BIBLICAL
CONCEPT?: The Month of Jesus' Birth
Limited Biblical evidence: Luke’s detailed account of Jesus’ birth (Luke 1:1-4), the Abijah* division of the temple service of Zacharias (Luke 1:5-23 and 1 Chronicles 24:5-10, 18-19), Zacharias’ service of incense burning (Luke 1:8-11), Elizabeth becomes pregnant after the end of Zacharius’ temple service (Luke 1:24), 6 months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy Mary becomes pregnant with Jesus (Luke 1:25-38), Mary stays with Elizabeth for the final three months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy (Luke 1:39-40, 56), Mary gives birth 6 months after Elizabeth (Luke 1:26, 1:56-57, Luke 2:6).
A limited conclusion concerning the month of Jesus’ birth:
Levitical priests were divided into 24 divisions that served two times a year for
a seven day period. All divisions served
together for the festivals of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and
Tabernacles. 51 weeks of service = 357
days and the Jewish lunar calendar comprised 354 days, thus the whole year is
covered with service. Altogether, each
division served for 5 weeks per year.
The Jewish religious calendar begins on Nisan (March - April) and the
Abijah division (the eighth division) would have served during Sivan (May -
June). John the Baptist could have been
conceived in late June. 6 months into
the pregnancy of
*Abijah = hY"bia] = Yahweh is my Father.
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(Hyperlinks from above.)
NAS Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them down to us, 3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4 so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
NAS Luke 1:5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain
priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the
daughters of Aaron, and her name was
NAS 1 Chronicles 24:5 Thus they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God, both from the descendants of Eleazar and the descendants of Ithamar. 6 And Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, from the Levites, recorded them in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers' households of the priests and of the Levites; one father's household taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar. 7 Now the first lot came out for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, 8 the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, 9 the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin, 10 the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah,
NAS 1 Chronicles 24:18 the twenty-third for Delaiah,
the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. 19 These were their
offices for their ministry, when they came in to the house of the LORD
according to the ordinance given to them through Aaron their father,
just as the LORD God of
NAS Luke 1:8 Now it came about, while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
NAS Luke 1:24 And after these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant; and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,
NAS Luke 1:25 "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the
days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace
among men." 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a city in Galilee, called
NAS Luke 1:39 Now at this time Mary arose and went with haste to the
hill country, to a city of
NAS Luke 1:26 Now in
the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee,
called
NAS Luke 1:56 And Mary
stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home. 57
Now the time had come for
NAS Luke 2:6 And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.