A brief chronology of the Life of Christ

chronology |krəˈnɒlədʒi| noun the arrangement of events or dates in the order of

their occurrence

Dating the life of Christ is notan easy task, there are manyuncertainties when trying to bespecific - so we use reasonableapproximations or ‘best guesses’at times. For example: The firstcentury was when?

Dating the life of Christ is notan easy task, there are manyuncertainties when trying to bespecific - so we use reasonableapproximations or ‘best guesses’at times. For example: The firstcentury was when?Romans: 754-854 (from thesupposed founding of Rome)

Dating the life of Christ is notan easy task, there are manyuncertainties when trying to bespecific - so we use reasonableapproximations or ‘best guesses’at times. For example: The firstcentury was when?Romans: 754-854 (from thesupposed founding of Rome)Jews: 3760-3860 (from thesupposed date of the creation ofthe world)

Dating the life of Christ is notan easy task, there are manyuncertainties when trying to bespecific - so we use reasonableapproximations or ‘best guesses’at times. For example: The firstcentury was when?Romans: 754-854 (from thesupposed founding of Rome)Jews: 3760-3860 (from thesupposed date of the creation ofthe world)However ancient historians tendto talk in terms of a kings reign -and the nth year of that reign.

This provides a problem as they use different ways to measure the length of a reign: - some go from the exact date in the year of accession to the throne - some from the first full calendar year - some use “exclusive reckoning” where the 2nd through 5th years would be three years - others use “inclusive reckoning” where the 2nd through 5th years would be four years This results in some confusion when consulting different textbooks

COMMON ERA, BCE

- Common Era (CE), is an alternative naming of Anno Domini (AD) - BCE is Before the Common Era (BC) Dates shown in CE/BCE and AD/BC are numerically the same; thus "2013 CE" is "AD 2013" and "399 BCE" is "399 BC". - Since late 20th century, use of CE and BCE has been popular in academic and scientific publications.

THE GOSPELS

Are generally not interested in the “when” of the events of Jesus’ life. Superficially, Mark - has a simple geographical framework, Galilee and environs in 1-9, Judea in 10-16. John - Jesus moves back and forth between Galilee and Judea

THE GOSPELS

Matthew follows Mark’s pattern but alternates between events (1-4, 8-9, 11-12, 14-17, 19-22, 26-28) and sayings (5-7, 10,13, 18, 23-25) Luke has most teaching in 2 sections (6:20-8:3, 9:51-18:14) So it is difficult, but not impossible, to build up a chronology of the life of Christ

THE GOSPELS

Matthew follows Mark’s pattern but alternates between events (1-4, 8-9, 11-12, 14-17, 19-22, 26-28) and sayings (5-7, 10,13, 18, 23-25) Luke has most teaching in 2 sections (6:20-8:3, 9:51-18:14) So it is difficult, but not impossible, to build up a chronology of the life of Christ

THE BIRTH OF CHRISTTook place some time between 6 and 4 BC. Use of AD and BC was developed by Christians but did not gain wide recognition and acceptance until the 1500’s under Pope Gregory XIII. In the early 6th century Dionysius Exiguus made the first attempt to date Christ’s birth and so we get 1AD - which became so well accepted it was impossible to change.

Using the work of Josephus it was found that Herod must have died by 4BC - and as he had all the babies in Bethlehem slaughtered shortly before his death, in accordance with the date he learned from the Magi (Matt 2:16) Christ could have been born up to 2 years earlier. Some link the “star of Bethlehem” with a strange conjunction of planets in 7 and 6BC (Matt 2:2, 9, 10) and also a comet in 5BC.

What of Quirinius in Luke 2:2?

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

There was a governor of Syria by this name in AD6 - maybe governor is a general term or maybe he held another position before being governor?

Roman censuses took place in Egypt every 14 years - if this edict came from Rome (Augustus refers to one in 8AD) then it is possible compliance was still taking place in Judea in 7-6BC.

Whilst not totally certain of the date of Jesus’ birth we do have good approximations for the date.

December 25th was in the Western Roman Empire the day of celebrating Sol Invictus (the unconquerable sun.) Christians by 3rd century had started to celebrate the birth of Christ on this day: In the East they celebrated on January 6th.

