THE CRUCIFIXION DATE (A Bible and Calendar Argument) I The Problem. II Vital Laws Governing the Scripture Passovers. 1. The fourteen Scripture Passovers* 2. Law of the first fruits. 3. The passover date—its relation to the full moon. U* Time of slaying and eating the paschal lamb. Ill The Lord’s Passover Supper—the Legal Feast. IV 1. Gospel Account of the Jewish Feasts during Christ’s Public Ministry. 2. Crucifixion Passover—a Late Season Feast. V Rejection of JO A. D. as the Crucifixion Year. VI True Crucifixion Date Governed by Prophecy, and by Jewish and Calendrical Law. THE CRUCIFIXION DATE I. THE PROBLEM Aside from the Messianic prediction in Daniel nine, no generally accepted calendar date for the death of Christ has as yet been demonstrated. There has been no united, irrefutable answer from the continued research into the annals of early centuries. The principal reason for this outstanding lack of agreement among scholars seems (1) to be primarily connected with the critical examination of the Bible textj (2) with the confused state of the chronological records of centuries subsequent to the death of Christj and (3) with a mistaken application of Rabbinical calendation, which, in its present changed form, does not now fit the problem of ancient Jewish time. And this last mentioned cause is without doubt the most important of the three. Hence, erroneous conclusions are being drawn from the Jewish calendar of today, which should be definitely understood before an analysis of the ancient form of Jewish time can rest upon a sound footing. The Ministry has already stressed the fact that March and early April represent the wrong passover season in the Holy Land of ancient time, and that the modern Jewish passover is frequently a month earlier than the law of Moses originally commanded.Several other Rabbinical calendar features are equally inconsistent with early Jewish time* 1. The modern Rabbinical calendar observes 15 Nisan for the pass-over, instead of the originally commanded 1U Nisan. 2. In the modern Rabbinical calendar, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are excluded by the established rule of badu from passover observance. (Cf. any Jewish almanac.) * May and June issues. 2 5» As a result, the modern. Jewish reckoning employs a length of lunar year which does not conform to the natural length of the lunar year operative in early centuries, such as for example, the lunar year of dated contracts and cuneiform texts of Babylonian origin# Of these three characteristics, all of which are foreign to ancient Jewish calendar practice, the first is of primary importance— that is, the wrong day of the month for the ancient passover ceremony. But another equally misleading passover interpretation has somehow become associated with Rabbinical reckoning, and it has to do with the common significance of the ancient nychthemeron, or Jewish day, in the oriental sense. For, although modern Jewry the world over still begins its day at sunset, and in contrast to Roman custom, approximately twelve hours of darkness always precede twelve hours of light in one and the same Jewish day, yet this undeniable daily calendar event is repeatedly ignored by investigators in general. And confusion is almost complete with regard to the simple calendar facts that (1) in the oriental scenes of the Bible, the ancient Jewish day changed at sunset, the same as in the twentieth century; and (2) that ereb, or "evening” of the ancient Jewish day, unless otherwise implied, invariably refers to the sunset beginning of the day. This distinction is so vital to calendar reckoning in Jewish time that Scaliger wrote; "Moreover, it must be understood that when I say Tisri begins from October 10, I mean from the night which followed sunset of the ninth, from which sunset the Jews count the beginning of the tenth. And so, evening of the sixth day is to them the beginning of the Sabbath. When therefore I speak of the beginning of the Sabbath, I refer to sunset of the day of Venus [Friday]."^ Consequently, it is the purpose of this study in Jewish time to demonstrate that when, for example, Luke says, "Then came the day of e’ Scaliger, Joseph, "De Ernendatione Temporum," p. 85* Francofurt, 1595. 