What Scripture says
The Gospels give several clues:
- Jesus was born “in the days of Herod the king” (Matthew 2:1, ESV), and Herod ordered the killing of boys in Bethlehem “two years old or under”, based on when the Magi saw the star (Matthew 2:16).
- Luke says the birth happened when “a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria” (Luke 2:1–2).
- Jesus was “about thirty years of age” when he began his ministry (Luke 3:23), and John the Baptist began his ministry “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar” (Luke 3:1), about AD 28–29.
- Shepherds were “out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8).
What the evidence says
History
Before Herod died
Herod the Great died in 4 BC, according to most historians, based on Josephus, who says he died shortly after a lunar eclipse and before Passover. (A minority date his death to 1 BC.) Since Jesus was born before Herod died, and Herod killed boys up to two years old, Jesus was probably born around 6–4 BC.
Why “BC”?
It seems odd that Jesus was born “before Christ”. The calendar we use was devised by a monk, Dionysius Exiguus, in AD 525. He miscalculated the year of Jesus’ birth by a few years. By the time the error was noticed, the system was established.
The census of Quirinius
The hardest problem is Luke’s census. Josephus records a census in Judea under Quirinius, governor of Syria, in AD 6, about ten years after Herod’s death. Proposed solutions:
| Proposal | Explanation |
|---|---|
| An earlier census | Luke’s Greek can mean “the registration before Quirinius was governor” |
| An earlier role | Quirinius may have held an earlier position in the region, perhaps a military command, before formally governing Syria |
| An oath of loyalty | An empire-wide oath to Augustus around 3–2 BC may have required registration |
| Luke made an error | Many critical scholars conclude Luke confused the dates |
There is no direct evidence of an empire-wide census under Augustus. But Augustus did conduct censuses of Roman citizens, and provincial censuses are well documented, such as in Egypt, where people had to return to their home towns to register.
The star
Proposals for the Star of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:2) include:
- A conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC, which occurred three times that year.
- A comet recorded by Chinese astronomers in 5 BC.
- A miraculous light, as the text seems to suggest by how it moved and stopped (Matthew 2:9).
Context
What about December 25?
December 25 is a tradition, not a historical date. The Gospels give no date for Jesus’ birth. Christians first celebrated it on December 25 in Rome by the 4th century (attested in the Chronograph of 354).
Two main theories explain why:
- A pagan festival. The Roman festival of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) was held on December 25, and Christians may have chosen the date to replace it.
- A calculation. Some early Christians believed Jesus was conceived on the same date he died, which they placed on March 25. Nine months later is December 25. Historian William Tighe argues this came first, and that Sol Invictus on December 25 was officially established only in AD 274, possibly in response to Christians.
The shepherds in the fields (Luke 2:8) don’t settle the season, though some argue it suggests spring rather than winter.
Where they meet
Jesus was probably born around 6–4 BC, before Herod’s death. The census of Quirinius remains a debated puzzle, and December 25 is a later tradition.
What’s still open
- The exact year.
- How to understand Luke’s census.
- What the star was.
Bottom line
Probably around 6–4 BC, before Herod died. December 25 is tradition, not a historical date. The exact year is debated, so this is rated Debated.