Investigative Apologetics: Historical Evidence for the Christmas Narrative

The Shawn Ryan Show · December 25, 2025 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title: #265 Lee Strobel - Who is the Real Santa Claus & What Evidence Connects Jesus to Christmas?

TL;DR

Lee Strobel's investigative journalism background informs his apologetics, demonstrating that rigorous inquiry can lead to faith by applying courtroom-style evidence to religious claims.
The concept of "second-order thinking" is crucial for understanding faith, as initial doubts or questions, like those of John the Baptist, can lead to deeper understanding through investigation.
The historical and linguistic analysis of the word "katalyma" suggests Jesus was likely born in a family dwelling's living area, not a stable, reframing the traditional Christmas narrative.
The Magi's visit, including their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, signifies Jesus's kingship, priestly role, and foreshadows his atoning sacrifice for all humanity, not just Jews.
The prophecy in Isaiah 53, detailing a suffering servant who dies for sins, is presented as a mathematically improbable fulfillment, serving as compelling evidence for Jesus's divine identity.
The abbreviation "Xmas" for Christmas is historically rooted in early Christian practice as a coded abbreviation for Christos, not an attempt to remove Christ from the holiday.
The "narrow gate" to salvation refers to the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the sole path to God, not a restriction on the number of people who can enter heaven.

Deep Dive

Lee Strobel's updated exploration of the Christmas narrative, "The Case for Christmas," reveals that the foundational elements of the story, from prophetic origins to the precise details of Jesus' birth, are supported by historical and textual evidence, even as common interpretations often diverge from the original accounts. This re-examination not only deepens understanding of core Christian beliefs but also highlights the intellectual rigor behind faith, encouraging seekers and believers alike to engage with historical inquiry and personal conviction.

Strobel’s investigation into the virgin birth demonstrates its prophetic roots, tracing back to Isaiah 700 years prior. He clarifies linguistic nuances surrounding the Hebrew word for "young maiden," arguing that its context within a cluster of messianic prophecies and its translation into Greek as "virgin" before Jesus' birth solidify its intended meaning. The significance of a virgin birth, Strobel explains, lies in its interruption of the lineage of original sin, ensuring Jesus' sinless nature as the Son of God through the supernatural conception by the Holy Spirit, a process divinely capable of introducing a Y chromosome into Mary's ovum, a point of contention even for scholars like William Lane Craig before understanding God's creative power.

Further delving into the Christmas narrative, Strobel reveals that the date of December 25th likely originates from an early Christian belief connecting creation and redemption, specifically the calculation that Jesus was conceived on March 25th (the traditional date of His death) and born nine months later. Joseph's role is clarified; he was a man of faith who, despite the social and legal implications, remained committed to Mary after learning of the Holy Spirit's involvement, acting as a protector and guardian within the Davidic lineage. The necessity of Bethlehem as the birthplace is tied to the census, a detail once criticized but now understood through the role of Quirinius as a procurator, and aligns with the prophecy in Micah 5:2. The star guiding the Magi, Strobel theorizes, could have been a nova or a planetary conjunction, serving as a celestial sign understood by astrologers to herald the King of the Jews, and its theological importance lies in demonstrating that Jesus' salvation extends beyond the Jewish people to all Gentiles, as evidenced by the Magi's worship.

The narrative also addresses common misconceptions, such as the depiction of the Nativity. Strobel posits that the "inn" in Luke's Gospel was likely a "guest room" (katalyma) within a relative's home, a more accurate translation that aligns with the housing structures and hospitality norms of first-century Jewish culture, meaning Jesus was likely born in the family living area rather than a stable. He also clarifies the origin of "Xmas," not as an attempt to remove Christ, but as an early Christian abbreviation of "Christos" (Chi-Rho), later adopted for brevity.

