "the Word" who "was God" who "became flesh" (Jn 1:1,14). His birth was of "God with us" (Mt 1:21-25). His birth was announced by angels (Lk 2:7-20).

And those near-relatives of Jesus, His mother Mary, his brothers the apostles James and Jude (and probably his other brothers and sisters), his cousin the apostle John, who would have known Jesus', birth-date, would have passed it on to the earliest Christian congregations. And those earliest Christian congregations would have wanted to know all about Jesus' background, including His birth-date.

Jesus' birthday was known to the earliest Christians

The New Testament has several references, both directly and indirectly to Jesus' birthday, which shows that it was passed on by Jesus immediate family to the early church.

The account of the announcement by the angels to the shepherds actually says "is born this day" (Gk. etechthe umin semeron "was born to you today"):

Lk 2:10-11 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Lk 2:21-24 records that Jesus was circumcised "on the eighth day" after His birth day and "when the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed" which was a further "thirty-three days" (Lev 12:1-4), i.e. 40 days after Jesus' birth day "Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord." It is inconceivable that Luke who stated that "I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning":

Lk 1:1-4 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

which included details of Jesus' birth that he could only have obtained from Mary:

"... Mary [is] the source of .. the Lucan infancy narrative ... Did the author of the Gospel himself come into contact with the mother of Jesus? .. That view .. is perfectly possible ..." (Machen, 1930, "The Virgin Birth of Christ," pp.200-201).

that Luke would not have asked her what day Jesus was born, been told by Mary and then shared it with other Christians who did not already know.

2ND CENTURY

Old Christian tradition of a midwinter birth

There is:

"a relatively old tradition of a midwinter birth, therefore a date in December ... is not in itself unlikely." (Hoehner, 1975, "Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ," pp.26-27).

Hippolytus (c. 165-235)

The writings of the early church father Hippolytus of Rome (c. AD 165-235) contains the first recorded mention of that tradition that Jesus was born on December 25:

"The traditional date for the birth of Christ from as early as Hippolytus (ca. A.D. 165-235) has been December 25th" (Hoehner, 1975, Ibid, pp.26-27).

Hippolytus wrote that "Jesus' birth `took place ... Dec. 25" which was "three decades before Aurelian launched his festival":

"However, the definitive `Handbook of Biblical Chronology' by professor Jack Finegan ... cites an important reference in the `Chronicle' written by Hippolytus of Rome three decades before Aurelian launched his festival. Hippolytus said Jesus' birth `took place eight days before the kalends of January,' that is, Dec. 25. Tighe said there's evidence that as early as the second and third centuries, Christians sought to fix the birth date to help determine the time of Jesus' death and resurrection for the liturgical calendar long before Christmas also became a festival." (Ostling, R., "Why is Dec. 25 the date to celebrate Christmas? Two explanations compete," North County Times, December 22, 2004).

Jewish Talmud

The Jewish Encyclopedia notes of references in the Talmud to "birthday of the king" ... indicating Christian festivals of the early Church" including "Christmas" being among "the observance of Christmas to the second century:

"... birthday anniversaries of heathen kings ... are considered by the rabbis of the Talmud .. by ... 'birthday of the king' .. mention is also made of ('the day of birth and the day of death'). ... All these difficulties and differences may be obviated if [birthday of the king] be explained as indicating Christian festivals of the early Church. .. Christmas .. and ...Easter .. observance of Christmas to the second century..." (Adler & Roubin, 2002, "Jewish Encyclopedia").

3RD CENTURY

Christian calculations

There is evidence from "the second and third centuries" that "Christians attempted to figure out the date of Christ's birth long before they began to celebrate it liturgically:

"... there is evidence from both the Greek East and the Latin West that Christians attempted to figure out the date of Christ's birth long before they began to celebrate it liturgically, even in the second and third centuries. The evidence indicates, in fact, that the attribution of the date of December 25th was a by-product of attempts to determine when to celebrate his death and resurrection." (Tighe, 2003, "Calculating Christmas").

But it does not necessarily follow that because Christians arrived at "the date of December 25th" for the birth of Jesus, that it was "a by-product of attempts to determine when to celebrate his death and resurrection." A traditional date of the birth of Jesus on December 25 could have been what led to the assumption that Jesus was conceived and died on March 25 (see below).

