Ee-20. What YEAR was Jesus CRUCIFIED?

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Ee-20. WHAT YEAR WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED?

First of all, I want to emphasize that the most important thing that we, as true believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, must believe, is that Jesus was indeed crucified for our sins and that Jesus was indeed resurrected from the dead. 

But it is NOT a matter of salvation to know the exact year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

Now, the Bible clearly teaches us that Jesus was INDEED crucified for your sins and that God raised the Son of MAN, Jesus, from the dead after three days and three nights. For those of you who are not Christians and you would like to have some other evidence other than the Bible, then please read the study called C-6. HISTORICAL EVIDENCE FOR JESUS! 

But for now, I believe that you will find this study to be a very interesting study. I had no idea how many clues are in the Bible that must AGREE with each other to pinpoint the exact year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. And to me, it was very interesting to see if I could indeed know the exact year on which Jesus was crucified and resurrected. So then, let us begin this study in God's word by taking a close look at what we do KNOW for a certainty, without having to “interpret” what a verse of Scripture means.

We know from reading the four gospels in the New Testament that Jesus was crucified under the reign of Pontius Pilate. Please read Matthew 27:1,2, which clearly shows us that Jesus was delivered into the hands of Pontius Pilate, who was the governor or ruler of that region at the time Jesus was crucified.

Matthew 27:1,2.

“When the morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to PUT him to DEATH:

2. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and DELIVERED him to Pontius Pilate the governor.”

So then, it is just a matter of examining the CLUES we find in God's word that will lead us to know the exact year that Jesus was crucified. Also, the secular historical people found in the Bible like Pontius Pilate being recorded BOTH in HISTORY and in the Bible as well, brings external evidence that supports that the Bible is true. The Bible is NOT a book of so-called “MYTHS” as some skeptics claim. So this study can also be used to prove that the Bible is true by using historical evidence from other sources other than the Bible.

Clue #1:

Jesus died during the reign of Pontius Pilate.

This clue is recorded in all four gospels leaving us no doubt to this fact that Jesus was crucified during the reign of Pontius Pilate. You can look up these references as well. Please read Matthew chapters 26 and 27; Mark chapter 15; Luke chapter 23; and John chapters 18 and 19. All of these passages of Scripture prove to anyone seeking the truth of the whole word of God, that Jesus was crucified during the reign of Pontius Pilate.

So then, all we need to do now is to search the history books to find when Pontius Pilate REIGNED to know the approximate YEAR that Jesus was crucified. I say “approximate” year, because this is just ONE of the many clues that we are given in the Bible. Also, Pontius Pilate reigned for more than one year. And thus, we cannot know which year is the exact year that Jesus was crucified without more information. 

So again, ALL of the clues in the Bible must AGREE with each other as to the exact year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected. In other words, if one interprets that Jesus was crucified in 36 AD and other verses of Scripture CONTRADICT that “interpretation” then we know that 36 AD was NOT the year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

With that being said, upon my searching the historical record, I find that Pontius Pilate was the fifth Prefect of the Roman province of Judea from 26 AD to 36 AD. And it is important to know that Pontius Pilate was under the emperor Tiberius.

Therefore, the HISTORICAL record shows us that Jesus had to have been CRUCIFIED on one of these TEN years between 26 AD to 36 AD. But which one of these ten years was Jesus crucified is still the question? So far, all we know with absolute certainty is that Jesus was crucified on ONE of these TEN possible years ranging from the year 26 AD to year 36 AD. So then, the question remains, can we even know the EXACT year that Jesus was crucified? I personally believe that there is enough information given to us in the Bible to narrow down the possibilities even a bit further. And perhaps we can even to the exact year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

However, in order to answer the question as to the EXACT YEAR on which Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead, we need to first settle the debate as to what DAY of the week the Bible teaches us that Jesus rose from the grave. What I mean by this is that we must answer the question CORRECTLY as to what DAY of the WEEK was Jesus crucified. For you see, the date of Nissan 14 does NOT fall on the SAME day of the week every year. 

So then, “Was Jesus crucified on a Friday as some church traditions teach?” 

Or “Was Jesus crucified on a Wednesday to allow for a FULL three DAYS and a FULL three nights for Jesus to be in the belly of the earth and then to be raised on the First day of the week AFTER these full three days and full three nights in the grave?”

If we get the DAY of the week wrong, then we also may conclude the wrong YEAR as well.

Please read Mark 8:29-31.

“And he said unto them, But whom do you say that I am? And Peter answered and said unto him, You are the Christ. 

30.  And he charged them that they should tell no man about him.

31.  And he (Jesus himself) began to teach them that the Son of MAN must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and AFTER three days rise again.”

Then read Matthew 27:57-66.

“When the evening had come, (Speaking of the EVENING of Wednesday right before sunset. For you see, sunset was the BEGINNING of the NEXT day or the day after Wednesday. So then, on Wednesday EVENING right before sunset) there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: 

58. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

59. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

60. And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed. (Here we learn that the dead body of Jesus was laid in the tomb right before sunset on Wednesday EVENING, right BEFORE the yearly high Sabbath began on THURSDAY, Nissan 15)

61. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher.

62. Now the NEXT day, that followed the day of the preparation, (Or in other words, on THURSDAY the next day being the HIGH yearly Sabbath, which FOLLOWED the day that Jesus was crucified on Nissan 14 on the Jewish calendar. So here we learn that Nissan 14 is the day of PREPARATION FOR the yearly high Sabbath called the feast of unleavened bread, better known to Christians as the Feast of Passover) the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

63. Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, AFTER three days I will rise again.

64. Command therefore that the sepulcher is made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He has risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

65. Pilate said unto them, You have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as you can.

66. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.”

For the more in-depth Biblical proof as to what DAY that the word of God itself clearly teaches us that Jesus AROSE from the grave please read the study called Ee-18. WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY? This study shows WHY Jesus had to have been crucified on a WEDNESDAY and resurrected on Sunday before dawn.

Again, it is important to know which DAY of the WEEK that Jesus was crucified, because the DATE of the DAYS of the week changes from year to year with respect to the day of the MONTH. In other words, for example, January 1st is not always on the same DAY of the WEEK every year.

So then, after you are fully persuaded by God's word as to what DAY that Jesus arose from the grave, then we can determine upon which YEAR that Jesus was CRUCIFIED. So again, please read the study Ee-18. WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY? for the SOUND Biblical proof as to what DAY that Jesus was CRUCIFIED. But for now, I will say that I myself have concluded that Jesus was crucified on a WEDNESDAY, as opposed to the Roman Catholic Church traditional Friday crucifixion.

Now let us see what other clues the word of God itself gives us to find the exact year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the TEN possible years. Again, we know for certain to be the only possible years upon which Jesus could have been crucified because of the REIGN of Pontius Pilate. And in searching the HISTORICAL record of when Pontius Pilate reigned, we found that he reigned from 26 AD to 36 AD. We also learned that he reigned UNDER Emperor Tiberius.

So then, Jesus had to have been crucified and resurrected during one of those ten years from 26 AD to 36 AD.

Clue # 2:

Tiberius was Emperor over Pontius Pilate.

We also find this clue in God's word as well, where the word of God gives us even more detail. Please read Luke 3:1-3, which teaches us that John the Baptist BEGAN his ministry in the FIFTEENTH YEAR of when Tiberius Caesar was reigning as Emperor over Pontius Pilate.

Luke 3:1-3.

“Now in the FIFTEENTH year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

2. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God CAME unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

3. And he (John the Baptist) came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;”

Upon searching the HISTORICAL record of the reign of Tiberius Caesar we find that Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus reigned as the sole Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. I say that Tiberius began to be the SOLE Emperor in 14 AD because the year 14 AD is when the previous Emperor Augustus Caesar died. The HISTORICAL record shows us that Imperator Caesar Divi F. Augustus, the founder of the Roman Empire, DIED on August 18 in the year 14 AD. But history also shows us that Tiberius reigned JOINTLY for a short time during the last few years of the reign of Augustus. Some scholars say that Tiberius began his official JOINT reign in 12 AD. But for now, we are going to use the exact date of August 19th in the year 14 AD as the BEGINNING of the reign of Tiberius.

