What are the dates and years of Jesus’ birth?
What are the dates, years and duration of Jesus’ ministry?
What are the dates, years and hours of his crucifixion and death?
What proof do we have that Jesus died on a Wednesday and was resurrected on Saturday?
 

The purpose of this document is to have one paper, which establishes the dates, years, hours and the days of the week of these various events of the life of Jesus Christ. It will include resources from Bullinger’s Companion Bible and the Internet.

We will address these questions in 3 parts:

Part 1) Questions about His birth.
Part 2) Questions about His ministry.
Part 3) Questions about His death and resurrection.

Part 1) Questions about His birth

A quote from Mr. Armstrong’s book, "The Real Jesus":
 

"Jesus was born sometime in the late summer or early autumn of 4 BC.
 

The first time I ever made this statement to anyone I was viewed with a combination of doubt, incredulity, hostility and outright pity.
 

"How in the world could Jesus have been born before Christ?" I was asked.
 

It so happens that the present system in the Western Christian-professing world of counting years either prior to or subsequent to the event of our Savior’s birth was not established until the work of Dionysius the Little, many, many centuries this side of the event.
 

Resource: Bullinger’s Companion Bible Appendix 179
 

It goes through all of the calendar math and other facts and concludes:
 

"It thus appears without the shadow of a doubt that the day assigned to the Birth of the Lord, videlicet: December 25, was the day on which He was "begotten of the Holy Ghost", that is to say, by pneuma hagion = divine power (Matthew 1:18, 20 marg.), and His birth took place on the 15th of Ethanim, September 29, in the year following, thus making beautifully clear the meaning of John 1:14,"The Word became flesh" (Matthew 1:18,20) on 1st Tebeth or December 25 (5 B.C.), "and tabernacled (Greek eskenosen) with us", on 15th of Ethanim or September 29 (4 B.C.).
 

The 15th of Ethanim (or Tisri) was the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Circumcision therefore took place on the eighth day of the Feast = 22nd Ethanim = October 6-7 (Leviticus 23:33-43). So that these two momentous events fall into their proper place and order, and the real reason is made clear why the 25th of December is associated with our Lord…"
 

The following is presented for clarity of the number of years Christ was alive.

Late autumn 4 BC –birth
Late autumn 3 BC -1 year old
Late autumn 2 BC -2 years old
Late autumn 1 BC -3 years old
Late autumn 1 AD -4 years old (Note: there was no year "0")
Late autumn 2 AD -5 years old
Late autumn 3 AD -6 years old
Late autumn 4 AD -7 years old
Late autumn 5 AD -8 years old
Late autumn 6 AD -9 years old
Late autumn 7 AD -10 years old
Late autumn 8 AD -11 years old
Late autumn 9 AD -12 years old
Late autumn 10 AD -13 years old
Late autumn 11 AD -14 years old
Late autumn 12 AD -15 years old
Late autumn 13 AD -16 years old
Late autumn 14 AD -17 years old
Late autumn 15 AD -18 years old
Late autumn 16 AD -19 years old
Late autumn 17 AD -20 years old
Late autumn 18 AD -21 years old
Late autumn 19 AD -22 years old
Late autumn 20 AD -23 years old
Late autumn 21 AD -24 years old
Late autumn 22 AD -25 years old
Late autumn 23 AD -26 years old
Late autumn 24 AD -27 years old
Late autumn 25 AD -28 years old
Late autumn 26 AD -29 years old
Late autumn 27 AD -30 years old—begins His ministry
Late autumn 28 AD -31 years old
Late autumn 29 AD -32 years old
Late autumn 30 AD -33 years old
Passover (spring) 31 AD -33.5 years old---crucified
 

The Great Story Proved (posted on the Internet at: http://home.sprynet.com/~pabco/magi.htm)

The proof of history is in the "Chronicle of John Malalas", translated by Matthew Spinka (Univ. of Chicago Press, 1940). John Malalas was a historian of Antioch, Syria (c. 491-578 AD). On pages 32-33 he writes: "In the 39th year and the 10th month of his [Augustus'] reign he commanded the taking of a census of all his lands, including all that the Romans held during the consulship of Agrippa II, and of Donatus. And all the earth under the Romans was registered by Eumenes and Attalus, the Roman senators." Using the October to October calendar Malalas used, that dates the issuance of the decree for the census to JULY, 5 BC

Suidas -- another reliable authority -- and many others, add information about Augustus' decree, which proves the census in Palestine was conducted the very next year -- 4 BC, the very time Christ was born!

