Origins of Christmas.
The earliest direct written evidence of Christmas being celebrated is 25th December AD 335. This is contained in a list of Christian festivals written by Philocalus. However, could Christmas have been celebrated before this? Dr. Gary Ong has pointed out that most Christian celebrations are linked with equivalent Jewish ones. The Eucharist with the Passover, Easter with 'First Fruits', Pentecost with the Festival of Weeks, etc. There is the Festival of Lights, or Hannukah which is has been suggested became the celebration of the birth of Christ. This festival typically takes place in the middle of December and
commemorates the victory of Judas Maccabeus over the Greeks, and the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem in 164 BC. Hannukah begins on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev and it continues for eight days. During this time Jews light a nine-branched candlestick or menorah. The centre candle is used to light one of the remaining candles each day until on the eighth day all 9 candles are alight.
The question is thus raised - Could the early church have also adapted Hannukah to reflect specific Christian ideas? The essential elements of Hannukah,
of celebrating restitution of the faith,
of the weak overthrowing the strong,
the cleansing of the temple,
the establishment of miraculous light in the darkness
were ideas the early church could identify with. Both have the concept of a small group under persecution, preserving the truth and being victorious - not by their own efforts but by the work of God. The result, in both cases, was a renewal of true faith.
The idea of Jesus re-dedicating the temple by his death is a major feature of the Book to the Hebrews. (Heb 9:18, 10,20). All this points to the concept of Hannukah being important to the early church. It is easy to see how this could have been reflected in an adaption of Hannukah into a Christian festival celebrating the coming of Jesus into the world.
If the concept was important and the early church did celebrate a 'Hannukah type' celebration in December how could that have become Christmas?
The coming of Jesus as a light to the world is linked in John's gospel to the origin of Jesus; specifically in the first 14 verses of John's gospel. John's gospel also mentions Hannukah in Jn 10:22, and again it is linked with the origin of Jesus by discussing his relationship with God.
Such a celebration isn't the 'birth event' Christmas as we know it today but it could have been the pre-cursor of such a celebration. All that is required is the addition of the Nativity narrative in Luke and Matthew's gospel. It could be that from the very beginning the Church has celebrated the coming of Jesus into the world during December
In fact we might go as far as to suggest that the Pagan festival of 'Invincible Sun' had it's origin and idea in the Christian birth celebration!
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