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New Testament History |
The deaths of Zechariah and ElizabethJohn had been brought to the desert in March 1 AD. He returned to Juttah some time later and was brought back to the desert around the year 4 AD.[1] Zechariah died when John was about 6 years old.[2] The reading VI (6) is probably a metathesis of IV (4) since John was hidden again around the year 4 AD. Zechariah was killed by Herod (i.e. Herod Archelaus) because he refused to say where John was staying.[3] He received a burial near the Temple,[4] in the Tomb of Absalom in the Kidron Valley. His tomb bears the inscription “This is the tomb of Zechariah, martyr, very pious priest, father of John.”[5] Zechariah was also buried at Juttah.[6] After Zechariah’s death, Elizabeth joined John in the desert.[7] John was 6 till 7 years old at that time.[8] This number reflects the same metathesis of VI - IV: it was around the year 4 AD. Since Elizabeth died not long after Zechariah and before the Holy Family returned from Egypt (in September 5 AD),[9] she died within the period 4 AD-September 5 AD.
[1] A.C.E., Mary, 327: “During the sojourn of the Holy Family in Egypt the child John must have again stayed in secret with his parents at Jutta, for I saw him at the age of four or five being once more taken into the wilderness by Elisabeth.” [2] A.C.E., Mary, 329. [3] A.C.E., Mary, 330. [4] A.C.E., Mary, 330. [5] Puech and Zias 2004: 564: “Ceci est le tombeau de Zacharie, martyr, prêtre très pieux, père de Jean.” [6] A.C.E., Life, 3:172, 175, 181. Zechariah may first have been buried in the Kidron Valley and afterwards at Juttah. During the New Testament period secondary burials were customary. The bones of a deceased person were gathered together for the final burial one year after the first burial (Oren and Rappaport 1984: 151). [7] A.C.E., Mary, 331. [8] A.C.E., Visionen Juni 1820, 199. [9] A.C.E., Mary, 331. |