Abundant evidence from both early Christians AND EARLY PAGANS corroborates this census (see the excellent article in Unger's "Bible Dictionary" under "Chronology")."

CHRONOLOGY, NEW TESTAMENT (excerpt) ---From Unger’s Bible Dictionary

The Two Registrations. There has been in the past an interesting question: How could Cyrenius conduct an enrollment of the Jews at the birth of Christ, 4 B.C. when it is a known fact that he was appointed governor of Syria and made a registry ten years later, namely, in A.D. 6? The answer is that Cyrenius was twice appointed to this service. In the first instance it was a census of the population, taken with a view of replacing their tribute to the empire in produce by a head tax in money; and in the second it was a registration of their property. The census occurred 4 B.C. to A.D. 1. It was begun by Sentius Saturninus, was then continued by Quintilius Varus until 4 B.C. and concluded by Cyrenius from the year 4 B.C. to A.D. 1, the time of the nativity. Luke expressly says, "This was the first census" (2:2). The second enrollment by Cyrenius occurred A.D. 10-14, according to the correct chronology.
 

Now, Luke makes historical notation of both enrollments in a way that indicates a perfect understanding of them on the part of his contemporaries. He refers to the first as a principal fact connecting it with the birth of Jesus; he refers to the second enrollment incidentally, in narrating what Gamaliel said in defense of the apostles before the Sanhedrin. In recounting different rebellions against the Romans in that country, Gamaliel said, "After this man Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census" (cf. <Luke 2:1-3; Acts 5:37>). It is of this registration that Josephus says: "Under his administration [Cyrenius's as procurator of Judea] it was that a certain Galilean whose name was Judas prevailed with his countrymen to revolt" (Wars 2.8.1); "I mean that Judas who caused the people to revolt when Cyrenius came to take an account of the estates of the Jews" (Ant. 20.5.2).
 

Jesus began His ministry at age 30 in the late autumn of 27 AD.

---Luke 3:23---Jesus is 30 years old

23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age…

---Luke 4:1-2---40 days in wilderness

1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 Being forty days tempted of the devil.

---Mark 1:13-15—Jesus begins to preach

13. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
14. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15. And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

---Luke 4:14-16---Begins to preach

14. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
15. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
 

JESUS CHRIST

We can count forward, using the table above and count from His birth in 4 BC and count forward to 31 AD. We know that He began His ministry at age 30 and that it was a 3.5 year ministry. We know He kept 4 Passovers in this 3.5 year ministry.

3 and 1/2 Years

"The Gospel of John, by recording the annual Passovers that Jesus attended, provides evidence that three and a half years did indeed elapse between Christ's baptism and His death.

"John 2 and 3 tell about a Passover during which Jesus talked at night with Nicodemus and told him that he must be born again.

"John 5:1 tells of a feast, most probably a Passover, in connection with which Jesus healed a man who had suffered thirty-eight years from paralysis.

"John 6:4 tells of a Passover season during which Jesus fed a very large crowd with a boy's small lunch.

"John 12:1 introduces the Passover season during which Jesus died."

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The following astronomical data was obtained from the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department. The pertinent file may be accessed on the Internet at http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/SpringPhenom.html .
 

This item is given to show its correspondence to April 25, 31 AD in Item A above.
 

Quote: from the booklet, "Pagan Holidays or God's Holy Days Which?" by Herbert W. Armstrong.
 

"Meaning of Pentecost"
 

"Passover symbolized Christ's sacrifice for the remission of our sins, and the days of unleavened bread the putting away of sin. Pentecost pictures the first part of the spiritual harvest the calling out of the Church the called-out ones, which, for the New Testament dispensation, began on Sunday Pentecost, June 17, 31 AD. On that day the Holy Spirit came to dwell within flesh, as prophesied by Joel."
 

In this item, we look at the month of Abib-Nisan to establish the year and the day of the week of the crucifixion, which was Wednesday.
 

In AD 31, Passover was on Wednesday and the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread was on Thursday.

Month and day of Christ's crucifixion, AD 31
 

AD 31---1^ST MONTH (ABIB-NISAN)

1--Thursday –New Moon
2--Friday
3--Saturday
4—Sunday
5—Monday
6—Tuesday
7—Wednesday
8—Thursday
9----Friday
10—Saturday
11—Sunday
12—Monday
13—Tuesday—Passover observed night before Passover day
14—Wednesday—Passover—Christ crucified (Preparation day—14^th of Abib)
15—Thursday—First day of Unleavened Bread
16—Friday—(Preparation day)
17—Saturday—Day Christ resurrected
18—Sunday
19—Monday
20—Tuesday
 

SUBJECT: Figuring the month of Abib (Nisan) in modern times

QUESTION: In Biblical times the priesthood determined the month of Abib. How is it figured today?