So then, clue #2 teaches us that the FIFTEENTH year of the reign of Tiberius with the STARTING date of August 19th of 14 AD to the fifteenth year would be from 14 AD to August 19th, 28 AD to August 19th, 29 AD. August 19 of 14 AD to August 19 of 15 AD is ONE year. But IF you count 14 AD as a whole year, then 15 AD would be the SECOND year of reign. So that is why I include 28 AD along with 29 AD. In other words, depending on how you count to the fifteenth year, EITHER year can be the fifteenth year.

But how does knowing this year from August 19th of 28 AD to August 19th of 29 AD help us to determine the year that Jesus was CRUCIFIED and RESURRECTED? We will find out in the next clue. But in all fairness using all the possible dates Jesus could have started his ministry as early as 26 AD using the JOINT reign of 12 AD to as late as 29 AD if you count the year from January to January as opposed to August 19th to August 19th. 

Some Christians use the latest possible year of 29 AD as the beginning of the ministry of Jesus combined with a 3 1/2 year ministry of Jesus to arrive at 33 AD where Nissan 14 falls on a Friday for the crucifixion of Jesus. This is why the Roman Catholic Church tradition has taught us that Jesus was crucified on a “Friday” as opposed to having been crucified on a “Wednesday”. And thus, they are ignoring the other sound Biblical evidence that supports a Wednesday crucifixion of Jesus.

And then, some Christians use the earliest possible year, which they say is 27 AD, as the beginning of the ministry of Jesus combined with a 3 year ministry of Jesus to arrive at 30 AD where Nissan 14 falls on a Wednesday for the crucifixion.

Now, if we use ALL of the possible years using ONLY these two clues from the Bible combined with a 3 year ministry of Jesus, then we would have the years 30 AD, 31 AD, 32 AD, and 33 AD as being the possible years of the crucifixion of Jesus. And if the ministry of Jesus was shorter than a full three and one-half years, then we could have the years 28 AD, 29 AD, 30 AD, 31 AD, 32 AD, and 33 AD as being possible years of the crucifixion of Jesus. 

In other words, one could try to argue that Jesus began his ministry in the FALL of 27 AD and he was crucified SIX months later in 28 AD, but they would be WRONG! We know for sure that the ministry of Jesus was NOT as short as six month to 1 1/2 years. And we know for sure that the ministry of Jesus was NOT a full 3 1/2 years. And thus, the only possible length of the ministry of Jesus is either a TWO year ministry or a THREE year ministry. Now, I myself find that the Bible ITSELF teaches us that the ministry of Jesus was TWO years and NOT a 3 year ministry as many Christians claim. For all to the Scriptures that prove a TWO year ministry of Jesus, please read the study called G-26. Is the FEAST in John 5:1 the PASSOVER?  

But for now, we will use the year 28 AD as the beginning of the ministry of Jesus simply because there is no “STRETCHING” the starting year of the reign of Tiberius or trying to extend his fifteenth year of reign past August 19th of 29 AD. 

Let us take a look at the THIRD clue found in the Bible using the year 28 AD first. And then we can come back to plug in the other possible years at the end of this study to see which year fits ALL of the evidence.

Clue # 3:

How old was John the Baptist when he was called by God in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius to begin preaching the baptism of repentance?

So then, how does knowing how old John the Baptist was when he BEGAN his ministry help us to determine what year Jesus was crucified? For the Biblical proof that Jesus was six months younger than John the Baptist, please read the study Ee-19. WAS JESUS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th? That study shows the SOUND Biblical evidence that Jesus was born in the FALL of the year. In the above study, I myself have concluded that the best possible year for Jesus to have been born in the light of all the evidence is September 11, 3 BC. You see, knowing the age of John the Baptist, at this time, between August 19th, 28 AD to August 19th, 29 AD will tell us the AGE of Jesus as well. The above study will prove to be very interesting also, if you like putting clues together. So then, let us take a look at clue #3, which is found in Luke 3:23. This clue teaches us the approximate age of Jesus during the FIFTEENTH year reign of Tiberius. 

BUT, if John began his ministry six months BEFORE Jesus began his ministry, then that would mean Jesus began his ministry six months later in the SPRING. And thus, it would have been the next year that Jesus BEGAN his ministry. In other words, April is the fourth month of the year and six month before the third month of the year is November of the previous year. So IF John started his ministry of baptizing in October of the fifteenth year, then Jesus began his ministry in the SIXTEENTH year of the reign of Tiberius.

For you see, John the Baptist is six months older than Jesus. So if John began his ministry SIX MONTHS before Jesus began his ministry. And Jesus began his ministry in the SPRING of the year 28 AD with a TWO year ministry. Then that means that Jesus was crucified and resurrected in 30 AD. And with a THREE year ministry, Jesus would have been crucified and resurrected in 31 AD. So let us see if this INTERPRETATION agrees with ALL of the clues.

So WHEN was Jesus BAPTIZED by John the Baptist? It HAD to be before Jesus started his ministry. Let us do some math to get a close idea of when Jesus was baptized.

IF Jesus was indeed born on September 11 and he died on April 5th in 30 AD and he BEGAN his ministry AROUND 30 years of age in the SPRING of the year, then had to have been either AROUND 29 1/2 years old or AROUND 30 1/2 years old when he was CRUCIFIED on Nissan 14 in 30 AD or Nissan 14 in 31 AD. You cannot be almost to the day 30 years old in the SPRING if you were BORN in the FALL. There is a HALF year difference. So Jesus had to be either close to 29 1/2 years old or close to 30 1/2 when he BEGAN his MINISTRY. And we know Jesus was tempted for forty days before he did his first miracle in Cana. And Jesus said it was NOT YET his time. So I believe Jesus BEGAN his ministry in Nazareth after he left Cana.

Luke 3:23.

“And Jesus himself BEGAN to be ABOUT THIRTY years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,”

The phrase “And Jesus HIMSELF” teaches us that it was this SAME period of time that John the Baptist BEGAN his ministry in the FIFTEENTH year of Tiberius that Jesus HIMSELF also began to be ABOUT the age of THIRTY. This phrase also tells us that John was already THIRTY years old when he began to preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. We also know from the context of verse 23 here in the gospel of Luke, that Jesus was BAPTIZED by John when Jesus BEGAN to be about THIRTY years of age. The KJV only Christians emphasize the phrase, “BEGAN to be” which is translated as Jesus himself began his ministry about thirty. The Greek word translated as “about” also means “AFTER” age thirty. So then, if Jesus was born in the FALL of the year and he BEGAN his ministry of the SPRING of the year, then he had to be a half of a year younger or a half of a year older than thirty. You cannot begin to almost be 30 in the spring of the year if you were BORN in the FALL of the year. 

Please read Luke 3:21-23.

“Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

22. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, You are my beloved Son; in you, I am well pleased.

23. And Jesus HIMSELF began to be ABOUT thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,”

The phrase in parenthesis “(as was supposed)” carries with it the meaning that Joseph was observing a custom of the Jews. In other words, Jesus was adopted by Joseph to be his son. If you continue to read the rest of Luke chapter 3 you will find the genealogy of Jesus through Joseph goes all the way back to Adam who is also called the son of God. The genealogy or actual bloodline of Mary is also traced back to David and the tribe of Judah. And this tells us that BOTH Mary and Joseph were from the tribe of Judah.

Anyway, getting back on track we now know that Jesus BEGAN his MINISTRY AFTER the age of THIRTY. In other words, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the FIFTEENTH year of Tiberius, which we know from historical records was from August 19th, 28 AD to August 19th, 29 AD.

Now, all we need to do is find out how long Jesus ministered before he was CRUCIFIED. I say AROUND the age of thirty because Jesus would have been in his MID thirties when he began his ministry in the SPRING of the year. For you see, all of the Biblical evidence shows us that Jesus was BORN in the FALL of the year. 

