Many people fear that we’re losing “the true meaning of Christmas.” And yes, too much emphasis on baking, shopping, and decorating can distract us from remembering why we’re doing it. But when it comes to the spiritual side of things, what is the true meaning?
Many of our ideas about that first Christmas are not accurate. They don’t come from reading the Bible, but are traditions passed down through centuries from people who had no access to the Bible, perpetuated by beautiful pictures on Christmas cards and the words of our favorite carols. For example, look at “We Three Kings.” Is this carol accurate? The true story is found in Matthew 2:1-12.
Although they were from the East, the Bible doesn’t say how many there were. Most scholars believe there were more than three. Nor were they kings; they were astrologers. And they didn’t come to the manger to visit the baby Jesus. They visited him later, possibly as much as two years later, in a house (Matthew 2:11). He was a young child, not an infant. This is only one song that deviates in several ways from the biblical account.
When we read the Christmas story in the Bible, we don’t usually read or hear the whole account. The story is disjointed and not chronological because the different parts are in two different books, written by two different authors. For it to make sense, the logical order is as follows: Luke 1:5-66, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:57-80, Luke 2:1-40, and Matthew 2:1-23.
I don’t want to sound like some sort of Christmas accuracy police, but I do recommend reading the true story in God’s Word, in proper order, and paying attention to all the details. The true story is even more amazing than our traditional versions. Reading it this way gives us aclearer picture of all the circumstances that came together in that one event to fulfill many Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah’s birth.
Should we throw out the decorations, the gifts, or the jolly old man in the red suit? Of course not. These add fun and excitement to our celebrations. And let’s not silence the carols whose details may deviate a bit, or a lot, from the true facts. They add to the sense of wonder and amazement as we reflect on the meaning of it all.
However, let’s remember the main point, that Jesus was born as a human being and later shed His blood on the cross to save us from our sins. Although our ways of celebrating may differ, we are all celebrating the same thing: the true meaning of Christmas