Patutunayan ko na ang kapanganakan ni Jesu-Kristo ay December 25, ayon sa Bibliya at mga Reperensiya.

Affirmative: Melchor Manalili

Negative: Christian Matthew V. Baldonasa

Magandang araw mga kapatid at mga kaibigan. Ang titindigan kong paksa sa pag-uusap na ito ay na ang kapanganakan
ng Panginoong Jesus ay HINDI December 25, ayon sa BIBLIYA at mga reperensiya. Therefore, hindi natin pag-uusapan
dito ngayon kung dapat ba itong ipagdiwang. Kung hindi man maiwasan na masagi, or ma-touch natin ang topic na iyan,
ang pagdiriwang ng December 25, nang hindi sinasadya, pakisuyong tandaan na HINDI iyan ang focus ng pag-uusap sa
pagkakataong ito. Sa aking presentasyon, sisikapin kong gibain ang

Dahil ang mga sandata namin sa pakikipagdigma ay hindi mula sa mga tao; ang malalakas na sandatang ito ay mula sa
Diyos at magagamit para pabagsakin ang mga bagay na matibay ang pagkakatatag. 5 Dahil ibinabagsak namin ang maling
mga pangangatuwiran at bawat bagay na humahadlang sa mga tao na magkaroon ng kaalaman sa Diyos (2 Corinto 10:4,
5). At sa aking presentasyon, malibang sabihin ko kung anong specific na BIBLE Version ang aking gagamitin, pangunahin
kong gagamitin ang personal favorite kong New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures o sa tagalog ay Bagong
Sanlibutang Salin ng Banal na Kasulatan, revised edition 2013.
REFERENCES:

Snow in Jerusalem, Israel ! - December 2013

https://youtu.be/2JTcTBldA30

How far is Nazareth to Bethlehem?

11 km
The distance between Nazareth and Bethlehem of Galilee is 11 km.Aug 19, 2020

https://www.travelujah.com/stories/in-the-footsteps-of-mary-and-joseph-the-nativity-trail

Home » In the footsteps of Mary and Joseph – The Nativity Trail

Gospel of Luke mentions Nazareth in Galilee to be the place where Virgin Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel that she
would bore Jesus. Also there, she married Joseph. However, it was in the town of Bethlehem where Jesus was born. One
can ask: Why spouses decided to walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem, while Virgin Mary was in such an advanced
pregnancy? That was indeed a long journey, which might have taken them from four up to seven days. The answer can
be found in the Biblical verses:

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. […] And
everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to
Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary,
who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child” (Luke 2:1-5).

nativity-trail2Joseph was obliged to leave Nazareth for Bethlehem as he did not want to risk being punished for not
paying the tax. And probably it was God’s will which made him to take also Mary, so Micah’s prophecy about upcoming
Messiah, could be fulfilled: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah,out of you
will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel,whose origins are from of old,from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)

Which path?

The exact way which Mary and Joseph took to get from Nazareth to Bethlehem is not described in any of the Gospels.
However, according to the writings of the ancient historian Josephus Flavius: “It is the custom of the Galileans at the
time of festival to pass through the Samaritan territory on their way to the Holy City.” So, we can suppose that the
couple might have taken a way which they usually took to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.

They might have descended from Nazareth trough Jezreel Valley to Samaria and from there to Jerusalem and Bethlehem
in Judea. Probably, on their way, they were hosted by various people as at those times, in the Near East, it was a
common tradition to overnight the travelers.

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” (1 Peter 4:9)

There exists also another theory that because of continuous conflicts between Samaritans and Jews, Mary and Joseph
might have chosen the way through Jordan Valley to avoid meeting the people of Samaria. But if they would have
followed this way, would they pass through Jerusalem?

According to the Protoevangelium of James, ruins of the octagonal in shape Kathisma (Greek for “seat” or “chair”)
church from the 5th century, located on the way between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, mark the place where Mary rested
before reaching Bethlehem.

Hiking the Nativity Trail

Several times a year the Siraj Center for Holy Land

Studies organizes tours along a possible path that
the Holy Couple might have followed, known as the
Nativity Trail. The trail traverses 160 km passing
through beautiful, though sometimes rough
terrains, rocky hillsides, desert valleys and the
multiple always-green olive groves, where hikers
have an opportunity to rest just as Mary and
Joseph did.

The trail stops in the Biblical towns of Nazareth,

Nablus (ancient Shechem), Jericho and Bethlehem,
as well as smaller villages along the way.
During the journey, hikers are able to experience local hospitality and stay in villagers’ homes, Christian monasteries,
local B&Bs, Bedouin tents, etc.

Beata Andonia works for the Bethlehem tourist bureau and blogs regularly about Bethlehem for Travelujah-Holy Land
Tours. She is originally from Poland and moved to Bethlehem in 2010.