Again, the ACTUAL calendar year did NOT stop on August 19th. But rather, the END of the FIFTEENTH year reign of Tiberius stopped on August 19th. So in all fairness, one could count the months of September through December of 29 AD as ALSO being the FIFTEENTH year reign of Tiberius. And if you count the two year joint reign of Tiberius with Augustus Caesar, then the possible years of the beginning of the ministry of Jesus are 26 AD, 27 AD, 28 AD, and 29AD. But 26 AD does not fit nicely with other clues. This brings us to our next clue.

Clue #4:

How long was the ministry of Jesus before he was crucified?

Now we can make an educated GUESS as to how long Jesus ministered by reading the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But for me, following this method of guessing would be at most just an approximation of how long Jesus ministered before he was crucified.

However, the gospel of John makes it quite simple to see that Jesus ministered no less than just a little over two years and no more than a little over three years. In other words, according to the gospel of John, the Ministry of Jesus was either 2 years in length, or Jesus ministered for 3 years before he was crucified. The reason for the difference between these two choices is that some Christians INTERPRET John 5:1 differently. Some Christians teach that since John 5:1 shows us a FEAST day, then it is concluded that this feast day MUST be a PASSOVER. And thus, to THEM, Jesus ministered from the fall of the year through two Passover feasts as being crucified on the third Passover feast making his ministry 3 1/2  years in length.  And other Christians, who also wrongly believe that Jesus began his ministry in the fall, teach that it is NOT the Passover, but rather, it is another yearly feast day. And thus, it is concluded by THEM that the ministry of Jesus was only 2 1/2  years in length. We will cover this debate further on in this study. But for now, we will just be looking at the verses in the gospel of John that specifically say the PASSOVER.

You see, the gospel of John teaches us how many PASSOVERS that Jesus kept from the time after he was baptized, which is when Jesus began to be about THIRTY years of age, to the time that Jesus was CRUCIFIED on Nisan 14, the preparation day of PASSOVER and the feast of unleavened bread. The LAMB was KILLED on Passover to prepare for the feast of unleavened bread. Please keep in mind that this verse 23 in Luke chapter 3 teaches us that Jesus BEGAN to be ABOUT thirty years of age between August 19th of 28 AD to August 19th of 29 AD, which was the FIFTEENTH year of the reign of Tiberius.

Luke 3:23.

“ And Jesus himself BEGAN to be about THIRTY years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,”

Now, I personally interpret this to mean that Jesus was just about to turn 30 years of age at the time that he was baptized by John and the Holy Spirit of Almighty God descended upon him. Some Christians, however, dogmatically demand that Jesus had to have been no younger than THIRTY years of age BEFORE he began his ministry because this was the minimum age of the priesthood. So by that interpretation, Jesus would have already turned thirty years old just before his baptism. Or Jesus turned thirty years old on the very day that he was baptized.

My point right now is to keep in mind that verse 23 says that Jesus himself BEGAN to be about THIRTY years of age and this was when Jesus was BAPTIZED by John the Baptist and NOT the very day that Jesus actually BEGAN his MINISTRY. How do we know this? Number one, we know that Jesus was immediately led into the wilderness, where Jesus fasted for 40 days, the moment that he came up from the water after being baptized.

Please read Mark 1:9-13.

“And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was BAPTIZED of John in Jordan.

10. And STRAIGHTWAY (Or immediately) coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

11. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

12. And IMMEDIATELY the Spirit drives him into the wilderness.

13. And he was there in the wilderness FORTY DAYS, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.”

So then, we can see that Jesus was close to THIRTY and one half years of age when John the Baptist BEGAN his ministry to baptize people. Jesus was also baptized by John and the baptism of Jesus could have been in the FIFTEENTH year reign of Tiberius. But it MAY have been that John began his ministry 6 months before he actually baptized Jesus. 

Again, we only know the FIFTHTEENTH year reign of Tiberius was from August 19th, 28 AD to August 19th, 29 AD or one to two years earlier if you count the joint reign. In other words, Jesus could have begun his ministry as early as 27 AD and as late as 29 AD. 

I personally believe that Jesus was born on September 11, 3 BC. Please read the study Ee-19. WAS JESUS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th? That study will give you a deeper understanding of when Jesus was BORN. But for now, let us continue this part of the study to see how long Jesus ministered before he was CRUCIFIED. Was it 2 years? Or was his ministry 3 years in length?

We know that Jesus BEGAN his ministry shortly AFTER he was baptized by John because we see in the gospel of John that Jesus went to a marriage feast in Cana where he told his mother that his HOUR has NOT YET COME.

Please read John 2:1-4.

“And the THIRD day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2. And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said unto him, They have no wine.

4. Jesus said unto her, Woman, what have I to do with you? My HOUR is NOT YET come.”

In other words, Mary the mother of Jesus wanted her son to do a MIRACLE and turn the water into wine, but Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, what have I to do with you? My HOUR is NOT yet COME.” To say this another way, the first miracle of Jesus was just BEFORE his actual ministry began. Jesus went to Capernaum for several days after he left the wedding feast at Cana. Again, Jesus could have turned THIRTY years old any one of these days BEFORE he actually BEGAN his MINISTRY or his preaching the kingdom of God and healing the sick. But I myself believe that the very HOUR that Jesus BEGAN his MINISTRY is when he went into the temple, opened the Scriptures to Isaiah, read Isaiah 61 verse 1 and PART of verse 2, and then said, this Scripture is FULFILLED in your ears and closed the book and sat down. Please read Luke 4:14-21 which is right or very soon after Jesus returned from being tempted by the devil. So to me, there was obviously time to attend the wedding at Cana just BEFORE Jesus ACTUALLY BEGAN his ministry.

Luke 4:14-21.

“And Jesus returned IN the POWER of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out the fame of him through all the region round-about. (This is speaking of Jesus returning back to Galilee from the Feast of Passover in John 2:13-23. For you see, before when Jesus was in Galilee he only did the one miracle of changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana. But in John 4:45 we see that the Galileans SAW the works that Jesus did at the FEAST, speaking of the Feast of Passover in John 2:13-23 and BEFORE the Feast of Weeks in John 5:1. Please read the study called G-26. Is the FEAST in John 5:1 the PASSOVER?)

15.  And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 

16.  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up (Jesus was actually born in Bethlehem, but he was raised most of his childhood in Nazareth): and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 

17.  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. (Or Isaiah) And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 

18.  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has ANOINTED me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19.  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Isaiah verse 2 goes on to say more. And I believe there is some significance as to why Jesus stopped here and did not finish anymore of Isaiah. And I believe that significance is because what Jesus did read was speaking of his FIRST coming and the rest refers to his SECOND coming yet to BE fulfilled. Another point that I would like to make is that THIS BEGINNING of the ministry of Jesus IS the “BEGINNING” that Jesus is referring to in John 8:24 when he told the Jews WHO he was IN THE BEGINNING. “I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins.” Please read the study V-38. John 8:24 - If You do NOT BELIEVE I AM!)

20.  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 

21.  And he began to say unto them, THIS DAY is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

So then, to me, Jesus had already turned THIRTY years of age in the FALL of 27 AD. And thus, Jesus was almost thirty and a half years old either ON or BEFORE this DAY that he proclaimed himself as the ANOINTED ONE spoken of in the Scriptures that was to come. That was the HOUR that Jesus BEGAN his actual ministry. Luke 4:14,15 are an overall SUMMARY of Jesus becoming famous in Galilee on his RETURN from Jerusalem. And Luke 4:16-29 was IN THE BEGINNING of the MINISTRY of Jesus that he told the Jews that he was the MESSIAH. I am HE, the one prophesied to come. And if you do not believe that I am then you shall die in your sins. For you see, on that FIRST trip into Galilee the Jews threw Jesus OUT of the city in Luke 4:29,30.

Now since we have many choices or options from which to choose we cannot YET prove the exact year. So the following paragraphs are NOT the exact year. But rather, they are the best CHOICES with the EVIDENCE that we have covered thus far.

