What does BC and AD stand for in the Bible?

At the outset this is most evident. It was His birth in the humble stable of the inn at Bethlehem that has divided time into two parts in the reckoning of the civilised nations of the world. For hundreds of years, day after day, millions upon millions have dated their letters, business men their correspondence, parliaments their statutes, as so many years since our Lord was born. The letters B.C. stand for Before Christ; the letters A.D. (Anno Domini, Latin, in the year of our Lord), stand for After Christ. This surely testifies to the very deep and profound impression that our Lord, crucified in shame and ignominy after only a very brief three-and-a-half years of public service, made on mankind.

It is only to state a bare fact, when we say that the Bible has made the very deepest mark upon the world, changing its history and altering its outlook. Every day millions of hands bear witness to the dynamic power of the Bible when they date their letters and documents Anno Domini—in the year of our Lord.

No wonder the world pays homage to our Lord and Saviour every day when letters and documents are headed with a date based upon the day, as far as is known, of our Lord’s humble birth in the stable at Bethlehem.

Dionysius the Little, at the beginning of the sixth century, reckoned the year of the Birth as 753, after the foundation of Rome; but it is certain that Herod died, as stated above, in 750. Hence three or four years have to be deducted from 753; and so 749, i.e., 4 "B.C.," as Ellicott; whilst 5 "B.C." is taken as the date by Godet for the fifteenth year of Tiberius. Kepler, however, who has been followed by Alford, calculated that the Nativity took place in 6 "B.C." Cf. Turner, "Chronology of the New Testament," in "Hastings' Dictionary," i., p. 415, and Gilbert, "Student's Life of Jesus," pp. 95-99.

The next step then, is to seek to ascertain the exact date of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. Now, most chronologists are agreed that His birth took place at least four years earlier than our common era, A.D., and that His death occurred in the month Nisan, A.D. 29. This, indeed, is contrary to the prevailing custom of dating the crucifixion A.D. 33, but it is the conclusion arrived at by Clinton, Lardner, Adam Clarke, and Canon H. Browne in his "Ordo Saeclorum" — all men of learning and ability.

The date commonly given for this is B.C. 445; but Usher gave 455, and Hengstenberg and others contend that this is the true date. Hengstenberg shows in his "Christiology" how the mistake arose. Vitringa rectified the date, and Krüger, by an independent enquiry, also proved that the old date was wrong. Some hieroglyphic inscriptions in Egypt have shown that Artaxerxes was associated with his father in the twelfth year of the reign of Xerxes, and this information confirms the date given by Usher and others. We start then from B.C. 455. 7 weeks are 49 years 62 weeks are 434 " 483 Deduct 455 28 Add 1 year to adjust the eras B.C. and A.D. 1 29 A.D.

*This calculation takes, what indeed is now commonly accepted, the year 4 B.C. for the birth of Christ and consequently 29 A.D. for His crucifixion. But nothing whatever is gained by this attempt at numerical accuracy; and we cannot but believe that the expression "unto Messiah the Prince" is indefinite, for the reason that the Messiah, as here foretold, would be rejected by those to whom He came. It may be mentioned that some, holding that the sixty-nine weeks end with the birth of Christ, regard the first half of the seventieth week as fulfilled in the ministry of the Baptist, and its second half in the ministry of our Lord, but that, owing to the rejection of Christ this week is cancelled, and therefore remains to be gone over again. We see no Scriptural ground whatever for this opinion, for in no possible way can the ministry of John be extended to three years and a half. Another view, for which there is much more to be said, is that the Lord's ministry embraces the first half of the seventieth week, and hence that only the remaining half is yet to be fulfilled. This view will be more properly discussed in connection with verses 26, 27.

