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It has never been a question when Jesus was born. We have writings dating back to the Apostolic period that state he was born on December 25. The notion that December was a date chosen by the Roman Catholic Church in the 4th century to replace a pagan holiday is a myth that was first published...

The Hebrew calendar, both the Ecclesiastical and the Civil calendars which were the two primary calendars (but they also had calendars for "Fruiting" and another for "Taxes" and still another for the royal families), but all the calendars were lunar based and had 12 months of 29 and 30 days...

The center of the Magian religion (Zoroastrianism) was the sacred city of Sippar in ancient Babylon, 547 miles from Jerusalem. The Magi most likely did not travel with a caravan as there were no women or children nor were they transporting merchandise other than the small coffers of gold and...

During New Testament times, circumcision was done at the local synagogue by a priest on the 8th day of the child's life. There was no sacrifice or offering required. The "purification" of the woman was done at the Temple (40 days after birth of male child, 66 days after birth of female child...

It is debatable whether or not the Magi understood the prophetic significance of their gifts. The spices were very costly, frankincense being worth its weight in gold, and of course gold was the gift always given to a Monarch. Frankincense was used in Temples throughout the ancient world, and in...

The prophecy of Balaam recorded in Numbers 24:17. It was commonly understood by the Rabbis at the time of Jesus as a messianic prophecy and was paraphrased in the various Targums as a sign that would herald the advent of Messiah. It is found in the writings of the the Qumran sect in the War...

For some of us, when it comes to the life and times of Jesus, nothing is trivial. In Christ, Pilgrimer

Hello Rita. I read your opening post but must admit I have not read through all the responses. I can imagine they are all over the map. I am a New Testament historian and would love to see if I can help you untangle the timeline, but there is too much in your opening post to try to answer...

My apologies but I have difficult time trying to follow your reasoning. Perhaps because you do not offer an actual reasoned argument but simply make statements as though they are undeniable. The Old Covenant promised blessings that were all fulfilled by the coming and work of Christ and are...

I came to my beliefs from study of the Scripture long before I learned anything about the early churches and what they believed and taught. My comments were in response to the charge that it was the Church at Rome that "changed the Sabbath," which 1) is not true, because 2) the New Covenant...

No, I mean the new covenant God promised He would one day make with all those who believe, both those of Israel and those of the nations, those whom He would wash with the blood of His own sacrifice, to whom He would give His own Spirit so that they might see and hear and taste and know the...

Insulting as such a question is, I will nevertheless answer it. Yes, I have read my Bible, including the parts it appears you have not read: "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons ..." Daniel 2:21-22 But more...

"Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout all their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel." EX31:16-17a Point 1: Sabbath observance is a sign of the Mosaic covenant. Christians (Jews and...

May I offer some additional historical details to help fill in the gaps? It is now indisputable that Herod died in the year 4 B.C. as there have been coins discovered that were minted by his sons that date their reigns beginning in 4 B.C. Archaeology (and it’s child Numismatology) is a...

Daniel was not referring to anti-christ. There are four verses in the Bible that tell us who is anti-christ and when anti-christ would come into the world. And what those four verses state is that there is not one individual who would be anti-christ but that it is anyone who denies that Jesus is...

But any honest and reasonable student of the Scriptures would first study to determine whether or not Christmas and Easter are in fact adoptions of pagan customs. Where does your information come from and does it cite ancient writings or archaeological artifacts to support the claims it makes? I...

You have no idea what you are talking about but I will pray for you that your heart might be humbled and your mind opened so you might desire to learn what is the true and faithful witness to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. In Christ, Pilgrimer

No Barney, I'm afraid you have been misled. What you have heard is simply not true. The story goes that during the 4th century the church at Rome began to adopt pagan Roman festivals with their customs and observances and make them over into Christian holidays in order to make the Christian...

True, but then God also never told anyone to NOT honor the day of Christ's resurrection. Christians who love Jesus simply choose to remember and celebrate the most important events in his life; his birth, his death, and his resurrection, those singular historical events upon which our very...

Not one word of that is true. In Christ, Pilgrimer