4TH CENTURY

In AD 336 (or earlier) the festival of the birth of Christ was held on December 25 in Rome

In an AD 354 Roman city calendar, there is a list of the martyrs which dates from AD 336. The sequence of festivals in the church year begins with: "on which day it was remembered that Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea" which equates to "the twenty-fifth day of December":

"In the Roman city calendar for the year 354 ... there is a list of the burial places of the martyrs (depositio martyrum) in the order of the days of the year on which festivals were held in their honor. ... the original ... was probably compiled in 336 ... the sequence of festivals in the church year begins with the item: VIII Kal. Ian. natus Christus in Betleem Iudeae The eighth day before the Kalends of January, on which day it was remembered that Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, was the twenty-fifth day of December. Since the list for the entire year begins with this date ... it seems evident that in Rome in A.D. 336 the festival of the birth of Christ was held on Dec 25." (Finegan, 1964, "Handbook of Biblical Chronology," pp.255-256).

But as we saw in part #3, the earliest record of December 25 being celebrated by Roman pagans, was AD 354:

"Aurelian ... the emperor Aurelian [c. 214-275] introduced an official cult of Sol Invictus ... and dedicated a temple to Sol Invictus in 274. ... the festival ...`birthday of the undefeated Sun' ... is recorded in 354 ... celebrated on the 25th December; but no earlier reference to it exists." ("Sol Invictus: Aurelian," Wikipedia, 19 December 2008).

Chrysostom (345-407)

In a sermon preached in AD 386, the Archbishop of Constantinople, John Chrysostom (A.D. 345-407) stated that December 25th is the correct date:

"However, Chrysostom (A.D. 345-407) in 386 stated that December 25th is the correct date and hence it became the official date for Christ's birth in the Eastern Church." (Hoehner, 1975, Ibid, pp.26-27).

In the same and a second sermon preached in AD 386 Chrysostom stated that the festival of the birth of Christ on December 25 had been from long ago very well known and famous from Bulgaria to Spain:

"At Antioch in A.D. 386 John Chrysostom ... delivered two sermons .. In this [first] sermon he says that a festival is approaching, namely that of the bodily birth of Christ. ... On the day itself, namely Dec 25 of the year 386, Chrysostom delivered the second sermon. ... He states that ... the festival ... was ... transmitted to them as from long ago and from many years .... From long ago it was known to those who dwell in the West .... And from long ago it was a festival that was very well known and famous to those who dwell from Thrace [Bulgaria] to Gades [Cadiz, Spain]..." (Finegan, 1964, Ibid, p.256).

A straightforward explanation for the birth of Christ having been celebrated on December 25 long before AD 386 over such a large area from Bulgaria to Spain, is that December 25 was the birth-date of Jesus and it had been remembered and commemorated in predominantly Gentile churches from the very beginning of Christianity.

Moreover, Chrysostom independently worked out that December was the month of Jesus' birth, based on his exegesis of Lk 1:5-40 that John the Baptist was conceived in October and his mother Elizabeth was six months pregnant with him when Mary conceived. Therefore Mary must have conceived in April and so Jesus was born nine months later in December (Finegan, 1964, Ibid, p.256).

"Later in the sermon Chrysostom introduces an exegesis of scripture to support the date of Dec 25. This is based on Lk 1 ... The promise to the priest Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son to be named John came at the time Zechariah had entered the temple to burn incense (Lk 1:9). ... assuming ... this was ... the Feast of Tabernacles. ... the one day of the year when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies ... This feast, says Chrysostom.. was ...celebrated toward the end of Gorpiaios [September] ... This was the date, then, of the conception of John the Baptist ... (Lk 1:13). Counting from this time ... it was in the sixth month (Lk 1:26) .. the conception of Jesus is to be dated. .. Chrysostom ... concludes that it was in the next month, Xanthikos (= Apr) that the conception of Jesus is to be placed. From that point he counts nine months inclusively to the birth of Jesus ... The last, Apellaios (= Dec), was the month in which the birthday celebration was even then being held at which Chrysostom was preaching." (Finegan, 1964, pp.257-258).