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. B.C. 27 Augustus emperor of Rome 6 Census in Judaea. Birth of John the Baptist 5 Birth of Jesus (Four full years before A.D.) Presentation in the temple. 4 Visit of the magi. Flight into Egypt, Massacre of infants. Death of Herod; Archelaus made ethnarch of Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea Herod Antipas tetrarch of Peraea and Galilee. Philip tetrarch of Ituraea, Trachonitis. etc. A.D. 6 Quirinis (Cyrenius) governor of Syria the second time Archelaus banished, and Judaea made a province of Syria. 7 Enrolment, or taxation, under Cyrenius. Annas made high priest 8 Jesus at Jerusalem. Luke 2:42-46 14 Tiberias emperor of Rome: reigns alone 17 Caiaphas made high priest 26 Pontius Pilate procurator of Judaea John commences his ministry. (See TIBERIUS.) Mark 1:1-11 Baptism of Jesus. The Temptation Miracle of the water made wine at Cana. John 2:1-11 Jesus visits Capernaum The first Passover. Jesus cleanses the temple. John 2:13-22 John cast into prison. Jesus preaches in Galilee Mark 1:14-15 Jesus at the synagogue at Nazareth: cast out of the city. Luke 4:16-30 Jesus visits the towns of Galilee Mark 1:38-39 27 Jesus visits Jerusalem (probably the second Passover). John 5. 1 The twelve Apostles chosen Mark 3:13-19 Sermon on the Mount. Matt. 5.- 7; Luke 6:17-49 Miracles in the land of the Gadarenes. Mark 5:1-20 The Jews offended at Jesus at Nazareth. Mark 6:1-5 Jesus again visits the villages around. Mark 6:6 Jesus sends forth the twelve. Mark 6:7-13 Death of John the Baptist. Mark 6:17-29 Feeding the five thousand. Mark 6:35-44 Miracles in Gennesaret. Mark 6:53-56 28 Approach of the third Passover John 6:4 Feeding the four thousand. Mark 8:1-9 The Transfiguration. Mark 9:2-10 Feast of Tabernacles. John 7. Journey towards Jerusalem. Luke 9:51 The seventy disciples sent out. Luke 10:1-16 Feast of Dedication (winter). John 10:22-39 Jesus goes away beyond Jordan. John 10:40-42 The raising of Lazarus at Bethany. John 11:1-44 Jesus retires to Ephraim. John 11:54 29 Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Cleanses the temple Mark 11:1-18 The Greeks visit Jesus. Voice from heaven. John 12:20-36 The last (fourth) Passover. The Lord's supper Mark 14:1-2 The Crucifixion. Ascension. Pentecost 30-34 The events from Pentecost to Stephen. Acts 2 — Acts 7 35 Martyrdom of Stephen. Saul "a young man" Acts 7:58-60 Great persecution, disciples scattered except the apostles Acts 8:1-4 36 Conversion of Saul (three years before his flight from Damascus.) Acts 9:26-28; (Gal. 1:18) 37 Caius (Caligula) emperor of Rome; reigns 4 years Herod Agrippa succeeds Herod Antipas Caiaphas deposed, and Jonathan made high priest 38 Paul, at Damascus and in Arabia.Gal. 1:15-18 39 Paul's first visit to Jerusalem; sent to Tarsus. Gal. 1:18; Acts 9:26-30 40 Conversion of Cornelius Acts 10. 41 Claudius emperor of Rome; reigns 13 years Judaea and Samaria united, under Herod Agrippa as king Herod (brother of Agrippa) king of Chalcis Gospel preached to the Gentiles at Antioch Acts 11:20 Barnabas goes to Antioch; fetches Paul Acts 11:26 42-3 They remain a year at Antioch Herod Agrippa's persecution. James beheaded Acts 12:2 Peter's imprisonment and release Acts 12:3-19 44 Death of Herod Agrippa. Palestine again a Roman province Acts 12:23 Paul's second visit to Jerusalem, with the collection. Acts 11:30 45 Paul returns to Antioch Acts 12:25 46-8 First journey of Paul and Barnabas to Cyprus and Asia Minor Acts 13. & Acts 14. 48 Ananias nominated high priest by Herod, king of Chalcis 49-50 Paul, after return, remains a long time at Antioch Acts 14:28 Dispute concerning circumcision, council at Jerusalem Acts 15:1 50 Paul's third visit to Jerusalem with Barnabas (fourteen years from his conversion. Gal. 2. 1) Acts 15:2 Returns and stays at Antioch. Acts 15:35 51 Second journey of Paul with Silas and Timothy through Asia Minor to Macedonia and Greece Acts 16. & Acts 17. Felix made procurator 52 Paul spends a year and a half at Corinth Acts 18:11 First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians written. The Jews banished from Rome 53 Paul leaves Corinth, and sails to Ephesus 54 Nero emperor of Rome; reigns 14 years Paul's fourth visit to Jerusalem. Returns to Antioch Acts 18:22 Third journey through Galatia and Phrygia Acts 18:23 55-6 Paul at Ephesus two years and three months. Acts 19:8, 10 Epistle to the Galatians written. First epistle to the Corinthians written. Tumult at Ephesus. Acts 19:23. Paul goes to Macedonia. 2 Cor. 2:13; Acts 20:1 57 Second Epistle to the Corinthians written. Paul goes to Corinth, and stays three months Acts 20:2-3 58 Epistle to the Romans written. Paul leaves Corinth, and goes through Macedonia with Luke.

I beg to submit to your consideration, and that of the readers of the "Bible Treasury," the following reflections on the subject of Daniel's seventy weeks, or rather of the sixty-nine weeks. If the Lord enables me to contribute any true thoughts on this subject, I shall be very thankful. Concerning Himself, as it so directly and immediately does, it cannot but be of the greatest interest to the Christian. We all agree that the seventy weeks date their commencement from the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, according to Nehemiah 2; but I have never seen a satisfactory elucidation of this period with respect to dates. This has caused me no little consideration, and with the result which I here lay, not dogmatically, but tentatively, before you. To me the matter has been rendered more difficult by the fact that the birth of our Saviour was really three years before the nominal epoch; for it is evident that historical reckoning is affected by this circumstance. I also assume that the date of the accession of Artaxerxes (Longimanus) was 464 B.C. (common reckoning).

Now as to the reckoning. Assuming that Artaxerxes came to the throne in B.C. 464, and allowing that the birth of Christ was three years before the nominal epoch, we find that the twentieth year of Artaxerxes would be 441 years before the actual birth of Christ. To this we should have to add 33, or rather 35, years (as it is usual in scripture to include parts of the first and last years as entire years), so that we get in all 476 years, and reducing these to prophetical years of 360 days to the year, the 476 become 483 years, that is, taking the complete number. But multiplying 69 by 7 is equal to 483. Hence the period seems thus made out, on the assumption of the correctness of dates now probably pretty well authenticated.