Jesus' Birthday

Except, there is no 0 A.D.

Anno Domini (A.D.) dating system dates back to around 525 A.D - a Roman monk named Dionysius Exiguus was calculating the date for Easter

Anno Domini was not adopted until the eighth century

In 1422, Portugal became the last Western European country to adopt the Anno Domini system.

Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia A week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25

During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration

Christianity imported the Saturnalia festival hoping to take the pagan masses in with it Christian leaders succeeded in converting to Christianity large numbers of pagans by promising them that they could continue to celebrate the Saturnalia as Christians

To remedy this, Christian leaders named Saturnalia's concluding day, December 25th, to be Jesus' birthday

So, Jesus was not born on Dec 25

Where do we start to determine when Jesus was born?

Look at the scriptures - determine dates based on other people in the Bible

• John
• Herod

One source that documents Herod's life was Flavius Josephus

Jesus had to be born before Herod died

Mat 3:14 And then he arose, and took the young child, and the child's mother, by night, and departed into Egypt;
Mat 3:15 And was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord, by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my Son.

Five days after the execution of his son Antipater

Thirty-four years after he "obtained his kingdom" (i.e., conquered Jerusalem and had its Hasmonean king, Antigonus, killed).

Thirty-seven years after "he had been made king by the Romans."

Herod died shortly after an eclipse of the moon

Does the year start when the King begins his reign?

Or, does the year start on a specific date?

• Is a partial year counted as one year?
• Is only a full year counted as one year?

Biblical chronology scholar Andrew E. Steinmann comments:

• Josephus does not count the partial first year when dating reigns in this period

Not really useful in determining Herod's death unless a date can be fixed for the execution

Thirty-four years after he "obtained his kingdom"

Thirty-seven years after "he had been made king"

Herod died shortly after an eclipse of the moon

Josephus gave an impossible date (one that did not exist) for Herod's appointment as king

He said it was in the 184th Olympiad, which ended in midyear 40 B.C. and that it was in the consulship of Calvinus and Pollio, which began in late 40 and extended into 39

• So, which year was it - 40 or 39?

The Roman historians Appian and Dio Cassius

By comparing this set of events to how they are dated in Dio Cassius's Roman History, it can be shown that the events in question--including the appointment of Herod--took place in 39 B.C

Given how Josephus dates reigns in this period, he would not have counted Herod's partial first year in 39 B.C. but would have started his count with 38 B.C.

Count 37 years forward from that and you have 1 B.C.

Josephus gives contradictory dating information for Herod's conquest of Jerusalem

Some of the dating information he provides points to 37 B.C. and some points to 36 B.C.

Bearing in mind that Josephus wasn't counting partial first years, that would put Herod's death either in 2 B.C. (if he conquered Jerusalem in 37) or in 1 B.C. (if he conquered the city in 36)

Lunar eclipses around that time

• A total eclipse on March 23rd, 5 BC at 8.52 pm.
• A partial eclipse on March 13th, 4 BC at 4.04 am. This has been picked by some, but we'll see it does not work
• A total eclipse on January 10th, 1 BC at 1.35 am. Note: There was no lunar eclipse in 2 B.C.

Putting all the dates together, he would have died between January 10, 1 B.C. (the date of the lunar eclipse) and April 11, 1 B.C. (the date of Passover)

Mat 3:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth; and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

Two years of age is the maximum, but that could have included an extra year to ensure all 1-year old's were killed

"Our Lord was born about the forty-first year of the reign of Augustus." (Against Heresies, III, xxi, 3)

This translates into 3/2 B.C.

"And our Lord was born in the twenty-eighth year...in the reign of Augustus." (Stomata, I, xxi, 145) The twenty-eighth year of Augustus' defeat of Antony and Cleopatra, from which Clement here numbers his reign, was Aug. 29, 3 B.C. to Aug. 28, 2 B.C.

Hence, Clement places Jesus' birth in 3/2 B.C.

"In the forty-first year of the empire of Augustus, when he has been reigning twenty-eight years after the death of Cleopatra, the Christ is born." (Answer to the Jews, chap VIII)

Tertullian places the birth of Christ at 3/2 B.C.

Julius Africanus wrote a series of "chronographies," most of which have been lost, but of which we possess extensive extracts and quotes, including Eusebius.

Africanus gives the number of from years from Adam to the first year of Cyrus as 4943 years. He further states that Cyrus ascended the throne in the first year of the fifty-fifth Olympiad (Ol. 55, 1), which was 560/559 B.C. Thus, 4943 anno Adami = Ol. 55, 1 = 560/550 B.C.

Africanus then goes on to say there were 5500 years from Adam unto the appearance (Gk. epiphanian) of Christ.

Based upon the above formula where 4943 anno Adami = Ol. 55, 1 = 556/559 B.C., this would mean 5500 anno Adami = Ol. 194, 2 = 3/2 B.C.

Hippolytus brought his chronologies to the thirteenth year of Severus Alexander (A.D. 234), giving the number of years from Adam as 5738.

He assigns the whole number of years from Adam to Christ as 5502.

Thus, 5738 yrs. (the thirteenth of Severus) - 5502 yrs. (the birth of Christ) = 236 yrs.

The difference between A.D. 234 (the thirteenth year of Severus) and 236 is two years, placing the birth of Christ in 2 B.C.

In a fragment of Origen's homilies on Luke, he states that Jesus was born in the forty-first year of Augustus, that Augustus ruled in all fifty-six years, and that there remained to his rule from and after Christ's birth fifteen years. (Frag. 82 on Luke 3:1)

This translates to 3/2 B.C.

