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New Testament History |
The years until the first reunion in JerusalemSix months after the death of Christ (in Nisan 33 AD), the Apostles parted company,[1] in Tishri 33 AD. Peter, John, and James the Less stayed in Jerusalem; Philip and Bartholomew went to Geshur; Andrew and Zachaeus to Gilad; James the Greater to the north of Capernaum; and Thomas and Matthew to Ephesus.[2] The Roman emperor Tiberius called Veronica and Nicodemus to Rome in the 3rd year after the ascension,[3] i.e. in the year 35/36 AD. Thomas and Thaddeus were in Cedar 3 years after the ascension.[4] Since Thomas went to Samaria[5] and Thaddaeus to Geshur after the first reunion of 14 June 36 AD,[6] they were in Cedar before that reunion. It was the year June 35 AD/June 36 AD, the 3rd year after the ascension. Peter and John stayed in Jerusalem during the 3 years before the first reunion (Acts 1-5).[7] James the Greater stayed in Spain for 3 years.[8] At the end of this first sojourn, he travelled to Rome,[9] which journey took about 6 months.[10] He was imprisoned on the way, brought to Rome, and set free again.[11] He then continued to Jerusalem.[12] Since James left Jerusalem for Spain in Tishri 33 AD and since he attended the first reunion in Jerusalem (on 14 June 36 AD), the 3 years’ sojourn in Spain (Tishri 33 AD-June 36 AD) contain the 6 months’ journey. He left Spain at the end of 35 AD.
[1] A.C.E., Life, 4:6. [2] A.C.E., Life, 4:6-7 (though presented as missions during instead of after the 6 months). [3] A.C.E., Visionen August 1821, 20-23: “Im dritten Jahr nach Christi Himmelfahrt ließ der Kaiser in Rom Veronika und Nikodemus und einen Jünger Epaphras, einen Verwandten der Johanna Chusa, nach Rom kommen, ich meine, er hat einen seiner Leute hingeschickt und begehrte Zeugen über allerlei von Jesu Tod und Auferstehung, und dieser brachte die dreie mit. […] Veronika und ihre Gefährten kehrten zurück und sie ist am Ende des dritten Jahres noch dort gestorben, ich meine, durch Einsperrung und Qual von ihrem Mann, der sich später aber noch zu Christus bekehrte.” [4] A.C.E., Life, 3:558, 560, 561; A.C.E., Vie, 5:450, 452 n. 1; 6:363. [5] A.C.E., Vie, 6:292, 293, 295. [6] A.C.E., Vie, 6:292: “Thaddée dans la patrie de Barthélemi [i.e. Geshur: A.C.E., Life, 3:246; 4:6].” [7] A.C.E., Life, 4:6: “To Peter He said that […]. For three years he should with John and James the Less remain with the Faithful in Jerusalem.” [8] A.C.E., Visionen Juli 1821, 89, 92, 106. The Holy Virgin still lived in Jerusalem when she sent angels to James in Granada (during the first sojourn): A.C.E., Vie, 6:329-330. The Holy Virgin lived in Jerusalem in 33-39 AD. [9] A.C.E., Visionen Juli 1821, 89: “Ich sah […] wie er dann nach Rom reiste, wo Petrus damals nicht war.” Peter arrived in Rome on 18 January 44 AD. [10] A.C.E., Vie, 6:329. [11] A.C.E., Vie, 6:329. [12] A.C.E., Vie, 6:329, states that James returned from Rome to Spain. A.C.E., Visionen Juli 1821, situates an imprisonment in Spain-Rome-Jerusalem at the end of James’s second sojourn in Spain: “Er ward in Spanien selbst gefangengenommen und über Rom nach Jerusalem gebracht von römischen Soldaten und dort gleich gerichtet” (page 92); “Hier sei er aufgegriffen und nach Rom und Jerusalem gebracht und dort enthauptet worden” (page 121). Yet James came directly from Spain for his martyrdom and at the demand of the Holy Virgin (A.C.E., Vie, 6:332), not as a prisoner from Rome. Hence the Rome-Jerusalem journey followed the first sojourn, at which time James was imprisoned in Rome. He was released and then proceeded to Jerusalem. |