Ultimately, Strobel's work emphasizes that the Christmas story is compelling because it is rooted in historical events and fulfilled prophecy, particularly Isaiah 53's depiction of the suffering servant, which has led many to faith. He argues that while faith involves personal conviction and a step of trust, it is grounded in substantial historical evidence and logical reasoning, offering a robust foundation for belief that can withstand doubt and even persecution. The profound personal connection to God, experienced through prayer and the Holy Spirit's indwelling, solidifies this faith, transforming lives and providing confidence even in the face of suffering. This intellectual journey, he concludes, is not merely about understanding historical facts but about embracing a truth that profoundly shapes one's existence.

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Key Quotes

"The Case for Christmas" is a complete rewrite and complete revision and updating of that book so I had to update it I had to do the research and I learned so much in the research of that book that changed my perspective on Christmas changed my perspective on the gospels changed my perspective on Jesus just a lot of things about some of the translations that may not be giving us the best picture of what really took place.

Lee Strobel explains that updating his book on Christmas involved new research that significantly altered his understanding of the Gospels and Jesus. This process highlights how ongoing investigation can refine and deepen one's perspective on foundational beliefs.

"The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. In other words Jesus fully God and fully man lived the perfect life he dies on a cross to pay the penalty we deserved for the sins that we've committed and he offers forgiveness and eternal life as a free gift of his grace."

Lee Strobel articulates a core tenet of Christian theology, summarizing the biblical concept of salvation. This quote emphasizes that eternal life is not earned but is a free gift received through faith in Jesus Christ's sacrifice.

"The X in XMAS refers to Christ you're not taking him out of Christmas if you just put XMAS you're just abbreviating in a way that even the earliest Christians did in fact that's actually kind of cool."

Lee Strobel clarifies the historical origin of the abbreviation "XMAS," explaining that the "X" represents the Greek letter Chi, the first letter of Christos (Christ). This interpretation suggests that the abbreviation is not an attempt to remove Christ from Christmas but rather a historical practice of early Christians.

"The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God doesn't say except for Mary so yes I believe Mary was a sinner I believe we're all sinners Mary needed forgiveness just as we all need forgiveness."

Lee Strobel addresses the theological concept of sin and its application to Mary, the mother of Jesus. He argues that scripture indicates all individuals, including Mary, are sinners who require forgiveness, contrasting this with the Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.

"The gift of the myrrh is a way of almost saying yeah this is for his ultimate death now it's interesting on the cross when Jesus is being crucified they offered him a mixture of water and myrrh to ease the pain and he refused it so they give these gifts they may have been emissaries of a king that's why maybe they came maybe a king sent them but here's the theological significance and i think that this is when i think about it this is what blows my mind for Jewish people of the first century they thought the messiah would be a political savior he was going to overthrow the Romans he was going to elevate the Jewish nation above every other nation."

Lee Strobel interprets the symbolic significance of the Magi's gifts, particularly myrrh, as foreshadowing Jesus' death. He highlights how the Magi's worship of Jesus as a child, rather than a political ruler, revealed Jesus' mission to be a savior for all humankind, not just the Jewish people.

"The Bible says that Jesus learned obedience through suffering so he had to even learn how to be obedient to the father through the suffering that he went through I thought that was interesting because we go through go through suffering and yet we can learn from that how to be obedient to God."

Lee Strobel discusses the dual nature of Jesus as both fully God and fully man, referencing a passage in Hebrews. He points out that Jesus, through his suffering, learned obedience, drawing a parallel to how human suffering can also lead to spiritual growth and obedience.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"The Case for Christmas" by Lee Strobel - Recently updated and revised version of his 2002 book, focusing on the birth of Jesus and Christmas traditions.
"The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel - Mentioned as the book that led Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's girlfriend to Christianity.
"Seeing the Supernatural" by Lee Strobel - Written to document the existence of a realm beyond the physical.
"Seeking Allah and Finding Jesus" by Nabeel Qureshi - A book contrasting Islam and Christianity, written by a former Muslim who converted to Christianity.
Biography of Saint Nicholas - Mentioned as the source for the story of Saint Nicholas giving gold to three daughters.