ANSWER:

Quote from Garner Ted Armstrong:
 

For decades, the church has depended upon the Hebrew Calendar, which is figured far, far, in advance based upon astronomical cycles measured over many hundreds of years. There is no priesthood today. We are not priesthood. Therefore, we (that includes the old Church of God (7th day)), the Radio Church of God, the Worldwide Church under my father and all the original leaders, (Including myself), the CGI and now the ICG, have always adhered to the dates published in the Hebrew Calendar. The seasonal variations are not so abrupt as to be "surprising," and requiring the declaration on an "ad hoc" basis that "this year is an uncommon year" by the Jews.
 

Remembering Josiah's reforms, and the "observing" of the Days of Unleavened bread following the alternate Pass-over, and then tacking on "yet seven other days" is important to remember. God BLESSED them, NOT because they were precisely within "holy time:" but because of their HEARTS and their intent. The point is, that it is up to the church to decide, and set the places and dates for holy day observance, not for individuals.
 

Following is information regarding the day of the week that Christ was crucified.
 

There were 2 Sabbaths the week He was crucified and 2 preparation days.
 

We know by the scriptures that Christ took the Passover with the disciples before he was crucified. What Holy Days come right after the Passover?
 

ANSWER: The Days of Unleavened Bread, which last 7 days. The Days of Unleavened Bread begin and end with a Holy Day.
 

The Passover is ALWAYS ONE DAY before the first Holy Day. For example, in the year, 1999, the Passover was 31 March and we took the Passover on the evening of the 30th again showing that days begin at sunset [even].
 

The first Holy Day in 1999---the First Day of Unleavened Bread--- fell on the 1st of April, just one day after the Passover day ---31st of March. The Passover day is not a Holy Day and therefore is the preparation day for the First Holy Day. Such was the case in Christ's time. He kept the Passover the evening before. He was crucified the next day.
 

This Holy Day was on a Thursday that year---31 AD. We know this from Part 3-----Item A above, which shows Wednesday, the 25^th of April as the Passover. The Holy Day was the next day, a Thursday. The Holy Day and the Sabbath day could not have been the same day because in Mark 16:9, we have the women coming to the tomb on the early morning of Sunday. The preparation day for the Sabbath was Friday and we know that He could not have been killed on that day because there are not 3 days and 3 nights between Friday and Sunday morning.
 

Conclusion: He was crucified on the first preparation day, Wednesday and resurrected on the Sabbath day.
 

Matt 27:62
62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate.
 

Mark 15:42
42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath. (the Annual Holy Day)
 

Luke 23:54
54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
 

John 19:14
14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
 

Note: In John here we see the phrase, "preparation of the passover" denoting the Passover Day before the First
 

Resource: Bullinger’s Companion Bible Appendix 156

"Six Days Before The Passover" (John 12:1).
 

 We are furnished by Scripture with certain facts and fixed points which, taken together, enable us (1) to determine the events which filled up the days of "the last week" of our Lord's life on earth; (2) to fix the day of His crucifixion; and (3) to ascertain the duration of the time He remained in the tomb.

 The difficulties connected with these three have arisen (1) from not having noted these fixed points; (2) from the fact of Gentiles' not having been conversant with the law concerning the three great feasts of the LORD; and (3) from not having reckoned the days as commencing (some six hours before our own) and running from sunset to sunset, instead of from midnight to midnight.
 

To remove these difficulties, we must note :-

He was put into the tomb after 3 PM, when He died, but before evening (about 6 PM) the same day, the preparation day. One could not be crucified or buried on the Sabbath or Annual Holy Day.

Matt 27:57

57 When the even [3798-opsios] was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

Luke 23:52-54

52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

Now notice John 19...

John 19:42

42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

Conclusion: Christ was put in the tomb on a preparation day. We know it could not have been the preparation day of Friday...NOT ENOUGH HOURS..........NOT ENOUGH NIGHTS AND DAYS. So it must have been a preparation day prior to and other than Friday.  It could not have been Thursday...NOT ENOUGH HOURS...NOT ENOUGH NIGHTS AND DAYS. It could only have been Wednesday, a preparation day, therefore making Thursday, the Holy Day. He was put into the tomb at sometime between 3 PM and even [3798-opsios] or 6 PM on Wednesday.