Since our calendar is based upon the BIRTH of Jesus then this, in turn, demands that Jesus was born in the FALL of the year on year ZERO. However, there is no such year zero on our calendar. But if there were a year zero, then from the spring of year 0 to the spring of year 1 AD is 1 year. Then from the spring of year 1 AD to the spring of year 2 AD is 2 years, and so on. Thus the FALL of the year 32 AD to the year FALL of the year 33 AD would be the 33rd year of Jesus. Add another 1/2 year and this becomes 34 1/2 years because it was in the SPRING of the year as to when Jesus was crucified. Now, since there is NO year ZERO, then the day of the birth of Jesus must begin on one of the years in 1 BC or before. 

And if we choose the birth of Jesus to be in 1 BC, then that makes the death of Jesus to be 33 AD. For you see, since there is NO year zero, then we must add 1 year to cross over that year zero that is not on the calendar. And thus, the crucifixion of Jesus is 33 AD in the SPRING of the year IF the year 1 BC is chosen for the birth of Jesus. In other words, we are making GUESSES at first so that we can count the years to see if ALL of the clues FIT the year that we GUESS.

So then, from the FALL of 1 BC, the first GUESS of the chosen birth of Jesus, to the fall of 1 AD, the first birthday of Jesus, is 1 year, and the fall of 1 AD to the fall of 2 AD is 2 years and so on. And that would make the 33 and 1/2 years of the life of Jesus, the SPRING of the next year to be the crucifixion of Jesus. Therefore, IF 1 BC is the correct year that Jesus was BORN then the AGE of Jesus at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus would have been 33 and 1/2 years old in the SPRING of 34 AD. For you see, there is no year ZERO? And thus, we must ADD 1 year crossing over from 1 BC to 1 AD, which would then make the crucifixion and resurrection be in the 34 AD. But the year 34 AD does NOT fit all of the clues.

And thus, many Bible scholars have concluded the birth of Jesus to be in the FALL of 2 BC, in order to MAKE or even FORCE the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus to be in the SPRING of 33 AD. More on this later as to why I say make or even force the year 33 AD to be the year Jesus was crucified. For now, Nissan 14 does NOT fall on a WEDNESDAY in 33 AD. Keep in mind that we have MORE evidence to examine and that ALL the clues TOGETHER must be in agreement.

Again, many Bible scholars believe that Jesus was born in the FALL of the year. Yes, traditionally, the Roman Catholic Church places Jesus to be born on December 25th, but I personally find no Biblical support for Jesus being born in the WINTER. Again, please see the study Ee-19. WAS JESUS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th? That study will give you a deeper understanding of when Jesus was born according to the Scriptures as opposed to the Roman Catholic Church tradition.

Other Bible scholars place the BIRTH of Jesus to be on September 29 of 2 BC, which I cover in the study above that I just mentioned. And yet other Christians place the birth of Jesus on September 11 of 3 BC. And some Christians argue that Jesus was born in 5 BC due to a comet being seen for 70 days in China.  But how LONG did it take the kings from the east to travel all the way from China to Jerusalem? Going across the mountains would have not been the chosen route even in a vehicle in modern times. So the trip could have taken nearly two years and perhaps as many as four years. For you see, there were bandits to avoid and time needed for rest. So the route was not a straight line between two points. My main point for right now is to establish that Jesus was born in the FALL of the year.

So then, going with the FALL of the year as the BIRTH of Jesus would consequently mean that Jesus just BEGINS to be about 30 years of age would place the time of his baptism in the late summer to the FALL of the year as well. Therefore, using clue #3, the FIFTEENTH year reign of Tiberius, the year that Jesus actually BEGAN his ministry was the FALL of 28 AD. And this agrees with the beginning of the FIFTEENTH YEAR of the reign of Tiberius because August 19th of 29 AD would be BEFORE the FALL of the year of 29 AD, which is the time that Jesus turned 30 years old. In other words, the FALL of 29 AD would be AFTER August 19th. And, therefore, 29 AD would be too late for the beginning of the ministry of Jesus because it would be in the 16th year of the reign for Tiberius. Thus it would contradict clue #3 to be in the FIFTEENTH year of the reign of Tiberius. 

The FALL of the year is AFTER the month of August no matter what year it is. Now, I suppose one could fudge this date to be the FALL of 29 AD. But for ME, after closely examining ALL the evidence, I personally choose the SPRING of 28 AD as the BEGINNING of the ministry of Jesus Christ. This would make the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus to be the SPRING of the year 31 AD IF the ministry of Jesus was 3 years. But if the ministry of Jesus was only TWO years, then the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus would have been in 30 AD.

But again, in all fairness, as I said earlier, the STARTING year of the reign of Tiberius could have been as early as 12 AD and thus place the FIFTEENTH year of his reign to be 27 AD, which we will consider at the end of this study. But for now, we are only looking at 28 AD as being the best possible year for the BEGINNING year of the ministry of Jesus. Also, keep in mind that we have TWO choices as to the LENGTH of the ministry of Jesus that differ by ONE YEAR. Now, since we now know the time or season of the year that Jesus BEGAN his MINISTRY, then all we need now is to determine HOW LONG did Jesus MINISTER before he was CRUCIFIED.

The debate of the LENGTH of the ministry of Jesus varies from as short as six months to as long as 3 and 1/2 years. So then, 3 and 1/2 years is the LONGEST POSSIBLE time of the ministry of Jesus according to the gospel of John. I highlighted in green all of the interpretations using a HALF year, because Jesus began his ministry in the SPRING of the year and he was BORN in the FALL of the year. Therefore, using the length of the ministry of Jesus as being anywhere from one year to three years places the crucifixion of Jesus anywhere from the spring of 29 AD to the spring of 32 AD. And if one fudges the fall of the year 28 AD to the fall of 29 AD as being the fifteenth year reign of Tiberius, then Jesus could have been crucified as late as 33 AD using the last starting date of the ministry of Jesus. So then, so far we have narrowed the TEN possible years for the crucifixion of Jesus down to FIVE possible years, 29AD, 30 AD, 31 AD, 32 AD, and 33 AD.

Let us continue to take a closer look at the gospel of John to see how many PASSOVERS that Jesus observes AFTER his ministry actually began in the FALL of 28 AD. Please read John 2:13-23 which is shortly after Jesus spends a few days in Capernaum after the miracle of changing water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana when he told his mother that his HOUR has NOT YET come.

John 2:13-23.

“And the Jews' PASSOVER was AT HAND (Or drawing close), and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the changers of money sitting:

15. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

16. And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.

17. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of your house has eaten me up.

18. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign show you unto us, seeing that you do these things?

19. Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20. Then said the Jews, this temple was forty-six years in the building of it, and will you rear it up in three days?

21. But he spoke of the temple of his body.

22. When therefore, he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

23. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the PASSOVER, during the feast day, many believed in his name, when they SAW the miracles which he did.”

This Passover found in John 2:23 is the FIRST Passover that Jesus observed after he began his ministry at the age of THIRTY and a half years old that is clearly and plainly recorded for us to read. And this means that Jesus was in the BEGINNING months of his ministry at the time of this FIRST Passover. And since Jesus was NOT crucified on this FIRST Passover of his ministry, then it is impossible for his ministry to be only for six months. In other words, by just using the evidence that we have covered thus far, we can see that the ministry of Jesus had to be no less than 1 1/2 years long. But there is MORE evidence. The Feast of Passover is in the SPRING of the year and Jesus BEGAN his MINISTRY in the SPRING of the year. And thus, it is not logical to argue for a 1 1/2 years long ministry, a 2 1/2 years long ministry, or a 3 1/2 years long ministry. So let us not add that 1/2 year onto the ministry of Jesus. So then, the length of the ministry of Jesus was a 1, 2, or 3 year ministry plus a number of DAYS if we count the forty days of temptation, the days at the wedding of Cana and the days of travel to his hometown in Nazareth on his FIRST journey there from the wedding of Cana.