3 unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed,” he obviously could only have had reference to the evening beginning of another Jewish day, which, in this instance, was Friday of the crucifixion, and not the Synoptic "Thursday," in the afternoon of which many, following Maimon-ides, insist that the crucifixion lambs were slAin in the temple. Since the sixth century A. D., and even earlier, this Talmudic interpretation of ancient passover practice—the slaying of the lambs on one day, and the eating thereof on the following day—has been again and again recited by Jewish and Gentile scholars alike, and passed on to those of modern times. The.attempts to reconcile this Talmudic teaching with the crucifixion scenes have resulted in hopeless conclusions that have wrested the laws of calendar science and of lunar astronomy, and have nullified the ancient Mosaic laws and those governing the Bible synchronisms. And furthermore, Christian exegesis itself is challenged because no united conclusion has been forthcoming with reference to these earliest Jewish chronologies, to which, however, Jewish scholarship also has had no acceptable solution.'1 Therefore, it is fitting and consistent to review the whole dated record of the Scriptures, and to bring face to face the laws that actually governed ancient Jewish time. And in summation of the problem, it can accordingly be said that the Talmudic, or Rabbinical, computations represent at least three 3 3 Edershe in, Alfred, "Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah," Vol. II, p. I487. London, 192J. This author makes Thursday of passion week to be lU Nisanj but in no hypothetical year of the crucifixion epoch can this be done without contravening the moon’s place in the sky. Zeitlin, Solomon, "The Date of the Crucifixion," Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. LI, September, p. 271 • 19J2. This author agrees 'wi/th Wvid1son -that "There is an irreconcilable difference between the Synoptics and the Fourth Gospel, in respect to the date that Jesus was crucified." significant calendar events that cannot consistently be applied to the Jewish passovers of the ancient and original type: the wrong month (March), the wrong day of the month (15 Nisan), and the wrong time of day (afternoon sacrifice of the paschal lamb). The true alternatives of these Rabbinical calendar changes are found in the Pentateuch, in the Old and New Testament narratives, and in related Jewish history. The subject will be reviewed and analyzed according to the introductory outline. II. VITAL LAWS GOVERNING ’THE SCRIPTURE PASSOVERS 1. Fourteen Scripture Passovers. There are seven passovers recorded in the Old Testament, and the same number in the New Testament. All of these feasts belong to a definite chronological outline—one that covers over 1600 years of earliest dated Jewish history. The following is the passover list: /a. Egyptian passover—Ex. 12:1-28. b. Passover at Sinai—Num. 9*5* c. Passover for the levitically unclean—Num. 9*11 / (second month). * 1d. First passover in Canaan—Josh. 5*10. e. Hezekiah’s passover—2 Chron. 30:1$ (second month). f. Josiah’s passover—2 Chronicles 35* Second Temple passover—Ezra 6:19* ?h. Passover in Jesus’ 12th year—Luke 2:l|2 i. First passover in Christ’s public ministry—John 2:13* j. Second—the Synoptic passover—Dike 6:1. N. T. < k. Third—Jesus in Galilee—John 6:U. 1. Fourth—the crucifixion passover. m. Herod’s passover—Acts 12:3. \n. Paul’s passover at Philippi—Acts 20:6. Of the Old Testament series, five are given a Jewish date on the lllth of the first month, and two on the ll|th of the second month. On the contrary, to none of the New Testament passovers is ascribed a Jewish date; but the only answer to the synchronal relations of the New 5 Testament Jewish feasts is the Pentateuchal 1U Nisan passover date. In ■iMTnnwr n—rwWlnW miW ■ ■ ■■ M.IHHin (uni bii mi Ulin 1M111U WUl Hill JU II iBMHiIWW nHWMWttW nuiiiiiriii W»- wu the record of the life of Christ there are several of these synchronising dates, and they fully establish the whole period of Christ’s public ministry. These are further described in Parts V and VI of this series. Other Biblical dates also have synchronal relations besides the passovers connected with the crucifixion} and this special character makes them as important as eclipses in substantiating the chronological outline for any period. In every century of the Scripture narrative, synchronisms of one kind or another are found. When any calendar date is tied to a certain day of the week, as the ihth of Nisan to the crucifixion Friday, then it is a simple problem to demonstrate the year in which such a coincidence occurs. The first four passovers in the foregoing series can be identified as to their years from the fact that Moses went up into the mount with God on the seventh day of the week,$ « on a certain date in the third month of the year of the Exodus. The year of Hezekiah’s passover is governed by a synchronism that the Bible records in his first year, when the 17th of Nisan coincided with the Sabbath consecration services. (2 Chron. 