The Lord Jesus Christ was possibly born in

the Spring after the Feast of the Passover

There is compelling biblical evidence that the Lord Jesus Christ was born in the Spring after the Feast of the Passover. Let us consider what Luke wrote:

“His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.”
(Luke. 2:41)

The Feast of the Passover falls on the fourteenth day of the First Month – Nisan or Abib of the Hebrew-Jewish Calendar (Ex. 12:1-28). This time corresponds to the months of March or April in the International calendar which is Spring time.

When Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be registered for the census they were already married and Mary was pregnant (Lk. 4:4-5). Now let us look at the map of Israel and see the locations of Nazareth, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Nazareth is in Galilee in the northern part of Israel. Jerusalem is in Judea in the southern part of Israel. The distance between Nazareth and Jerusalem is about 105 kilometers (65 miles). Bethlehem is about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) south of Jerusalem. As you can see from the map, in order to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem one has to go through a hilly country, then go to or pass by Jerusalem. The distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 113 kilometres (70 miles) as the crow flies, but the winding mountain trails that Joseph and Mary had to travel is about 145 kilometers (90 miles), and the climb is about 400 meters (1,312 feet). At walking pace it would take them more than a week to cover that distance and height.

Luke wrote that Joseph and Mary “went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover”, which certainly includes the year that Jesus was born. We need to understand that Mary was pregnant, and at walking pace on winding mountain trails, it would take them more than a week to travel from Nazareth to Jerusalem. It would make a lot of sense for them to first go to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, and after that go to Bethlehem to register for the census and also wait for the delivery of the baby Jesus. Luke had stated the fact that they “went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover” so it stands to reason that after the Passover they could have also traveled another 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and continued their journey to Bethlehem

Luke also documented this fact: "So it was, while they were there (in Bethlehem), the days were completed for her to be delivered" (Lk. 2:6). This is highly significant that Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem waiting for the baby Jesus to be born. They did not rush to Bethlehem for an emergency delivery or something like that. There is no record how long they had waited for the birth in Bethlehem, but it would still be in the Spring time when Jesus was born. Spring is the symbol of birth, therefore it is the most appropriate time for the Son of God to be born into this world.

“My beloved spoke and said to me: Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!"  (Song 2:10-13)

Our One True God is the Creator of the whole universe and He has planned and chosen the best time with the most ideal weather condition for His Son to be born.

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Gal. 4:4-5)

It must have been a very beautiful evening in the Spring time in Bethlehem when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born.

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” (Luke 2:13-14)

May God bless you

Please click on the Titles below:

The Lord Jesus Christ was not born on
the First Day of the Feast of Tabernacles

Timeline of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ

Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ

This Research Article is presented by Paul Wong

to the ARK Forum on January 5, 2005

For comments please write first to: ark@pdq.net

Paul Wong is a Christian minister and the President of ARK International.
His ministry also serves as an architectural service company in Houston.
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