This is ingenious but it doesn't work because in fact the average human gestation is 266 days, not "nine months" which is 274 days (365/12=30.4 days x 9 months) and there are 275 days between 25 March and 25 December.

So this calculation (like presumably that of Sextus Julius Africanus - see part #3 which has been lost), is more likely an attempt to arrive at the existing well-known traditional date of December 25, by counting back nine months to find a suitable date for the conception of Jesus. But the fact that Africanus and Chrysostom used two different starting points (the Spring equinox on March 25 and six months before the birth of John the Baptist, respectively), yet that the end-point, the birth of Jesus on December 25, stayed the same in both calculations, shows that it is that date both calculations are aimed at supporting.

JESUS "THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Mal 4:2).

Finally, there is actually an Old Testament prophecy, Mal 4:1-2:

"`Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,' says the LORD Almighty. `Not a root or a branch will be left to them.But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.'"

which, together with Lk 1:76-79:

"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

church fathers interpreted as supportive of Jesus being born on December 25, the first day in the northern hemisphere that the sun's life-giving rays began to increase:

"On the day itself, namely Dec 25 of the year 386, Chrysostom delivered the second sermon. ... Chrysostom says that it would be wonderful if the sun could come down from heaven and send forth its light on earth, and it is more wonderful that in the incarnation the sun of righteousness does in fact send forth its light from human flesh. With `the sun of righteousness' he is doubtless referring to Mal 4:2. ..." (Finegan, 1964, Ibid, p.256).

"As to the reason for the selection of this exact date [Dec 25], the reference by Chrysostom ... to `the sun of righteousness' (Mal 4:2) may give a clue. ... Dec 25 was ... the winter solstice. From this point began the increase of the light and the day. It was appropriate that the time that the light of the natural sun began to increase was also the time that the `sun of righteousness' came into the world." (Finegan, 1964, Ibid, p.258).

Baldwin comments, "the imagery of wings representing the sun's rays recalls the winged sun disc which appears on many Near Eastern monuments":

"[Mal 4:]2. .. The Lord addresses personally you who fear my name ... For them the sun ... will be the sun of righteousness, bringing health and healing to those who love righteousness ... Only here in the Bible does the term `sun of righteousness' occur, and the imagery of wings representing the sun's rays recalls the winged sun disc which appears on many Near Eastern monuments.." (Baldwin, 1972, "Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi," p.250).

But according to the New Testament, this term "sun of righteousness" was no accident but like all prophecy, its ultimate Author is the Holy Spirit:

Acts 28:25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: `The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 2Pet 1:21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

As Evert points out, while there is no evidence that the early church took over a prior pagan festival to a sun god, but if they had done so, it would be "supplanting it with a celebration of the birth of the true God. .. the true .. `sun of righteousness':

"If the early Church had deliberately decided to time the celebrations to coincide .. What message would be communicated by holding a Christian celebration on the same day as a prior pagan one? ... Instead of trying to woo the pagans, the early Church's taking the sun god's feast day would have been supplanting it with a celebration of the birth of the true God. Ancient pagans would not consider it a compliment to their sun god that his birthday party had been replaced by one for the true .. `sun of righteousness' (Mal. 4:2) , Jesus Christ." (Evert, 2001, "Answering Jehovah's Witnesses," p.146).

So of all the days of the year that Jesus, the true "sun of righteousness" could have been born, December 25, the Winter solstice, when the sun's light began to increase, and pagan sun-god festivals held on that day would be supplanted, would have been the perfect day!

Therefore, for all the reasons given in this four-part series, I assume that Jesus was born on December 25.

Stephen E. Jones.
My other blogs: CreationEvolutionDesign & TheShroudofTurin

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Lev 12:1-4 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. 3 On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. 4 Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over.

