Study Guide: Christmas: What Scripture Says, What History Shows

Days and Feasts · Study guide for Article 3 of 3 · 2026-10-30 · Full article: Christmas: What Scripture Says, What History Shows, about 40 minutes of reading.

Quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB); please check each one in your own Bible.

The Big Idea

The big idea: Luke and Matthew tell plainly of Jesus’ birth as “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10), but Scripture gives neither its day nor a command to keep it. Our conclusion is that each believer may keep Christmas to the Lord or not, and no one may judge another over it (Romans 14:5–6, 13).

Read Aloud

Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

— Luke 2:1–20

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

— Matthew 1:18–25

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet, ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’” Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

— Matthew 2:1–12

For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. When he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

— 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

— Romans 14:5–8

Where We Stand

Scripture says

  • “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (Luke 1:35).
  • “For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11).
  • “for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21).
  • Angels praised God at his birth, and the shepherds returned “glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:20).
  • Jesus said of the bread, “Do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19).
  • “He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.” (Romans 14:6).
  • “Therefore let’s not judge one another any more,” (Romans 14:13).

We conclude

  • Our conclusion: no feast for his birth may be laid on believers (Acts 15:28–29; Colossians 2:16).
  • Our conclusion: remembering his death is commanded; keeping a day for his birth is free (1 Corinthians 11:24–26; Romans 14:5–6).
  • Our conclusion: Immanuel declares God present with his people through his Messiah (Matthew 1:21–23; Luke 1:68).
  • Our conclusion: Jesus came into existence when the Holy Spirit came on Mary (Luke 1:35).
  • Our conclusion: no teaching rests on how 25 December was chosen, which historians dispute (Romans 14:5–6; 1 Corinthians 10:25–26).
  • Our conclusion: the line falls at worship itself, including the nations’ ways of worship brought into the worship of God (Deuteronomy 12:31; Exodus 32:8).
  • Our conclusion: each believer may keep Christmas to the Lord or not, and no one may judge another over it (Romans 14:5–6, 13).
  • Our conclusion: no church may lay the day on a believer as God’s command (Colossians 2:16; Mark 7:7).

The Hard Questions

  • Isn’t Christmas the day God became man (Matthew 1:23; John 1:14; Isaiah 9:6)? See The strongest objection under The Birth of Jesus Is Good News of Great Joy.
  • Don’t John 6:38 and Galatians 4:4 say that he came down and was sent? See the answer under The Birth of Jesus Is Good News of Great Joy.
  • Doesn’t Micah 5:2 say his goings out are from of old? See the answer under The Birth of Jesus Is Good News of Great Joy.
  • Didn’t Jesus command us to remember his death, not his birth (Luke 22:19–20)? See The strongest objection under Scripture Gives No Day for His Birth, and Asks Us to Remember His Death.
  • Doesn’t Scripture show birthdays only in a bad light (Genesis 40:20; Matthew 14:6; Ecclesiastes 7:1)? See the answer under Scripture Gives No Day for His Birth, and Asks Us to Remember His Death.
  • Wasn’t 25 December taken from a pagan feast of the sun? See What history records under Historians Give More Than One Account of the Day, and No Teaching Rests on Any.
  • Don’t Christmas’s pagan roots and its tree make it the way of the nations (Deuteronomy 12:30–31; 16:21; Jeremiah 10:2–4)? See The strongest objection under Historians Give More Than One Account of the Day, and No Teaching Rests on Any.
  • What about Galatians 4:8–10, 2 Corinthians 6:14–17 and Ephesians 5:11? See the answer under Historians Give More Than One Account of the Day, and No Teaching Rests on Any.
  • Isn’t God to be worshipped only as he commands (Deuteronomy 12:32; 1 Kings 12:33)? See The strongest objection under Each Believer Keeps a Day, or Does Not, to the Lord.
  • Must believers keep Christmas as a holy day of obligation? See A second objection under Each Believer Keeps a Day, or Does Not, to the Lord.
  • Did Jesus exist before his conception? See Whether Jesus existed before his conception under Questions Answered.
  • What do Isaiah 9:6’s titles mean? See What Isaiah 9:6’s titles mean under Questions Answered.
  • What about days Scripture does not command? See Days Scripture does not command, such as Christmas and Halloween under Questions Answered.
  • May a church bind believers to keep a day? See The authority of church leaders and teachers under Questions Answered.
  • Does salvation depend on settling every one of these questions? See Whether salvation depends on these questions under Questions Answered.

Discussion Questions

  1. What did the angel tell the shepherds about the child born in David’s city? (See The Birth of Jesus Is Good News of Great Joy.)
  2. In Luke 1:35, what reason does Gabriel give for the title Son of God? (See the answer under The Birth of Jesus Is Good News of Great Joy.)
  3. How do Luke 22:19 and Luke 2:10–14 fit together when believers ask about keeping Christmas? (See Scripture Gives No Day for His Birth, and Asks Us to Remember His Death.)
  4. What does Jeremiah 10:3–9 say the workman and the goldsmith make, and what do we conclude the passage forbids? (See The strongest objection under Historians Give More Than One Account of the Day, and No Teaching Rests on Any.)
  5. How do Romans 14:6 and Colossians 2:16 guide believers who choose differently about Christmas? (See Each Believer Keeps a Day, or Does Not, to the Lord.)
  6. What does Galatians 4:4–5 say God did when the fullness of the time came, and what does it mean to you? (See Hope.)

Hope

The child was named Jesus, “for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21). The angel’s words are for every reader: “I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.” (Luke 2:10).

For the Leader

Allow about 50 minutes for one session. Read Luke 2:1–20 first, then Matthew 1:18–25, Matthew 2:1–12, 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 and Romans 14:5–8. Invite everyone to open and check each verse in their own Bible.

Full article: Christmas: What Scripture Says, What History Shows
Series: All 3 articles in Days and Feasts

© 2026 Elvis Lucas, Open the Text. Original: https://openthetext.com/series/days-and-feasts/03-christmas-study-guide/
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