Revision 106513700 of "Benutzer:Polentario/Chrono JC" on dewiki

{{See also|Gospel harmony|Historical Jesus|Historicity of Jesus}}
[[File:Adi Holzer Werksverzeichnis 849 Die Taufe.jpg|thumb|200px|right|upright|[[John the Baptist]] baptize Jesus. Handcolored [[etching]] «The baptism» by [[:de:Adi Holzer|Adi Holzer]], 1997.]]
The '''Chronology of Jesus''' depicts the attempt to establish a historical [[chronology]] for the events of the life of [[Jesus]] depicted in the four canonical [[gospels]] (which allude to various dates for several events). Certain events in the chronology of Jesus as described in the [[Gospels]] can be cross-referenced to Jewish festivals, and to the tenure of historical rulers and high priests. However, other events such as the specific years of Jesus's birth and death cannot be accurately determined. When correlated with external secular sources, the accounts of the four canonical gospels describe something like the following outline:<ref>[[John P. Meier]], [[John P. Meier#A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus|''A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus'']]'', v.1, ch. 11.</ref>

* [[Nativity of Jesus|Jesus was born]] either before 4 BC (when [[Herod the Great]] died) or in 6 AD (when the historical [[Census of Quirinius]] was undertaken). The traditional date, 25 December [[1 BC]] (not [[1 AD]], see below), is a combination between a symbolic choice (for the  day of the year) and a calculation of [[Dionysius Exiguus]] (for the year itself).
* [[Baptism of Jesus|Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist]] during John's ministry, which according to {{Bibleverse||Luke|3:1-2}} began in the "15th year of [[Tiberius]]" (around 28/29 AD)<ref>David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers, Astrid B. Beck, ''Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible'', (Eerdmans, 2000), page 249.</ref> and may have lasted up until 32 AD;<ref name="Graham N 2002 page 185">[[Graham N. Stanton|Graham Stanton]], ''The Gospels and Jesus'' (Oxford University Press, 2002), page 185.</ref>
* [[Ministry of Jesus|Jesus' ministry]] lasted around three years according to the [[Gospel of John]] or one year, according to the Synoptic Gospels;<ref>Carol A. Newsom, Sharon H. Ringe, The Women's Bible Commentary, (Westminster John Knox Press, 1998) page 381. [http://books.google.com/books?id=ymp4S2qZJ4cC&pg=PA381&vq=three-year&dq=The+Women%27s+Bible+Commentary&source=gbs_search_s&cad=0 Google Book Search preview]</ref>
* Jesus was executed by [[Pontius Pilate]], the governor of [[Judaea (Roman province)|Iudaea province]] between 26 AD (when Pilate was appointed as governor) and 36 AD (when Pilate was removed.)
* According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus [[Resurrection of Jesus|was raised from the dead]] on the [[Sunday|first day of the week]] following his crucifixion.

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<big><center>'''Chronology of Jesus'''</center></big>
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{{Jesus}}
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<big><center>'''Biblical Timeline'''</center></big>
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{{Main|Gospel Harmony}}
<div style="align: left;">
[[Image:Petrus Christus 002.jpg|noframe|128px|right]]
'''''c''. [[Jesus#Date of birth and death|6 BC]]'''
:Suggested [[Jesus#Date of birth and death|birth]]  : [[Bethlehem]]

'''''c''. 5 BC'''
:Visit by [[shepherd]]s : [[Bethlehem]]
:[[Presentation of Jesus at the Temple|Presentation at the Temple]] : [[Jerusalem]]
:[[Adoration of the Magi|Visit by the Wise Men]] : [[Bethlehem]]
:[[Flight to Egypt]] : [[Nile Delta]]
:Return to [[Nazareth]] : Lower [[Galilee]]

'''''c''. 4 BC'''
:[[Herod the Great]] dies
[[Image:Baptism-christ.jpg|noframe|128px|right]]
:[[John the Baptist]] is born

'''''c''. 3/2 BC'''
:Traditional [[Jesus#Date of birth and death|birth]]

'''''c''. [[Jesus#Date of birth and death|1 AD]]'''
:Suggested birth : [[Bethlehem]]

'''''c''. [[Jesus#Date of birth and death|6]]'''
:Suggested birth (Latest). [[Quirinius]] census

