New Testament History

The public ministries of John the Baptist and Christ

 
The death of Joseph
The start of the public ministry of John the Baptist
The baptism of Christ
The 40 days in the desert
The return from the desert until Passover 30 AD
The duration of the public ministry of Christ
The imprisonment of John the Baptist until Purim 31 AD
Passover 31 AD
April 31 AD until July 31 AD
The Feast of Tabernacles 31 AD until Passover 32 AD
May 32 AD until March 33 AD
 
Abbreviations and bibliography
 
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The return from the desert until Passover 30 AD

On 7 Kislev 29 AD = Thursday 1 December (the vision of Thursday 6 December 1821), John the Baptist saw Christ on the opposite side of the Jordan and exclaimed, “Look, there is the lamb of God” (John 1:36, translation by NJB).[1] This was the second occurrence of that exclamation (the first occurred on 11 Tishri 29 AD).

On 1 Tevet 29 AD = Sunday 25 December (the vision of Sunday 30 December 1821), Christ travelled to Cana.[2] On 3 Tevet 29 AD = Tuesday 27 December (the vision of Tuesday 1 January 1821), a marriage began (John 2:1-11).[3] It was on the day after the Festival of Hanukkah (25 Kislev-2 Tevet; Kislev had 30 days in 29 AD). The third day in John 2:1 denotes that it was 3 Tevet, the third day of the week (i.e. Tuesday), and the third day that Christ was at Cana (Sunday-Tuesday). The feast lasted four days, Tuesday-Friday 27-30 December. A Sabbath followed the fourth day of the wedding.[4]

After 7 Tevet 29 AD = Saturday 31 December (the vision of Saturday 5 January 1822), two days of fast occurred.[5] 8 Tevet is the fast for the translation of the Torah into Greek.[6] 9 Tevet is also a day of fasting.[7] 10 Tevet is the fast for Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of the First Temple.[8]

Since 1 Nisan began two days before the Sabbath,[9] the month started on a Wednesday evening. 1 Nisan 30 AD began on the evening of Wednesday 22 March. During the first Passover of the ministry of Christ (John 2:13, 23), Christ drove the sellers out of the Temple (John 2:14-15) on the morning of 15 Nisan 30 AD = Thursday 6 April (the vision of Thursday 11 April 1822).[10] The Jews told Christ that the Temple had stood (the Greek aorist oikodomêthê) for 46 years (John 2:20). Since the years start at Herod the Great’s dedication of the Temple on factual Julian 18 November 18 BC, such that the 46 years are a non-inclusive reckoning for 46 years and 5 months (November 18 BC-April 30 AD).[11] The Holy Virgin was conceived at that dedication. Hence the 46 years also refer to the body of the Holy Virgin as the Temple of God (cf. John 2:21).

 


[1] A.C.E., Life, 2:20.

[2] A.C.E., Life, 2:44.

[3] A.C.E., Life, 2:48.

[4] A.C.E., Lehrjahre, 1:280-281: “Am Abend dieses Tages [i.e. Thursday 3 January 1822], womit der 6te Thebet und vierte Tag der Hochzeit began, […]. Am Abend des 4ten [i.e. Friday 4 January 1822], dem Sabbath dem Beginn des 7ten Thebet habe Jesus in der Synagoge gelehrt.” Cf. A.C.E., Life, 2:59.

[5] A.C.E., Life, 2:60.

[6] Megillat Ta‘anit Batra (about 8 Tevet).

[7] Megillat Ta‘anit Batra (about 9 Tevet). The ancient sources do not indicate the reason for this fast; later sources link it with the deaths of Ezra and Nehemiah (Wiesenberg 2007: 657).

[8] b. Roš Haš. 18b; Megillat Ta‘anit Batra (about 10 Tevet).

[9] A.C.E., Life, 2:108 (the vision of Wednesday 27 March 1822), 110 (the vision of Saturday 30 March 1822).

[10] A.C.E., Life, 2:119-121.

[11] Mahieu 2012: 465-468.