Jesus’ September Birth

Jesus was not born in December, as there were no shepherds watching their flocks at night in the winter. Rather he was born sometime in September or October on the Feast of Trumpets. Even more, scripture tells us what Christ himself said on that day of his birth.

His words are found in the Book of Hebrews which state, “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me. Here I am, it is written about me in the scroll, I have come to do your will, my God.’” (Hebrews 10:5–7).

It is incredibly important to understand his words are a quotation of a Psalm which states, “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have opened, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come, it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart’” (Psalm 40:6–8).

This idea of a body being prepared is a clear reference to the incarnation, the Word become flesh. The Psalm states, “my ears you have opened”, an alternate reading of the words of David. Both ideas are true and both are filled with mystery and meaning.

In short, the Psalmist is speaking of a practice that Moses taught where a servant that wanted a lifetime contract with the master of a house could publicly show his commitment as well as publicly receive the commitment of the master. This was not slavery as we commonly call it. This is a voluntary surrender of one’s life to serve another because of a deep love for that person.

Moses states how the contract was sealed, “And it shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever” (Deuteronomy 15:16,17).

The piercing was a visible mark of servant hood, ‘because he loves you and your household.’ It was voluntary slavery to a call upon a person’s life. Picture, all around Israel for centuries people would take a hammer and nail and pierce the flesh into wood to show a contract.

Jesus states the same thing when he shares his body was prepared to be pierced, his ears were opened, showing his voluntary servant hood to the cause for which he came, to seek and to save the lost. It is incredible to contemplate the beauty and mystery of these verses. The King took on flesh in Bethlehem as a slave to the cause of his Father to carry forth his mission unto death.

Don’t forget he was also born in Bethlehem, the “House of Bread”, whose economy was supported by raising lambs to be sacrificed during Temple services on behalf of the sins of the people. Truly he is the mystery revealed in so many countless ways.