Lk 2:1-7. 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Lk 2:4-11 (KJV) 4 and Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she 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. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Lk 2:21-24. 21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. 22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord" which was 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"[Ex 13:2,12]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."[ Lev 12:8]

"... birthday anniversaries of heathen kings ... are considered by the rabbis of the Talmud as legal heathen holidays, which count among those holidays on the three days preceding which Jews are by Talmudic law required to abstain from concluding any business with a heathen (Mishnah 'Ab. Zarah i. 3). About the meaning of the Mishnah, which seems to correspond with ... (LXX., Gen. xl. 20), some doubts have been raised because, by the side of ('birthday of the king') mention is also made of ('the day of birth and the day of death'). In the Babylonian Talmud ('Ab. Zarah 10a) the decision is reached in favor of as meaning `the day of coronation.' It is accepted by Maimonides (see Commentary to the Mishnah, and Yad ha-Hazakah, 'Akkum we-Hukotehem, ix. 5). The glossary `Kesef Mishneh,' ad loc., thinks that Maimonides may have read ('assembly') for . Rashi explains as equivalent to `the birthday of the king'; while the Talmud Yerushalmi ('Ab. Zarah i. 39) explains as `birthday.' This agrees with the use made of the word in many instances (Gen. R. lxxxviii.; Ex. R. xv.; Yer. R. H. iii. 8; Yalk., Job. 584; Compare Rashi, Gen. xl. 20). Graetz (in `M. G. Y.' 230) is of the opinion that means the day of death of the king. All these difficulties and differences may be obviated if [birthday of the king] be explained as indicating Christian festivals of the early Church. By may be understood the Nativity, or Christmas, and by Easter, or the Resurrection. Cave (in `Primitive Christianity,' part 1, vii. 194, cited in McClintock and Strong's `Cyclopedia,' s.v. `Christmas') traces the observance of Christmas to the second century, about the time of the emperor Commodus. According to David Ganz ('Zemah David,' i., year 3881), Commodus reigned 183-185, at the time of Rabbi Meïr of the Mishnah, who counted those days as legal holidays." (Adler, C. & Roubin, S., "Birthday," Jewish Encyclopedia.com, 2002. Emphasis original).

"[Mal 4:1-2]. Malachi had used the imagery of a refining fire (3:2) but now speaks of a destructive fire. The day will be one of tropical heat, when parched vegetation suddenly catches fire and dry fields become one vast oven in which even the roots of the plants are reduced to ash. The arrogant and all evildoers who refuse to repent will find no escape. 2. The metaphor now changes. The Lord addresses personally you who fear my name (cf. 3:16), that is, those who have repented and long to see His cause triumph and right prevail. For them the sun which caused the heath fire (verse 1) will be the sun of righteousness, bringing health and healing to those who love righteousness (Is. 57:18,19). Like calves released from their stall into the sunlight they will leap about with sheer relief and exuberance that right has triumphed. Only here in the Bible does the term `sun of righteousness' occur, and the imagery of wings representing the sun's rays recalls the winged sun disc which appears on many Near Eastern monuments. It is a particularly apt figure to claim for the Lord of hosts as He reveals Himself as judge in all His power." (Baldwin, J.G., 1972, "Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary," Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries," Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester UK, Reprinted, 2003, p.250).

"If the early Church had deliberately decided to time the celebrations to coincide, this ought to be reflected in its writings, but it isn't. Witnesses never produce quotes from early Christians saying that Christmas was timed to coincide with a pagan festival. That is sheer speculation. But let's suppose for a minute that there is evidence for such an idea. What message would be communicated by holding a Christian celebration on the same day as a prior pagan one? Would it be an endorsement of paganism? Hardly! Instead of trying to woo the pagans, the early Church's taking the sun god's feast day would have been supplanting it with a celebration of the birth of the true God. Ancient pagans would not consider it a compliment to their sun god that his birthday party had been replaced by one for the true `light of the world' (John 9:5; RSV:CE) and `sun of righteousness' (Mal. 4:2) , Jesus Christ." (Evert, J., 2001, "Answering Jehovah's Witnesses," Catholic Answers: El Cajon CA, p.146).

