When was Jesus born?

(18) On August 29, 2011 at 1:33 am 09rowej [1] said:

too bad he isnt real!!!!!

(17) On August 22, 2011 at 2:42 am 09rowej [1] said:

who's jesus

(16) On September 14, 2010 at 5:10 am MalVax321 [0] said:

The actual meaning for AD is Anno Domine, meaning which is Latin for "year of our Lord". As for any time-frame to his birth, as any scriptures state (previously in this text) he was born anywhere from 6BCE to 4CE. This is a major topical issue, as because of different readings and factual information, this raises into question the validity of the Book itself. (Not meaning to go against it, or start any controversial arguments), if there is no definite time-line, then what is reality, as well as anything mentioning the date of his birth (the fact that in the winter, sheep would not be in the fields) then bringing to question, was he really born on Christmas Day, or was this holiday created to cover up the fact that, just like all other Christian based holidays, are on or around the time of other religious holidays? Pagan holidays, for example, (which came well before Christianity existed) have holidays on or around every Christian holiday made. Does that mean that the Christian religion was made to try and snuff out all other religions, or does it mean that all religions are right, in the respects that everything exists on or near the same dates? Only one being will ever know the truth to that question, and that is the Creator himself.

(15) On June 16, 2010 at 10:01 pm Isnot [0] said:

Has a comet been linked to the time of Jesus's birth?

(14) On May 30, 2010 at 1:45 pm Onemoreanswer [0] said:

the writer of luke is primarily concerned with the meaning of numbers used. observing inconsistencies in the stories, one sees that the only regard is given for the major meanings. so for the meaning of the story of jesus, i'm pretty sure the writer wanted jesus to finish his career and give a 40 year warning before the 70 AD temple demolition. part of the writing is to justify the roman destruction of that "wicked" city. take your calculator punch in 70 and subtract 40 and the number of ministry years and his age at entering ministry and that's the number to go with if you are teaching bible stories etc.

we do this ourselves when we say we spent a year at school when we don't really mean 12 months. but anyone listening gets the idea.

aside:

surprisingly, if the numbers are really to be believed; then only lazarus could be the son of man because he is the only one on record who was in the heart of the earth 3 days and 3 nights (dead for 4 days) and jesus said that would be the ONLY sign of the son of man. this sign effectively eliminates jesus as being the son of man since we have jesus himself saying that lazarus was dead 4 days. and are you going to believe jesus or not?

so its best to go with the meaning and forget the numerical accuracy for religious purposes. getting accurate with the numbers sometimes muddles up the meaning of the idea.

(13) On May 11, 2010 at 7:50 pm Eddie429 [2] said:

wow

(12) On March 19, 2010 at 6:48 pm Birateeba [0] said:

but how was he born then because luke was not even alive at that time so I have proved you wrong

(11) On December 22, 2009 at 6:52 pm Dick Harfield [1146] said:

It could only have been Herod the Great. It could not have been Antipas, because he did not inherit the territory of Judea, which includes Bethlehem. It could not have been Archelaus, who did get Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea, because Matthew says the family started out to return to Judea after the king's death. Archelaus did not die in office.

(10) On December 22, 2009 at 6:14 pm Sdmcclain1 [0] said:

It wasn't Herod the Great but his son Hero Antipas, who wasn't dead at 4BCE

(9) On November 4, 2009 at 10:03 pm Nij [0] said:

would someone like to explain how you can be born only before a date BCE and only after a date CE? BCE precedes CE, so being born before 4BCE AND after 6BCE is kind of impossible. Methinks people are using the wrong dates in the wrong places.

(8) On March 7, 2009 at 6:38 am Dick Harfield [1146] said:

The following discussion moved from the main page:

"Here follow many possible answers. There seem to be many answers to the question, some of which are anecdotal, some approaching fantasy, and others that appear very possible and even highly probable. It is suggested that you read the answers given and take account of the more detailed examination of the accounts of the birth and the most probable date that follows at the end. "

(7) On March 6, 2009 at 11:47 am PeteNco [657] said:

Note: Amendments made to answer regarding evidence on Quirinius and the census made with permission of the Community Advisor.

(6) On February 7, 2009 at 2:17 am JFox16 [0] said:

If you want the truth: Jesus was born April 6th 1BC, died April 1st 33AD, and was resurrected April 3rd 33AD (Sunday). He lived almost to His 33rd birthday.

