Dating Jesus

Some of our readers may have noticed that the Archdruid forecast the End this morning. Cleverly, she got around the "no one knows the day or the hour" exemption by quoting a margin of error.

But Jonny O remarked, a propos of her selection of 33AD for the events of the first Easter and Pentecost - and I quote - 

"As a member in good standing of the Pedantic Society, I wish to point out that the anniversary is in the year AD 2034, due to basic arithmetic. See, since there was no year zero, if Jesus was born in AD 1 and lived 33 years, he would have died in AD 34, not AD 33." 

You're right, there was no year zero.

But the "conventional" year in which Jesus was born wasn't 1AD. it was 1 BC. And so, if Jesus were 33 when he died, rose, and ascended then he would have been crucified, dead, buried and ascended in 33AD.

If Jesus were 33. He was "about 30 years of age" (Luke 3:23) when he began his ministry. Which, given an Archdruidical margin of error, would mean 25-35. Maybe a bit less, but clearly not precise. It's Luke - a Synoptic Gospel - which gives this age. And Luke that places John the Baptist's ministry starting at the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius - in other words, about 29AD. But we don't know how long after John Jesus started, and we don't know really how long Jesus' ministry went on - at least three years, according to John - but the Synoptics seem to cut it all a bit short.

33AD however is generally regarded as the best bet for the Crucifixion, based on dating it as a Friday on or near Passover in line with all 4 gospels (but not necessarily the actual day of Passover, based on the Synoptics - or maybe so, along with John). Which if you calculate it back 33 years, gives you Christmas Day 1 BC. If Jesus were born at Christmas. If he were 33.

But Jesus probably wasn't born in 1BC, and almost certainly not on 25 December.

In fact, if you take the Gospel as Gospel. he would more likely have been born before 4BC (when Bad King Herod died) or in 6AD (when Quirinius was governor of Syria and there was a census).

So, Johnny O, if he were born in the year that he definitely wasn't, and if he were crucified at the age of 33 which we don't know, and if he were crucified in 32AD which he can't have been - you're dead right.

Johnny O - the secretary of the Pedantic Society phoned. He says you'll be wanting your subscription back.