'''''c''. 7'''
:[[Finding in the temple|Visit to temple]] as a boy : [[Jerusalem]]

'''''c''. 26 - 36'''
:[[Baptism|Baptized]] : [[Jordan River]]
:[[Temptation of Christ]] by [[Satan]] : the [[Desert]] and Jerusalem
:[[Jesus and the money changers|Cleansing of the temple]] : [[Jerusalem]]
:Jesus and [[Nicodemus]]  : [[Jerusalem]]
:[[Pontius Pilate|Pilate]] appointed Roman [[governor]] of [[Iudaea (Roman province)|Judea]]
:Talks to [[Samaritan]] woman : [[Samaria]]
[[Image:Cana1.jpg|noframe|128px|right]]
:[[Wedding at Cana|Turning water into wine at the wedding feast]] ("''first miracle''") : [[Cana]]
:heals nobleman's son: [[Cana]]
:Four fishermen become followers : [[Sea of Galilee]]
:heals [[Saint Peter|Peter]]'s mother-in-law  : [[Capernaum]]
:Town attempts to kill Jesus : [[Nazareth]]
:First preaching trip : [[Galilee]]
:[[Matthew the Evangelist|Matthew]] joins Jesus : [[Capernaum]]
:Suggested [[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Arrest, sentencing, and crucifixion|death]] (Earliest) : [[Golgotha]]
:Chooses 12 [[Twelve Apostles|disciples]] : [[Capernaum]]
:[[Jesus#The ministry and message of Jesus|Ministry]] begins : [[Galilee]]
:Preaches "[[Sermon on the Mount]]" : [[Capernaum]]
:[[Sin]]ful woman anoints Jesus : [[Capernaum]]
:Travels through Galilee : [[Galilee]]
:Teaches [[Parables of Jesus|parables about kingdom]] : [[Galilee]]
:Calms the storm : [[Sea of Galilee]]
:heals the Gerasene Demoniacs : [[Gedera]] [[Gerasa]] or [[Gergesa]]
:[[Jairus]]'s daughter back to life : [[Capernaum]]
:Sends disciples to preach and heal : [[Capernaum]]
:[[John the Baptist]] killed by Herod : [[Machaerus]]
:Feeds 5,000 people : [[Bethsaida]]
:[[Walking on water|Walks on water]] : [[Bethsaida]]
:Travels to [[Tyre (Lebanon)|Tyre]]/[[Sidon]]
:Feeds 4,000 people : [[Tyre (Lebanon)|Tyre]]/[[Sidon]]
:Peter states Jesus is "''[[Son of God]]''" : [[Tyre (Lebanon)|Tyre]]/Sidon
:States soon he will die : [[Caesarea Philippi]]
:[[Transfiguration of Jesus|Transfigured]] : [[Caesarea Philippi]]
:Pays temple taxes : [[Capernaum]]
:Attends the [[Feast of Tabernacles]]: [[Jerusalem]]
:heals a man who was born blind : [[Jerusalem]]
:Second preaching trip : [[Galilee]]
:Begins last trip : [[Jerusalem]]
:Blesses little children : [[Jordan]]
:Talks to [[wealth|rich]] and young man : [[Jordan]]
:Tells about death and [[resurrection]] : [[Jordan]]
:heals blind [[Bartimaeus (Biblical)|Bartimaeus]] : [[Jericho]]
:Talks to [[Zacchaeus]] : [[Jericho]]
:Visits [[Martha]] and [[Mary, sister of Lazarus|Mary]] : [[Bethany (Israel)|Bethany]]
:Raises [[Lazarus]] from the dead : [[Bethany (Israel)|Bethany]]
:[[Palm Sunday|The Triumphal Entry]] : [[Jerusalem]]
:[[Curse]]s the [[ficus|fig]] tree : [[Jerusalem]]
:Cleanses the temple : [[Jerusalem]]
:Authority of Jesus questioned : [[Jerusalem]]
:Teaches in the temple : [[Jerusalem]]
:[[Anoint]]ed : [[Bethany (Israel)|Bethany]]
:The plot against Jesus : [[Bethany (Israel)|Bethany]]
:[[The Last Supper]] : [[Bethany (Israel)|Bethany]]
:Comforts the disciples : [[Bethany (Israel)|Bethany]]
:[[Gethsemane]] : [[Bethany (Israel)|Bethany]]
:[[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Arrest, trial, and crucifixion|Arrest and trial]] : [[Bethany (Israel)|Bethany]]
:[[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Arrest, trial, and crucifixion|Crucifixion]] and death : [[Golgotha]]
:The burial of Jesus : [[Joseph of Arimathea|Joseph's Tomb]]
:[[Mary Magdalene]] : [[Jerusalem]]
:Appears to the two travelers : [[Emmaus]]
:Appears to 11 disciples : [[Jerusalem]]
:Talks with some disciples : [[Sea of Galilee]]
:[[Ascension of Jesus Christ|Ascension]] : [[Mount of Olives]]

