In 1 Timothy 2:15 (ESV), Paul writes: >“Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” This verse is puzzling. If salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). What is the most common or doctrinally sound interpretation of this passage within mainstream Christianity?

I have always had issues with the Bible and thought about God but my life is in shambles and everyone keeps telling me to just believe. So I am coming to get help and understand. When looking into Christ, I have seen that his birthday was set for December 25th. But yet when reading the Bible it says that they follow the star of Bethlehem which this star is not present in the sky until June 26th. Please I want to believe but I need solid proof that this isn't just something people hold onto and this stuff is real and not fake.

I found this quote of Origen condemning birthdays as the practice of the gentile sinners . > **...of all the holy people in the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day on which they were born into this world below** (Origen, in Levit., Hom. VIII, in Migne P.G., XII, 495) (Thurston H. Natal Day. Transcribed by Thomas M. Barrett. Dedicated to Margaret Johanna Albertina Behling Barrett. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Copyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York). The writings of the late third century Catholic theologian Arnobius show that, even that late, Catholics objected to the celebration of birthdays as he wrote: > ...you worship with couches, altars, temples, and other service, and by celebrating their games and birthdays, those whom it was fitting that you should assail with keenest hatred. (Arnobius. Against the Heathen (Book I), Chapter 64. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 6. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight). Can you quote the full context of Origen (and Arnobius) quotes, and any responses or discussion on this view by others, within the third century in English and Greek? I need to know the reasons for his views. Background: >- The Encyclopedia Judaica could not be more blunt: “The celebration of birthdays is unknown in traditional Jewish ritual.” In fact, it says, the only birthday party mentioned in the Bible is for Pharaoh! (Genesis 40:20). *Birthdays, Jewishly * > >- History of celebration of birthdays in the West: > >“It is thought that the large-scale celebration of birthdays in Europe began with the cult of Mithras, which originated in Persia but was spread by soldiers throughout the Roman Empire. Before this, such celebrations were not common; and, hence, practices from other contexts such as the Saturnalia were adapted for birthdays. Because many Roman soldiers took to Mithraism, it had a wide distribution and influence throughout the empire until it was supplanted by Christianity.” > >“Christmas is also relevant because December 25th was the day of celebration of the birthday of the sun-god Mithra. Perhaps it should also be mentioned that one of the key features of Mithraism was Sunday observance. The reason that this seems to be relevant is that the Roman Emperor Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to make a profession of Christ, was also the first Emperor to make Sunday laws–which he began to do on March 7, 321. Also, a few years later, the Council of Nicea that Constantine convened in 325 A.D. declared Sunday to be the “Christian day” of worship (for more information, please see the article Europa and the Book of Revelation).” *Pagan Origins of Birthdays *

There is an argument for Jesus not being born on December 25th. One of the arguments runs like this: > During the time of King David, there were so many priests, that they > had to be divided into 24 'courses' or groups. Each course would serve > in the Temple for a period of 1 week, starting with the first Sabbath > of the year (Month of Nisan). During the 3 annual Holy Days, when all > of Israel had to gather in Jerusalem, all the priests would serve > together, then resume the group rotation the following week. Since > Zechariah belonged to the 8th group, he would be in the Temple during > the 9th week of the year. ..." > > This would put Zechariah's turn to serve in the Temple during the > month of Sivan. When he completed his week of service, he returned > home. It is reasonable to assume that Elizabeth became pregnant later > that month, (Sivan). > > John the Baptist was then born 40 weeks (9 months) later, during the > month of Nisan. Since John was about 6 months older than Yeshua (Luke > 1: 36), The birth date of Yeshua must be during the month of Tishri. > > The lunar month of Tishri occurs during our September or October. (See > this site ) Another argument by Ray Butterworth runs like this: > The Fall makes far more sense than late December... > > Elisabeth conceived (John the Baptist) immediately after Zacharias > finished his Abia priestly duties (Luke 1): > > ... priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia ... ... he > executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course > ... as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he > departed to his own house. And after those days his wife > Elisabeth conceived ... Her cousin Mary conceived (Jesus) six months > later: > > And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a > city of Galilee, named Nazareth To a virgin espoused to a man > whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name > was Mary. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also > conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, > who was called barren. And [Mary] entered into the house of > Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And Mary abode with her about > three months ... The course of Abia is defined in the First book of > Chronicles: > > [24:10] The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah [24:19] These were > the orderings of them in their service ... Each priest served for a > week, with the cycle beginning on the 1st day of Nisan. But during the > week of Passover (Nisan 14) and Pentecost (7 weeks later) all priests > served together, so Zacharias, being of the 8th course, would have > finished his first course after the 10th week of the year. Six months > after that (Jesus's conception) would have been around what the Romans > called late December, and nine months after that (Jesus's birth) would > have been late September or early October. > > That would be around the time of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). > Sukkot is one of three times each year when people made a pilgrimage > to Jerusalem. In addition to the normal tithe given to support the > priesthood, people were encouraged to save a second tithe to use for > their own expenses and celebrations during these times (Deuteronomy > 14:26): > > And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth > after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or > for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the > LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household. Even > today, most people that observe this fall festival travel away from > home, or if they can't, they arrange to sleep in a tent or some other > location different from their normal home. > > It's by no means a certainty that this is when Jesus was born, but if > Jesus had been born during the Feast of Tabernacles, it then confirms > why his parents stayed in their family's home town of Bethlehem, just > south of Jerusalem. How would those who believe in the traditional December 25th date of Jesus birth answer these arguments? Related questions: https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/88558/what-are-the-earliest-references-to-jesus-birthday-being-december-25 https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/88625/why-would-the-shepherds-be-out-at-night-in-the-winter-during-jesus-birth?noredirect=1#comment245511_88625 https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/61250/according-to-the-jehovahs-witnesses-why-was-jesus-likely-not-born-in-december

In Eusesbius we have an interesting reference from the 2nd century Christian historian, Hegesippus, to property owned by the family of Jesus: > But when this same Domitian had commanded that the descendants of > David should be slain, an ancient tradition says that some of the > heretics brought accusation against the descendants of Jude (said to > have been a brother of the Saviour according to the flesh), on the > ground that they were of the lineage of David and were related to > Christ himself. Hegesippus relates these facts in the following words. > > The Relatives of our Saviour. > 1. Of the family of the Lord there were still living the grandchildren of Jude, who is said to have been the Lord's brother according to the > flesh. > 2. Information was given that they belonged to the family of David, and they were brought to the Emperor Domitian by the Evocatus. For > Domitian feared the coming of Christ as Herod also had feared it. And > he asked them if they were descendants of David, and they confessed > that they were. Then he asked them how much property they had, or how > much money they owned. And both of them answered that they had only > nine thousand denarii, half of which belonged to each of them. > 4. And this property did not consist of silver, but of a piece of land which contained only thirty-nine acres, and from which they raised > their taxes and supported themselves by their own labor. 5. Then they > showed their hands, exhibiting the hardness of their bodies and the > callousness produced upon their hands by continuous toil as evidence > of their own labor. Is this a reference to property owned in Bethlehem? If so, was Joseph (Jesus father) land rich (at least middle class), but cash poor when they went to Bethlehem for the census? And again cash poor when bringing the child to the temple to be dedicated? It is interesting to reflect upon the fifth pope; consecrated about 100; died about 109. The breviary of Pope Pius V. reserves Oct. 26 to the memory of *Evaristus Græcus ex Judæo parte Trajano Imperatore Pontificatum gessit.* From this it would follow that this pope was a Jew, whose father was a native of Bethlehem, and therefore, no doubt, a Roman provincial. Evaristus, then, must have been a Greek-speaking Jew, and, under the laws of the empire, a Roman subject. Another possibility is that at the time of Emperor Domitian, Jesus' family (i.e. the grandchildren of his brother Jude) owned 39 acres in Nazareth. If my calculations are correct, of those 39 acres of the approximately 60 acres in Nazareth, 65% of the land was owned by Jude’s grandchildren. If so, that's a lot of land owned in Nazareth.