IBhayibhile ayisichazeli ukuba uYesu Kristu wazalwa ngaluphi usuku, kanye njengoko ezi ncwadi zilandelayo zibonisa:

• “Umhla wokuzalwa kukaKristu awaziwa.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia.

• “Umhla ochanileyo wokuzalwa kukaKristu awaziwa.”—Encyclopedia of Early Christianity.

Nangona iBhayibhile ingawuphenduli ngokuthe ngqo umbuzo othi, ‘Wazalwa Nini uYesu?’ Ichaza iziganeko ezimbini ezenzeka xa wayezalwa ezibangela uninzi lwabantu lufikelele kwisigqibo sokuba uYesu akazange azalwe ngoDisemba 25.

Kwakungekho sebusika

1. Ubhaliso. Ngaphambi kokuba uYesu azalwe, UKesare Agasto wakhupha umyalelo wokuba “wonke umhlaba omiweyo ubhaliswe.” Wonke umntu wayefanele abhalise “kwisixeko sakowabo,” nto leyo eyayiza kwenza abantu bathabathe uhambo lweveki nangaphezulu. (Luka 2:1-3) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lo myalelo wawenzelwe ukuze kwaziwe inani labantu abaza kurhafa nabaza kuya emkhosini—nowawungazukuthandwa ngabantu enoba wawukhutshwe nini na ebudeni bonyaka. Ngoko ke, uAgasto wayengenakubacaphukisa abantu abalawulayo ngokubenza bahambe imigama emide ebusika.

2. Abelusi ‘babehlala ezindle yaye belinde imihlambi yabo ebusuku.’ (Luka 2:8) Incwadi iDaily Life in the Time of Jesus ichaza ukuba imihlambi yayihlala phandle ukususela “kwiveki engaphambi kwePasika [ngasekupheleni koMatshi]” ukuya kuthi ga phakathi kuNovemba. Le ncwadi iphinda yongeze ithi: “Yayihlala kwindawo elikhusi ebusika; yaye ngenxa yesi sizathu kunokubonwa ukuba usuku lweKrismesi ekuthiwa lisebusika, alinakuba lichanile, ekubeni ingxelo yeVangeli isithi abalusi babesezindle.”

Kwiinyanga ezingaphambili

Sinako ukuqikelela umhla awazalwa ngawo uYesu xa sibala sibuya umva ukususela ngomhla wokufa kwakhe ngePasika kaNisan 14 ekwindla kunyaka ka-33 C.E. (Yohane 19:14-16) UYesu wayeneminyaka eyi-30 ukuqalisa kwakhe umsebenzi wokushumayela nowamthatha iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha ukuze awugqibe. Ngoko ke, uYesu wazalwa ngasekupheleni konyaka ka-2 B.C.E.—Luka 3:23.

Ekubeni uYesu Kristu engazange azalwe ngoDisemba 25, kutheni iKrismesi ibhiyozelwa ngalo mhla? IEncyclopædia Britannica ithi kusenokwenzeka ukuba iinkokeli zecawa zakhetha olu suku ukuze “lungqamane nomsitho wobuhedeni wamaRoma ‘wosuku lokuzalwa kwelanga elingoyiswayo.’” Ngokokutsho kweThe Encyclopedia Americana, izifundiswa ezininzi zikholelwa ukuba oku kwenziwa ngenjongo yokuba “ubuKristu buthandwe ngabahedeni ababeguqukela kubuKristu.”