'''''c''. [[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Arrest, trial, and crucifixion|30]]'''
: Possible date of [[Crucifixion of Jesus|death]].
:  [[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Resurrection, Ascension, and Second Coming|Resurrection]] : [[Mount of Olives]]

'''''c''. [[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Arrest, trial, and crucifixion|33]]'''
: Possible date of [[Crucifixion of Jesus|death]].
:  [[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Resurrection, Ascension, and Second Coming|Resurrection]] : [[Mount of Olives]]

'''''c''. [[Jesus#Date of birth and death|36]] '''
: Suggested [[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Arrest, trial, and crucifixion|death]] (Latest);
: [[Jesus as Christ and Messiah#Resurrection, Ascension, and Second Coming|Resurrection]] : [[Mount of Olives]]

'''''c''. 36 / 37'''
:[[Pontius Pilate|Pilate]] removed from office.
</div>
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==Birth==
===Year of birth===
{{See also|Nativity of Jesus|Census of Quirinius}}
The only sources of information on Jesus' birth are the gospels of Matthew and Luke of the [[Bible]].

Matthew describes King Herod as the ruler during the time of the Nativity, and Herod died in 4BC. Furthermore, to kill Jesus and eliminate him as a rival king, Herod orders the "[[Massacre of the Innocents]]"&nbsp;— the killing of all male children in Bethlehem aged two years and under. This means that Jesus may have been up to two years old already by that time, and this sets the Nativity at around 6BC.

Luke places the Nativity during the [[Census of Quirinius]], which took place in 6 AD, although Luke states the conception took place during the reign of King Herod&nbsp;— about 10 years earlier.

Because both Gospel accounts agree that the birth took place before the death of Herod, historians generally assume Jesus was born around 4 BC or slightly before.<ref>[[E. P. Sanders]], ''The Historical Figure of Jesus'', Penguin Books, 1993, pp. 10–11.</ref>

Some commentators have attempted to establish the date of birth by identifying the [[Star of Bethlehem]] with some known astronomical or astrological phenomenon.<ref>For example, astronomer Michael Molnar identified April 17, 6 BC as the likely date of the Nativity, since that date corresponded to the [[heliacal rising]] and lunar [[occultation]] of Jupiter, while it was momentarily stationary in the sign of Aries; according to Molnar, to knowledgeable astrologers of this time, this highly unusual combination of events would have indicated that a regal personage would be (or had been) born in Judea. Michael R. Molnar, "The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi," Rutgers University Press, 1999.</ref> There are many possible phenomena and none seems to match the Gospel account.<ref>Raymond E. Brown, ''101 Questions and Answers on the Bible'', Paulist Press (2003), page 79.</ref> Many scholars regard the star as a literary invention of the author of the [[Gospel of Matthew]], to claim fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy (Numbers 24:17).<ref>Joseph J. Walsh, ''Were They Wise Men or Kings?'', Westminster John Knox Press, (2001), p. 40</ref>.

Church historian [[Eusebius of Caesarea]] estimated that Jesus was born in 2 BC. In the 6th century, [[Dionysius Exiguus]] made the incarnation of Jesus the basis for his chart of [[Easter]] dates, although he did not specify whether incarnation meant conception or birth. Dionysius labeled the years since Jesus' incarnation ''[[Anno Domini]]'' (meaning "in the year of the Lord" in [[Latin]]), which is now abbreviated "AD". Later the abbreviation "BC", which stands for ''Before Christ'' was added. In this new Christian chronology, year 1 started either from the [[Annunciation]] on 25 March 753 of the [[Ab urbe condita|Roman Era]] or from the [[Nativity of Jesus|Nativity]] on 25 December 753: with the second choice (which eventually prevailed), 1 AD consisted of the last seven days of 753 [[Ab urbe condita|AUC]] and most of 754 [[Ab urbe condita|AUC]]. In the 16th century, [[New Year's Day]] was delayed to 1 January and the start of 1 AD retroactively reported to 1 January 754 [[Ab urbe condita|AUC]], with the unexpected consequence of dating the birth of Jesus of 25 December 753 in the year 1 BC (i.e. "before Christ"); that discrepancy was partly corrected by the astronomer [[Jacques Cassini]], who renamed 1 BC as the [[0 (year)|year 0]] (for calculations). But Dionysius' estimate is generally thought to be inaccurate; "although scholars generally believe that Christ was born some years before AD 1, the historical evidence is too sketchy to allow a definitive dating".<ref>Doggett. (1992). [http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEhelp/calendars.html "Calendars"] (Ch. 12), in P. Kenneth Seidelmann (Ed.) ''Explanatory supplement to the astronomical almanac.'' Sausalito, CA: University Science Books. ISBN 0-935702-68-7.</ref>

===Day of birth===
The New Testament provides no information regarding the date of the birth of Jesus.<ref>Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard, eds., ''Mercer dictionary of the Bible'', (Mercer University Press, 1990) page 142.</ref> The traditional date is 25 December, which is mid-winter in Judea. Because the Luke account says that shepherds were outdoors with their flocks it has sometimes been suggested that this implies a summer or autumn date.<ref name="Paul L. Maier 1998 p28">Paul L. Maier, ''In the Fullness of Time: A Historian Looks at Christmas, Easter, and the Early Church'', Kregel Publications (1998), p28</ref> However, the climate of Palestine is quite mild and in fact sheep are allowed to forage even in December.<ref name="Paul L. Maier 1998 p28"/><ref>Edwin D. Freed, ''The stories of Jesus' birth: a critical introduction'', (Chalice Press, 2001) page 136.</ref>

[[Early Christianity|Early Christians]] sought to calculate the date of Christ's birth based on the idea that [[Old Testament]] [[prophet]]s died either on an anniversary of their birth or of their conception. They reasoned that Jesus died on an anniversary of his conception, so the date of his birth was nine months after the date of [[Good Friday]], either December 25 or January 6.

At least as early as 354 AD, Jesus' birth was celebrated on December 25 in [[Rome]], according to [[Chronography of 354]]. Other cities had other traditional dates. The history of Christmas is closely associated with that of the [[Epiphany (feast)|Epiphany]]. If the currently prevailing opinion about the compilation of the gospels is accepted, the earliest body of gospel tradition, represented by [[gospel of Mark|Mark]] no less than by the primitive non-Marcan document ([[Q document]]) embodied in the first and third gospels, begins, not with the birth and childhood of Jesus, but with his [[baptism]]; and this order of accretion of gospel matter is faithfully reflected in the time order of the invention-of feasts. The church in general adopted Christmas much later than Epiphany, and before the 5th century there was no consensus as to when it should come in the calendar, whether on January 6 or December 25.

The next surviving mention of December 25 is in [[Hippolytus of Rome|Hippolytus]]' (c. 202) commentary on [[Daniel]]. Jesus, he says, was born at [[Bethlehem]] on December 25, a Wednesday, in the forty-second year of [[Augustus]]. As late as 245, [[Origen]], in his eighth homily on [[Leviticus]], repudiates as sinful the very idea of keeping the birthday of Jesus "as if he were a king [[Pharaoh]]."  Thus, it was important to the early Christians not to have indecorous parties on that day, but to keep it a time of devotion, reflection, and communion.

The first early mention of December 25 is in a Latin chronographer of 354 AD, first published in complete form by [[Theodor Mommsen|Mommsen]]. It runs thus in {{lang-en|"Year I after Christ}}, in the consulate of [[Augustus Caesar]] and [[Paulus]], the Lord Jesus Christ was born on 25 December, a Friday and 15th day of the [[new moon]]." here again no festal celebration of the day is attested.