WHAT DATE WAS CHRIST BORN ON?

WHAT DATE WAS CHRIST BORN ON?

The date was probably not known - so a regular holiday was taken and used (so no fear of authorities) Lk 2:8 talks of shepherds watching lambs at night - a spring activity - so maybe Jesus was born in the spring?

BEGINNING OF MINISTRY

A number of lines of evidence are used to date the start of Jesus’ adult ministry: 1. Lk 3:1 - JTB was preaching in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar (who started to reign in 14AD) - so 28/29AD But in 12AD Tiberius took joint reign of the Eastern provinces - so could be 26/27AD

BEGINNING OF MINISTRY

2. LK 3:23 - Jesus is about 30 years of age - the above dates fit in with this

3. Jn 8:57 - Jesus is not yet 50 - a number used to show he is not yet old

4. Jn 2:20 - 46 years to build the temple... - Josephus says rebuilding began in the 18th year of Herod’s reign (began in 37BC), hence 20/19BC - add 46 and we get 27/28AD

5. How many years did Christ minister? When was the crucifixion? Both of these also affect your choice of date.

Blomberg suggests 27 or 28 seems the most probable for the start of Jesus’ ministry.

LENGTH OF MINISTRY

1, 2, 3 or even 4 years have been suggested. Most accept 3 years (+/- few months) The synoptics only mention 1 Passover but John mentions 3 (2:13, 6:4, 12:1). Jn 5:1 speaks of an unnamed feast - is this Tabernacles or is a 4th Passover being included?

LENGTH OF MINISTRY

1, 2, 3 or even 4 years have been suggested. Most accept 3 years (+/- few months) The synoptics only mention 1 Passover but John mentions 3 (2:13, 6:4, 12:1). Jn 5:1 speaks of an unnamed feast - is this Tabernacles or is a 4th Passover being included?

The Synoptics indicate at least 2 spring times - Mk 2:23-38 picking at eating grain - then Mk 6:39 talks of green grass which was found in the wilderness (v32) in the spring only after winter rains.

We can conclude 2-3 year ministry (and possibly a little longer) is most probable.

If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:

If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:

Year 1 - obscurity (all the events prior to the Galileanministry of Jesus)

If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:

Year 1 - obscurity (all the events prior to the Galileanministry of Jesus)

Year 2 - popularity (up until the events after feedingthe 5000 after which many more casual followers leftJesus, Jn 6:66)

If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:

Year 1 - obscurity (all the events prior to the Galileanministry of Jesus)

Year 2 - popularity (up until the events after feedingthe 5000 after which many more casual followers leftJesus, Jn 6:66)

Year 3 - rejection (feeding of 5000 up until his death)

If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:

Year 1 - obscurity (all the events prior to the Galileanministry of Jesus)

Year 2 - popularity (up until the events after feedingthe 5000 after which many more casual followers leftJesus, Jn 6:66)

Year 3 - rejection (feeding of 5000 up until his death)

Remember these are not definite and may vary by afew months - but as generalisations they help give amemorable outline.

THE CRUCIFIXIONTook place during: - reign of Pilate (AD 26-36) - Caiaphas was High Priest (AD 18-36) - Tetrarch Antipas (4BC-37AD) - was on a Friday (Sabbath Saturday) Mk 14:52, and the day on which the initial Passover was celebrated) Some suggest Jn 13:1, 18:28, 19:14, 31 indicate Christ being crucified on the day of the Passover celebration.

THE CRUCIFIXIONTook place during: - reign of Pilate (AD 26-36) - Caiaphas was High Priest (AD 18-36) - Tetrarch Antipas (4BC-37AD) - was on a Friday (Sabbath Saturday) Mk 14:52, and the day on which the initial Passover was celebrated) Some suggest Jn 13:1, 18:28, 19:14, 31 indicate Christ being crucified on the day of the Passover celebration.

