IBhayibhili alisitsheli ilanga uJesu Khristu azalwa ngalo. Amabhuku alandelayo ayakuveza lokhu.

•   “Akwaziwa ukuthi uKhristu wazalwa mhlaka bani.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia.

•   “Akulamuntu olaziyo sibili ilanga uJesu azalwa ngalo.”—Encyclopedia of Early Christianity.

 IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi uJesu wazalwa ngaliphi ilanga. Loba kunjalo elikutshoyo ngalokho okwenzakala ngesikhathi ezalwa kwenza abanengi bathi kazalwanga mhlaka 25 December.

Kazalwanga ngesikhathi somqando a

1.   Ukubalwa kwabantu. Sokusele isikhathi esincane ukuthi uJesu azalwe, uKhesari Agastu wakhupha isimemezelo sokuthi kube “lokubalwa kwabantu kulo lonke ilizwe”. Wonke umuntu kwakumele ayebhalisa “edolobheni lakibo.” Uhambo lolu lwalungathatha amalanga ayisikhombisa kumbe adlula lapho. (ULukha 2:1-3) Isimemezelo lesi sasizamnceda akwazi ukuthi kwakumele athole malini yomthelo lokuthi akwazi inani labantu ababengaba ngamabutho. Njengoba uhambo lolu lwalulude futhi lunzima, u-Agastu wayengeke akhiphe isimemezelo lesi ngesikhathi somqando.

2.   Izimvu. Kwakulabelusi ‘ababehlala emlageni eduze kwalapho belinda imihlambi yabo yezimvu ebusuku.’ (ULukha 2:8) Ibhuku okuthiwa yi-Daily Life in the Time of Jesus likhuluma ngokuthi imihlambi yezimvu yayihlala emlageni kusukela “ngeviki yePhasika [ekupheleni kukaMarch]” kusiya phakathi kukaNovember. Ibhuku leli liqhubeka lisithi: “Ngesikhathi somqando izimvu zazigcinwa endaweni ekhudumalayo. Lokhu kwenza sibone ukuthi iKhisimusi yayingeke ibekhona ngesikhathi somqando ngoba iBhayibhili lithi abelusi babesemlageni.”

Wazalwa ngesikhathi sentwasa b

 UJesu wafa ngePhasika kaNisan 14, 33 C.E. Yikho singenelisa ukwazi ukuthi wazalwa nini nxa singabala sisukela emnyakeni lo sibuyela emuva. (UJohane 19:14-16) UJesu wayengaba leminyaka engu-30 ngesikhathi eqalisa inkonzo yakhe eyathatha iminyaka emithathu. Nxa sibala sibuyela emuva sithola ukuthi wazalwa ekuqaliseni kwesikhathi sentwasa ngomnyaka ka-2 B.C.E.—ULukha 3:23.

 Kungani iKhisimusi isenziwa mhlaka 25 December khona kungela bufakazi eBhayibhilini bokuthi uJesu wazalwa ngelanga leli? I-Encyclopædia Britannica ibika ukuthi abafundisi bamasonto bangabe bakhetha ilanga leli ukuze liqondane lelanga lomcimbi wamaRoma wokuthakazelela ukuphenduka kwelanga elingehlulwayo ngemva kwesikhathi somqando. I-Encyclopedia Americana yona ithi lokhu ‘kwakusenzelwa ukuthi abahedeni bamukele isiKhristu.’