====Other Dates====
There were many speculations in the 2nd century about the date of Jesus' birth. [[Clement of Alexandria]], towards its close, mentions several such, and condemns them as superstitions. Some chronologists, he says, alleged the birth to have occurred in the twenty-eighth year of Augustus, on the 25th of [[Pachon]], the [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] month (May 20). These were probably the [[Basilideans]]. Others set it on the 24th or 25th of [[Pharmuthi]] ([[April 19|19th]] or [[April 20|20 April]]). Clement himself sets it on November 17, 3 BC.<!--this is about easter, not Christmas!  The author of a Latin tract, called the ''De [[Easter|Pascha]] computus,'' written in [[Africa]] in 243, sets Easter by private revelation, ''ab ipso deo inspirali'', on March 28. he argues that the world was created perfect, flowers in bloom, and trees in leaf, therefore in [[spring (season)|spring]]; also at the [[equinox]], and when the moon just created was [[full moon|full]]. Now the [[moon]] and [[sun]] were created on a Wednesday. The 28th of March suits all these considerations. Jesus, therefore, being the Sun of Righteousness, was resurrected on the 28th of March.  Of course "Pascha" means Easter, so this does not belong in this section.-->

The same symbolic reasoning led [[Polycarp]] (before 160) to set his birth on Sunday, when the world's creation began, but his baptism on Wednesday, for it was the analogue of the sun's creation. On such grounds certain Latins as early as 354 may have transferred the human birthday from January 6 to December 25 and is by the chronographer above referred to, but in another part of his compilation, termed [[Sol invictus|Natalis invicti solis]], or birthday of the unconquered Sun. (Under the [[Julian Calendar]], the [[winter solstice]] occurs on December 24, so starting with December 25, the days begin to get longer again.) [[Cyprian]] invokes ''Christus Sol verus'', Ambrose ''Sol novus noster'', and such rhetoric was widespread. The [[Syria]]ns and [[Armenia]]ns, who clung to January 6, accused the [[Roman Catholicism|Roman]]s of sun-worship and idolatry, contending with great probability that the feast of 25 December had been invented by disciples of [[Cerinthus]] and its readings by [[Artemon]] to commemorate the natural birth of Jesus. [[Ambrose]], '''On Virgins''', writing to his sister, implies that as late as the [[papacy]] of [[Pope Liberius|Liberius]] 352 - 356, the Birth from the [[the Virgin Mary|Virgin]] was feasted together with the Marriage of Cana and the Feeding of the 4000, which were never celebrated on any other day but January 6.

Chrysostom, in a sermon preached at [[Antioch]] on December 20, 386 or 388, says that some held the feast of December 25 to have been held in the West, from Thrace as far as [[Cádiz]], ''from the beginning.'' It certainly originated in the West, but spread quickly eastwards. In 353 - 361 it was observed at the court of [[Constantius II]]. [[Basil of Caesarea]] (died 379) adopted it. [[Flavius Augustus Honorius|Honorius]], emperor (395 - 423) in the West, informed his mother and brother [[Arcadius]] (395 - 408) in [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantium]] of how the new feast was kept in Rome, separate from January 6, with its own [[troparia]] and [[sticharia]]. They adopted it, and recommended it to Chrysostom, who had long been in favour of it. [[Epiphanius]] of [[Crete]] was won over to it, as were also the other three patriarchs, [[Theophilus of Alexandria]], [[Bishop John II of Jerusalem|John II of Jerusalem]], [[Flavian I of Antioch]]. This was under [[Pope Anastasius I]], 398 - 400.

John or Wahan of [[Nice]], in a letter printed by [[François Combefis]] in his ''Historia monoizeii tarurn'', affords the above details. The new feast was communicated by [[Proclus]], patriarch of [[Constantinople]] (434 - 446), to [[Sahak]], [[Catholicos of Armenia]], about 440. The letter was betrayed to the Persian king, who accused Sahak of [[Greece|Greek]] intrigues, and deposed him.  However, the Armenians, at least those within the Byzantine pale, adopted it for about thirty years, but finally abandoned it together with the decrees of [[Chalcedon]] early in the 8th century.  Many writers of the period 375 - 450, e.g. [[Epiphanius]], [[Cassian of Imola|Cassian]], [[Asterius]], [[Basil of Caesarea|Basil]], Chrysostom and [[Jerome]], contrast the new feast with that of the Baptism as that of the birth after the flesh, from which we infer that the latter was generally regarded as a birth according to the Spirit.  Instructive as showing that the new feast travelled from West eastwards is the fact (noticed by [[Usener]]) that in 387 the new feast was reckoned according to the [[Julian calendar]] by writers of the province of Asia, who in referring to other feasts use the reckoning of their local calendars. As early as 400 in Rome an imperial rescript includes Christmas among the three feasts (the others are [[Easter]] and Epiphany) on which theatres must be closed.