"DECEMBER 25 ... In the Roman city calendar for the year 354, edited by Filocalus and described above ... there is a list of the burial places of the martyrs (depositio martyrum) arranged in the order of the days of the year on which festivals were held in their honor. [Lietzmann, H., "The Three Oldest Martyrologies," KLT 2, 1904, pp.3-5] The list can of course not be later than the calendar itself which is shown to belong to A.D. 354 by the facts that the lists of consuls and prefects extend to 354, and that the list of bishops extends to Liberius whose accession was in 352 but of whose banishment in 366 nothing is said. But the original depositio episcoporum was probably compiled in 336 and revised in 354 for it runs in order through the church year and through the death of Sylvester in 335, and then Marcus (who died in 336) and his immediate successors are added-out of order as far as the months of the church year are concerned-at the end of the list. If the same is true of the depositio martyrum, it may also be dated in A.D. 336. In the depositio martyrum the sequence of festivals in the church year begins with the item: VIII Kal. Ian. natus Christus in Betleem Iudeae The eighth day before the Kalends of January, on which day it was remembered that Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, was the twenty-fifth day of December. Since the list for the entire year begins with this date and since the following dates are those when festivals were held in honor of the persons named, it seems evident that in Rome in A.D. 336 the festival of the birth of Christ was held on Dec 25. Also the last item on the list is a festival on the Ides of December, i.e., on Dec 13. Therefore the beginning of the liturgical year was between Dec 13 and Dec 25. The depositio episcoporum agrees by making its last and first items respectively Dec 8 and Dec 27." (Finegan, J, 1964, "Handbook of Biblical Chronology: Principles of Time Reckoning in the Ancient World and Problems of Chronology in the Bible," Princeton University Press: Princeton NJ, pp.255-256).

"At Antioch in A.D. 386 John Chrysostom (born at Antioch A.D. c.345, preacher at Antioch and later [A.D. 398] bishop of Constantinople, died A.D. 407) delivered two sermons with which we are here concerned. On Dec 20 he spoke in memory of Philogonius, a former bishop of Antioch. In this sermon he says that a festival is approaching, namely that of the bodily birth of Christ. This is basic in its significance, he says, to the other great festivals of the Christian year, for if Jesus had not been born he would not have been baptized as is celebrated on Epiphany, he would not have been crucified and raised as is celebrated at Easter, and he would not have sent the Spirit as is commemorated at Pentecost. To this festival which will be celebrated in five days he therefore looks forward eagerly and urges the congregation to do the same. On the day itself, namely Dec 25 of the year 386, Chrysostom delivered the second sermon. Theodoret (A.D. c.393-453), bishop of Cyprus, later made two quotations from this sermon, saying that they were taken from the "birthday discourse" ... Herein Chrysostom says that it would be wonderful if the sun could come down from heaven and send forth its light on earth, and it is more wonderful that in the incarnation the sun of righteousness does in fact send forth its light from human flesh. With "the sun of righteousness" he is doubtless referring to Mal 4:2. Then he tells how long he had desired not only to experience this day but to do so in the company of a large congregation. He states that it was not yet ten years that the festival had been known to them. It was, however, transmitted to them as from long ago and from many years .... From long ago it was known to those who dwell in the West .... And from long ago it was a festival that was very well known and famous to those who dwell from Thrace to Gades ..." (Finegan, 1964, p.256).

"Later in the sermon Chrysostom introduces an exegesis of scripture to support the date of Dec 25. This is based on Lk 1 and runs as follows. The promise to the priest Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son to be named John came at the time Zechariah had entered the temple to burn incense (Lk 1:9). Evidently assuming, incorrectly [sic] as far as we know, that Zechariah was the high priest and that this was the most important event possible, Chrysostom explains that this was the time of the Fast and of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Fast was the Day of Atonement, the one day of the year when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, and the date of it was the tenth day of the seventh month (Lev 16:29), i.e., Tishri 10. The Feast of Tabernacles followed shortly on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and continued for seven days (Lev 23:34). This feast, says Chrysostom, the Jews celebrate toward the end of the month Gorpiaios. In A.D. 386 there was a new moon on Sep 10. Since the month Tishri falls normally in Sep/Oct this new moon presumably marked Tishri 1. Tishri 1 (the Day of Atonement) was therefore approximately Sep 20 in that year, and Tishri 15-21 (the Feast of Tabernacles) was approximately Sep 25-Oct l. In the later correlation of the Syro-Macedonian calendar with the Julian ... the month of Gorpiaios began on Sep 1. The Feast of Tabernacles was accordingly celebrated toward the end of Gorpiaios exactly as Chrysostom says. This was the date, then, of the conception of John the Baptist as announced to Zechariah (Lk 1:13). Counting from this time (Gorpiaios = Sep), it was in the sixth month (Lk 1:26) that annunciation was made to Mary and the conception of Jesus is to be dated. Here Chrysostom carefully names and counts six intervening months (Hyperberetaios, Dios, Apellaios, Audynaios, Peritios, and Dystros) and concludes that it was in the next month, Xanthikos (= Apr) that the conception of Jesus is to be placed. From that point he counts nine months inclusively to the birth of Jesus, namely the months Xanthikos, Artemisios, Daisios, Panemos, Loos, Gorpiaios, Hyperberetaios, Dios, and Apellaios. The last, Apellaios (= Dec), was the month in which the birthday celebration was even then being held at which Chrysostom was preaching." (Finegan, 1964, pp.257-258)

