What Scripture, history, and early Christian writings really show.
Movements within the Hebrew Roots / Torah-observant world often argue that Christmas is sinful, pagan, or a violation of God’s commands. But when we examine Scripture, early Christian history, and modern scholarship, these claims collapse.
Here are seven major Hebrew Roots claims — and the biblical and historical truth behind each one.
1. “Jeremiah 10 forbids Christmas trees.”
The Claim:
Jeremiah 10:1–5 condemns cutting down a tree and decorating it — clearly referencing a Christmas tree.
The Truth:
Jeremiah describes the making of carved wooden idols, not holiday decoration.
- “A craftsman shapes it with his chisel” (v.3)
- It is worshiped (v.5)
- It must be fastened to a stand so it won’t fall over (v.4)
Christmas trees are neither carved idols nor objects of worship.
Sources:
- J. A. Thompson, NICOT: Jeremiah, pp. 285–287.
- Walter Brueggemann, Interpretation: Jeremiah, pp. 93–95.
2. “God forbids man-made celebrations.”
The Claim:
Only feasts commanded in Torah should be celebrated; everything else is sinful.
The Truth:
The Bible records several God-approved, man-made celebrations:
- Purim — created by Esther and Mordecai (Est 9:20–28).
- Hanukkah — Jesus attends and honors it (John 10:22–23).
- Psalm 81:3 — references trumpet-blowing at a full moon festival (likely Sukkot), though Torah gives no command for trumpets on that day.[1]
Conclusion:
God is not opposed to human-created celebrations that honor Him.
Sources:
- Derek Kidner, Psalms 73–150, p. 291.
- John Goldingay, Psalms, Vol. 2, pp. 578–579.
- Peter Craigie, Word Biblical Commentary: Psalms 1–50, p. 336.
3. “Jesus wasn’t born on December 25, therefore Christmas is invalid.”
The Claim:
Since Jesus wasn’t born on that date, celebrating Christmas is unbiblical.
The Truth:
The Bible never requires that God’s works be remembered on the exact date.
- Passover’s observance shifted through history
- Early Christians selected symbolic dates based on theology, not calendars
- The actual birthdate of Jesus is not given in Scripture
The date is not the issue — the meaning is.
Sources:
- Andrew McGowan, Ancient Christian Worship, pp. 109–128.
- Thomas Talley, The Origins of the Liturgical Year.
4. “Christmas comes from pagan sun worship (Sol Invictus).”
The Claim:
Christmas borrowed the date of the “Unconquered Sun” festival on December 25.
The Truth:
No evidence exists of any Sol Invictus festival on December 25 before A.D. 354, long after Christians already used the date.
Modern scholarship is unanimous:
“There is no evidence Christmas was derived from Sol Invictus.”
— Steven Hijmans[2]
Sources:
- Hijmans, “Sol Invictus and the Origins of Christmas,” Mouseion 3 (2003).
- Joseph Kelly, The Origins of Christmas.
5. “All Christmas traditions are pagan.”
The Claim:
Trees, gifts, holly, candles — all pagan.
The Truth:
Most modern Christmas traditions come from:
- medieval Christian worship
- Christian German culture
- European winter folklore
- biblical imagery (light, eternal life, kingship)
There is no continuous historical line from ancient pagan worship to Christmas symbols.[3]
Sources:
- Bruce Forbes, Christmas: A Candid History.
- Joseph Kelly, The Origins of Christmas.
6. “Christians can’t celebrate holidays God didn’t command.”
The Claim:
Colossians 2:16 and Torah law forbid man-made festivals.
The Truth:
Paul explicitly teaches freedom in calendar observance:
“Let no one pass judgment on you… with regard to a festival.”
— Colossians 2:16
Christians are not bound to Torah calendrical laws (Romans 14:5–6; Galatians 4:10–11).
Sources:
- F. F. Bruce, NICNT: Colossians.
- Douglas Moo, Pillar Commentary: Colossians.
7. “Christmas distracts from Jesus.”
The Claim:
The day is worldly, materialistic, and therefore wrong.
The Truth:
Any celebration can be abused. That does not invalidate its Christ-centered purpose.
Romans 14:5-6 teaches that Christians may honor days unto the Lord.
Christmas is an opportunity to celebrate the incarnation — God made flesh for our salvation (John 1:14).
Sources:
- John Stott, Romans.
- Tom Schreiner, Romans (Baker).
Conclusion
Scripture, early Christian history, and modern scholarship all confirm:
✔️ Christmas is not pagan
✔️ Christmas is not forbidden
✔️ Christmas is not idolatry
✔️ Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s incarnation
✔️ Hebrew Roots objections rest on misinterpretations or historical inaccuracies
Christmas is Christian.
The myths are not.
Footnotes
[1] Hebrew Roots teachers often argue that only Torah commands authorize feast days. But Psalm 81:3 mentions blowing trumpets at a full moon—a practice not commanded in the Torah. This shows legitimate worship traditions developed beyond explicit Mosaic instructions. See Derek Kidner, Psalms 73–150, p. 291; Goldingay, Psalms, Vol. 2, pp. 578–579.
[2] Steven Hijmans, “Sol Invictus and the Origins of Christmas,” Mouseion 3 (2003), pp. 377–398.
[3] Joseph Kelly, The Origins of Christmas, Liturgical Press (2004), ch. 3–5.
For Further Study
Books
- The Origins of Christmas — Joseph F. Kelly
- Christmas: A Candid History — Bruce D. Forbes
- The Origins of the Liturgical Year — Thomas J. Talley
- Ancient Christian Worship — Andrew McGowan
- The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus — Adam C. English
Articles & Academic Works
Hans Förster, Christentum und antike Religion
Steven Hijmans, “Sol Invictus and the Origins of Christmas,” Mouseion
Andrew McGowan, “How December 25 Became Christmas,” Biblical Archaeology Society
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