Jesus Café Ministries - Scripture Squad - How did the early Christians celebrate the New Year?

The Scripture Squad responds...

From: Darlene
We are doing a study on how christians celebrated the new year years ago. In other words what were new year celebration customs from biblical times up to about the 30's or 40's?

Darlene,
We have to remember that the calendar we use today was not in effect at the time Scripture was written. The authors of the books of the Bible were all Jewish, and their writings are reflections of the Hebrew calendar.

The first month in the Hebrew calendar is called Abib.You can read about this in Exodus 13:4, 23:15, 34:18; Deut. 16:1. This would correspond to the modern calendar in late March or early April. God refers to this as the first month. This is the month in which Passover occurs.

However, it is taught that the earth was actually created in what we call the fall.

"The year (shanah) originally began in the autumn, as appears from <Exo 23:16> and <34:22>, where it is stated that the feast of Ingathering should be at the end of the year; the Sabbatic year began, also, in the 7th month of the calendar year <Lev 25:8-10>, indicating that this had been the beginning of the year. This seems to have been a reckoning for civil purposes, while the year beginning with Nican was for ritual and sacred purposes." (from International Standard Bible Encylopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright 1996 by Biblesoft)

This is why we hear the term "Jewish New Year" which is usually the end of September or early October. This is called Rosh Hoshanah, or referred to in Scripture at Feast of Trumpets, Lev. 23. This is indeed a commanded pilgrimage festival (Deut 16:16) and like all the commanded festivals found in Lev. 23 would have been celebrated as commanded.

Most of the new believers in Jesus in Scripture were Jewish so they would have celebrated the Feast of Trumpets as the New Year.

"This day was observed as a feast day, in the strict sense, by resting from all work, and as a holy convocation, by the blowing of horns. In later times, while the drink offering of the sacrifice was being poured out, the priests and Levites chanted <Ps. 81>, whereas in the evening sacrifice they sang <Ps. 29>. Throughout the day trumpets were blown at Jerusalem from morning to evening. In the Temple it was done even on a Sabbath, but not outside its walls." (from New Unger's Bible Dictionary, originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright 1988.)

A good explanation how the modern calendar came into observance is at : http://webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-christian.html. At the same website you can read more about the Jewish calendar: http://webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-jewish.html

Darlene, thank you for your question.

- The Scripture Squad :
TCCaleb, WMomTCC & RuthCCC