What does the bible say about birthday parties ?

Did Jehovah forbid celebrating birthdays ?

  • In the entire Bible there is no law that forbids birthday parties
  • Yet, the practice of celebrating birthdays was known in bible times.

The 2 birthday parties in the bible:

King Herod

    • At Herod’s birthday, Salome danced for him at which he allowed her to make a request. After consulting with her mother, she requested the head of John the baptist.
    • So, John the baptist was beheaded at Herods birthday
    • The bible mentions the birthday in explaining the circumstances of this murder
    • The bible does condemn Herod for certain things: for his wrong marriage and for what he did to John the baptist
    • But when we are honest, the bible does not condemn Herod for celebrating his birthday

    painting: Edward Armitage (1817-1896)

    Luke 3:19, 20

    But Herod the district ruler, because of being reproved by John concerning Herodias the wife of his brother and concerning all the wicked deeds that Herod had done, added this also to all those deeds: He locked John up in prison.

    The Pharaoh

      • The chief baker and chief cupbearer of the Pharaoh were imprisoned together with Joseph. They both had a dream
      • Jehovah enabled Joseph to explain their dream: 3 days later the baker would be killed and the cupbearer would keep his job
      • This indeed happened at the birthday party of the Pharaoh
      • So, Jehovah actually knew the Pharaoh’s birthday and used this event in order to bless Joseph later on
      • Jehovah didn’t condemn the Pharaoh for celebrating his birthday. Actually he was blessed later on through Joseph
      • Moses was the writer of this event, who also wrote a lot of divine commandments. Yet, not one of them about birthdays.

      painting: Jan van ‘t Hoff presented at Gospelimages.nl

      Do birthday parties stem from Greek mythology ?

      – It is asserted that the Greek believed a personal daemon protects a person and has a connection with one’s birthday
      – However, the birthday of the Pharaoh of Egypt happened centuries before the Greek culture came to exist

      Does the origin of celebrating birthdays matter ?

      • There is no law in the bible requiring christians to investigate the origin of a certain custom
      • Such a requirement would even be impossible to meet for christians in earlier centuries or poor circumstances
      • In The Watchtower an interesting explanation is found, concerning a similar topic:

      Watchtower 1972, Jan 15th, p. 63: Question from readers

      Is it proper for a Christian to wear a wedding ring ?
      Even if it were a fact that pagans first used wedding rings, would that rule such out for Christians? Not necessarily.
      Really, the question is not so much whether wedding rings were first used by pagans but whether they were originally used as part of false religious practices and still retain such religious significance.

      • Most people have no idea at all how or why in history birthdays were celebrated
      • Most people do not attach any religious meaning to birthday parties
      • Please note that the above mentioned Watchtower does not provide sciptural proove for its imposed rules

      Objections

      • Some say: the bible depicts birthdays in a negative way because something bad happened at both occasions
        • Does that mean that it is forbidden to celebrate one’s birthday ? Does that make it a law ?
        • What would in that case happen with the Memorial ? That day Jesus Christ was betrayed and murdered.
        • Isn’t it too far streched to make such conclusions ?
      • Some very old books assert that christians and some later jews didn’t celebrate birthdays
        • What about the other jews in more ancient times ?
        • Does that in itself justify a ban imposed on all now living ?
        • Are we allowed to impose bans for things Jehovah didn’t forbid ?

      How to treat others that have birthday parties ?

      • Can we blame or judge someone who wants to celebrate his birthday ?

      Romans 14:5

      One man judges one day as above another; another judges one day the same as all others; let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.

      • How would Jesus feel when we forbid our neighbor things that Jesus never forbade ?

      Matthew 15:9

      It is in vain they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines.

          Scroll to Top