Bethlehem, a small town in Judea, carries immense symbolic weight in the Nativity story. Known as the city of David, Bethlehem was associated with kingship, humility, and divine choice. According to the prophet Micah, the future ruler of Israel would come from Bethlehem, “though you are small among the clans of Judah.”
Historically, Jesus’ birth is commonly placed during the reign of Herod the Great, who ruled Judea under Roman authority until 4 BC. This dating creates chronological challenges, especially in relation to Luke’s reference to a census under Quirinius. Scholars continue to debate these issues, but the theological significance of the narrative has remained central regardless of historical uncertainties.
The Nativity and the Christian Liturgical Year
The Nativity of Christ forms the foundation of Christmas, celebrated on December 25 in most Western Christian traditions. Christmas is not merely a commemoration of a historical event but a liturgical celebration of the incarnation—the belief that God entered human history in the person of Jesus Christ.
