The Chronology from the Birth of Christ to the End of the Seventy weeks
By S. Bliss
“AND it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.” Luke 2:1-3. On this occasion Mary, the mother of Jesus, with Joseph her husband, went up to Bethlehem, and there was born “in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Verse 11. Cyrenius, a Roman senator and procurator, or collector of the emperor’s revenue, was employed to make the enrolment preparatory to the taxing. “This we learn from the joint testimony of Justin Martyr, Julian the Apostate, and Eusebius, when Saturninus was president of Syria, to whom it is attributed by Tertullian, and in the thirty-third year of Herod’s reign, or B. C. 5, the year of Christ’s birth, according to Eusebius.” — Dr. Hales. Four years before the Vulgar Era, or B. C. 5. In order to destroy the infant Jesus, Herod “slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.” Matt. 2:16. This occurred a short time before Herod’s death, the time of which is determined by a lunar eclipse, a few days previous, March 13, B. C. 4. “And when he [the child Jesus] was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast,” and he astonished the doctors by his “understanding and answers.” Luke 2:42-47. A. D. 8. Tiberius was admitted by Augustus “colleague of the empire,” or partner in the government, in “the administration of the provinces,” and “in the command of the armies,” two or three years before his death, probably U. C. 765, which partnership was confirmed by a decree of the Roman Senate. This is the time from which most chronologists reckon the years of Tiberius. A. D. 12. The reign of Augustus is reckoned forty-three years in the Canon of Ptolemy; but that dates, not from the battle of Actium, but from the death of Cleopatra, B. C. 30. Reckoning from the battle of Actium, it would lack but a few days of being forty-four years. Josephus reckons his reign fifty-seven and a half years, but dates from the death of Julius Cæsar, A. J. P. 4668. Following the Canon of Ptolemy, and dating from the death of Cleopatra, forty-three years extend to A. J. P. 4727. As the Vulgar Era is reckoned from January 1, A. J. P. 4714, which is A. D. 1, it follows that the reign of Augustus extended to A. D. 14. At the death of Augustus Cæsar, a portion of the imperial army, called the Pannonian legions, refused to acknowledge the authority of Tiberius as successor to Augustus, and were in a state of revolt, till an eclipse, which occurred a few days after the death of Augustus, frightened them into their duty. This eclipse occurred September 27, U. C. 767, A. D. 14. Tiberius Cæsar succeeded Augustus, and reigned, according to the Canon, twenty-two years, to A. D. 36. “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar [from his partnership with his father], Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Luke 3:1-3. A. D. 26. Pontius Pilate continued ten years in the government of Judea, and was then deposed for the massacre of the Samaritans, some time before the passover of U. C. 789, which preceded the death of Tiberius, March 16, U. C. 790. He was appointed U. C. 778, and reigned from A. D. 25 to A. D. 35. Philip, tetrarch of Iturea, according to Josephus, died in the twentieth year of Tiberius, U. C. 787, after he had governed Trachonitis thirty-seven years, from B. C. 4 to A. D. 34. Annas was appointed high priest by Quirinus, U. C. 760, in the thirty-seventh year after the battle of Actium, U. C. 723 (Josephus, Ant. 18, 2, 1), and continued in office about fourteen years, from A. D. 7 to A. D. 21. Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas, was appointed about U. C. 777, — A. D. 24, — and continued in office during the whole of the administration of Pilate — he being removed U. C. 789, A. D. 36. Annas, therefore, was the co-adjutor of Caiaphas, the reigning high priest at this time; and on account of his age, rank, and consequence was a man of the first consideration and influence in the state, and is therefore named in connection with Caiaphas. “And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark 1:9-11. “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” Verses 14, 15. “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age.” Luke 3:23. A. D. 27. This epoch must mark the fulfilment of some definite period, or it would not be asserted that “the time is fulfilled.” The time here fulfilled can be none other than that given in Dan. 9:25: “Unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks” — 483 years. This length of time, reckoned back from A. D. 27, reaches to B. C. 457. Thus, “when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Gal. 4:4, 5. — “Analysis of Sacred Chronology,” by S. Bliss, pages 177-181.