Jews counted days from sundown to sundown - so was Passover Thurs-Fri or Fri-Sat? Passover was 15th of Nisan and calculated by the new moon appearing - so astronomical data can be used to help (but due to weather conditions, clouds etc. we cannot be absolutely certain of the date. A good case is made for Passover being on a Friday or Saturday in AD 30 or 33 (though it is hard to make the latter date a Friday)

So which date do we choose? - If the cosmic disruptions of Mk 15:33, Acts 2:19-20 are a lunar eclipse then AD33 is best. (If the dark was supernatural then such info does not help) - if the earliest reasonable date for Christ’s ministry starting was AD28 or 29, and was 3-4 years, then AD33 fits best. - if his ministry was only 2 years then it took place in AD 28-30

So which date do we choose? - If the cosmic disruptions of Mk 15:33, Acts 2:19-20 are a lunar eclipse then AD33 is best. (If the dark was supernatural then such info does not help) - if the earliest reasonable date for Christ’s ministry starting was AD28 or 29, and was 3-4 years, then AD33 fits best. - if his ministry was only 2 years then it took place in AD 28-30

- what of the dates in Acts? Aperiod beginning in AD30 fits bestfor these (AD33 becomes a harderfit).For us a date of AD30 fits bestwith taking the Gospel dataseriously - and is commonlyviewed in this way.Blomberg does comment that “littleof great exegetical significance rests onthese exact dates”

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

6 BC Birth

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

6 BC Birth

4 BC Flight and return from Egypt

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

6 BC Birth

4 BC Flight and return from Egypt

AD7 Teaching in the Temple aged 12

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

6 BC Birth

4 BC Flight and return from Egypt

AD7 Teaching in the Temple aged 12

Working as a carpenter in Nazareth

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

6 BC Birth

4 BC Flight and return from Egypt

AD7 Teaching in the Temple aged 12

Working as a carpenter in Nazareth

AD 27 JTB’s ministry begins

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

6 BC Birth

4 BC Flight and return from Egypt

AD7 Teaching in the Temple aged 12

Working as a carpenter in Nazareth

AD 27 JTB’s ministry begins

AD 28 First Passover of Jesus’ ministry

PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

6 BC Birth

4 BC Flight and return from Egypt

AD7 Teaching in the Temple aged 12

Working as a carpenter in Nazareth

AD 27 JTB’s ministry begins

AD 28 First Passover of Jesus’ ministry

AD 30 Crucifixion and resurrection

FURTHER DETAILS- usually it is assumed Jn 1:19-4:42 comes before Jesus’ Galilean ministry as recorded in the synoptics. This is based on healing the rich rulers servant in Jn 4:43ff being considered the same event as healing the centurions servant in Matt 8:1ff which signals the start of Galilean ministry in the synoptics. - Jn 2:13-4:42 all take place further south

- if Jn 5:1 refers to Tabernacles then it punctuates Galilean ministry as Jn 6:1 (feeding 5000) is back in the North - Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem (Mk 10:1ff, Lk 9:51ff) does not allow for a return to Galilee and so it is assumed to be after the penultimate trip of Jn 7:1-10:21 - after ministry in Jerusalem at Hanukkah (Jn 10:40-11:57) Jesus seems to remain in S Israel until his final entry into Jerusalem a week before his death. This then looks like this:

Date Event

Late 27?Appearance of JTB

Baptism of Jesus

Early 28Early events of Jn 1-2

Passover of Jn 2:13

Spring 28 Rest of events of Jn 3-4

Spring-Fall 28Ministry in Galilee (as in Synoptics)

Tabernacles of Jn 5:1

Fall 28 until spring 29 More Galilean ministry (as in Synoptics)

Date Event

Spring 29-fall 29

Passover time feeding of 5000 (Jn 6:4 etc.)

End of ministry in Galilee, withdrawal and return

Nov-Dec 29Tabernacles (Jn 7:1-10:21) and return to Galilee

“Perean ministry” - Jesus’ final trip to Jerusalem

Winter-spring 30

Hanukkah in Jerusalem (Jn 10:22)

Ministry in and around Judea and Jerusalem

April 2-6 30 “Triumphal entry”, “Passion week”

April 7-9 Crucifixion and resurrection

We cannot give greater detail than in this table. However Blomberg asserts that with care you can construct a complete harmony of the life of Christ. He also refutes the idea that there is only one way to fit all the data together - there exist valid differing harmonies and we do not have enough information to decide which is the best chronology.

The End