Scriptural basis for celebrating birthdays?

Question

Does birthday's and Christmas have scriptual backing?
All the instances of birthdays in the bible are negative and there is no mention of celebrating christ's birth.

Answer 1

Do Bible references to birthday celebrations put them in a favorable light? The Bible makes only two references to such celebrations:

Gen. 40:20-22: “Now on the third day it turned out to be Pharaoh’s birthday, and he proceeded to make a feast . . . Accordingly he returned the chief of the cupbearers to his post of cupbearer . . . But the chief of the bakers he hung up.”

Matthew 14:6-10: “When Herod’s birthday was being celebrated the daughter of Herodias danced at it and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Then she, under her mother’s coaching, said: ‘Give me here upon a platter the head of John the Baptist.’ . . . He sent and had John beheaded in the prison.”

Everything that is in the Bible is there for a reason. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Jehovah’s Witnesses take note that God’s Word reports unfavorably about birthday celebrations and so shun these.

How did early Christians and Jews of Bible times view birthday celebrations?

“The notion of a birthday festival was far from the ideas of the Christians of this period in general.”—The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries (New York, 1848), Augustus Neander (translated by Henry John Rose), p. 190.

“The later Hebrews looked on the celebration of birthdays as a part of idolatrous worship, a view which would be abundantly confirmed by what they saw of the common observances associated with these days.”—The Imperial Bible-Dictionary (London, 1874), edited by Patrick Fairbairn, Vol. I, p. 225.

What is the origin of popular customs associated with birthday celebrations?

“The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long history. Their origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The customs of offering congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating—complete with lighted candles—in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year. . . . Down to the fourth century Christianity rejected the birthday celebration as a pagan custom.”—Schwäbische Zeitung (magazine supplement Zeit und Welt), April 3/4, 1981, p. 4.

“The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or daemon who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born. The Romans also subscribed to this idea. . . . This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the fairy godmother and the patron saint. . . . The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks. . . . Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. . . . Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes. . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune. . . . Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this holiday. . . . Originally the idea was rooted in magic. . . . Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day.”—The Lore of Birthdays (New York, 1952), Ralph and Adelin Linton, pp. 8, 18-20.
Wholesome gatherings of family and friends at other times to eat, drink, and rejoice are not objectionable.

Eccl. 3:12, 13: “There is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during one’s life; and also that every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his hard work. It is the gift of God.” See also 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Christmas is not a celebration based on the Bible.

Date of the celebration.

M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia says: “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of N[ew] T[estament] origin. The day of Christ’s birth cannot be ascertained from the N[ew] T[estament], or, indeed, from any other source.”—(New York, 1871), Vol. II, p. 276.

Luke 2:8-11 shows that shepherds were in the fields at night at the time of Jesus’ birth. The book Daily Life in the Time of Jesus states: “The flocks . . . passed the winter under cover; and from this alone it may be seen that the traditional date for Christmas, in the winter, is unlikely to be right, since the Gospel says that the shepherds were in the fields.”—(New York, 1962), Henri Daniel-Rops, p. 228.

The Encyclopedia Americana informs us: “The reason for establishing December 25 as Christmas is somewhat obscure, but it is usually held that the day was chosen to correspond to pagan festivals that took place around the time of the winter solstice, when the days begin to lengthen, to celebrate the ‘rebirth of the sun.’ . . . The Roman Saturnalia (a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, and to the renewed power of the sun), also took place at this time, and some Christmas customs are thought to be rooted in this ancient pagan celebration.”—(1977), Vol. 6, p. 666.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges: “The date of Christ’s birth is not known. The Gospels indicate neither the day nor the month . . . According to the hypothesis suggested by H. Usener . . . and accepted by most scholars today, the birth of Christ was assigned the date of the winter solstice (December 25 in the Julian calendar, January 6 in the Egyptian), because on this day, as the sun began its return to northern skies, the pagan devotees of Mithra celebrated the dies natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the invincible sun). On December 25, 274, Aurelian had proclaimed the sun-god principal patron of the empire and dedicated a temple to him in the Campus Martius. Christmas originated at a time when the cult of the sun was particularly strong at Rome.”—(1967), Vol. III, p. 656.

If you would like further information, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 2

There is NO scriptural backing for the celebrating of birthdays. In fact, there are only TWO mentioned birthday celebrations in the Bible and in both cases, they are discussed in a very negative light.

Consider: In both cases, the one celebrating the birthday was not a worshiper of the true God and the event was exalting themselves as if they accomplished something. In both cases someone was murdered. In the second case, at Herod's birthday celebration, it was the murder of God's own prophet, John the Baptizer.

Consider too: the Bible does not command Christians to celebrate Jesus' birth. In fact, the exact date of his birth isn't even given in the scriptures. Now if it was important to celebrate anyone's birth, don't you think it would be Jesus' birth, and don't you think the Bible would have given the exact date if it was important? But it doesn't, because birthday celebrations are not acceptable to God. The only celebration that true Christians observe is the yearly celebration of the Memorial of Christ's death. That's it.

Then too, what happens at a birthday party? Gifts are brought.....not for God, but for the one having the celebration. Nobody can say it's a day for celebrating God when the only one receiving anything is the human whose day of birth it is. Come on....

Answer 3

Celebrating birthdays is just something that humans like to do. You might as well ask "what is the scriptural basis for eating bananas?" or "What is the scriptural basis for cleaning your house?"

God is certainly not going to be annoyed if we take time out to celebrate a day(any day) in His honor. Or to shower our friends or loved ones with affection and gifts once a year. Don't over-spiritualize. Just love as Jesus loved and you can't go wrong.

Answer 4

The bible is full of celebrations to mark events. The act of communion is to remember. There may not be a reference to exactly celebratin birthdays but there is nothing wrong with it. We have been taught to celebrate. The Church is who set down the calendar of when to celebrate christmas. Most theologians would tell you that Christ was bron some where betewwn March and May, not winter. There was no snow in bethlehem the night of his birth. Birthday celeg\brations are a human thing but if celebrating christmas makes us pause to say thanks to God then I am sure he is ok with that

Answer 5

Sola scriptura? I'm sure God is ok with a little partying. We are honoring Him and thanking Him for our own lives--I can't imagine not celebrating the first day I laid eyes on the beautiful little gifts God gave me--all five of them!

I love the fact that we can also celebrate the birth of His Son.

Answer 6

Christ's birth was celebrated by the wise men bringing gifts.

Answer 7

Christmas derived from the Pagan Yule celebration. Birthdays are likewise unscriptural, but they don't necessarily have religious significance, per se.

Answer 8

Because they are just excuses to celbrate something today! Sam ol tired *** traditions! This is why Jehovahs Witnesses dont clebrate these Pagan holidays or practices. You could dress it up with Jesus all you want Christmas is Pagan! TO celebrate it is PAGAN! I like pagans though very free in thei worship!

Answer 9

I think, We have developed a way to celebrate an important day of those we love. I think.

Answer 10

Does there need to be? Nothing wrong with a secular celebration!