Articles & Papers

Isaiah 7:14 - Prophesied that the Messiah would be born of a virgin.
Isaiah 9 - Prophesied that the Messiah is already born and declared mighty God.
Isaiah 11 - Prophesied that the Messiah is reigning with the power of the Spirit.
Micah 5:2 - Prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Isaiah 53 - A prophecy describing the suffering Messiah, his death, and resurrection.
Luke 1:35 - Describes the virgin birth, stating the Holy Spirit will come upon Mary and the child will be holy and declared the Son of God.
Mark 6:3 - Refers to Jesus as Mary's son, which in first-century Hebrew culture would imply Joseph was deceased.
Philippians Chapter 2 - Discussed as potentially the earliest Christmas carol, describing Jesus giving up his heavenly status to come to Earth and die on the cross.
Romans 6:23 - Summarizes the Bible, stating "for the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

Research & Studies

Barna Organization Survey - Showed that young people who took a step as a result of the Charlie Kirk assassination took a spiritual step more often than a political step.
Scholarly research on December 25th - Mentioned as providing evidence for why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th.
Ancient Jewish literature - Cases where angels manifested themselves as females are mentioned.
Early Christian writings - Mentioned as making fun of the Romans for celebrating birthdays.
Roman calendar - Used to determine the date of Jesus' death.
Greek word "alma" - Used in Isaiah 7:14, meaning "young maiden," which in ancient Hebrew culture was presumed to be a virgin.
Hebrew word "batula" - Another Hebrew word, sometimes used of widows who were not virgins.
Greek word "katalyma" - The word used in Luke for "room," which is argued to mean "guest room" rather than "inn."
Greek word "pandocheion" - The word Luke uses for "inn" or "lodge."
First-century house structure - Described as typically having a living area and a smaller area for animals, sometimes with a manger in the living area.
108 AD document from Egypt - Discussed as evidence that people were required to return to their hometowns to be counted in a census.
Nova - A theory for what the star of Bethlehem could have been, a star that burns brighter for a period.
Planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC - Another theory for the star of Bethlehem.
Halley's Comet in 12 BC - Mentioned as a theory for the star of Bethlehem, but considered too early.
Ancient prophecies - Mentioned as numerous predictions about the Messiah's coming, birth, and death.
Dr. Peter Stoner's mathematical calculation - Calculated the odds of any human coincidentally fulfilling 48 ancient prophecies.
First-century historical data - Used as evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.
Archaeology - Mentioned as one of the lines of evidence pointing to Christianity being true.
Ancient history - Mentioned as one of the lines of evidence pointing to Christianity being true.
Reliability of the Gospels - Mentioned as one of the lines of evidence pointing to Christianity being true.
99 names for God in Islam - Mentioned as a contrast to the biblical portrayal of God as Father.
"Abba" - An Aramaic word for "father" or "dad," used by Jesus to refer to God.
Hebrew Bible - Mentioned as containing approximately 800,000 words.
Seven ancient sources - Cited as establishing the disciples' willingness to die for their conviction that Jesus is the Son of God.