</div>

==Start of Ministry==
According to the gospel of Luke (Luke 3:1-2), John the Baptist started his ministry in the "15th year of Tiberius". This is one of the few events in the New Testament for which any clear indication of the year of occurrence is given. [[Tiberius]] was emperor of Rome from 14 to 37 AD. All gospel accounts have Jesus beginning his own ministry after John had begun his. Accordingly, the earliest year either John or Jesus could have begun his own ministry would be, if Luke is accurate, the year 29 AD. However, one source, [[Tertullian]] (died 230), in ''Adversus Marcionem xv'', expresses a Roman tradition that placed the crucifixion in the twelfth year of Tiberius Caesar, lending support for an earlier date of 26 AD. Josephus implies that [[Herod Antipas]] had John the Baptist put to death around 32 AD.<ref name="Graham N 2002 page 185"/>

The Gospel of Luke indicates that Jesus was "about 30 years old" at his baptism by John.{{bibleref2c|Lk|3:23}} The approximate year can be calculated from the date of birth.

==Death==<!-- This section is linked from [[Eucharist]] -->
:''See also: [[Crucifixion_of_Jesus#Date of the Crucifixion|Date of Crucifixion]]
===Day of death===
Tradition (and the [[Synoptic Gospels]]) hold that the [[Last Supper]] took place on the first night of [[Passover]], which is defined in the [[Torah]] as occurring after the daylight of the [[Quartodeciman|14th of Nisan]] ({{Bibleverse||Lev|23:5-6|he}}), however the Gospel of John likely places the crucifixion itself on the 14th of Nisan ("the day of preparation", e.g., {{Bibleverse-nb||John|19:14}}, {{Bibleverse-nb||John|19:31}}, {{Bibleverse-nb||John|19:42}}).<ref>''The Complete Gospels'', Robert J. Miller, ed., 1992, page 241, commentary on verse 19:31: "''the day of preparation'' (here and in v. 14) can mean either the day before Passover or simply Friday; in this case it is both."</ref>  In the Biblical calendar, a new day begins after sunset, rather than at midnight as in the modern western calendar. However, to determine the [[Gregorian calendar|Gregorian]] date of Jesus' death, one needs to know the year, because the 15th of [[Nisan]]&nbsp;– corresponding to one of the first two full moons after [[Vernal Equinox]]&nbsp;– can occur on any date in late March or April in the western calendar.

The season was that of the [[Passover]]. The day leading up to the Passover would have been Nisan 14. All Gospels agree that Jesus died and was taken off the cross on the day of the Jewish [[Shabbat|sabbath]] before sunset (the Jewish calendar counts the day as beginning with the evening). John elaborates that that Sabbath was "an high day" (John 19:31), which suggests that he died on the preparation for the annual Sabbath, the 15th of Nisan. Later traditions assume he died on a Friday ([[Good Friday]]), the preparation for the weekly Sabbath. However, before the year 500, the calendar months were adjusted in accordance with astronomical observations.  Therefore, it is not possible to state exactly on which day of the week the 14 of Nisan occurred for any year before 500 without historical documents that attest to a particular day of the week, though it is possible to guess based on astronomy.

More precise calculation of Jesus' date of death is complicated by apparent inconsistencies in the reports in the [[Synoptic Gospels]] as compared to the [[Gospel of John]]<ref>''The Complete Gospels'', Robert J. Miller, ed., 1992, page 195, Introduction to the Gospel of John: "From early times Christians have recognized that "the Gospel according to John" is dramatically different from the synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew, Luke)."</ref>. In the Synoptic Gospels, the [[Last Supper]] is generally interpreted to be the [[Passover]] meal (see e.g. {{Bibleverse||Mark|14:12}}). In this case Passover would have started on the night before Jesus' crucifixion. This is highly problematic from a historical standpoint&nbsp;— the first day of Passover is a holy day for Jews, during which no work can be performed and many rituals of [[Shabbat]] are observed, so events described by the Gospels (particularly the [[Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus|trial]]) could not have taken place.