Personally, I start counting the DAYS of the ministry of Jesus at his FIRST sermon to the Jews in the synagogue in Nazareth after Jesus left the wedding at Cana. I believe that Jesus preached his first sermon in his own hometown and was thrown out of the city by the unbelieving Jews, according to Luke 4:16-29. And thus, we need to read Luke 4:14,15 as a SUMMARY of his RETURN to Galilee AFTER becoming famous in Jerusalem at the Feast of Passover. I explain all of this in the study called G-26. Is the FEAST in John 5:1 the PASSOVER?  

The next CLEAR passage of Scripture where we can PLAINLY see the SECOND Passover that Jesus observed is found in John 6:4 which is at the time Jesus fed the great multitude with five loaves of bread and two small fish. I say CLEAR passage of Scripture, because John 5:1 must be INTERPRETED to mean the Feast of Passover. And to me, the CONTEXT clearly teaches us that the feast in John 5:1 is the Feast of Weeks called the Feast of Pentecost. The feast of Pentecost is fifty days after the Feast of Passover. Again, please read the study called G-26. Is the FEAST in John 5:1 the PASSOVER?  But for now, please read John 6:1-15 to get the whole context.

John 6:1-15.

“After these things, Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

2. And a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

3. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

4. And the PASSOVER, a feast of the Jews, was NIGH. (This would be the SECOND Passover feast that was very near that is CLEARLY and PLAINLY STATED as being a PASSOVER without ANY doubt as it being a PASSOVER. Again, I am aware of John 5:1 and we will consider this verse as a POSSIBILITY of referring to a Passover at the end of this study. That is why I skipped over that verse for now. For you see, it must be INTERPRETED to be a Passover feast.)

5. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes and saw a great company come unto him, he said unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

6. And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

7. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

8. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said unto him,

9. There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

10. And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

12. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

13. Therefore they gathered them together and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

14. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

15. When Jesus, therefore, perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.”

Now we know that the Passover feast is observed in the SPRING of the year from the Old Testament and the Jewish calendar beginning on Nisan 14 called the day of preparation where the Passover LAMB was KILLED. Therefore, from the time that Jesus BEGAN his ministry in the FALL of the year of 28 AD to this Passover record here in John 6:4 would be 1 and 1/2 years into the ministry of Jesus.

The next Passover that we see that is CLEARLY and PLAINLY recorded in the gospel of John begins in chapter 11, verse 55, and continues all the way through to John 19:14-19, where we read that the Jews cried out saying, away with him, away with him, CRUCIFY HIM. In other words, this next Passover is the YEAR that Jesus became the LAMB that was slain for the sins of the world and therefore would have been his LAST Passover before Jesus ascended into heaven where he is presently awaiting his SECOND coming. And that would make the ministry of Jesus no less than 2 1/2 years in length.

John 19:14-19.

“And it was the PREPARATION (The day before the FIRST day of the feast of the unleavened bread, which was a HIGH Sabbath day of rest) of the PASSOVER, and about the sixth hour: and he said unto the Jews, Behold your King!

15. But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, CRUCIFY him. Pilate said unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered We have no king but Caesar.

16. Then delivered him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him away.

17. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

18. Where they CRUCIFIED him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

19. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

This is a good witness from Pilate. So then, this record in the gospel of John from chapter 11 through chapter 19 is the THIRD PASSOVER, which was the YEAR that Jesus was CRUCIFIED. Therefore, the clear plain and simple answer to the LENGTH of the ministry of Jesus would be 2 years plus some DAYS since only THREE Passovers are CLEARLY and PLAINLY recorded from the beginning of the ministry of Jesus to his CRUCIFIXION of the THIRD Passover in the gospel of John. By clearly and plainly in simplicity I mean that there is NO INTERPRETATION NEEDED. The Bible itself STATES as a FACT that these were Passover feast days.

In other words, from the FALL of 28 AD to the SPRING of the FIRST Passover would be 6 months. But from the BAPTISM of Jesus to the FIRST Passover is less than a full six months. And thus, that would place the FIRST Passover that Jesus observed in the spring of the year 29 AD. So then, from the FIRST Passover in 29 AD to the SECOND Passover in 30 AD would be 1 year that Jesus had ministered. Then from the SECOND Passover in 30 AD to the THIRD Passover where Jesus was CRUCIFIED would be 2 years that Jesus ministered. Therefore, IF Jesus began his ministry in 29 AD using a TWO year Ministry, then Jesus would have been CRUCIFIED in the spring of the year 31 AD on the day of PREPARATION for the feast of PASSOVER. And according to the Old Testament, the PASSOVER LAMB was killed on the 14th day of the first month of the Jewish year. In other words, Jesus was crucified on Nisan 14 of the year 31 AD. BUT IF Jesus began his Ministry in 28 AD using a TWO year ministry, then Jesus would have been crucified in 30 AD. So it all depends on the YEAR Jesus BEGAN his MINISTRY.

Now, to me, the SIMPLE, plain, and CLEAR answer is that the ministry of Jesus was 2 years in length. But there is a debate among Bible scholars that the ministry of Jesus was 3 years in length. In other words, some Bible scholars argue that the FEAST that is recorded in John 5:1 is also a PASSOVER feast even though the word “PASSOVER” does not occur anywhere in the context.

John 5:1.

“After this there was a FEAST of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.”

So then, IF this FEAST in John 5:1 is dogmatically demanded to be the PASSOVER feast, then the ministry of Jesus could be INTERPRETED to be 3 years in length. This would then place the crucifixion of Jesus in the year 32 AD by using the clear, plain, and simple year of 28 AD as being the FIFTEENTH year of the reign of Tiberius and the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. But as you will see further on in this study, the year 32 AD is NOT a possible year for Jesus to have been crucified. For you see, Nissan 14 does NOT fall on either a WEDNESDAY to allow for THREE days and nights for Jesus to be in the grave. And neither does it fall on a Friday to use the Jewish idiom that a part day counts as a full day. So for me, the year 32 AD is NOT a possible year for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

Therefore, IF a 3 year ministry is INTERPRETED, then the BEGINNING year of the ministry of Jesus and his ANOINTING must be in 27 AD, which is a POSSIBLE year. But remember ALL the evidence must fit. In other words, since Jesus was AROUND THIRTY when he was ANOINTED at his baptism, and IF one chooses 27 AD as the year Jesus began his ministry, then that means Jesus had to be BORN in the FALL of 4 BC.

Now, from the evidence that I have considered, the best possible date of the BIRTH of Jesus is September 11 in 3 BC, which would make Jesus to be AFTER THIRTY years of age in the SPRING of 28 AD. So those who choose 27 AD are a year too early UNLESS it can be proven that Jesus was born in the fall of 4 BC. Again, we will look at this POSSIBILITY at the end of this study.

Yet again, some dogmatically argue and say the ministry actually began in the year 29 AD and with a 3 year ministry would then place the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus in 32 AD, which again is not a possible year. But with a TWO year ministry, then the crucifixion and resurrection would have been in 31 AD, which is a VERY possible year.

So then, if all these possibilities are considered, then we have narrowed the TEN years of the reign of Pilate down to just THREE possible years that the crucifixion of Jesus would have taken place. And those three POSSIBLE years are between the spring of 29 AD to the spring of 31 AD. 

For me personally, after looking closely at ALL the evidence of the BIRTH of Jesus along with ALL the evidence of his crucifixion and his BIRTH, then I myself have concluded that Jesus was CRUCIFIED on Nissan 14 in either the year 30 AD or 31 AD. I am flexible for either year.

Also, from the study Ee-18. WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY? I concluded that Jesus was crucified on a WEDNESDAY as opposed to being crucified on the TRADITIONAL Roman Catholic Church teaching that Jesus was crucified on Holy FRIDAY. Again, please read the study linked above for all the Scriptural proof that Jesus was crucified on a WEDNESDAY and resurrected on SUNDAY, the FIRST DAY of the week. But for now, just know that there are NOT three FULL days and three FULL nights between Friday at sunset and Sunday morning just before sunrise. Therefore, for ME, the PLAIN, CLEAR, and SIMPLE answer is that Jesus had to have been CRUCIFIED on a WEDNESDAY in order to be raised from the dead on the FIRST day of the week AFTER being in the heart of the earth for three full days and three full nights as the Scripture clearly and plainly teaches us in Matthew 12:38-40.

