What year was Jesus Christ born?

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.

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.

The same that is called by the Romans 'Quirinus.' He was governor of Syria in A.D. 6, and then carried out a taxing, which is probably alluded to in Acts 5:37. This for a long time created a difficulty as to the 'taxing' by Cyrenius being made when the Lord was born, B.C. 4; but Prof. A. W. Zumpt of Berlin has stated with apparently good authority that Cyrenius was twice governor of Syria: the first time from B.C. 4 to B.C. 1, which agrees well with Luke 2:2. The 'taxing' at that time may have been merely a census of the population and their property; and on his second governorship the census may have been for taxation, which, being always hateful to the Jews, probably led to the insurrection in Acts 5.

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.

Further evidence as to this may be gathered from early writers. Tertullian, in the second century, says: — "In the fifteenth year of his reign [Tiberius], Christ suffered, … whose sufferings were completed within the time of the seventy hebdomads, under Tiberius Cesar, Rubellius Geminus and Rufus Geminus being consuls, in the month of March at the time of the Passover" (Adv. Judaeos, c. 8) Lactantius, at the beginning of the fourth century, writes: — "Who [Herod] was under the empire of Tiberius Caesar; in the fifteenth year of whose reign, that is, during the consulship of the two Gemini, … the Jews affixed Christ to the cross" (Instit. 4:10). Augustine also, writing in the fourth century, says: — "Christ died in the consulship of the Gemini" (De. Civ. Dei. 18:54).

Thus may be seen that the Fathers (so called) seem agreed respecting the names of the consuls at the time of the crucifixion. In fact, so nearly unanimous were they in this, that one writer remarks: — "Nowhere in the first five centuries do we find any other consular date of the death of Christ than the year of the two Gemini, except in the Greek writer, Epiphanius." Now, with such strong evidence before us it seems we may safely conclude that our Lord suffered in the fifteenth year of Tiberius' reign (A.D. 29), when two persons bearing the same surname — the two Gemini — were consuls of Rome. This latter circumstance is said to be unprecedented in the annals of that city. It gives, therefore, additional proof to the accuracy of the above date.

*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.

Son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia, his name in full being the same as his father's. He was step-son of Augustus, and was the second emperor of Rome. There is only an incidental reference to him under this name in the N.T. — the fifteenth year of his reign being the time when John the Baptist began his ministry. Luke 3:1. His reign is put down as A.D. 14-37, but there is evidence that he reigned two or three years with Augustus, and the above 'fifteenth year' is reckoned from the earlier date. By comparing this with Luke 3:22-23, it will be seen that it could not have been later than A.D. 25 or 26; for Christ was born four years before the Era A.D., and now He 'began to be about 30 years old.' Tiberius was a most profligate man, and his government was despotic and cruel.

His anxieties were heightened by the visit of the Magi to Jerusalem, inquiring for the child who had been born KING OF THE JEWS. Herod cunningly sought to find out what child was to have this honour, that he might at once cut him off. Being thwarted by the Magi he ordered the massacre of all the infants in the district; but God had sent away His Son from his power. Matt. 2:1-22. Herod died B.C. 4. This was the first earthly 'power' that had anything to do with the Lord Jesus. We know from Rev. 12:1-5 that Satan was really the actor through Herod; but he was defeated then and will be again and again until his final doom.

And this unites singularly with the voice of chronology here, as I have elsewhere pointed out. The voices of chronologists are indeed so perplexingly at variance that it may be hard to say what is the voice of chronology at all. I pretend to no ability whatever to settle such questions, but simply taking up that which is to be found in our common Bibles, and taking from it, as we are said to be entitled to do, the odd four years, we find the Lord's birth falling on the four thousandth year of the world. A little knowledge of the significance of numbers, and of the characteristic of the previous ages as probational ones, makes that a very interesting date indeed. Four thousand years are, of course, forty centuries. Forty is the well-known symbol of probation in the fullest way. Israel had their forty years of trial in the wilderness, the Lord His forty days; Esau was forty years old when he married two Canaanitish wives, and stamped himself fully as the "profane person" which his renunciation of the birth-right had before indicated him to be.

255 And mark this. All testimony is directly contrary to the date necessary to Mr. N.'s system. He has nothing for it but its own probability. Yes, I am wrong there: there is his assertion, and yet scarcely that — it is insinuated. To insert the publication of the gospel between the destruction of Jerusalem and "immediately after," would have suggested the enquiry for some proof — a thing not to be had. Hence, where it suited him, there "it is unreasonable to doubt that the detailed annunciations of Matthew 24 were first composed very soon after the war of Titus" (Phases, p. 170), after the siege. When a dream is in question — it is written by an unknown person seventy or eighty years after the nativity. The former date would be either the year of the siege, according to the vulgar era, or (by the correction of chronology, generally received) four, or according to others, five years before it; but then seventy or eighty left margin for that, if the four years' error was known by the reader; and a loose period of five or six possible years after left it possibly just at the critical moment, without too much danger of interfering with "immediately after." It is very nicely arranged.

For the views of independent British scholars on the place and time of the Lord's Birth, see Ramsay, "Was Christ Born at Bethlehem?"; and Rendel Harris' paper in Expositor, March 1908. It probably took place in the autumn (Sept.), about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:34), under the Full Moon, five months after the birth of the Baptist, which would be about Passover.

49 Luke 2:8. — For the word χώρα, "country," see Ps. 132:6, in the LXX., and verses 12, 16 there, for "ye shall find" (verse 12). Mithra was likewise said to have been seen as a newly-born babe by shepherds.