New Testament History

The duration of the public ministry of Christ

The Bible indicates that the ministry of Christ lasted 3½ years. Christ compares Himself to Elijah, and His ministry to the famine during Elijah’s ministry (Luke 4:24-26), which is assigned “three years and six months” (Luke 4:25) and “three and a half years” (Jas 5:17). The “third year” attested for that famine in the Old Testament (1 Kgs 18:1, in both the MT and LXX) is reinterpreted as 3½ years on account of the duration of the ministry of Christ.[1] The 3 years that the fig tree stands without fruit (Luke 13:7) and the extra year of which it benefices (Luke 13:8) likewise represent the duration of the ministry (3 years + 1 year = 4 years = 3½ inclusive years):[2] when Christ is at Zachaeus’s on Saturday 31 May 32 AD (the vision of Saturday 12 August 1820), His predication had taken 3 (inclusive) years (September 29 AD-May 32 AD);[3] one year of productive teaching was still to come (May 32 AD-April 33 AD). Matt 21:19 and Mark 11:13-14, 20-21 (in which passages a barren fig tree is withered shortly before the crucifixion) allude to this parable: Christ does not have any reason to reproach the fig tree its lack of fruit “for it was not the season for figs” (Mark 11:13, translation by NJB); hence the tree is not withered because of its lack of fruit but to make clear that the parable of the 4 years had reached its fulfilment. The 2 cases (Luke 13:6-9 and Matt 21:19; Mark 11:13-14, 20-21) are linked since they are the only instances in which the word sukê (“fig tree”) appears in the Synoptics.[4]

The “one half-week” (Dan 9:27) means 3½ years and indicates the duration of the ministry.[5] The antichrist persecutes the Holy Virgin for “a time, two times and half a time” (Rev 12:14, translation by NJB) = 1 year + 2 years + ½ year = 3½ years (cf. Dan 7:25; 12:7).[6] The bodies of two witnesses lie dead for 3½ days (Rev 11:9, 11).[7] Rev 11:2 and Rev 13:5 mention 42 months = 3½ years.[8] A.C.E. receives visions of the ministry beginning from 29 July 1820 until her death on 9 February 1824. This is a period of 1290 days: 3 years of 365 days (there was no leap year within the relevant period) + 2 days in July + 31 days in August + 30 days in September + 31 days in October + 30 days in November + 31 days in December + 31 days in January + 9 days in February = 1290 days. A period of 1290 days is mentioned in Dan 12:11, and a period of 1260 days in Rev 11:3; 12:6.[9] There are 1290 days between the baptism on Friday 23 September 29 AD and the resurrection on Sunday 5 April 33 AD. There are 1260 days between the first day in the desert on Sunday 23 October 29 AD and the resurrection on Sunday 5 April 33 AD. The 1260 days in Rev 11:3 concerns the penitence of the two witnesses; the 1260 days in Rev 12:6 concern the flight of the Woman into the desert. The two cases relate to the penitence of Christ in the desert.

Before His baptism Christ told to the Holy Virgin that He would go four times to Jerusalem for Passover:[10] in the springs of 30, 31, 32, and 33 AD. Two weeks after His baptism, Christ said that they would find no beauty in His appearance anymore within 3½ years.[11] After the resurrection of Christ, Peter said that he had not fished in the Lake of Tiberias since 3 years.[12] The final call of Peter took place on 7 Kislev 30 AD = Tuesday 21 November (the vision of Tuesday 26 November 1822),[13] i.e. after about 1 year of the public ministry of Christ. The 3 years mentioned by Peter are an inclusive reckoning for the 2½ year between November 30 AD and April 33 AD. A considerable time after Pentecost, Thomas told that he had been a witness of the miracles of Christ during 3 years.[14] Thomas became a disciple on 13 Heshvan 30 AD = Sunday 29 October (the vision of Sunday 3 November 1822).[15] The 3 years are an inclusive reckoning for the period October 30 AD-April 33 AD. Moreover, Joseph died 4 years before the death of Christ[16] and ½ year before the baptism of Christ, such that the ministry of Christ lasted 3½ years.

     Since agricultural work appears during the entire ministry (e.g. John 4:35 in Samaria[17] on Wednesday 31 July 1822 = 26 July 30 AD = 7 Av), the ministry of Christ took place outside of the Sabbatical years. A Sabbatical year had ended in Elul 28 AD,[18] i.e. before the baptism of Christ in September 29 AD. The next Sabbatical year started in Tishri 34 AD,[19] i.e. after the resurrection in April 33 AD.