Overview
- Most scholars accept Jesus of Nazareth as a historical figure, with Jewish and Roman texts referencing a preacher in Roman-era Judea.
- The Gospels offer conflicting timelines: Matthew implies a latest date in spring 4 BCE under Herod, while Luke links the birth to Quirinius’s census around 6 CE.
- December 25 is a later church choice tied to Roman winter-solstice celebrations, not a date specified in the New Testament.
- Many theologians view Bethlehem as a theological placement to align Jesus with King David, with Nazareth considered his probable hometown.
- Core crib-scene details are interpretive: a domestic manger need not mean a separate stable, animals come from later texts, and Matthew’s visitors are magi rather than kings.