According to John, however, the Last Supper was eaten on the evening at the start of the [[Quartodeciman|14th of Nisan]]<ref>''The Complete Gospels'', Robert J. Miller, ed., 1992, translation note to John 19:31: "...''the day of preparation'' (here and in v. 14) can mean either the day before Passover or simply Friday; in this case it is both."</ref> and the crucifixion was on the 14th during the following daylight, with Jesus dying approximately at the same time that the lambs for the Passover were being slaughtered in [[Herod's Temple]] of [[Jerusalem in Christianity|Jerusalem]]&nbsp;— around 3 PM ("at the ninth hour"), so that the Jews could celebrate the Passover that evening (following Jesus' death).

According to Orthodox theology, the Last Supper celebrated on the evening before Jesus' crucifixion was ''not'' the Jewish Passover meal.{{citation needed|date=March 2010}}

===Year of death===
====Historical and Biblical analysis====
One of the facts considered by historians to be practically beyond dispute is that Jesus was executed on the orders of the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate.<ref>[[E. P. Sanders]], ''The Historical Figure of Jesus'' (Penguin Books, London 1993), page 11.</ref> Pilate held this position from 26–36 AD, during which the only years in which Nisan 14 could have fallen on a Friday were 27 (although it could have been on a Thursday), 30, and 33 AD, although this depends on when the [[new moon]] (first visible crescent) would have been visible in [[Jerusalem]] (which depends on the weather).<ref name="Humphreys">Humphreys, Colin J., and W. G. Waddington, "Dating the Crucifixion," Nature 306 (December 22/29, 1983), pp. 743-46. [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v306/n5945/abs/306743a0.html]</ref> The 15th of Nisan could have fallen on a Friday in 27 or 34 AD. Different scholars have defended various of these dates. [[Maximus the Confessor|Maximus Monachus]], [[Eusebius of Caesarea|Eusebius]], and [[Cassiodorus]] recorded the death of Jesus in 31 AD, but the 14th of Nisan would probably have been on a Tuesday that year. The 3rd/4th century Roman historian [[Lactantius]] states that Jesus was crucified on a particular day in 29 AD<ref>Lactantius, ''Of the Manner In Which the Persecutors Died'' 2: "In the latter days of the Emperor Tiberius, in the consulship of Ruberius (''sic'') Geminus and Fufius Geminus, and on the tenth of the kalends of April, as I find it written".</ref>, but that did not correspond to a full moon.

[[John P. Meier]]'s ''A Marginal Jew'' cites 7 April 30 AD, 3 April 33 AD, and 30 March 36 AD as astronomically possible Friday Nisan 14 dates during Pilate's tenure in office. The 14th, not the 15th, of Nisan, implies that Jesus died at the time that the lambs were slaughtered. In the [[Gospel of Luke]], it is stated that Jesus was "about 30 years old" <ref>{{nasb|Luke|3:23|Luke 3:23}}</ref> when he was baptised by [[John the Baptist]] but this doesn't help much because of the vagueness of the expression and the uncertainty about his date of birth.

Another fact to be considered is Luke's statement that [[John the Baptist]]'s ministry began in the fifteenth year of the reign of emperor [[Tiberius]] (Luke 3:1-2). Tiberius' reign began after Augustus' death on 19 August 14 AD, placing John's appearance in 28 or 29 AD (counting August 14 AD to August 15 AD as the first year). On the other hand, [[Tertullian]] writes in his ''Adversus Marcionem'' of a Roman tradition that placed the crucifixion in the twelfth year of Tiberius' rule, i.e. 25 or 26 AD. Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, the [[Gospel of John]] points to three separate Passovers during Jesus' ministry, which would favour 33 AD.

Some Scholars<ref>[C. Mervyn Maxwell, ''God Cares" Vol 1 (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 1981), p. 225.</ref><ref>Zdravko Stefanovic, ''Daniel: Wisdom for the Wise" (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 1981), p. 365.</ref> refer to the prophet Daniel's [[Prophecy of Seventy Weeks]] to determine the year of the crucifixion.  Taking the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem as [[457 BC]] gives a date of 31 AD for the crucifixion.