Matthew 12:38-40.

“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a SIGN from you.

39. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a SIGN; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the SIGN of the prophet Jonas:

40. For AS Jonas was three days AND three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days AND three nights in the heart of the earth.”

So for ME, in order for this SIGN to be FULFILLED as Jesus proclaimed, then Jesus would have needed to be in the grave three FULL days AND three FULL nights. And the ONLY way for Jesus to have risen from the grave on Sunday just before SUNRISE was for him to have been CRUCIFIED on a WEDNESDAY and laid in the tomb just before the start of the HIGH Sabbath day the first day of unleavened bread. In other words, from sunset Wednesday evening to sunrise Thursday morning would be ONE NIGHT. Then from sunrise Thursday morning to sunset Thursday evening would be ONE DAY. Then from sunset Thursday evening to sunrise Friday morning would be TWO NIGHTS. Then from sunrise Friday morning to sunset Friday evening would be TWO DAYS. Then from sunset Friday evening to sunrise Saturday morning would be THREE NIGHTS. Then from sunrise Saturday morning to sunset Saturday evening would be THREE DAYS. Then sometime AFTER these three full days and three full nights of being in the heart of the earth Jesus rose from the dead before sunrise on the FIRST day of the week.

So then, following this only logical interpretation of all the Scriptures that Jesus was crucified on a WEDNESDAY on the 14th of Nisan, the day of preparation when the PASSOVER LAMB was KILLED, then all we need do is to use the Jewish calendar along with the Gregorian calendar. Then match the days of the week on the Jewish calendar to the years from 26 AD to 36 AD and see when the 14th of Nisan falls upon. It Nisan 14 falls upon a WEDNESDAY, a THURSDAY or a FRIDAY, then we know we are close to finding the year Jesus was crucified. I include Thursday and Friday for now just to show ALL of the possible years upon which Jesus may have been crucified.

Therefore, when we take a look at what DAY the 14th of Nisan fell upon between the years 26 AD and 36 AD when Pontius Pilate reigned you will find that ALL the possible choices were either on Monday, on Wednesday, on Friday, or on a Saturday. Please view the Hebrew calendar found on the link below to verify these following dates:

http://www.cgsf.org/dbeattie/calendar/?roman=3

In the year 26 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a FRIDAY.

In the year 27 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a WEDNESDAY.

In the year 28 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a MONDAY.

In the year 29 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a SATURDAY.

In the year 30 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a WEDNESDAY.

In the year 31 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a WEDNESDAY.

In the year 32 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a MONDAY.

In the year 33 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a FRIDAY.

In the year 34 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a WEDNESDAY. But yet most Christians who chose 34 AD believe and teach that Jesus was crucified on a FRIDAY and NOT on a WEDNESDAY.

In the year 35 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a MONDAY.

In the year 36 AD the 14th of Nissan was on a FRIDAY.

Now, we can immediately eliminate all the years that Nissan the 14th fell upon a MONDAY or on a SATURDAY because it would be impossible for Jesus to have risen on the FIRST day of the week seeing that he was in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights and was resurrected soon after the weekly Sabbath had ended but just before sunrise on the FIRST day from the weekly Sabbath. The Jews count the days of the week FROM AFTER the weekly Sabbath day. For example, ONE day of Sabbath means the FIRST day AFTER the weekly Sabbath day, which is SUNDAY on our present-day calendar, the FIRST day of the week. 

Therefore, a crucifixion on a Monday or a Tuesday would be far more than the three days and the three nights. And a crucifixion of a Saturday or a Sunday would not allow for three days and three nights. Therefore, the ONLY possible days of the week that Jesus could have been crucified upon would be a Wednesday, a Thursday, or a Friday. First of all, there are no Thursdays listed in the TEN possible years that fall on Nisan 14.  But even if there were some Thursdays falling on Nisan 14 during the TEN possible years of the crucifixion of Jesus, to me, the three days and three nights still do not work out smoothly. And as I have shown in the referred studies that neither does a Friday crucifixion truly fulfill the three FULL days and three FULL nights according to the Scriptures.

So again, the only plain, clear, and simple answer for Jesus being in the heart of the earth for the three FULL days and the three FULL nights would be that Jesus was crucified on a WEDNESDAY. However, to allow for ALL the possible years that Jesus may have been crucified I have included Nisan 14 falling on a Thursday or Friday as well because there is an old Jewish IDIOM that states that any PART of a day may be counted as a WHOLE day. Please read the study called Ee-18. WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY? Again, that study covers the arguments on Jesus being crucified on GOOD FRIDAY. However, for ME, I question that the JEWISH idiom is actually found in the Bible and it is the Scriptures ALONE that I myself use to base my studies upon. I only use HISTORICAL FACTS to support what the Bible itself teaches.

So then, IF all the possible days of the week are to include WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, and FRIDAY, then that leaves us with 26AD, 27AD, 30AD, 31AD, 33AD, 34AD, and 36AD for the ONLY possible years that Jesus could have been CRUCIFIED under the reign of Pontius Pilate.

Now, the four most debated years are 30 AD, 31 AD, 32 AD, and 33 AD as being the most likely. The reason being is that the years 26 AD and 27 AD are too early and the three years 34 AD through 36 AD are too late to fit ALL the evidence. We have already shown from the Bible that these years are eliminated, but this will become even clearer to you as we continue this study. Also, using this particular Hebrew calendar to calculate Nissan 14 we would have to eliminate 32 AD as well. For you see, according to this particular Hebrew calendar, Nisan the 14th on the year 32 AD falls on MONDAY, which would be too far away from the resurrection on the first day of the week to fulfill the SIGN of three full days and three full nights. However, I have seen OTHER days of the week for Nissan 14 that DIFFER from the source that I linked above. But on one source that DIFFERS there is a warning saying that they do NOT use the 20 day discrepancy in their calculations. And thus, they openly admit that their calculation might be WRONG. So to me, if THEY are not sure, then why would I trust their calculations? This is stuff that YOU have to decide for yourself. I am just giving you my own OPINION as to WHY I believe that the BEST possible years for the crucifixion and resurrection are 30 AD and 31 AD.

So then, the year 32 AD cannot be COMPLETELY eliminated seeing that an ERROR could have been made by the SOURCE that calculated the days of the week in the Hebrew calendar that fell on Nisan 14. But it is pretty safe to eliminate all the other years as being possible due to all the other evidence. I suppose one could fudge enough things to include 29 AD as well IF the calculators that I have used and linked in this study are in error.

So then, if we, at least, for NOW, eliminate 32 AD for the reason of Nisan 14 falling on a Monday, according to the calculators that I have used. That leaves us with just THREE possible YEARS for the crucifixion of Jesus, which are 29 AD, 30 AD, and 31 AD. And, according to the calculators that I have used, Nissan 14 falls on a Saturday in 29 AD. So unless another calculator places Nissan 14 in 29 AD on a WEDNESDAY, then I have to eliminate 29 AD. So to me, that only leaves 30 AD and 31 AD as the only possible years for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

Now some Christians are claiming a lot of extra Biblical evidence which they INTERPRET to be the BIRTH of Jesus in 5 BC.

But the FURTHER we go back for the BIRTH of Jesus causes complications in TRYING to prove these earlier dates to FIT all of the sound Biblical evidence.

In other words, this study can become a very, very long and drawn out study to show you all the arguments. And believe me, some of these arguments get very complicated. So to save you from all these COMPLICATED arguments that I have personally sorted through for myself, I will just give you the CONCLUSION that I myself have drawn from all the evidence that I have searched.

