Christmas Carols, Songs and Hymns - Fact Checking the Biblical Accuracy

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Have you ever considered the Biblical accuracy of the traditional hymns and carols that we sing every Christmas? It might come as a surprise to learn that the writers of many of these beloved songs have taken certain artistic license in their interpretations of what took place the night of Jesus’ birth. The problem is, because we sing these Christmas songs year after year alongside our crèche displays (which often take their cues from these songs), we tend to build these visuals into our doctrine of Christ’s birth. We promise that this lesson won’t spoil Christmas for your students! Rather, it will help them recognize that while portions of these songs have, over time, become deeply ingrained in our understanding of Christ’s birth and are mostly accurate, small (yet surprising!) portions are not necessarily rooted in Scripture.

✳️This lesson guides your students through five beloved Christmas songs, prompting them to ask the critical question: can certain details of these songs be supported by Scripture? For instance:

◽️Do angels sing? [Hark the Herald Angels Sing]

◽️When exactly was Christ born? [God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen] ❄️

◽️Did Jesus cry as a baby? Were animals present at the manger? [Away in a Manger]

◽️Were the Magi "kings"? Were there only three of them? [We Three Kings]

◽️Did the star appear on the night of Jesus’ birth? How old was Jesus when the Wise Men arrived? [The First Noel] ⭐️

✳️Each song is explored with the following structured lesson plan:

1. Background of the song

2. Sing together!

3. Read the scripture passage

4. "Let's Check our Theology" questions based on the scripture just read

5. "Is it Possible?" challenges students to consider whether the questions under discussion are likely even though Scripture may be silent on the subject.

✳️This lesson is presented in a conversational, reader-friendly style. While it's ideal for students in grades 5-12, it can also serve as an engaging seasonal lesson for women's Bible studies, adult Sunday School classes, young adults, or youth groups.

✳️Included in this lesson:

◾️Eleven page lesson plan

◾️Song sheet for the five songs discussed: these two pages can be photocopied front to back and folded in a tri-fold brochure (words only; no music)

◾️Full color picture of a nativity creche (for discussion at the end of the lesson)

✔️Our goal with each lesson is to combine scholarly study in a fun, interactive way so that students not only experience the rich Biblical narrative but also to whet their appetite for more by learning how to study the Scriptures for themselves.