The chronology of the reign of Herod Antipas also comes into play. Early in his reign, Antipas had married the daughter of King [[Aretas IV Philopatris|Aretas IV]] of [[Nabatea]]. However, while staying in Rome to secure the territory of his recently-deceased half-brother [[Herod Philip II]] (c. AD 34), he fell in love with his brother's widow [[Herodias]] (granddaughter of Herod the Great and [[Mariamne (second wife of Herod)|Mariamne I]]), and the two agreed to marry each other, after Herod Antipas had divorced his wife.<ref>Josephus, ''Antiquities'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=J.+AJ+18.109 18.109–110]; Nikos Kokkinos, ''The Herodian Dynasty'' (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998), p. 268. {{Bibleverse||Mark|6:17|NRSV}} calls Herodias' former husband Philip. </ref> The marriage of Antipas and Herodias took place sometime in AD 34.<ref>Kokkinos, ''The Herodian Dynasty'', pp. 268, 277.</ref> On learning of this, Aretas' daughter traveled to the fortress of [[Machaerus]], from where Nabatean forces escorted her to her father. Relations between Antipas and Aretas soured and war broke out in AD 36.<ref>Josephus, ''Antiquities'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=J.+AJ+18.111 18.111–113]</ref>. According to the Gospel of Mark (6:17), the arrest of John the Baptist resulted from his criticism of the marriage of Herod and Herodias, and his death would have come a short time later. Also according to Mark, John was executed while Jesus was still alive (6:14), so this would place Jesus' death after AD 34.

====Astronomical analysis====
The use of astronomical evidence to estimate the year of the [[Crucifixion of Jesus]] has led to AD 33 by two different groups, and originally as AD 34 by [[Isaac Newton]] via the differences between the Biblical and [[Julian calendar]]s and the crescent of the moon. John Pratt argued that Newton's reasoning was effectively sound, but included a minor error at the end. Pratt suggested the year 33 AD as the accurate answer. Using similar computations, in 1990 astronomer Bradley Schaefer arrived at the same date, Friday, April 3 33 AD.<ref>Isaac Newton, 1733, ''Of the Times of the Birth and Passion of Christ'', in "Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John" (London: J. Darby and T. Browne).</ref><ref>Bradley Schaefer, 1990, ''Lunar Visibility and the Crucifixion'' Quarterly. Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society 31.</ref><ref>[http://www.mirabilis.ca/archives/000736.html Astronomers on the Date of the Crucifixion]</ref><ref>[http://english.pravda.ru/science/tech/16-05-2003/2819-christ-0 Astronomers on Date of Christ's Death]</ref><ref>John Pratt ''Newton's Date For The Crucifixion'' "Quarterly Journal of Royal Astronomical Society", September 1991.</ref><ref>[http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/newton.html Newton's Date For The Crucifixion]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sunday-heraldsun/easter-a-time-of-new-hope/story-e6frf92o-1111115861913 herald Sun]</ref> A third method, using a completely different astronomical approach based on a lunar [[Crucifixion darkness and eclipse]] model (consistent with [[Apostle Peter]]'s reference to a "moon of blood" in [[Acts of the Apostles|Acts 2:20]]) arrives at the same date, namely Friday April 3, AD 33.<ref name="Humphreys"/><ref name=HumWadJASA>Colin J. Humphreys and W. G. Waddington, ''The Date of the Crucifixion'' Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation 37 (March 1985)[http://www.asa3.org/aSA/PSCF/1985/JASA3-85Humphreys.html]</ref> However, as [[E. P. Sanders]] has pointed out, the Jewish calendar was based not on astronomical calculation but on observation and we cannot recreate local atmospheric conditions of two thousand years ago: "the synoptic chronology cannot be confirmed by astronomy, but neither can it be disproved".<ref>E. P. Sanders, ''The Historical Figure of Jesus'' (Penguin, 1993) 285-286.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Gospel harmony]]
* [[New Testament view on Jesus' life]]
* [[Historical Jesus]]
* [[Detailed Christian timeline]]
*''[[Life of Christ]]'' in art
* [[Timeline of the Bible]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08377a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia (1910): Chronology of the Life of Jesus Christ]
* [http://www.catholic.org/clife/jesus/chron.php Catholic.org Chronology of Jesus]
* [http://www.doig.net/NT_Chronology.htm New Testament Chronology]
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{{New Testament people|collapsed}}
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{{Christian History|collapsed}}

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[[Category:Jesus]]
[[Category:Chronology]]
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[[Category:New Testament history]]
[[Category:1st-century Christianity]]

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[[it:Data della morte di Gesù]]
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