Bishop of Salamis on the island Cyprus, Epiphanius states that Augustus reigned fifty-six years, and that Jesus was born in the forty-second year of his reign. (Panarion, XX, ii)

He names as counsuls Octavius for the thirteenth time and Silvanus (Augusto XIII et Silvano). (Panarion, LI, xxii, 3)

This equates to 2 B.C.

In his Seven Books of History Against the Pagans, Orosius says that Christ was born in the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the founding of Rome (A.U.C.) 752 A.U.C. = 2 B.C.

The census (registration) of 3/2 BC is mentioned only by Luke and Tertullian (Augustus wrote an account of the major events of his life; he wrote of official censuses in 28 BC, 8 BC, and 14 AD, but nothing of the year in discussion, yet Luke said the whole Roman world was involved).

The year 2 BC was one of the most important in the career of Augustus, as he was sixty years old and it was the Silver Jubilee of his rule (begun in 27BC; it was also the 750th anniversary of the founding of Rome).

On February 5, 2 BC, the Senate and the people of Rome awarded him the highest of all decorations: Pater Patriae (Father of the Country).

There was no year like it for celebrations in Rome, and the festivities and celebrations encompassed the Empire in its entirety (the provinces).

The purpose of this registration was to secure an oath of allegiance to Caesar Augustus in his Jubilee year.

Various authors have suggested that this "oath of allegiance" and the census mentioned by Luke are one and the same [Lewin, Fasti Sacri, and more recently P.W. Barnett, Expository Times, 85 {1973-74}, pps. 377-380].

An inscription with such an oath of obedience has been found in Paphlagonia, and is clearly dated to 3 BC [Lewis & Reinhold, Roman Civilization, vol. II, pps. 34 and 35, Harper Torchbooks

It is reasonable that a period of about a year was allowed for complete enrollment, thus beginning the registration of 3BC, in plenty of time for the celebrations in 2BC when the title became official.

That the registration was not for the purpose of taxation is seen by the fact that as long as King Herod was alive, no taxes were paid to Rome

The oath of loyalty issued by Augustus in 3 BC brought Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to their native city of Bethlehem.

Mary normally would not have needed to go with Joseph, but since both were royal claimants, both had to appear in person and sign the document.

Zacharias was of the course of Abia

• Of the course of Abia - The Greek word so translated implies a system of rotation, each "set" or "course" of the priests serving from Sabbath to Sabbath. That named after Abia, or Abijah, appears in 1 Chronicles 24:10 as the eighth of the twenty-four courses into which the houses of Eleazar and Ithamar were divided by David. Zacharias' service in the Temple was week 8 of the Hebrew year plus Pentecost in week 9 when all priests were required in the Temple John was conceived shortly after Zacharias finished his priestly duties

Jesus was conceived 6 months after John

The service of Abia

• Iyar 26 to Sivan 3, 3758 (week of service) - May 19 to 25, 4 BC
• Sivan 4 to 10 (plus week of Pentecost when all priests were at the temple) - May 26 to June 1, 4 BC
• Conception of John - Sivan 12 to Tamuz 1, 3757 - June 3 to 22 1, 4 B.C.

Conception of Jesus - 6 months later Dec 2 to 21, 4 B.C. Note: Chanukah, Dec 14 to 21, 4 B.C.

Birth of Jesus - 40 weeks after conception Sept 1 to 21, 3 B.C.

• Fits Revelation 12 description

The service of Abia

• Iyar 26 to Sivan 3, 3759 (week of service) - May 11 to 17, 3 BC
• Sivan 4 to 10 (plus week of Pentecost when all priests were at the temple) - May 18 to 24

Conception of John - Sivan 12 to Tamuz 1, 3759 - May 26 to June 14, 3 B.C.

Conception of Jesus - 6 months later Nov 24, to Dec 13, 3 B.C. Note: Chanukah, Dec 2 to 9, 3 B.C.

Birth of Jesus - 40 weeks after conception Aug 24 to Sept 13, 2 B.C.

• Also fits Revelation 12 description

Commentary from Adam Clarke on Luke 2:8: It was a custom among the Jews to send out their sheep to the deserts, about the passover, and bring them home at the commencement of the first rain: during the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As the passover occurred in the spring, and the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our October and November, we find that the sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole of the summer. And as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced,...

Commentary: This is also consistent with a Sept birth month.

Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great sign in heaven, in the likeness of things on the earth; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
Rev 12:2 And the woman being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Rev 12:3 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up unto God and his throne.

Moon under her feet

Upon her head a crown of twelve stars

• There are 12 visible stars around Virgo's head

John saw the scene when the Sun "clothed" the Woman" (to be mid-bodied], and this happens between about 150 and 170 degrees along the ecliptic, which occurs over about a 20-day period each year

The word "under" signifies that the Woman's feet were positioned just over the Moon.

Since the feet of Virgo represent the last 7 degrees of the constellation (in the time of Christ this would have been between about 180 and 187 degrees along the ecliptic], the Moon has to be positioned somewhere under the 7 degree arc.

But the Moon also has to be in that exact location when the Sun is mid-bodied to Virgo.

Jesus was born in the month of Sept

• If he was born in 3 BC, then his birthday was Sept 22 (Julian) or Sept 20 (Gregorian)
• If he was born in 2 BC, then his birthday was Sept 12 (Julian) or Sept 10 (Gregorian)