DO THE MATH

For the moment, forget about the fact that there was an Annual Holy Day or two preparation days that week. The only other preparation day was Friday. This is the day most secular churches say is the day Christ died.

If Christ died on Friday at 3 PM and was put in the ground before even [6 PM], say at 5 PM, we can count from there:

Friday....5 PM to midnight..........= 7 hours

Sabbath....24 hours...................= 24 hours

Sunday.....early in the morning he is already risen........call it 6 AM....= 6 hours

TOTAL: 37 hours.

OOPS, WE ARE 35 HOURS SHORT or 1 whole day plus 11 hours or about 1.5 days.

37 Hours: No matter where we start the 37 hours, we cannot get 3 days and 3 nights covered with those 37 hours.

Now verses proving that it was early and dark on that Sunday:

Mark 16:2
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Luke 24:1
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Resource: Bullinger’s Companion Bible Appendix 144
 

This appendix from the Companion Bible establishes the fact that Jesus was in the Tomb for 3 days and 3 nights. Following is the complete Appendix.
 

The "Three Days" and "Three Nights" of Matthew 12:40.

   The fact that "three days" is used by Hebrew idiom for any part of three days and three nights is not disputed; because that was the common way of reckoning, just as it was when used of years. Three or any number of years was used inclusively of any part of those years, as may be seen in the reckoning of the reigns of any of the kings of Israel and Judah.
 

   But, when the number of "nights" is stated as well as the number of "days", then the expression ceases to be an idiom, and becomes a literal statement of fact.
 

Moreover, as the Hebrew day began at sunset [even] the day was reckoned from one sunset [even] to another, the "twelve hours in the day" (John 11:9) being reckoned from sunrise, and the twelve hours of the night from sunset [even]. An evening-morning was thus used for a whole day of twenty-four hours, as in the first chapter of Genesis. Hence the expression "a night and a day" in 2 Corinthians 11:25 denotes a complete day (Greek nuchthemeron).
 

When Esther says (Esther 4:16) "fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days", she defines her meaning as being three complete days, because she adds (being a Jewess) "night or day". And when it is written that the fast ended on "the third day" (5:1), "the third day" must have succeeded and included the third night.
 

 In like manner the sacred record states that the young man (in 1 Samuel 30:12) "had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights". Hence, when the young man explains the reason, he says, "because three days agone I fell sick". He means therefore three complete days and nights, because, being an Egyptian (verses 11, 13) he naturally reckoned his day as beginning at sunrise according to the Egyptian manner (see Encycl. Brit., 11th (Cambridge) ed., vol xi, page 77). His "three days agone" refers to the beginning of his sickness, and includes the whole period, giving the reason for his having gone without food during the whole period stated.
 

 Hence, when it says that "Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17) it means exactly what is says, and that this can be the only meaning of the expression in Matthew 12:40; 16:4. Luke 11:30, is shown in Appendix 156.
 

"And about the ninth hour (3 p.m.) Jesus cried with a loud voice.... Jesus, when he cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost." (Matt 27:46-50 also Mark 15:34-37 and Luke 23:32 ).
 

Hence Jesus died shortly after 3p.m. and was buried before sunset because of the preparation day, he was buried late in the day, which means he rose late in the day.
 

There should be no doubt that Jesus was not crucified on a Friday and rose Sunday morning, but the truth of the matter is that he was crucified on a Wednesday and rose on Saturday late in the afternoon in the year 31 AD truly becoming our Passover sacrifice.
 

One last note here, in Daniel's prophecy of the seventy weeks, Jesus was to be cut of in the middle of the week. This prophecy speaks of his being cut off three and a half years into his ministry, yet it is significant that he was also cut off literally in the middle of a week.

Matt 27:46-50
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
 

Mark 15:34-37
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

See also Luke 23: 44-46

WHAT DAY WAS THE RESURRECTION?
 

First, Mark 16: 2; Luke 24:1 and John 20:1 (above) tells us that very early Sunday morning while it was yet dark, the tomb was empty. We know Christ died at 3 PM on a preparation day that could not be Friday. He was buried around 5 PM (before even-6PM), the same day He died.
 

To be in the ground 72 hours, He must come out of the grave at 5 PM and it could not have been on Sunday at 5 PM for the tomb is empty. It must have been 5 PM on the Sabbath.
 

When the women came to the tomb early Sunday the angel says, "He is not here, but is Risen:

Mark 16:6
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
 

Luke 24:3
3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
 

John 20:2
2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
 

Matt 28:5-6
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
 

Now look at 1 Cor 15 and beginning in verse 3...THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT

1 Cor 15:3-4
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: