The Nativity of Jesus: An 800-year-old Christmas Tradition (2024)

Nativity (pronounced nuh TIV uh tee) means the birth of a person. By definition nativity also includes the facts of someone's birth, such as the time, place, and situation. The term "nativity scene" is commonly used for depictions of the birth (or nativity) of Jesus Christ in paintings, sculptures, and movies.

The word nativity comes from the Latin term nativus, which means "born." The Bible mentions the nativity of several prominent characters, but today the term is used primarily in connection with the birth of Jesus Christ.

The Nativity of Jesus

  • Nativity refers to the birth of a person, as well as the facts surrounding their birth.
  • Today, the word nativity is most often used in reference to the birth of Jesus Christ.
  • The first nativity scene, or crèche, was created by Francis of Assisi in 1223.

The Nativity of Jesus in the Bible

Jesus' birth is described in Matthew 1:18-2:12 and Luke 2:1-21. Here is a snippet of the story:

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ... All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.(Luke 2:1–7, NLT)

For centuries, scholars have debated the time of Christ's birth. Some believe it was in April, others suggest December, but it is generally agreed that the year was 4 B.C., based on Bible verses, Roman records, and the writings of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus.

Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Old Testament prophets foretold the circumstances of the Messiah's nativity. Those prophecies came true, as recorded in Matthew and Luke. The odds against all the Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled in one person, Jesus, are astronomical.

Among those prophecies was the prediction that the Messiah would be born in the city of Bethlehem, a small village about five miles southwest of Jerusalem. Bethlehem was the birthplace of King David, from whose line the Messiah, or Savior, was supposed to come.

Only through a series of supernatural circumstances did this prophecy come true. The Roman Empire ordered a census of all Jewish citizens, but it required that people return to their birthplace. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, was born in Bethlehem, so he left his current home in Nazareth and took his pregnant wife Mary back to his hometown.

Shortly after Jesus' birth, he was visited by shepherds who had been told of the event by an angel. Perhaps as much as two years later, a group of wise men, or kings from the east, also came to pay homage. These visits meant Jesus would be a Savior for all people, both great and small.

God promised to be not just for us but also among us. In the book of Isaiah, the Messiah is called Immanuel, meaning "God with us." Jesus' name in Hebrew, Yeshua, means "Yahweh [the Lord] is Salvation." Translated from the ancient Greek of the New Testament to modern English, this name becomes "Jesus." After Christ's ascension into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to live inside every believer, making God truly "with us."

Bethlehem is home to the Church of the Nativity, built by Constantine the Great and his empress mother Helena (circa A.D. 330). Beneath the church is a grotto that is said to house the cave (stable) where Jesus was born.

The First Nativity Scene

The first nativity scene, or creche, was created by Francis of Assisi in 1223. He gathered local people in Italy to portray the biblical characters and used a figure made of wax to represent the infant Jesus. The portrayal quickly caught on, and live and sculpted nativity scenes spread all over Europe.

Nativity scenes were popular with painters such as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Rembrandt. The event is depicted in stained glass windows in churches and cathedrals throughout the world.

Today, many Christians display a nativity scene featuring figurines depicting Jesus' birth when they put up their Christmas decorations. Nativities scenes of Jesus often come up in the news in lawsuits when they are displayed on public property. In the United States, courts have ruled that religious symbols cannot be displayed on taxpayer-supported property, due to the constitutional separation of church and state. In Europe, atheists and anti-religion groups have protested the display of nativity scenes.

Sources

  • The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, by Merrill F. Unger.
  • Easton's Bible Dictionary, by Matthew George Easton.
The Nativity of Jesus: An 800-year-old Christmas Tradition (2024)

FAQs

The Nativity of Jesus: An 800-year-old Christmas Tradition? ›

That's a pity, for the manger — or nativity scene, or crèche, or crib — is one of the most beloved Christmas traditions, and this year marks its 800th anniversary. St. Francis of Assisi conceived of the idea in the little town of Greccio in 1223.

Who invented the tradition of celebrating Christmas with nativity scene? ›

The first living nativity scene, attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi, occurred in 1223 in the Italian town of Greccio. Francis had been inspired by his visit to the Holy Land, where he had been shown Jesus's traditional birthplace.

