Nativity

Dating The Nativity

Matthew (2:1) tells us that Jesus was born "in the days of King Herod". Herod was made rightful king of Judea A.U.C.* 714, he began his actual rule after taking Jerusalem A.U.C.* 717. As the Jews reckoned their years from Nisan to Nisan, and counted fractional parts as an entire year, the above data will place the death of Herod in A.U.C.* 749, 750, 751. Again, Josephus tells us from that an eclipse of the moon occurred not long before Herod's death, such an eclipse occurred from 12 to 13 March, A.U.C.* 750. As Herod killed the children up to two years old, in order to destroy the new born King of the Jews, we are led to believe that Jesus may have been born A.U.C.* 747, 748.

For more information refer to New Advent.

* " 1. ab urbe condita (from the founding of the city [of Rome, traditionally regarded as 753 B.C.])"
" 2. anno urbis conditae (in the year from the founding of the city [of Rome, traditionally regarded as 753 B.C.])"

New Advent - Catholic encyclopedia, chronology of the life of Jesus Christ, the nativity, beginning of the public ministry, the year of the death of Christ, the day of the death of Christ. www.newadvent.org

Trillian - Biography, the life of Jesus Christ, life and teaching, the gospels of Matthew and Luke, the Christian calendar. www.trillian.com

Lexilogos - Place of Jesus in the history of the world, the life of Jesus, the disciples of Jesus, miracles, last journey of Jesus to Jerusalem, arrest and trial of Jesus and more. www.lexilogos.com

CCEL - History of the origins of Christianity, life of Jesus, place of Jesus in the history of the world, infancy and youth of Jesus Christ. www.ccel.org

About Bible Prophecy - The early life of Jesus, About 2000 years ago a man named Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in the land of Israel. www.aboutbibleprophecy.com

Jesus

Brief; Life of Jesus
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke contain narratives of Jesus' birth and infancy, which disagree in many points but concur in asserting that he was the miraculously conceived son of Mary, the wife of Joseph, and that he was born at Bethlehem in Judaea.

All four Gospels agree in dating his call to public ministry from the time of his baptism at the hands of John "the baptist," after which he took up the life of an itinerant preacher, teacher and healer, accompanied by a small band of disciples apostle. The central theme of Jesus' teaching, often conveyed in the form of a parable, was the near advent of God's Reign or Kingdom, attested not merely by his words but by the "wonders" or "signs" that he performed.

The chronology of this period in Jesus' life is entirely uncertain; what seems clear is that his activities evoked skepticism and hostility in high quarters, Roman as well as Jewish. After perhaps three years in Galilee, he went to Jerusalem to observe Passover. There he was received enthusiastically by the populace, but was eventually arrested and, with the cooperation of the Jewish authorities, executed under Roman law as a dangerous messianic pretender. The Gospels give relatively detailed and lengthy accounts of his last days, suggesting that the story of Jesus' Passion was a central element in early Christian oral tradition.

They close with accounts of his empty tomb, discovered on the "third day," and of his later appearances to Mary and Mary Magdalene and to the circle of his disciples as risen from the dead.

For more on the life of Jesus refer to Trillian.