When was Jesus born?

Also, "evidence" is far different than "proof". I doubt that any of us will have "proof" until we have all knowledge.

However, my assumptions are based on evidence gleaned from Scripture and history both, without resorting to traditions of men who are trying to prove a certain point.

40 years old?

 

"Forty has long been universally recognized as an important Biblical number, both on account of the frequency of its occurrence, and the uniformity of its association with a period of probation, trial, and chastisement of a covenant people."

Numbers In Scripture, E.W. Bullinger

 

There's no scripural or historical evidence to suggest that Jesus was 40 when he was crucified. He was likely in his mid-thirties, and most claim a number of 33, but we simply do not know with any reasonable certainty. It's certainy possible that he was 40, but not with any measure of assuredness.

 

If he was about 30 when he entered his public ministry, and his public ministry lasted a little over 3 years, then I don't quite see how he could have been 40. I could see 32 or 34 as being within the realm of probability, though.

 

Scripture tells us he was about 30 when he began his ministry. He could have been 29 or 32 for all we know.

Also, we generally think that his ministry was 3 years, but it could have been 2 or 5 years for all we know.

 

Luke 3:1,21-23 - Jesus was baptized "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea."

Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea from AD 26 to AD 36.

Tiberius Caesar succeeded Augustus as emperor; his reign lasted from AD 14 to AD 37. The fifteenth year should not be caculated from when Tiberius was given equal authority with Augustus in AD 12, but when he was named emperor by the Senate on September 17, AD 14, one month after the death of Augustus. The fifteenth year would extend from September 17, 28 to September 17, 29, with the baptism of Jesus in Aug-Sept of AD 29.

Aug-Sept 29 to Aug-Sept 30 = 1 year
Aug-Sept 30 to Aug-Sept 31 = 2 years
Aug-Sept 31 to Aug-Sept 32 = 3 years
Aug-Sept 32 to April 3, 33 = 3.5 years

Sept-Oct 8 BC, birth of Christ
Aug-Sept 29 AD, baptism

Christ 36 when he began his ministry.

 

So, 36 is "about 30"?

Tiberius Caesar was ruler in the provinces for two years before Augustus Caesar died. That's when his rule began. He may not have ruled all the empire, but that's when his rule began.

So, The rule of Tiberius began in 12 AD. The 15th year of his rule would be about 26-27 AD. (By "about", I don't mean a six year spread, either.)

He was baptized and then began his public ministry, and we are told that he began his public ministry when he was about 30. (BTW, by standard usage, 36 would more likely be "about 40"; but, firstborn sons entered public service at 30, which is what he would have done.)

Give him 3 years of public service, and that would have put the crucifixion in 29-30 AD.

29 AD is the year that fulfills all the prophecies, including the types given in the Feasts. About 33 years earlier, all the prophecies, including the Feasts were fulfilled concerning his birth.

I don't think God does things halfway.

"Oh, well, these years don't meet the prophecies and the types, but they're close enough!" I don't think that's God's attitude at all. God is perfect.

 

Firstborn sons entered public service at 30? Where did you get that bit of info from. Interesting if true.

 

"Tiberius Caesar was ruler in the provinces for two years before Augustus Caesar died. That's when his rule began."

WRONG! Tiberius was named emperor by the Senate on September 17, AD 14, one month after the death of Augustus.

"(BTW, by standard usage, 36 would more likely be "about 40"

At 36 he would be in his thirties, at 46 he would be in his forties, at 56 he would be over the hill.

 

Numbers 3 or 4, I believe. From 30 years to 50 years for those that do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. (If I remember correctly, David was 30 when he began to reign as well, as a side note.)

It was originally the first born, then it became a Levitical law.

As a first-born son, Jesus would have been consecrated to the temple. He was a rabbi.

 

So, if he wasn't ruling for those two years that he was ruler in the provinces, what was he doing?

 

From A.D. 4 to 14 Tiberius was clearly Augustus's successor. When he was adopted, he also received grants of proconsular power and tribunician power; and in A.D. 13 his proconsular power was made co-extensive with that of Augustus. [[11]] In effect, Tiberius was now co-princeps with Augustus so that when the latter finally died on 19 August A.D. 14, Tiberius's position was unassailable and the continuation of the Principate a foregone conclusion. After 55 years living at the behest of his stepfather, Tiberius finally assumed the mantle of sole power.

http://www.hadrians.com/rome/romans/emperors/emperor_tiberius.html

 

That still doesn't answer this question.

Let's take George W. Bush. He was governor, then he was president. He's been president for several years now. Does that mean that for the years prior to becoming president that he wasn't leading?

 

The December 25th date, as some have already posted, was chosen simply to co-opt an existing religious festival.

( Wikipedia )

see also: Sol Invictus

Der Herr

 

Thank you for the Wikipedia addy.
I'll be challenging that error

 

Prophecynut: //Aug-Sept 29 to Aug-Sept 30 = 1 year
Aug-Sept 30 to Aug-Sept 31 = 2 years
Aug-Sept 31 to Aug-Sept 32 = 3 years
Aug-Sept 32 to April 3, 33 = 3.5 years//

This data was MADE TO fit half the 70th week
of Daniel. It is NOT good data. Most the discussions
of the ministry of Jesus run from 2 to 3 years.

Here is a data made to fit the three prophecies
of 1260 'days' one of which might be 1260 years:

In 1948AD the Israli state was born.
1948-1260 = 688.
In 688AD is when the Dome of the Rock (DOR)
on Temple Mount in Jerusalem was dedicated.

Problem is, to raise funds the DOR was dedicated
most every year for 120 years while work was being
done on the DOR. 688 was one of those years.
But the '688AD special dedication of the DOR' is
a 'made up data'. Be adult, stay away from
'let's pretend' data.