Many Bible scholars have placed the date of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ to be April 25, 31 AD, which was on a Wednesday. Again, that particular Wednesday on April 25 in the year 31 AD was the 14th of Nissan on the Hebrew calendar, which would be the same as the 25th of April on our Gregorian calendar. Also, there was a full moon on this day as well, for you see, the Hebrew calendar is based upon the cycle of the moon rather than the sun like the Gregorian calendar.

So then, Tuesday, the 10th of April, was a NEW moon, which cannot be seen, or reflects no sunlight. This would mean that from 1 to 3 days later the 1st sliver of the crescent moon would appear, which would indicate the beginning of the month of Nissan. Now, if we count backward from April 25 being Nissan 14, then we would arrive at Nissan 1 being on Thursday, April 12, 31AD. Here is a link to the time and date website, which is a different website from the link that I gave earlier in this study for the Hebrew calendar.

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/?year=31&country=34

Gregorian calendar

April 31 AD

Hebrew calendar

Nissan 31 AD in red

Here is yet another source that also shows 31 AD to be the year of our Lord's crucifixion and resurrection. I went ahead and pasted some of the information from this website below. Please keep in mind that while the lunar calculation can be tracked with a great deal of accuracy there is still yet room for error when trying to discern the first little sliver of the crescent moon which begins the Jewish month. So, for now, we are only using these calendars to approximate the year of our Lord's crucifixion. Later they will confirm the year 31 AD to be the exact year that Jesus was crucified, at least for ME anyway.

http://judaismvschristianity.com/Passover_dates.htm

Passover dates 26-34 A.D.

The following astronomical data in the first three columns below was obtained from the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department. The pertinent file may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/spring-phenom.

Note. The times of day given in the second and third columns have been adjusted +2 hours from U.S. Naval Observatory figures to account for the difference between Jerusalem Israel and Greenwich England (universal) time.

It should also be noted that the first evening of a visible crescent moon (column 4) always occurs only minutes after sundown, which is at the very beginning of a new day on the Hebrew calendar. This Hebrew day correlates to the following day on our Gregorian calendar as noted in the chart below (column 5). Column 6 is Passover dates for the given years.

The Hebrew year that corresponds to 31 AD is the year 3791-3792, where Nisan 1 begins the Hebrew year 3792 according to several sources. So then, if these sources are correct, then we can calculate the YEAR that Jesus was BORN. As I said at the very beginning of this study, “In order to know the exact year of our Lord's CRUCIFIXION we must also know the YEAR of our Lord's BIRTH.” So again, please read the study Ee-19. WAS JESUS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th? That study will give you all the Scriptural proof that the CONCEPTION of Jesus could have been around December 25 but his actual BIRTH was in the FALL of the year.

So for now, let us assume that Jesus began his ministry in the FALL of the year 28 AD and Jesus just turned THIRTY years of age that FALL of 28 AD.

So then, counting backward from the FALL of 28 AD thirty years we end up in the FALL of 3 BC as the year that Jesus was BORN. After closely examining all the evidence surrounding the BIRTH of Jesus and finding that the FALL of the year 3 BC meets all the Scriptural and historical criteria, I have thus fully satisfied my OWN curiosity. And, therefore, I have concluded that the year 31 AD was the exact year that Jesus was CRUCIFIED. But I am OPEN to the year 30 AD as also being a possible year of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

Again, please read the following studies to examine for yourself ALL the evidence for the DAY of the week that Jesus was raised from the dead. And all the evidence for the DAY that Jesus was CRUCIFIED. And for the YEAR that Jesus was BORN.

Dd-27. WAS JESUS RESURRECTED ON SUNDAY?

Ee-18. WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY?

Ee-19. WAS JESUS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th?

Also, please read some further extra-Biblical, historical, and even scientific evidence given below that also places the year for our Lord's crucifixion in the SPRING of 31 AD as being the BEST possible year using the CLEAR, PLAIN, and SIMPLE evidence.

However, as I have also shown, the year 33 AD cannot be totally ruled out. NOR can the year 27 AD be ruled out for the BEGINNING of the ministry of Jesus when Jesus was ANOINTED.

Now, in all honesty, I truly thought that I was done with this study, but FURTHER evidence has come to my attention that I feel has credibility as being valid. This further evidence involves the SEVENTY WEEKS of Daniel, which is a very deep subject as well as being a very highly controversial study. So, what I am going to do is to just STATE some things here at the end of this study and then give all the evidence for what I say in a NEW study called J-31. A NEW LOOK at the 70TH WEEK of DANIEL!

Some argue a very VALID point, which makes a lot of sound logical sense, but NOT ALL of what they argue do I, myself AGREE with. Here is where I do agree with that can be clearly shown in the word of God.

I believe that the year 27 AD can ALSO be shown as the year that Jesus was ANOINTED and began his ministry at the age of THIRTY, which would require Jesus to be BORN in 4 BC.

I believe that the ministry of Jesus could be shown but hard to be proven without a doubt that the ministry of Jesus was a full THREE and 1/2 years as opposed to the easy proving of a TWO year ministry. I do NOT believe that the Bible supports Jesus beginning his ministry in the FALL of the year. Nor do I believe that the Bible supports the BIRTH of Jesus to be in the SPRING of the year. And you have to have one or the other to be Biblical in order to come up with a 3 and 1/2 year ministry of Jesus. 

Anyway, the SDA Church argues, if Jesus was ANOINTED in 27 AD and his ministry was indeed THREE and 1/2 years, then Jesus would have still yet been crucified in 30 AD.

So then, You have to ask yourself WHY is there the NEED for the SDA Church to show that Jesus ministered for THREE and 1/2 years?

Well, Daniel 9:27 uses the phrase “in the MIDST of the week”. And it has been shown by the SDA Church that argues that Jesus HIMSELF has already FULFILLED the FIRST half of the SEVENTIETH week of Daniel. And thus, that leaves only a THREE and 1/2 year great tribulation as opposed to the widely accepted SEVEN full years of the great tribulation.

Now, I agree that the great tribulation will be 3 and 1/2 years as opposed to 7 years as many Christians claim. But I do NOT agree, that Jesus HIMSELF alone and by himself fulfilled the first half of the midst of the seventieth week of Daniel. But rather, I believe that the all Jewish church fulfilled the FIRST HALF of the seventieth week of Daniel. Again, please read the study J-32. WHEN is the MIDST of the 70TH WEEK 

Now some Christians argue that Jesus and the early church have ALREADY fulfilled ALL of the SEVENTIETH week of Daniel, which I myself do NOT AGREE. For you see, Jesus said that he would come IMMEDIATELY after the tribulation of those days. And CLEARLY Jesus has NOT already returned invisibly or visibly. Please read the study X-5. WHY PRETERISM is FALSE TEACHING!

Anyway, the SDA Church argument caused me to do my OWN searching of the Scriptures for the TRUE meaning of the MIDST of the week. Please read the studies J-32. WHEN is the MIDST of the 70TH WEEK, and J-31. A NEW LOOK at the 70TH WEEK of DANIEL!

So then, in conclusion, I still maintain that the YEAR of 31 AD is the BEST year for Jesus being crucified. But I am still CONSIDERING the year 30 AD as also being a possible year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected. It may surprise you that we are ALREADY IN the MIDST of the seventieth week of Daniel.

Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>>D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS!<<<

And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>>C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH!<<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.

Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament. 

To learn more TRUTH, then please return to

AMatterOfTruth.com

VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!

To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>>N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. 

My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com.

Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.

Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

RETURN to HOMEPAGE at

AMatterOfTruth.com

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Additional information related to the study above.

Here is yet another link that gives extra-Biblical evidence for the SPRING of the year 31 AD as being the time that Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead.

http://petragrail.tripod.com/tree.html

By Jewish reckoning, the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius would have begun in the fall of 27 AD, at Rosh Hashanah. And thus, 3 years from 27 AD would bring us to April 5, 30 AD. 

And thus, for a THREE year ministry, John 5:1 MUST be interpreted AGAINST the Biblical evidence to force the year 30 AD using 27 AD as the BEGINNING of the ministry of Jesus. And I myself cannot do that. But please feel free to check out this website for yourself.