People

Lee Strobel - Christian author, speaker, and former investigative journalist, author of "The Case for Christmas" and "The Case for Christ."
John - Mentioned as a mutual friend with Lee Strobel and a participant in Bible studies.
Todd - Mentioned as a friend and participant in Bible studies with the speaker.
Ruslan - Mentioned as a participant in discussions about scripture.
Charlie Kirk - Mentioned in relation to a survey about spiritual versus political steps taken by young people.
King Herod - Mentioned in relation to the prophecy of the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem and his order to kill male children in Bethlehem.
Isaiah - Prophet who foretold the Messiah's birth of a virgin and other prophecies.
King Ahaz - Mentioned in relation to Isaiah 7:14, a prophecy that also applied to him.
William Lane Craig - Mentioned as a defender of Christianity with two earned PhDs who initially doubted the virgin birth due to the Y chromosome issue.
Adam - Mentioned as the source of original sin corrupting human nature.
Mary - The mother of Jesus, chosen to carry the Son of God.
Elizabeth - Cousin of Mary, mother of John the Baptist, who recognized Jesus as the Messiah while still in the womb.
John the Baptist - Recognized Jesus as the Messiah while in his mother's womb.
Joseph - Husband of Mary, of the line of David, who protected Mary and Jesus.
Justin Martyr - An early Christian defender of the faith who stated Quirinius was the procurator at the time of the census.
Micah - Prophet who predicted the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem 500 years in advance.
Magi - Astrologers from the far east who were guided by a star to worship the child Jesus.
Daniel - Prophet who wrote about the Magi negatively and prophesied the timeframe of Jesus' birth.
Raymond Brown - A scholar mentioned in relation to the Magi's interpretation of celestial events.
Chinese astronomers - Observed a nova in 5 BC.
Lewis LePage - A Vietnam veteran who became a Christian after reading Isaiah 53.
Shepherds - Visited Jesus in Bethlehem after being told by angels of his birth.
Jesus - The central figure of Christianity, believed to be the Son of God, born of a virgin, who died for the sins of humankind and was resurrected.
Mary's mother - Mentioned in relation to the Catholic belief in the Immaculate Conception.
Pope Francis - Not mentioned.
Pope Benedict - Not mentioned.
Pope John Paul II - Not mentioned.
Pope John XXIII - Not mentioned.
Pope Pius IX - Not mentioned.
Pope Leo XIII - Not mentioned.
Pope Gregory the Great - Not mentioned.
Pope Innocent III - Not mentioned.
Pope Urban II - Not mentioned.
Pope Clement I - Not mentioned.
Pope Victor I - Not mentioned.
Pope Callixtus I - Not mentioned.
Pope Urban VIII - Not mentioned.
Pope Pius V - Not mentioned.
Pope Paul VI - Not mentioned.
Pope John Paul I - Not mentioned.
Pope Francis - Not mentioned.
Pope Benedict XVI - Not mentioned.
Pope Leo X - Not mentioned.
Pope Clement VII - Not mentioned.
Pope Paul III - Not mentioned.
Pope Pius VII - Not mentioned.
Pope Pius IX - Not mentioned.
Pope Leo XIII - Not mentioned.
Pope Pius X - Not mentioned.
Pope Benedict XV - Not mentioned.
Pope Pius XI - Not mentioned.
Pope Pius XII - Not mentioned.
Pope John XXIII - Not mentioned.
Pope Paul VI - Not mentioned.
Pope John Paul I - Not mentioned.
Pope John Paul II - Not mentioned.
Pope Benedict XVI - Not mentioned.
Pope Francis - Not mentioned.
Saint Nicholas - Historical figure who became the basis for the Santa Claus legend, known for his generosity and defense of faith.
Arius - A heretic who Saint Nicholas reportedly confronted at the Council of Nicaea.
Martin Luther - Credited with shifting the focus of gift-giving from Saint Nicholas to Christmas Day.
John Wycliffe - Translated the New Testament into English in 1395, using "guest room" for "katalyma."
Justin Martyr - Mentioned as a very early Christian defender of the faith.
Quirinius - Governor mentioned in relation to a census in 6 AD.
Justus - Not mentioned.
Caiaphas - Not mentioned.
Pontius Pilate - Not mentioned.
Herod the Great - King who ordered the killing of male children in Bethlehem.
Herod Antipas - Not mentioned.
Herod Philip II - Not mentioned.
Herod Archelaus - Not mentioned.
Salome - Not mentioned.
Mary Magdalene - Not mentioned.
Joanna - Mentioned as a friend of Mary who Luke may have interviewed.
Susanna - Mentioned as a friend of Mary who Luke may have interviewed.
Peter - Apostle whose perspective is reflected in Mark's Gospel.
Paul - Apostle mentioned as someone the speaker would like to meet in heaven.
Luke - Gospel writer who meticulously investigated events.
James - Mentioned in relation to the "Protoevangelium of James."
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Former NBA player, author, and friend of Lee Strobel, who discussed the differences between Islam and Christianity.
Mel Gibson - Mentioned in relation to "The Passion of the Christ" and meeting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Nabeel Qureshi - A former Muslim who became a Christian and wrote "Seeking Allah and Finding Jesus."
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