More Research on the Crucifixion of Jesus

When was Jesus crucified? In: New Testament [Edit categories]

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Answer

The account in Luke 2:2 mentions a tax made when Cyrenius became governor of Syria in 6-7 CE. If Jesus started preaching at age 30 and preached for 3 years, then he must have died around CE 40 or later. This is problematic.

The difficulties once associated with the issue of Cyrenius (whose full name was Publius Silpicius Quirinus) have been resolved by the discovery that he was twice governor of Syria. The first census mentioned by Luke occurred during this first period in office from 4BC to AD 1. As it is possible to fix the death of Herod fairly accurately due to a lunar eclipse which occurred then plus the passover date that year of March 13, it is also possible to assert that Jesus was born at least several months prior to that. This all has a bearing on the suggested date of his death.

Phlegon, as quoted by Origen referred to the darkness that occurred at the time of Jesus' death as having taken place in the 19th year of Tiberius and the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad. This is 33 AD.

estimate

Luke 2:2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

If Cyrenius became governor of Syria on 6-7 CE, and Jesus started preaching at age 30 (?) and preached for 3 (?) years, then JC must have died at around 40 CE or beyond.

"It has been suggested by some unacquainted with Roman history that Cyrenius [Quirinus] may have been twice governor of Syria. Cyrenius was but once governor of Syria, and this not until 7 A.D. During the last years of Herod's reign, and during all the years of Archelaus's reign, Sentius Saturninus and Quintilius Varus held this office. Even if Cyrenius had previously held the office the events related by Luke could not have occurred then because Judea prior to 7 A.D. was not a part of Syria."

source;"The Infancy of Christ"

The following were the Roman governors of Syria from 7BC to 1AD:

1. Titius, prior to 7BC.
2. Q. Varus, 7 or 6 to 4BC.
3. S. Saturinius, 4 to 2BC.
4. Q. Varus (a 2nd term), 2BC to 1AD.
5. G. Caesar, 1AD to 4AD

"4BCE Publius Sulpicius Quirinus served as Roman governor of "CILICIA", (not Syria. Although at a later time (?), Cilicia was annexed to Syria)"

• On "Phlegon, as quoted by Origen "

"Christian apologists have cited Phlegon who notices an eclipse which occurred about this time. But there is a variance of at least six years in regard to the time that Jesus was crucified. Besides an eclipse could not have occurred within two weeks of a Passover, on the occurrence of which he is declared to have been executed. Farrar says: "It could have been no darkness of any natural eclipse, for the Paschal moon was at the full" (Life of Christ, p. 505). Geikie says: "It is impossible to explain the origin of this darkness. The Passover moon was then at the full, so that it could not have been an eclipse. The earlier fathers, relying on a notice of an eclipse that seemed to coincide in time, though it really did not, fancied that the darkness was caused by it, but incorrectly" (Life of Christ, Vol. II, p. 624, Notes). "The celebrated passage of Phlegon," says Gibbon, "is now wisely abandoned" (Rome, Vol. I, p. 589, Note)."

"The Crucifixion of Christ"

Estimate 2

Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Herod died 4BC.;

• Herod the Great (c. 74-4 BC), king of Judea who reconstructed the Second Temple in Jerusalem and was described in the Gospel of Matthew as ordering the "Massacre of the Innocents" , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod

And if Jesus was born 4BC (hypothesis) and started preaching at age 30 and preached for 3 yrs, then Jesus must have died on 29AD or 28AD if there's no 0(zero)AD. Or maybe Jesus was born earlier than 4BC when Herod died.

However, we can narrow down the year Jesus was born by investigating the Romans historical data on when Herod ordered the "Massacre of the Innocents" or by studying the works of Josephus who abhorred Herod.

The year that Jesus died is known. He died in the year 33. In fact, not only is year known, the exact date of Nisan 14, 33 is when he died. Nisan was a month on the Jewish Lunar calender that corresponds to late March and early April on our calender.

Answer

In brief, the primary events in Jesus' life are believed to have occurred around these times:

:: c. 8 BC - Suggested birth (earliest estimate)

c. 5 BC/4 BC - Herod the Great's death

c. 6 - Suggested birth (latest), Census of Quirinius

c. 26/27 - Suggested death (earliest), Pontius Pilate appointed governor of Iudaea Province

c. 28/29 - John the Baptist begins mission in "15th year of Tiberius" (Luke 3:1-2)

c. 36/37 - Suggested death (latest), Pilate removed from office[2]

"Wikipedia; Chronology of Jesus"

Answer

No one knows for sure. But if Jesus was 33 years old when he was executed, then maybe we can infer if we know when he was born according to Bible narration. Herod died 4 BCE, so Jesus must have been born on or before 4 BCE. and Luke 2:2-5 says Jesus was born during the time of Cyrenius (Quirinius) was Governor of Syria. Cyrenius became governor of Syria 6CE. So Jesus must have been born 6BCE or later. So Jesus died between 29BCE and 39+CE. Or a gap span of 10+ yrs.

The year Jesus of Nazareth was Crucified

It is generally believed that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified in Jerusalem circa 30 A.D., but accounts vary. Most Bibilical scholars would agree that Jesus was 33 years old when he was sentenced to death by the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, but his actual birthdate (and hence his date of execution) remain in debate. Some have listed his birth year as early as 5 B.C., others as late as 5 A.D. It may be helpful to remember that B.C. stands for "Before Christ" and A.D. stands for "Anno Dominae" in Latin, or "In the year of our lord" in English. Therefore, if Jesus was crucified at the age of 33, it stands to reason that the year he died would actually be 33 A.D. according to our present calendar. Changes in the calendar since that time, however, cause the ambiguity regarding the year of His birth.

More to consider;

The Anno Domini system was developed by a monk named Dionysius Exiguus (born in Scythia Minor) in Rome in 525, as an outcome of his work on calculating the date of Easter.