This website brings forth some evidence from the Jewish Talmud. According to the Talmud, the high priest would draw out of a bag one of TWO stones, either a WHITE stone which would indicate a favorable year or a BLACK stone, which would indicate an unfavorable year. The priest would then give a prophecy for the coming year.

Again, according to the Talmud, for 40 consecutive years, the high priest drew out a BLACK stone. The LAST year for the 40th black stone to be drawn out was 69 AD, the year before the destruction of the temple, which brought an end to the priesthood and the offering of sacrifices. If we count backward from 69 AD 40 years, 1 year for each black stone we arrive at 30 AD when the first black stone was drawn.

The prophecy for that coming year was “one man must die for the nation”. So then, according to this evidence from the Jewish Talmud, the man that would die for the nation would be sometime between the FALL of 30 AD and the FALL of 31 AD. Well, most of the evidence we have looked at thus far points to the SPRING of the year 31 AD and is the year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead, which AGREES with this evidence from the Jewish Talmud.

Also, according to the Talmud, a WHITE stone was drawn which some believe would ELIMINATE 30 AD for being the year that Jesus was crucified seeing that a white stone would indicate a FAVORABLE prophecy for that coming year. Also, 30 AD seems to be too early if one strictly adheres to the SIMPLE and PLAIN evidence of August 19th of 28 AD to August 19th of 29 AD as being the FIFTEENTH year of the reign of Tiberius.

Nearly all historians agree that Tiberius Caesar is said to have reigned from 14 AD to 37 AD. However, the year 14 AD is the starting year of his SOLE reign. After Tiberius was adopted by Augustus in 4 AD, Tiberius was then granted legislative power as well as military power from 4 AD on. Then in 13 AD, his powers were made equal to that of Augustus, because of the sickness of Augustus. Some argue the year that Tiberius began to reign JOINTLY, as being 12 AD. After Augustus died on August 19th of 14 AD, then Tiberius became the SOLE ruler or Emperor of the Roman Empire.

So then, according to some, the real issue is not when Tiberius became sole ruler, but rather as to when Tiberius had already been given power by Augustus to reign and more particularly when Tiberius began to reign JOINTLY with Augustus, thus making it possible for the ministry of Jesus to begin as early as 26 AD where the year 27 AD seems to be the preferred year by those who use the JOINT reign of Tiberius. But as for ME, I have chosen the SOLE reign of Tiberius to begin the count of the 15th year of his reign.

Again, the FIFTEENTH YEAR of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, using his SOLE reign, would make the baptism of Jesus in the FALL of 28 A.D.  However, some arrive at the year 29 AD because they have neglected to use the inclusive year from August 19th to August 19th. For this reason, I personally believe the year 29 AD to be in error, because this would then DEMAND a full 3 1/2 year ministry in order to be crucified in 33 AD, which again is complicated, to be proven without a doubt, at least for me. Remember that the year 32 AD is not a possible year for the crucifixion of Jesus, because Nissan 14 fell on a Monday that year according to two different methods of calculation. This is yet another reason why I myself have chosen 28 AD to be the most likely year for Jesus to have begun his 2 year ministry.

But some conclude that this date in the FALL of the year 28 AD cannot be reconciled with the decree date to rebuild Jerusalem as prophesied by Daniel unless you allow for the fact that Tiberius JOINTLY reigned with Augustus for one to two years prior to 14 AD due to the severe illness of Augustus in his last couple of years. This would then allow the year 26 AD or 27 AD to be the year that Jesus was baptized and began his ministry at the age of thirty.

Now again, I have looked at all the evidence of this argument as well. It is presented mostly by the 7th Day Adventist Church that NEEDS to prove that the 70th week of Daniel has ALREADY been FULFILLED during the ministry of Jesus and the early church before God turned to the GENTILES. Again, their argument is quite complicated. And also, their end PREDICTION for the second coming of Jesus did not take place according to all their many changes in calculations. For you see, the Seventh Day Adventists WRONGLY believe and teach that Jesus has ALREADY returned.

Now, while I find their argument for church fulfilling the seventieth week of Daniel interesting, I myself do NOT agree with their findings, even though they agree that the year Jesus was crucified was 31 AD as well. Nonetheless, I will give you a link that shows the chart of how Jesus was SUPPOSEDLY CUT OFF or CRUCIFIED in the MIDST of the week where a week represents 7 years. In other words, according to the findings of the 7th Day Adventist, the ministry of Jesus MUST BE EXACTLY 3 1/2 years in order for Jesus to be CUT OFF in the MIDST of the EXACT MIDDLE of the week or the 7 years prophecy found in Daniel 9:25-27.

Now the strongest and most argued point for this INTERPRETATION of Daniel 9:25-27 is that the EXACT year that the DECREE went out to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem was given in the year 457 BC. Again the strongest argument given by the 7th day Adventists and others is that there is NO WAY that this year of 457 BC could be WRONG.

However, I have found other sources that dogmatically demand that it was the year 458 BC was the year that the command went forth to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem by citing other ancient documents and they dogmatically demand that the year 458 BC could NOT be WRONG. Now BOTH of these years cannot be RIGHT and it may be that NEITHER year is the EXACT correct year.

So for ME, since the ONLY evidence to use the 12 AD as the beginning year to count to the15th year of the reign of Tiberius, arguing that he reigned JOINTLY with Augustus for a few years, just so they can make Jesus be cut off EXACTLY in the middle of the week, then I myself am sticking with the SIMPLE, plain, and clear understanding that the 15th year of Tiberius is from August 19th, 28 AD to August 19, 29 AD. Also, please keep in mind that the ministry of Jesus must be 3 1/3 years in length, which again is complicated to try and prove. But again, even though I do NOT agree with the 7th Day Adventist on many things, I do agree with their findings that Jesus was indeed crucified on Nisan 14 or the year 31 AD.

But there is MORE evidence to support the year 31 AD as being the exact year that Jesus was CRUCIFIED than what we have learned thus far.

Here is a link that places a widespread EARTHQUAKE around Jerusalem in the year 31 AD. The geological evidence CENTERS the year 31 AD and gives a lead way of 5 years either way of 31 AD as the actual year of this widespread earthquake in Jerusalem.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00206814.2011.639996

This article examines the account of the earthquake that occurred at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus as recorded for us in the 27th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The article states the following:

The early first-century seismic event has been tentatively assigned a date of 31 AD with an accuracy of ±5 years. Plausible candidates include the earthquake reported in the Gospel of Matthew, an earthquake that occurred sometime before or after the crucifixion and was in effect ‘borrowed’ by the author of the Gospel of Matthew and a local earthquake between 26 and 36 AD that was sufficiently energetic to deform the sediments at Ein Gedi but not energetic enough to produce a still extant and extra-biblical historical record.

But again for ME, the most compelling evidence for Jesus being crucified in the exact year of 31 AD is found at the BIRTH of Jesus. So please read the study called Ee-19. WAS JESUS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th? In that study, I give you some very interesting evidence other than SOUND BIBLICAL evidence that Jesus was born in the FALL of 3 BC. And quite possibly, that Jesus was born in SEPTEMBER on one of the Jewish FEAST days.

Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to read ALL the studies that I gave links to throughout this study concerning this subject on Sabbath TRUTH.

My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament. 

To learn more TRUTH, then please return to

AMatterOfTruth.com

If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. 

My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com.

Some Sabbath-keeping Christians CLAIM that the early church kept the Sabbath as the Jews, but I assure you that the early first-century church was accustomed to gathering together BEFORE the light of daybreak on the FIRST day of the week that THEY called the Lord's day.

Please read all the studies linked within this study and all the studies linked below. This study was just the TIP of the iceberg of exposing the ERRORS of interpretation made by the Saturday seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping churches, and the Sunday first day of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians. All of the studies listed under the subject heading >>>Dd-0. What is the TRUE Sabbath?<<< And also read Dd-20. Did The Early Church KEEP the Sabbath day to learn the truth of what the early church believed.

Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.

Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

RETURN to HOMEPAGE at

AMatterOfTruth.com

The end.

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