CHRISTMAS & MEANINGS

CHRISTMAS or MASS OF CHRIST

The Nativity by Charles-François Poerson, 1667

  “CHRISTMAS literally means the Mass (celebration) of Christ (or Christ’s Mass).  ‘Christ’ is a Greek word and title meaning ‘anointed’ or one set apart by God for a special purpose. ‘Christ’ is equivalent to the Hebrew word ‘Messiah’” which means God-sent deliverer of the people (= glad tidings). Christmas is: “.... cosmic symbolism...which inspired the Church leadership in Rome to elect the winter solstice, December 25, as the birthday of Christ”. The biblical-historical narratives on the birth of Jesus Christ are found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20.
    Visit by the Three Wisemen from the East

The Bible also mentions the angelic guidance (Matthew 2:10) and warning given to: (a) the three wise men or magi (Matthew 2:12) to keep Jesus away from Herod’s wrath; and the instruction given to (b) Joseph to take Mary and baby Jesus out from Bethlehem and fled to Egypt (Matthew 2:13). From my lay-man understanding, this could have been one reason why Jesus’ actual date of birth was kept unknown by God’s grace then from public knowledge.

The New Testament gives no date or year for Jesus’ birth.  The earliest gospel – that of St. Mark, written about 65 CE begins with the baptism of an adult Jesus.  This suggests two things: (a) That the birth of Christ was of no public interest, and (b) That the earliest Christians lacked interest in or knowledge of Jesus’ date of birth.

MEANINGS and MESSAGE

Christians believe prophecies in the Old Testament (OT) about the coming of Al-Messiah (Messianic prophecies) were fulfilled through the birth of Jesus Christ. The birth of Jesus Christ is “theophany” or “theophaneia” in Greek. Notably ‘theo’ means god while ‘phaneia’ means appearing or showing  oneself. In that sense, Christmas is a joyous celebration to mark the visible appearance of God in the form of human being. The Gospel of John 1:1-3, 14 announce the pre-existence and origin of Jesus (as God through the Word of God or “Kalimatullah” born in human form), and the purpose of Jesus’ coming (salvation or “al-najat” of mankind from sins).

Between the Date and Message of Christmas – Personal Views

1.   The selection of the winter solstice, December 25, as the birthday of Christ or Christmas Day is non-issue since. It has been defined, refined and accepted as sound Christians’ tradition for  two thousand years. The selected date neither negates Jesus’ birth nor changes the theological purpose of Jesus’ birth. 

2. Remembering and clebrating the birth of Christ are biblical therefore because His birth marks the coming of Good News (Gospels, or ‘Injeel’, or Glad Tidings) into the world at large.

3. Suffice to say while the birth of Jesus Christ brings forth the Glad Tidings, His redemptive death on the Cross and Resurrection are The Grand Finale of the Good News of God’s Salvation Plan for all believers and assurance in the world hereafter.