What is the oldest known nativity scene? ›

Christmas is year-round in Greccio, a small cliffside village in Lazio. The reason? This is where St Francis of Assisi created the first-ever nativity scene in a cave in 1223. The medieval village of Greccio is one of Italy's most beautiful yet lesser-known villages.

Why is the Christmas story called the nativity? ›

The word nativity comes from the Latin word nativis meaning birth. Over the years, the word nativity has taken on the meaning of the account of the birth of Jesus Christ. The place of the Nativity was prophesied centuries before Jesus' birth.

What is the tradition of the crib? ›

The crib gradually evolved from an art reserved for churches and monasteries to a folk art by moving into private homes and thus into the simpler classes of society. It is also known as a "folkloric" crib when it depicts rural life in miniature form or when it is decorated with figures of local character.

What is the true origin of Christmas? ›

The first time the birth of Jesus Christ was attributed to the date December 25 was in the 4th century, according to early Roman history. Early celebrations of Christmas are thought to have derived from Roman and other European festivals that marked the end of the harvest, and the winter solstice.

When did the Nativity tradition start? ›

But when did this tradition begin? Slate explores the history of the nativity scene: Blame St. Francis of Assisi, who is credited with staging the first nativity scene in 1223.

How old was Mary when she had Jesus? ›

Scholars believe Mary would have been somewhere between 12-16 years old when she had Jesus. Given the biblical account and the Jewish cultural practices in Mary's day, the most plausible age Mary would have been when she had Jesus was most likely 15 or 16 years old.

Which saint made the first nativity? ›

One such tradition, practiced by people all over the world, is of course the reproduction of Jesus' nativity scene that we display in our homes and churches. But where did this tradition come from? The first nativity scene was created by Saint Francis of Assisi in a small grotto near an Italian village called Greccio.

Which book of the Bible is the Nativity in? ›

The nativity of Jesus, nativity of Christ, birth of Jesus or birth of Christ is documented in the biblical gospels of Luke and Matthew.

What ethnicity was Jesus? ›

Of course, Jesus was a Jew. He was born of a Jewish mother, in Galilee, a Jewish part of the world. All of his friends, associates, colleagues, disciples, all of them were Jews. He regularly worshipped in Jewish communal worship, what we call synagogues.

What month was Jesus actually born? ›

According to verse 19:25, during labor Mary was told to shake a palm tree so that ripe dates would fall off. This description, combined with the ripening period of dates places the birth of Jesus somewhere between June and October, with later times being more likely due to dates falling off easily.

What language did Jesus speak? ›

Most religious scholars and historians agree with Pope Francis that the historical Jesus principally spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic.

How did babies sleep in 1800? ›

1600s - 1800s - Some early American babies slept in hollowed-out logs. Others were lulled to sleep in simple pine rockers. Early 20th Century - In the early 1900s parents began using elevated cribs to keep babies away from the cold ground. Wicker cribs were common but not the most comfortable.

When did humans start putting babies in cribs? ›

The First Cribs

Parents have always laid their babies down in bundles of cloth or even baskets. However, the invention of the first crib-like structure didn't take place until between the 1600s and 1800s. Even then, people used hollowed-out logs for this purpose, and rarely did they cradle a newborn for a full night.

What is Jesus crib? ›

The Title refers to the five pieces of sycamore wood (ficus sycomorus), that were part of the manger upon which Baby Jesus was laid. Recent scientific studies date the wooden pieces, which are kept in a crib-shaped crystal reliquary designed by Giuseppe Valadier (1802), to the time of Jesus' birth.

Who created the idea of the Nativity scene? ›

But the Nativity scene now recreated in town squares and churches worldwide was originally conceived by St. Francis of Assisi. Much of what scholars know about Francis comes from “Life of St. Francis,” written by the 13th-century theologian and philosopher St.

Who introduced the Christmas tradition? ›

The celebration of Christmas started in Rome about 336, but it did not become a major Christian festival until the 9th century.

Who started the Christmas tree tradition? ›

Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition—as we now know it—by the 16th century when sources record devout Christians bringing decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce.

Who started celebrating Christmas first? ›

Academically, this view is also known as historical religions theory. The theory suggests the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy, began celebrating Christmas on December 25 in 336 CE to replace the pagan celebrations.

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