"As to the reason for the selection of this exact date [Dec 25], the reference by Chrysostom ... to `the sun of righteousness' (Mal 4:2) may give a clue. As we saw from Epiphanius... Dec 25 was the date accepted at this time for the winter solstice. From this point began the increase of the light and the day. It was appropriate that the time that the light of the natural sun began to increase was also the time that the `sun of righteousness' came into the world. It was also not unimportant that the pagan feast of the sol invictus, the `invincible sun,' was observed on this date, and the Christian festival could replace it. Ultimately the full equation with the solar year was completed in that the conception and the crucifixion were both placed on Mar 25 as well as the birth on Dec 25. Thus Augustine writes: `For He is believed to have been conceived on the twenty-fifth of March, upon which day also he suffered.... But he was born, according to tradition, upon December the twenty-fifth.' [Augustine, "On the Trinity," IV, 5. NPNF III, p.74]" (Finegan, 1964, p.258).

"THE DAY OF CHRIST'S BIRTH There have been lengthy discussions on the day of Christ's birth. Those who have studied the question, have advocates for almost every month of the year. Since it is beyond the scope of this chapter to do a detailed study of the day of Christ's birth, only the two traditional dates will be mentioned. The traditional date for the birth of Christ from as early as Hippolytus (ca. A.D. 165-235) [Hippolytus Comentarii in Danielem iv. 23. 3] has been December 25th. In the Eastern Church January 6th was the date for not only Christ's birth, but also the arrival of the Magi on Christ's second birthday, His baptism in His twenty-ninth year, and the sign at Cana in His thirtieth year. However, Chrysostom (A.D. 345-407) in 386 stated that December 25th is the correct date and hence it became the official date for Christ's birth in the Eastern Church (January 6th was still considered the day for the manifestations of the coming of the Magi, the baptism, and the sign at Cana). Although the exact date may not be pinpointed it seems that there is "a relatively old tradition of a midwinter birth, therefore a date in December or January is not in itself unlikely." [Finegan, J., "Handbook of Biblical Chronology," Princeton University Press: Princeton NJ, 1964, p.259]" (Hoehner, H.W., 1975, "Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ," Zondervan: Grand Rapids MI, Fifth printing, 1981, pp.26-27).

"It is probably a true instinct that has led many readers to suppose that Joseph is the source of the narrative in Matthew and Mary the source of that in Luke. In the latter case, the indications seem to be particularly clear. In the Lucan infancy narrative, Mary's inmost thoughts are revealed-not, it is true, in an indelicate or verbose manner, but in a way quite consonant with the character that is here attributed to the mother of the Lord. And the whole narrative is presented from her point of view. Of course these facts might conceivably be explained by the inherent importance of Mary for the events that are here narrated, an importance which would appeal to some other narrator as well as to Mary herself. And yet such an explanation does not seem to go quite the whole way. There is such delicacy in the touches by which Mary's part in the events is set forth, and such intimacy in the glimpses which are granted into her inmost soul, that the sympathetic reader will hardly be able to rid himself of the conviction that this narrative is derived mediately or immediately from her. ... Of course, even then the exact course of the transmission will still be in doubt. Did the author of the Gospel himself come into contact with the mother of Jesus? Even that view is perhaps not altogether impossible. Or was it an earlier writer of a Jewish Christian source who received the essentials of the story from Mary's lips? That view again is perfectly possible .... The womanly touch in the narrative is perhaps adequately explained by the supposition that the information came ultimately from Mary, whether or not it passed through other lips before it was finally put into literary form. What really stands firm is that the narrative is written from Mary's point of view, and therefore in some sort claims to come from her. We see no reason whatever to reject that claim." (Machen, J.G., 1930, "The Virgin Birth of Christ," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, 1974, Fourth printing, pp.200-201).