(5) On December 5, 2008 at 10:47 am JohnWelsh [372] said:

Publius Sulpicius Quirinius ("Cyrenius") was believed to be governor of Syria in AD 6, although Luke's Gospel dates Christ's birth during the time of Herod the Great who is believed to have died in 4BC - ten years earlier.

However, many modern historians now believe that Quirinius was also appointed governor of Cilicia ten years before his governorship of Syria. Cilicia was later annexed to Syria, although not being part of Syria at the time. Therefore in Luke's account, which was written quite a few years later, he refers to Cilicia as Syria - which, of course, it then was. This is quite acceptable - if someone visits Alaska nowadays we say they have gone to the USA - as Alaska is part of the Union. However before its inclusion, any person in Alaska would not have been classed as American.

The main reference to a census taking place in Judea was the census decreed by Quirinius in 6AD by the Roman historian Josephus. However, in the Greek account, Luke also refers to HIS census at Bethlehem as Quirinius' FIRST census - implying in the Greek that a subsequent census took place of which Josephus spoke, in 6 AD, an original census being taken much earlier, which Josephus was unaware of, or dismissed as unimportant.

There is very good reason to believe that Quirinius was actually twice in a position of command (the Greek expression hegemoneuo in Luke 2:2 which is often translated "governor" really just means "to be leading" or "in charge of") over the province of Syria, which included Judea as a political subdivision. The first time would have been when he was leading military action against the Homonadensians during the period between 12 and 2 B.C. His title may even have been "military governor."

A Latin inscription discovered in 1764 adds weight to the idea that Quirinius was in a position of authority in Syria on two separate occasions. There was definitely a taxing during this time and therefore, quite possible, an associated census, the details of which may have been common knowledge in Luke's time, but are now lost to us.

One has to realise that the author Luke was no fool; as a learned doctor he was highly intelligent and methodical. Over and over (in references to 32 countries, 54 cities, and 9 islands in his books, plus dates, areas, rulers and so on) the doctor has proved himself to be a highly reliable historian, placing events both in his own Gospel and in his second book of the Acts of the Apostles, with great precision. In his Gospel he makes this systematic approach very clear in the first words of the account...

" Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eye-witnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."

One can infer from this that he was commissioned by Theophilus to do exactly what he did - to set out a systematic, thoroughly researched account of the things that happened.

Sadly, there are those who, because the count is written in the Bible, automatically dismiss it as fantasy, myth or legend, or even downright fairy story. With Luke's account of the pinpointing of Christ's birth the musings of those who think they know better could not be further from the truth of the accurate account that Luke sets out.

(4) On September 25, 2008 at 12:00 am Dick Harfield [1146] said:

Amending Answers and Discussion by agreement from Community Advisor.

(3) On August 23, 2008 at 2:23 am Majeston [0] said:

Jesus was born August 21 at noon, 7 B.C.

On May 29, 7 B.C., there occurred an extraordinary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation of Pisces. And it is a remarkable astronomic fact that similar conjunctions occurred on September 29 and December 5 of the same year. Upon the basis of these extraordinary but wholly natural events the well-meaning zealots of the succeeding generation constructed the appealing legend of the star of Bethlehem and the adoring Magi led thereby to the manger, where they beheld and worshiped the newborn babe.

(Jesus was almost thirty-one and one-half years old when he was baptized. While Luke says that Jesus was baptized in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, which would be A.D. 29 since Augustus died in A.D. 14, it should be recalled that Tiberius was coemperor with Augustus for two and one-half years before the death of Augustus, having had coins struck in his honor in October, A.D. 11. The fifteenth year of his actual rule was, therefore, this very year of A.D. 26, that of Jesus' baptism. And this was also the year that Pontius Pilate began his rule as governor of Judea.)

(2) On June 27, 2008 at 1:35 am Dick Harfield [1146] said:

In response to the previous Discussion post, there is, as yet, no independent, scholarly accepted evidence that Cyrenius was twice governor of Syria, and most scholars accept that he was governor only once.

Some contributors have assumed that Cyrenius (Quirinius) was twice governor of Syria. This may yet be proven to be the case, but at this stage, but I have amended these entries to more accurately say "some believe" that he was.

(1) On August 18, 2007 at 4:13 am Itchie.c2 [1148] said:

On: "Cyrenius was indeed twice Governor of Syria. "

please give verifiable references and dates of Cyrenius Governorship of Syria.

I may be wrong, but to my knowledge, Cyrenius was Governor of Syria in 6BCE (only once) and Governor of Cilicia (which was later annexed to Syria). Tnx

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