CHRISTMAS: IT IS NOT PAGAN IN ORIGIN; IT HAS A NEW TESTAMENT ORIGIN

by Eusebio Tanicala

Etymology of the Word Christmas

“The word ‘Christmas’ is derived from the proper name ‘Christ,’ and the addition, ‘mass,’ a rite or commemorative ceremony,” writes Guy N. Woods in the above quotation.  He thinks that ‘mass’, which is the suffix of Christmas, comes from the Roman Catholic Church’s sacrament called Eucharist, the consecration by a priest, distribution to and consumption by the Latin church congregants.  This “mass” ritual remembers the offering of Christ’s body and blood at the cross – His death.

Some Romanists promote this view of compounding Christ + mass (the Eucharist), adding that the nine ‘misa de gallo’ (dawn mass) that climaxes on December 25 is the origin of the term Christmas.   This explanation has no relation to the coming and birth of Christ on earth. It has no historical and linguistic basis in relation to the incarnation.  The mass (misa) of the Eucharist (hostia and the chalice) remembers the death of Christ on the cross.  While the “mass” of Christmas points to the incarnation, the birth of Christ.

A different view on this etymology discussion is that the suffix “mas” is from the Latin infinitive “masir” and Latin verb “masse”.  Church history tells us that in the early centuries, catechumens (beginners in Christian instructions, Christian indoctrination), were mixed with faithful congregants.  However, at the later part of the church service, when the bread and wine were consecrated, to be distributed and consumed, the catechumens were sent out of the chapel because during those ancient days, the Eucharist elements were very sacred and the command to partake was interpreted to mean for the baptized believers only.  When that part of the ceremony of consecration was about to start, the catechumens were “sent out.” The verb used in Latin was “masse.” That part of the church ceremony of bread and wine consecration eventually was called “Mass” in the Old English tribes in Western Europe.  You may check this etymology of the word Christmas with a large unabridged dictionary that records the derivation of word entries.

If we take the verb form “masse” as the suffix of the proper noun “Christ” we have in the Latin “Christe+masse” and in the Old English people of Western Europe had it as a compound word “Christ+mas” – literally “Christ+send.” Latin language heavily influenced the growth of the Spanish and English languages.  

Therefore, the word Christmas refers to the sending of Christ into the world, his incarnation with the purpose of possessing a human body to suffer the penalty of sin as the basis of man’s salvation.  

Was Christ sent into our world?  Yes, indeed!  It is explicitly expressed in the New Testament.  Consider the following passages:

John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and lived with us, and we saw his splendor, the splendor as of a unique one from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 3:16, “God so loved the world that he gave his unique Son, in order that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but may have eternal life.”

Hebrews 10:5-7, “So, when he came into the world, he said, ‘You did not want sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me. You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, ‘Behold I have come!  It is written of me, in the roll of the scroll, to do your will, O God.”

Matthew 10:40, “. . . receives Him who sent me. . .”

Matthew 15:24, “. . . sent to the lost sheep of Israel. . .”

Luke 4:43, “. . . I must preach the good news of God’s kingdom. . . I was sent for this purpose.”

Luke 9:48, “. . . whoever receives me receives him who sent me. . .”

Luke 10:16, “. . . and the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

John 7:29, “I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”

John 10:36, “how can you say (of him whom the Father set apart and sent into the world). . . “

John 11:42, “. . . I have spoken because of the crowd standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”

John 17:3, 8, 18, 23, 25, “. . . to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. x x x 8. I came from you, and they believe that you sent me. x x x 18. . . even as you sent me into the world. x x x 23 . . . the world may believe that you sent me. x x x  25. . . and these know that you sent me.”

John 20:21,”.. . As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Colossians 2:9, “In him dwells all the fullness of the deity bodily.”

The above verses prove the Father sent Christ into the world. And he went back to heaven bringing humanity with him (Acts 1:9-11).  So if one believes in the above tracing of the etymology of Christmas, one should believe that the idea of Christmas is in the Bible.  The Father sent Christ; and the Son tabernacled with us on earth.  That is the real meaning of Christmas. It is not pagan in origin; it has a New Testament origin.