This seems like a minor detail, but it’s actually key.
In the Bethlehem region, the winter months (December and January) have temperatures close to freezing and constant rain. During that period, shepherds didn’t leave their sheep outdoors; they kept them in covered pens.
That means Jesus couldn’t have been born in the middle of winter.
The Roman Census: Another Piece of the Puzzle
Luke also mentions that Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for a census ordered by Caesar Augustus. That journey was over 130 kilometers (80 miles).
The Roman Empire never conducted censuses in winter. The roads became dangerous, muddy, and impassable, especially in mountainous regions. Censuses were always carried out during dry, temperate seasons.
Another clear piece of evidence that the birth did not occur in December.
The Hidden Detail in Luke That Reveals Everything
The most precise clue is in Luke chapter 1.
Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. According to 1 Chronicles 24, that division served during the eighth week of the Jewish calendar, which corresponds approximately to mid-June.
After completing his service, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant.
