May 32 AD until March 33 AD

Following a gap, the visions again continued starting from Saturday 29 July 1820. The events of Matt 19:10-30 and Mark 10:13-31 were seen on that day.[1] They took place “on the far side of the Jordan” (Matt 19:1, trans. NJB; Mark 10:1), at Bethabara.[2] John 10:40 is situated on “the far side of the Jordan […] where John had been baptising at first” (trans. NJB). The first place of baptism mentioned in the Gospel of John is the one close to Bethany-Bethabara, which lay “on the far side of the Jordan” (John 1:28, trans. NJB).[3] John 10:40-42 corresponds to Matt 19; Mark 10. Cf. the three Gospels include the same note that many people were coming to Christ there (Matt 19:2; Mark 10:1; John 10:41).

The visions from Saturday 29 July 1820 until Thursday 29 March 1821 (Holy Thursday) were seen in 8 months’ time but they describe a period lasting longer than 8 months. On Thursday 12 October 1820 and Tuesday 17 October 1820, Christ told that He would make a voyage of 3 months.[4] These 3 months refer to the duration of the visions, not to that of the events described in the visions: there are 3 months between the moment that Christ announced this in the visions (12 and 17 October 1820) and the moment that He returned from the voyage in the visions (9 January 1821).[5]

The visions of Monday-Tuesday 6-7 November 1820 help to reconstruct the actual setting. A new month began on one of these two evenings.[6] In the period under consideration (i.e. Passover 32 AD-Passover 33 AD), a new month began only once on a Monday or Tuesday evening: in the month of Elul. Elul began on the evening of Tuesday 26 August 32 AD (Reingold and Dershowitz, and Parker and Dubberstein). The vision of Tuesday 7 November 1820 thus relates to Tuesday 26 August 32 AD. This reconstruction is evidenced by further data:[7]

· On the basis of the Elul equation, the vision of the night of Monday/Tuesday 30/31 October 1820 (one week earlier) relates to the night of Monday/Tuesday 18/19 August 32 AD = the start of 23 Av. It was a beautiful night with stars shining brightly,[8] which is possible at the start of the fourth quarter of the moon.

· The vision of the night of Saturday/Sunday 14/15 October 1820 relates to the night of Saturday/Sunday 2 July/3 August 32 AD = the start of 7 Av. Christ travelled with 3 Apostles by moonlight during that night,[9] which is possible when the moon reaches its first quarter.

· The vision of Saturday 7 October 1820 relates to Saturday 26 July 32 AD = 28 Tammuz. Lazarus resurrected that morning.[10] The sun, the moon, and the star Regulus were in conjunction in the constellation of Leo on that morning.

· The vision of the night of Thursday/Friday 28/29 September 1820 relates to the night of Thursday/Friday 17/18 July 32 AD = the start of 20 Tammuz. Christ, the Holy Women, and the Apostles were travelling by moonlight during that night,[11] which is possible during the third quarter of the moon.

Counting further back in time, the vision of Saturday 29 July 1820 (i.e. the first vision about the ministry of Christ) can be equated with Saturday 17 May 32 AD = 17 Iyar. Since the nearest preceding vision relates to Sunday 8 July 31 AD (the vision of Sunday 13 July 1823, repeated on Sunday 4 January 1824), there is a gap in the visions, extending from Monday 9 July 31 AD until Friday 16 May 32 AD.

The period following the vision of Tuesday 7 November 1820 (relating to Tuesday 26 August 32 AD) can also be reconstructed. The day-by-day description continued:

· The vision of the night of Tuesday/Wednesday 21/22 November 1820 relates to the night of Tuesday/Wednesday 9/10 September 32 AD = the start of 15 Elul. A festival took place in a heathen tent village during that night,[12] apparently because of the Full Moon.

· The vision of Friday 8 December 1820 relates to Friday 26 September 32 AD = 1 Tishri (Parker and Dubberstein;[13] the New Moon occurred on Tuesday 23 September at 09:14 UT). On this occasion a feast was celebrated in commemoration of the star seen at the Immaculate Conception.[14] The festival was held on the New Year of 1 Tishri. A.C.E. saw the festival on 8 December, i.e. on the liturgical date of the Immaculate Conception.

[1] A.C.E., Vie, 5:318-322; cf. A.C.E., Life, 3:468-469. Matt 19:1-9 and Mark 10:1-12 belong to the gap in the visions.

[2] A.C.E., Life, 3:468.

[3] The place of baptism lay west of the Jordan, opposite Bethany-Bethabara (Little Bethany is part of Bethabara): A.C.E., Life, 1:424: “This second baptism place lay between Jericho and Bethagla on the western side of the Jordan and opposite Beth-Araba [i.e. Bethabara], which was situated somewhat further down on the east side of the river.”

The first place of baptism (not mentioned in the Gospel of John) was Ainon, near Salem: A.C.E., Life, 1:342, 416. John the Baptist later returned there (John 3:23).

[4] A.C.E., Life, 3:488, 491. On Thursday 19 October 1820, the duration was given as 9 weeks (A.C.E., Life, 3:493), on Saturday 24 March 1821 as three periods of 4, 5, or 6 weeks (ibid., 4:33).

[5] Powell 1996: 459-460. Similarly, on Friday 7 February 1823 (relating to Friday 2 February 31 AD = 21 Shevat), Christ said that 1 year, 6 weeks, and some days were still to come before the institution of the Holy Eucharist (A.C.E., Life, 3:227). They were 2 years and 2 months, from Friday 2 February 31 AD until Thursday 2 April 33 AD. The duration given concerns the period of the visions: A.C.E. saw the events of the 2 years in 1 year, 1 month, and several days (7 February 1823-13 July 1823 + 29 July 1820-29 March 1821).

[6] A.C.E., Life, 3:507.

[7] Powell 1996: 464-466.

[8] A.C.E., Life, 3:499.

[9] A.C.E., Life, 3:489.

[10] A.C.E., Life, 3:482-483.

[11] A.C.E., Vie, 5:348.

[12] A.C.E., Life, 3:517.

[13] Reingold and Dershowitz have 2 Tishri.

[14] A.C.E., Life, 3:543.

[15] A.C.E., Life, 3:570-571.

[16] A.C.E., Vie, 6:30-32.

[17] A.C.E., Vie, 6:32.

The public ministries of John the Baptist and Christ

May 32 AD until March 33 AD