Which of the following don’t belong? Mary. Saint Nick. The Wise Men. Rudolph. Bethlehem. Ebenezer Scrooge. Give up? In a holiday laced with popular myth and ancient tradition, it’s easy to embrace the warmth, cheer, presents, and nostalgia without taking time to reflect on the very real historic events that give meaning to Christmas. It is not a bedtime story, with heroes and villains battling long ago and far away. It is the true story of a single night that sent ripples through history and forever changed not only our standing with God, but also the religious, philosophical, and socio-political fabric of human civilization.

In fact, it’s difficult to find an element of existence that was not changed by that quiet night outside the Jewish village of Bethlehem. For many reasons, the birth of the Savior should not have been a surprise to the Jewish people. Jewish culture is entirely built around the Torah―the law and the prophets contained in what Christians call the Old Testament―and the Torah features well over 300 prophecies fulfilled by Christ. The breadth and depth of these prophecies is striking, written by multiple authors over the course of 600 years. The odds against a single man being able to fulfill them all are overwhelming. While it could be argued that some of the scriptures foretelling the Messiah were vague, others were impossibly specific. Check out just a few examples:

- Christ would be a descendant of David (2 Samuel 7:12-13).
- He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
- His hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22:16).
- He would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).
- Lots would be cast for his clothing (Psalm 22:18).
- He would not have a bone broken (Psalm 34:20).
- He would die with the wicked and be buried in the tomb of a rich man (Isaiah 53:9).

Surely anyone raised in Jewish culture who was convinced that he was indeed the promised Messiah could have intentionally fulfilled some of these prophecies (like choosing a donkey to ride into Jerusalem), but others (like those pertaining to his birth) could not have been planned or executed intentionally by Christ or his disciples. Even hardened skeptics have difficulty dismissing the fact that the life of Jesus fulfilled so many prophecies written centuries before his birth. The prophecies are verifiable, as archaeologists and literature experts agree that the prophetic books were written long before Christ's birth. The only remaining question is whether the account of the life of Christ has been accurately passed down through the years to our generation.

Two thousand years have passed, and Christmas has become a global celebration shared by well over a billion people each year. People travel thousands of miles, churches are swamped, endless renditions of the same 20 classic carols are played across the airwaves, and entire national economies rely on the astronomical Christmas season consumption. Along with the modernization and commercialization of Christmas has come a steady stream of skepticism about the events surrounding Christ’s birth.

It is tempting to think that because we are so far removed from the nativity, details of Christ's birth and life may have been twisted during the course of their passage through the previous two millennia. The facts we have do not allow us to indulge that proposition. Evidence supporting the Biblical account of the life of Christ continues to be uncovered by archaeologists, literary experts, and others. Sources outside the Bible verify the people, places, and events referenced therein―including official Roman records mentioning Biblical characters such as Pontius Pilate and King Herod. Perhaps the most notable verifying account is that of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who penned references to both the life and death of Jesus Christ in his Antiquities.

Many of the locations described in the Gospels are being unearthed today by archaeologists―among them, Bethlehem (still settled in modern Israel), Nazareth, and Capernaum. Because the Jews are a people of rich tradition and history, many of the places mentioned in the New Testament are the same today as they were at the time of Christ. For instance, the terraced hills surrounding Bethlehem are still covered with shepherds and flocks of sheep―a lingering remembrance of that night long ago, when hope was proclaimed to the shepherds that first Christmas night.

What does this mean for us? It means that we have the chance to celebrate so much more on Christmas than gifts, ribbons, or lights. It means that we can face a skeptical world with the confidence that comes with standing on truth. We can look back to that night 2,000 years ago and see a very real hope. Hope that changed the world forever and the greatest Gift the world was ever given―the priceless, eternal Son of God.