When Was Jesus Born?
Note: The following Post is taken from the book by Joseph Lenard entitled Mysteries of Jesus’ Life Revealed—His Birth, Death, Resurrection, and Ascensions. For an overview and complete chapter listing of this fascinating study, click here.
Historical Events Related to the Birth of Jesus
This chapter offers a sequence of historical events around the time of Jesus’ birth and ministry, concluding with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. This sequence is the work of Paul Wierwille and Ernest Martin and includes many of the dates and events of historical importance which I have noted in the Posts associated with the topic “When Was Jesus Born?”
May, 4 BC
During the priestly course of Abijah, Gabriel appears to Zacharias in the Temple and foretells the upcoming conception and birth of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:5-25)
June, 4 BC
Conception of John the Baptist.
Dec, 4 BC
Gabriel appears to Mary in Nazareth; conception of Jesus; Mary travels to Judea to see her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:26-56), who is six months pregnant with John the Baptist at the time of Mary’s visit.
March, 3 BC
John the Baptist is born to Zacharias and Elizabeth. (Luke 1:57-80)
Aug 12, 3 BC
Jupiter and Venus in conjunction in Leo; Magi begin noting their observations of the movements of Jupiter, the King planet.
Sept. 11, 3 BC
Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem; in twilight period on Tishri 1 (Yom Teruah—The Feast of Trumpets); sun in Virgo with the “moon beneath her feet” – Rev. 12:1. (Matt. 1:25a; Luke 2:1-20)
Sept. 14, 3 BC
Jupiter (the King planet) and the star Regulus (the King star) in conjunction in Leo – Magi would have noted this.
Sept. 18, 3 BC
Jesus’ circumcision and naming – on the 8th day following His birth, for the circumcision rite is reckoned inclusively. (Matt. 1:25b; Luke 2:21)
Oct. 20/21, 3 BC
Jesus’ dedication in the Temple; purification of Mary. (Luke 2:22-38)
Oct., 3 BC
Jesus with Joseph & Mary return from Bethlehem to Nazareth. They did not go to Egypt immediately after the birth of Jesus but went to Nazareth after Jesus’ dedication in the Temple. (Luke 2:39)
Feb. 17, 2 BC
Jupiter and Regulus in conjunction in Leo – Magi would have noted this.
May 8, 2 BC
Jupiter and Regulus in conjunction in Leo – Magi would have noted this.
June 17, 2 BC
Jupiter and Venus in conjunction in Leo – Magi would have noted this.
Spring or Summer, 2 BC
Jesus with Joseph & Mary move into a house in Bethlehem. (Matt. 2:11)
Aug. 27, 2 BC
Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus converge in Leo. Magi depart Persia for trip to Jerusalem after this amazing celestial event.
Dec. 25, 2 BC
Magi arrive in Bethlehem, after first stopping in Jerusalem. Jupiter was visible over Bethlehem before dawn as the Magi travel there. Jupiter, the King planet, came to its stationary point in mid-Virgo, the Virgin; it would have been seen as “stopping over Bethlehem” as viewed from Bethlehem. Jesus is more than one-year-and-three-months old (a toddler; Gk. Paidion); Magi present gifts (this is during the 8-day festival of Hanukkah! – Kislev 25); Magi depart for Persia; Jesus taken by Joseph and Mary to Egypt. (Matt. 2:1-22)
Late Dec. 2 BC
Herod kills all male children, “two years old and under,” in Bethlehem and its vicinity (Matt. 2:16b-17); this happened about 15 months after Jesus’ birth.
Jan. 10, 1 BC
Lunar eclipse preceding King Herod’s death, mentioned by Josephus; this eclipse happened shortly after two illustrious rabbis were tried and sentenced by the Sanhedrin and then executed by Herod.
Jan. 28, 1 BC
Approximate date of King Herod’ death, on Shevat 2 in 1 BC.
April 8, 1 BC
Archelaus, Herod’s son, who became King of Judea when Herod died, disrupts Temple services at Passover and massacres 3,000 Jewish worshipers; Jesus, Joseph and Mary return to Judea from Egypt, “turn aside” into Galilee, and settle again in Nazareth. (Matt. 2:22-23; Luke 2:39)
Summer and Autumn, 1 BC
The War of Varus takes place in Israel. Romans quell Jewish uprising which resulted from the execution of two illustrious rabbis and the massacre of 3,000 Jews in the Temple at Passover.
Nisan 14 (Passover), AD 10
Jesus stays behind at the Temple when His parents leave after the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread. Jesus was 12-years old. (Luke 2:41-43)
Oct. or Nov., AD 27c
Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:911; Luke 3:21), at the beginning of the Sabbatical Year of AD 27 – AD 28. His official ministry begins with the Passover and Pentecost seasons of AD 28.
Nisan 13/14 (Wednesday afternoon) of AD 30
Jesus is crucified and died. He is buried on the evening of Nisan 13/14; He is resurrected at the start of First Fruits (the evening of Nisan 17/18 – Sunday).
Nisan 16/17 (Saturday/Sunday), AD 30
Jesus is resurrected at the start of First Fruits (the evening of Nisan 16/17, Sunday).
AD 70
The Temple and Jewish sections of Jerusalem are destroyed by Roman army (mainly composed of soldiers from Syria) under Titus. Destruction prophesied in Daniel 9:26. The Roman fort Anatolia was not destroyed – it was not included in Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of the Temple and (Jewish) Jerusalem.
Note: In my next Post I will provide some conclusions to the evidence presented in solving the “puzzle” of “When Was Jesus Born.”