Since the 18th century, three separate scholarly quests for the historical Jesus have taken place, each with distinct characteristics and based on different research criteria, which were often developed during the quest that applied them. (Note that all these dates are speculative and have flexibility—including Herod’s death date: did he die in January or December, and into which year were those 12 months placed?) [32], This date is independently confirmed by John's reference in John 2:20 to the Temple being in its 46th year of construction when Jesus began his ministry during Passover, which corresponds to around 27–29 AD according to scholarly estimates. Nobody knows what day he was born or what time because it's not in the Bible. Jesus Is Born is the debut studio album by American gospel group Sunday Service Choir, led by American rapper Kanye West.It was released on December 25, 2019, through INC. Scripture makes clear, though, that Jesus was born at a very precise time, a time determined and prepared by God for the redemption of men. When I was … The time of year that Jesus was born continues to be a huge subject of debate, particularly the month of Jesus’ birth. Las contradicciones filosóficas de la cosmovisión transgénero, El realismo modal, libre albedrío y el infinito actual en Dark. Mary and her husband, Joseph, travel to his family’s home town of Bethlehem to register in a census ordered by the Romans, who occupied the region at the time. For it would have been the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets, a feast associated with the Messiah and his return. James has been active in leading worship and teaching youth and adult Bible classes. The history of Christian reflection on the teachings and nature of Jesus is examined in the article Christology. Jesus’ lineage is from the tribe of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Continuing forward in time, Jesus' brother James was born on Wednesday, April 2, 3 B.C. The biblical details of Jesus’ birth are found in the Gospels. [17][18][19] Since Herod died many years before this census, most scholars discount the census and generally accept a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC, the year in which Herod died. While Scripture does not grant us a large amount of information of the day and time, it does offer a few clues. The Roman festival of Natalis Solis Invicti has also been suggested, since it was celebrated on December 25th and was associated with some prominent emperors. [7][8] Karl Rahner states that the authors of the gospels generally focused on theological elements rather than historical chronologies. Clue 1: Details of Jesus’s Birth Point to an Autumn Birthday. This symbolism applies equally to the celebration of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist on June 24, near the summer solstice, based on John's remark about Jesus "He must increase; I must decrease." But it was not a formal Roman state holiday at that time. Several factors are involved in establishing the year of Christ’s birth. The time of Jesus’s birth is intricately tied to the date of his birth. He looked closely at the time of Jesus' death, for example, tied it to the length of Jesus' life given in the Book of Mormon, added such things as time for Jesus' circumcision eight days after his birth, Mary's 40 days of ritual purification, the visit of wise men from the east and a two-week journey to Egypt. Nevertheless, the Magi were filled with joy (Mt. Clue 2: Details of the Star of Bethlehem and the Magi’s Appearance. The Clues in Luke's Gospel . Of course, the traditional date of celebrating Jesus’ birth is December 25, but the Bible nowhere points to His being born in mid-winter. Some Biblical factors shaped when Jesus was born. [3]This arrangement would only be visible from 6:15 pm (sunset) to 7:45 pm (moonset). Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) would follow the Feast of Trumpets. [19][20][21] Some biblical scholars and commentators believe the two accounts can be harmonised,[22][23] arguing that the text in Luke can be read as "registration before Quirinius was governor of Syria", i.e. There are … The earliest documented date of Christmas being observed on December 25th was in 336, during the era of the Roman Emperor Constantine (the first Christian Roman Emperor). She was pregnant and cried out in labor and agony as she was about to give birth. Sukkot follows Yom Kippur and celebrates God’s deliverance of his people. Further, Matthew 2:16 notes Herod commanded all male children two years old and younger to be put to death in his attempt to kill Jesus. [2] December 25th does not mesh with this aspect of the birth story. 12:1-5). but wait . For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his … Your free resource is on the way! By referencing Luke 1:24-31, we can estimate the month of Jesus’ birth to be around the time of mid to late September coinciding with Clarke’s estimates of sheep herding. Jesus’ Birthday Based on the Pattern of Priests According to Luke, John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias was a priest of the order of Abijah (Luke 1:5). [1][4][9] Tertullian believed, some two centuries later, that a number of censuses were performed throughout the Roman world under Saturninus at the same time. [11][12][13][14][15][16], Luke 1:5 mentions the reign of Herod shortly before the birth of Jesus,[4] and places the birth during the Census of Quirinius, which the Jewish historian Josephus described as taking place circa AD 6 in his book Antiquities of the Jews (written c. AD 93),[9] by indicating that Cyrenius/Quirinius' governorship of Syria began in AD 6 and a census took place during his tenure sometime between AD 6–7. In Luke’s account of Jesus’s birth, the Evangelist notes that when Jesus was born, “shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock” (Lk. . Brian has been in the ministry for over 14 years and serves as the pastor of Huntsville Baptist Church in Yadkinville, North Carolina. Wouldn’t it be just like God to provide a HUGE sign that he was about to save the world from its sins by having his Son to be born at the beginning of these festivities? What time and date was Jesus born? Therefore, It is possible to approximate when John was born based on the time of Jesus’ birth. We have addressed the conflict regarding actual dates by creating a Timeline of Jesus based on his actual age and the important events that occurred during age in His life. Centuries after Jesus' time, the Church of the Nutrition was built around this house and the two adjacent tombs, but the church fell into disuse in the eighth century. This period has the added virtue of including the year's Passover, a most propitious time for the birth of a Messiah. According to Matthew and Luke, however, Joseph … This past Sunday, I received a wonderful question from a young man in our church. [41], Alternately, December 25 may have been selected due to its proximity to the winter solstice because of its symbolic theological significance. . and 4 B.C., based partly on the biblical story of Herod the Great. The exact time of day is difficult but the day was highly likely either at the middle or toward the end of February of 5 B.C. This would further provide details that place the birth of Jesus to around 6-4 BC. Confusion in Historical Calendars. Clue 3: Details from the Astrological Data in Revelation 12. I have sketched the political and social meltdown that Palestine suffered in the terrible year of 4 BC. [43] The festival of the Nativity which later turned into Christmas was a 4th-century feast in the Western Church notably in Rome and North Africa, although it is uncertain exactly where and when it was first celebrated. Pagan would celebrate christmas as "The Birth of the Unconquered Sun." Although, no one knows exactly when Jesus was born, history is divided according to His birth---B.C. . This means that Jesus was born The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical reference, but most theologians assume a year of birth between 6 and 4 BC. Verse Concepts. he was probably an Aquarius. The Feast of Trumpets called for national repentance and also marked the start of a new agricultural year. There was an error submitting your subscription. [9], Both Luke and Matthew associate Jesus' birth with the time of Herod the Great. [5] John T. Swann, “Feasts and Festivals of Israel,” ed. One of Bauckham’s interesting streams of supporting data comes in comparing the names in the gospels with broader lists of Palestinian Jewish names (as opposed to Diaspora Jewish names). [1] The historical evidence is too incomplete to allow a definitive dating,[2] but the year is estimated through three different approaches: (A) by analyzing references to known historical events mentioned in the nativity accounts in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, (B) by working backward from the estimation of the start of the ministry of Jesus,[3][4] and (C) astrological or astronomical alignments. Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” New Birth, Described As 2 Corinthians 5:17 Calendar and chronology, Jewish and Christian: biblical, intertestamental and patristic studies, p. 72, An Adult Christ at Christmas: Essays on the Three Biblical Christmas Stories, "Did Herod the 'Great' Really Die in 4 BC? Its About Time: When Was Jesus Born? Christmas is a pagan holiday that used to be called "The Winter Solstice". Doesn’t seem like much, does it? Thus, the date may serve as the time when Mary was impregnated with Jesus by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit by miraculous means. Circa 200, Clement of Alexandria noted that Christians in Egypt believed Jesus was born on May 20. Matthew 2:16[10] In addition, if the phrase "about 30" is interpreted to mean 32 years old, this could fit a date of birth just within the reign of Herod, who died in 4 BC. (123:1.5); Jesus received his Thought Adjuster on Wednesday, February 11, 2 B.C. If Jesus was born in September, that would be close to one of the three major pilgrim feasts, that of Succoth, also called Tabernacles or ‘Booths’. Last week I shared how Jesus was born either in the autumn during the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, which was the September-October time frame, or the spring, around Unleavened Bread/Passover. He too was a … Karl Rahner states that the authors of the gospels generally focused on theological elements rather than historical chronologies. Kings of judah Nativity of Jesus Christ epiphany springtime Wise Men. By Dr. James Ya’akov Hugg. Summary of Jesus’ life. Although, no one knows exactly when Jesus was born, history is divided according to His birth---B.C. Jesus was born at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 21, 7 B.C. he was probably an Aquarius. The growing body of evidence seems to suggest that Jesus was born sometime between 6:15 pm to 7:45 pm on September 11, 3 BC. This period has the added virtue of including the year's Passover, a most propitious time for the birth of a Messiah. For Rome, Palestine was important not in itself but because it lay between Syria. The album was released to coincide with Christmas and follows the release of West's Christian-themed ninth studio album Jesus Is King, which was released two months prior in October 2019. Jesus was conceived in the six month which would be September or October (see footnote 10). This Herod died in the spring of 4 BC, indicating the latest time at which Jesus could have been born on earth. Horoscope and natal chart of Jesus Christ, born on -006/02/28: you will find in this page an excerpt of the astrological portrait and the interpration of the planetary dominants. First, the sheep would have been taken to Jerusalem by December. By Dr. David R. ReaganAccording to Luke 1:24-26, Mary conceived Jesus in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John the Baptist. In the time of Jesus, Judea was part of the Roman province of Syria. We’ve gone as far … The Date of Jesus' Birth . And that was the world into which Jesus was born. Having seen all of human history, He predicted exactly when Jesus would come. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. [2] CSB Study Bible (Nashville: Holman, 2017), 1605, footnote 2:8. Some scholars think that he was born between 6 B.C. After the crisis I have sketched the political and social meltdown that Palestine suffered in the terrible year of 4 BC. You might think that Jesus was born in the Year Zero--between 1 B.C. Curiously, the 2000th anniversary of Jesus' birth was also on a Sunday, August 21, 1994 C.E. Since Herod died in 4 B.C., we have a parameter to work with. (before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini, the year of our Lord). By using this site, you agree to our updated, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, I Still Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, Articles on Intelligent Design / Evolution, “Immortal: How Death Drives Us” with Clay Jones, How Reason Supports Belief In The Existence of God, A Simple Reason Why The Qur’an Cannot Be The Word of God, 10 Reasons to Accept the Resurrection of Jesus as an Historical Fact. The growing body of evidence seems to suggest that Jesus was born sometime between 6:15 pm to 7:45 pm on September 11, 3 BC. John 3:30 NRSV[42][better source needed], In the 1st and 2nd centuries, the Lord's Day (Sunday) was the earliest Christian celebration and included a number of theological themes. Yes, it does. Isaiah 9:6,7. In the 2nd century, the Resurrection of Jesus became a separate feast (now called Easter) and in the same century Epiphany began to be celebrated in the Eastern Churches on 6 January. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. Brian Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com and is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast. When was Jesus born?" Jesus began his ministry when he was about 30 (Luke 3:23) shortly before the Passover (John 2:13) .Had Jesus been born earlier than the spring of B.C. Success! what about December 25th? Christianity teaches that his mother, Mary, is a virgin and falls pregnant at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Why Not a December Birth? Babies As Prophetic Signs History Bethlehem Prophecies Concerning Christ Out Of The East. Please try again. According to Bible-history.com, Roman taxes totaled one percent of a man’s income. Further, after Joseph and Mary fled Bethlehem with Jesus, Herod ordered all the boys 2 years old and younger in that vicinity killed. If this theory is true in that Jesus was born on September 11th, does December 25th hold any importance? [25][26][27][28][29] By working backwards from this, it would appear that Jesus was probably born no later than 1 BC. Check your email. This Herod died in the spring of 4 BC, indicating the latest time at which Jesus could have been born on earth. “A sixth reason for placing the nativity of Jesus in 3 or 2 B.C. [5] The day or season has been estimated by various methods, including the description of shepherds watching over their sheep. Jesus practiced the religion of first-century Judaism. (123:2.1); his sister Miriam was born on Saturday, July 11, 2 B.C. You often hear that Jesus was born around 6-7 B.C. Jesus was born at exactly the right time. December 25th may also be the date when the Magi visited the Christ Child after following the star. However, the sheep and shepherds would have been in the fields in autumn, especially around the time of the Feast of Trumpets. Although the Bible does not give a specific date for Jesus’ birth, it does provide evidence that he was not born in December. Jesus, also called Jesus Christ, Jesus of Galilee, or Jesus of Nazareth, (born c. 6–4 bce, Bethlehem—died c. 30 ce, Jerusalem), religious leader revered in Christianity, one of the world’s major religions.He is regarded by most Christians as the Incarnation of God. Revelation 12:1-5 depicts a vision John received on the Isle of Patmos, which may provide additional clues to the time of Jesus’s birth. Although born in Bethlehem, according to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was a Galilean from Nazareth, a village near Sepphoris, one of the two major cities of Galilee (Tiberias was the other). Jesus was born in the Judean city of Bethlehem. This indicates that Jesus could have been as old as 2 before Herod’s death. December 25th is the shortest day of the year. [6], The nativity accounts in the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Luke do not mention a date or time of year for the birth of Jesus. . Today, however, it seems likely that Luke slightly miscalculated the death of Herod, meaning that Jesus would have been born in 4 BCE, about … The Timeline of Jesus details each important life event with related historical events and arranged in chronological, or date, order providing an actual sequence of the past major and important events in the life of Jesus. From all these figures, Humphreys deduces that Jesus was born between March 9 and May 4, 5 B.C. American King James Version ×), we can determine the approximate time of year Jesus was born if we know when John was born. A man by the name of Bishop Ussher performed the work for dating the various Bible events. Jesus was born either before 4 BC (when Herod the Great died) or in 6 AD (when the historical Census of Quirinius was undertaken). Following the covenant between God and Israel the Jews constantly rebelled against God. (Egypt Today.) While September 11 th holds bad memories for individuals in the United States, it would have been a day of celebration in ancient Israel. It is quite possible that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary on December 25th. [44], The earliest source stating 25 December as the date of birth of Jesus is likely a book by Hippolytus of Rome, written in the early 3rd century. ", "Library : History & Origin: Feast of the Nativity", "Why do we celebrate Jesus' birth on December 25? For a little more than a century, the idea has been popular that Jesus was born in 6-7 B.C. In addition, December 25th would have been too cold for the shepherds and the sheep to have been staying in the fields at this time. Jesus was born either before 4 BC (when Herod the Great died) or in 6 AD (when the historical Census of Quirinius was undertaken). We owe this to a Roman monk-mathematician-astronomer named Dionysis Exiguus, known to his friends as Dennis the Little. So Jesus would have to have been born before this time, anywhere from 7 B.C to 4 B.C. Astronomical data points to this time which is beyond the scope of this article. Joseph Dumond argues that Revelation 12 describes a constellation that took place at a certain time in history. It’s About Time: When was Jesus Born? Subsequently, Jesus … Scholarly arguments have been made regarding whether shepherds would have been grazing their flock during the winter, with some scholars challenging a winter birth for Jesus[34] and some defending the idea by citing the mildness of winters in ancient Israel and rabbinic rules regarding sheep near Bethlehem before February. Most striking, God did not wait around until things looked right. Question: "Was Jesus actually born in September?" [39] Saturnalia, the Roman feast for Saturn, was associated with the winter solstice. This would require that early Christians simply translated Kislev directly to December. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth so that when she did give birth it might devour her child. [citation needed], Historical date of birth of Jesus of Nazareth, "New Testament History" by Richard L. Niswonger 1992, Jack V. Scarola, "A Chronology of the nativity Era" in, Roger T. Beckwith (2001). [9] Matthew 2:1 states that "Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king". The exact time of day is difficult but the day was highly likely either at the middle or toward the end of February of 5 B.C. While September 11th holds bad memories for individuals in the United States, it would have been a day of celebration in ancient Israel. Thus, Rosh Hashanah (Trumpets) calls for repentance (which would be the time when Jesus was born if this theory holds); Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) seeks redemption, and Sukkot (Tabernacles) celebrates the fulfillment of God’s redemption. Brian is currently a student of the Ph.D. program in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University. ?,” WND.com (8/23/2013), retrieved December 19, 2017, http://www.wnd.com/2013/08/was-jesus-born-sept-11-3-b-c/. The Star of Bethlehem guided the Magi to the Christ child after the child was born. The fact that Jesus was born and that He came here and died for us will always carry more weight and fruitfulness than the exact date or setting of it. In fact, it is possible that Jesus would have been one or two years old by the time they made it to Bethlehem. [38], Alexander Murray of History Today argues that the celebration of Christmas as the birth day of Jesus is based on a date of a pagan feast rather than historical analysis. [3] Joseph Dumond, cited in Joseph Farah, “Was Jesus Born Sept. 11, 3 B.C. Flexibility again. The Roman Empire had a unifying system of transportation. While September 11 th holds bad memories for individuals in the United States, it would have been a day of celebration in ancient Israel. Matthew 2:1. He based his view on the assumption that the conception of Jesus took place at the Spring equinox which Hippolytus placed on 25 March, and then added nine months to calculate the date of birth. [1] The sheep that were used for temple sacrifices in Jerusalem were often kept in Bethlehem. [1] Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville: Holman, 2017). Answer: The time of year that Jesus was born is a matter of some debate, but the exact timing of Jesus’ birth is nothing to be dogmatic about, given the Bible’s lack of detail on the subject. Luke 1:1: "Since many have taken in hand to compile a written narration of the matters, which have been fully believed among us, as they delivered them to us, those who from the beginning had been eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word" (vs 1-2). Luke fills in all the important information that brings us to the exact time when Jesus was born. Luke’s account mentions Jesus was around 30 years old when he started preaching, which would take his birth year back to 1 BCE. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne” (Rev. [35][36][37] Support for the December date also comes from the fact that the most common breed of sheep in the area are the Awassi. (–6 C.E.). But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, New American Standard Bible But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, NASB 1995 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, NASB 1977 Prior to the Enlightenment, the gospels were usually regarded as accurate historical accounts, but since then scholars have emerged who question the reliability of the gospels and draw a distinction between the Jesus described in the gospels and the Jesus of history. While September 11th holds bad memories for individuals in the United States, it would have been a day of celebration in ancient Israel. There were two dating systems at the time of Julius Caesar in AD46. The nativity accounts in the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Luke do not mention a date or time of year for the birth of Jesus. Saturnalia was held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities up through 23 December. They claimed that a Messiah would be born who would ultimately come into the world and save the Jewish people from their enemies while establishing a new era of greatness for the Jewish people. Nevertheless, there were men whowere spiritually hungry for the Messiah - the Anointed One who was to redeem not onlyIsrael but, as revealed during the church age, all of men. Christmas, however, is founded on the premise that Jesus was born on December 25, and a person who is truly striving to follow the Bible will see that the celebration of Christmas is based upon falsehood. Matthew 2:1 states Jesus was born during the days of Herod the king. While there i… Original Blog Source: http://bit.ly/2kP9Aq3. What time and date was Jesus born? CrossExamined.org is a non-profit ministry started in 2006 that conducts dynamic I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be An Atheist seminars on college campuses, churches, and high schools. The star could have been one individual star, or it may have been an astronomical configuration. Why is there a gap of this much time in our modern calendar? It recalls Israel’s wilderness wanderings and God’s saving action that brought them out of bondage and into salvation. Matthew 2:1 states that Jesus was born during the days of Herod the king. Jesus was fully immersed in Jewish culture, nationality, and religion. By Dr. James Ya’akov Hugg. On the surface, the accounts of Matthew and Luke reveal little about the time of Jesus' birth. The star could have presented a December visitation of the Magi, but since this was later than the birth of Christ, then the birth would have preceded this event. John's father, Zacharias, was a priest serving in the Jerusalem temple during the course of Abijah ( Luke 1:5 Luke 1:5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of … A unifying system of trade. When Jesus was born, all of Jewish Palestine—as well as some of the neighbouring Gentile areas—was ruled by Rome’s able “friend and ally” Herod the Great. After the solstice, the days begin to lengthen with longer hours of sunlight, which Christians see as representing the Light of Christ entering the world. is the coincidence of this date with the New Testament account that Jesus was born at the time when a Roman census was being conducted: "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the [Roman] world should be registered" (Luke 2:1). Matthew 2:1 states Jesus was born during the days of Herod the king. (before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini, the year of our Lord). Jesus’ conception was unique. . The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn and in the Roman Forum, as well as a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms. However, this was very likely a retrospective justification of a choice already made rather than a genuine attempt to derive the correct birth date. and A.D. 1. Dumond claims that the constellation Virgo (e.g., “virgin”) appeared for a few hours in Bethlehem near Leo—representing the “lion of Judah”—with the sun clothing the woman, with the 12 visible stars surrounding her head. The timing of the star is subsequent to the time of Jesus’s birth. The growing body of evidence seems to suggest that Jesus was born sometime between 6:15 pm to 7:45 pm on September 11, 3 BC. Since Jesus likely born in either mid or late February of 5 B.C. Despite not knowing the exact birthday of Jesus, we celebrate his birth on December 25th as has been Christian tradition for centuries. [33], Despite the modern celebration of Christmas in December, neither the Gospel of Luke nor Gospel of Matthew mention a season for Jesus' birth. The 6 month difference is because John the Baptist’s father was serving in either his spring or autumn rotation when Gabriel appeared to him, but we don’t know which. John's father, Zacharias, was a priest serving in the Jerusalem temple during the course of Abijah ( Luke 1:5 Luke 1:5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of … This feast commemorates the period of time that Israel lived in tents in the wilderness. After the crisis . The fact that Jesus was born and that He came here and died for us will always carry more weight and fruitfulness than the exact date or setting of it. The birth of Jesus Christ is traditionally celebrated on December 25 th, although “around 37 percent of Orthodox Christians, mainly in Egypt and Russia, celebrate Christmas on January 7,” owing to a difference in the way their calendars were devised. Richard Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses makes a case that many named characters in the gospels were eyewitnesses whose testimony was specifically known to the Yeshua-community. That date was then used for the Christmas celebration. The supposed month of Jesus’ birth can, therefore, be estimated by calculating from the date of Zacharias’ clerical duty until the birth of Jesus. It had to be with the worship of the sun. Get the first chapter of "Stealing From God: Why Atheists Need God to Make Their Case" in PDF. The Word of God is silent for about 400 years betweenthe writing of the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Jesus. Then another sign appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven crowns. [45] 25 March would also roughly be the date of his crucifixion, which ancient Christians would have seen as confirming the date of his birth, since many people of that era held the belief that the great prophets were conceived into the afterlife on the same date they were conceived into the world.