"To the casual reader Matthew's `other Mary' [Mt 27:61; 28:1], Mark's `Salome' [Mk 15:40; 16:1] and John's `Clopas' [Jn 19:25] seem obscure and rather unimportant figures. To the careful student, however, they prove exceptionally interesting. A key to their identification is to be found in the descriptions of the women at the crucifixion given by Matthew, Mark and John.' Matthew and Mark (whose accounts at this point run parallel) identify three women watching at a distance, while John mentions Jesus' mother and three other women standing by the cross. It is natural to suppose that the same three women are referred to in each case and that they came forward with the Lord's mother to support her in the final farewell. If the women are the same in each case, we get the following descriptions: 1. Mary Magdalene - so called in all three gospels. 2. One called by Matthew: `the mother of the sons of Zebedee' [Mt 27:56]. by Mark: `Salome' [Mk 15:40] . by John: `Jesus' mother's sister' [Jn 19:25]. Mary, called by Matthew: `the mother of James and Joseph' [Mt 27:56] ... or `the other Mary'. [Mt 27:61; 28:1] by Mark: `the mother of James the younger and of Joses' [Mk 15:40] or `the mother of Joses' [Mk 15:47] or `the mother of James' [Mk 16:1]. by John: `the wife of Clopas' [Jn 19:25]. ... This means that Salome is, on the one hand, the sister of the Lord's mother - that is to say, Jesus' aunt; and, on the other hand, mother of the two leading disciples, James and John. This makes John first cousin to Jesus." (Wenham, J.W., 1984, "Easter Enigma: Are the Resurrection Stories in Conflict?," Paternoster: Exeter UK, Reprinted, 1987, pp.34-35).

"Luke. (light-giving). Luke or Lu'cas, is an abbreviated form of Lucanus. ... The name Luke occurs three times in the New Testament - Col 4:14; 2Ti 4:11; Phm 1:24 - and probably in all three, the third evangelist is the person spoken of. Combining the traditional element, with the scriptural we are able to trace the following dim outline of the evangelist's life. He was born at Antioch in Syria, and was taught the science of medicine. ... He was not born a Jew, for he is not reckoned among those `of the circumcision' by St. Paul. Compare Col 4:11 with Col 4:14. ... He joined St. Paul at Troas, and shared his Journey into Macedonia. The sudden transition to the first person plural in Act 16:9 is most naturally explained ... by supposing that Luke, the writer of the Acts, formed one of St. Paul's company from this point. As far as Philippi, the evangelist journeyed with the apostle. The resumption of the third person, on Paul's departure from that place, Act 17:1, would show that Luke was now left behind. During the rest of St. Paul's second missionary journey, we hear of Luke no more; but on the third journey, the same indication reminds us that Luke is again of the company, Act 20:5, having joined it apparently at Philippi, where he had been left. With the apostle, he passed through Miletus, Tyre and Caesarea to Jerusalem. ch. 20:5; 21:18. ... He probably died a martyr, between A.D. 75 and A.D. 100. He wrote the Gospel that bears his name, and also the Book of Acts." (Peloubet, F.N. & M.A., eds, 1990, "Smith's Bible Dictionary," [1863], Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville TN, 1987, Revised, pp.366-367).

"A By-Product It is true that the first evidence of Christians celebrating December 25th as the date of the Lord's nativity comes from Rome some years after Aurelian, in A.D. 336, but there is evidence from both the Greek East and the Latin West that Christians attempted to figure out the date of Christ's birth long before they began to celebrate it liturgically, even in the second and third centuries. The evidence indicates, in fact, that the attribution of the date of December 25th was a by-product of attempts to determine when to celebrate his death and resurrection." (Tighe, W.J., "Calculating Christmas," Touchstone, December, 2003).