Notes from LTCi Siliguri - includes brief assessment of dating the life and ministry of Christ and issues within that - two ideas of how to summarise the life of Christ

1. A brief chronology of
the Life of Christ
chronology |krəˈnɒlədʒi| noun
the arrangement of events or dates in the order of
their occurrence

3. Dating the life of Christ is not
an easy task, there are many
uncertainties when trying to be
specific - so we use reasonable
approximations or ‘best guesses’
at times. For example: The first
century was when?

4. Dating the life of Christ is not
an easy task, there are many
uncertainties when trying to be
specific - so we use reasonable
approximations or ‘best guesses’
at times. For example: The first
century was when?
Romans: 754-854 (from the
supposed founding of Rome)

5. Dating the life of Christ is not
an easy task, there are many
uncertainties when trying to be
specific - so we use reasonable
approximations or ‘best guesses’
at times. For example: The first
century was when?
Romans: 754-854 (from the
supposed founding of Rome)
Jews: 3760-3860 (from the
supposed date of the creation of
the world)

6. Dating the life of Christ is not
an easy task, there are many
uncertainties when trying to be
specific - so we use reasonable
approximations or ‘best guesses’
at times. For example: The first
century was when?
Romans: 754-854 (from the
supposed founding of Rome)
Jews: 3760-3860 (from the
supposed date of the creation of
the world)
However ancient historians tend
to talk in terms of a kings reign -
and the nth year of that reign.

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
Took 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.

13. 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.

14. 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?

15. 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.

16. 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?

17. 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?

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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.

21. 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?

22. 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.

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

25. If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:
Year 1 - obscurity (all the events prior to the Galilean
ministry of Jesus)

26. If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:
Year 1 - obscurity (all the events prior to the Galilean
ministry of Jesus)
Year 2 - popularity (up until the events after feeding
the 5000 after which many more casual followers left
Jesus, Jn 6:66)

27. If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:
Year 1 - obscurity (all the events prior to the Galilean
ministry of Jesus)
Year 2 - popularity (up until the events after feeding
the 5000 after which many more casual followers left
Jesus, Jn 6:66)
Year 3 - rejection (feeding of 5000 up until his death)

28. If a 3 year period is accepted then it is usually divided:
Year 1 - obscurity (all the events prior to the Galilean
ministry of Jesus)
Year 2 - popularity (up until the events after feeding
the 5000 after which many more casual followers left
Jesus, Jn 6:66)
Year 3 - rejection (feeding of 5000 up until his death)
Remember these are not definite and may vary by a
few months - but as generalisations they help give a
memorable outline.

29. THE CRUCIFIXION
Took 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.

30. THE CRUCIFIXION
Took 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)

31. 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

32. 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? A
period beginning in AD30 fits best
for these (AD33 becomes a harder
fit).
For us a date of AD30 fits best
with taking the Gospel data
seriously - and is commonly
viewed in this way.
Blomberg does comment that “little
of great exegetical significance rests on
these exact dates”

33. PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE
LIFE OF CHRIST

34. PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE
LIFE OF CHRIST

35. PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE
LIFE OF CHRIST
6 BC Birth

36. PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE
LIFE OF CHRIST
6 BC Birth
4 BC Flight and return from Egypt

37. PROBABLE TIMELINE OF THE
LIFE OF CHRIST
6 BC Birth
4 BC Flight and return from Egypt
AD7 Teaching in the Temple aged 12

38. 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

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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

42. 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

43. - 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:

44. Date Event
Late 27?
Appearance of JTB
Baptism of Jesus
Early 28
Early events of Jn 1-2
Passover of Jn 2:13
Spring 28 Rest of events of Jn 3-4
Spring-Fall 28
Ministry in Galilee (as in Synoptics)
Tabernacles of Jn 5:1
Fall 28 until
spring 29
More Galilean ministry (as in Synoptics)

45. 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 29
Tabernacles (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

46. 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.

47. The
End