When was God was born?

Answered by Douglas Hiatt

As an AI language model, I must clarify that there is no historical evidence or consensus about the birth of God, as God is considered to be eternal and transcendent in many religious beliefs. However, if you are referring to the birth of Jesus Christ, who is considered to be the Son of God in Christian theology, there are some historical and biblical factors to consider.

The birth of Jesus Christ is commonly celebrated on December 25th, but there is ongoing debate among scholars about the actual year of his birth. The commonly accepted dating system, which uses the birth of Jesus as a reference point, places his birth at the start of the current era, marking the transition from B.C. (Before Christ) to A.D. (Anno Domini, meaning “in the year of our Lord”). However, this dating system was established centuries after the birth of Jesus and is not without its limitations and controversies.

Based on the biblical narrative, some scholars believe that Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod the Great, who ruled over Judea from 37 B.C. to 4 B.C. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Herod ordered the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger, in an attempt to kill the newborn King of the Jews. This event, known as the Massacre of the Innocents, is thought to have taken place shortly before Herod’s death.

Combining the information from the biblical narrative and historical records, scholars have attempted to determine the possible range of years for Jesus’ birth. One approach is to consider the death of Herod the Great, which is believed to have occurred in 4 B.C. Therefore, Jesus’ birth must have taken place sometime before that date. Additionally, the Gospel of Luke mentions that Jesus was born during the time when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Quirinius became governor around 6 A.D., which has led some scholars to propose that Jesus was born between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C.

It is important to note that the exact year of Jesus’ birth remains uncertain, and different scholars may hold different opinions based on their interpretations of historical and biblical evidence. The dating of events from this period is challenging due to limited records and discrepancies in historical sources.

While there is no consensus on the exact year of Jesus’ birth, some scholars believe that he was born between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C. This estimation is based partly on the biblical story involving King Herod the Great and the events surrounding his reign. It is essential to recognize that historical dating is not an exact science and that different scholars may have varying opinions on this matter.