29:17*20.) That it was the Sabbath day is shown by the character of the ceremonies—the number of the sacrifices, and the special music accompanying the burnt offering (Num. 10»10). The year of Paul’s passover at Philippi is controlled by a synchronism that equates the l|th of Iyar, the second Jewish month, with the Sabbath day. In addition, this year is verified by the chronology of Paul’s life as given by Luke and amplified by Paul himself in 5 Ex. 2U:16. "Upon the seventh day, which was the Sabbath, Moses was called up into the cloud.”—White, Ellen G., ^Patriarchs and Prophets,” p. ^13* Conflict Series. t 6 his epistles. Josephus also has important synchronisms that must be given recognition in determining the calendar he employs, and also in verifying his regnal years. When Antiochus Sidetes went against the king of Parthia, the Jewish priest John Hyrcanus, who marched with Antiochus, insisted that he lay up two days at the river Lycus, over Pentecost, because it occurred on the "next day to th© Sabbath."^ Similarly, the year of the Jewish revolt from Rome is verified by a Josephus synchronism which begins the*three weeks’ flight with Cestius on the first day of Tabernacles, making it coincide with the Jewish Sabbath. The Jews left the feast end went to the battle, "without any consideration had for the rest of the seventh day. The foregoing incidents illustrate the synchronisms of early Jewish history. These synchronal dates establish and confirm the epochs to which they are tied. The crucifixion date is likewise buttressed by the same kind of calendar coincidences. The epoch of the death of Christ is under th® control of two concurring calendar events, which, in turn, are subject to the laws of two calendars—th© one governed by the sun, the other by the moon. The sun marks off the days of the week, and the new moon determines the days of the month. This calendar relationship between sun and moon is an indispensable control of the crucifixion date. 2. Law of the First Fruits. The season, or month, in which Israel left Egypt, Moses called Abib. The word means "green ears” of barley, and these were divinely ordained to be the first fruits Josephus, "Anti epi ties," XIII. 8. Tr. Whiston. I8IJ4.. 7 Josephus, "Wars," 11.19.2. I8I4I4, 7 (Lev. 2:14) • The ancient law demanded that not only the passover should be observed in the season of green ears (Ex. l^tU; jUtS; Deut. 16:1), but that before any green ear could be eaten, a sheaf of barley corn had to be waved by the priest before the altar on the 16th day of Abib (Lev. 2^s10,11). Thus the ancient pessover season itself was governed by a divine law that was committed to th® people through Moses. The season of ripe barley in the Holy Land is April—May, varying according to the requirements of intercalation. The citations relative to the barley harvest given in the May Ministry are important. The testimony of Josephus is of value because he was a priest living in the first century, and belonged to the first one of the twenty-four courses in the sacerdotal line: "On the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them. • • And after this it is that they may publicly or privately reap their hervest."8 9 Josephus describes this rite as it used to be solemnised in his own time when the second temple was standing. Michaelis, in citing this same statement, speaks of Josephus as a witness of what he yearly saw, and as a priest giving account of the sacrifices at which he officiated. Michaelis goes on to say: ”TOio that reads this will suspect that the precept of Moses and the climate of Palestine should disagree; and that most years they were unable from a deficiency of ripe corn to keep the festival? • • . hho will not rather think, that, on the xvith of that month, which Josephus calls the first month, there was plenty of ripe corn, and that the beginning of harvest then commenced? Which if true, then March cannot be the first month; nor can it [the first month] proceed from the Hew Moon, which falls on the first part of our March, from the Calends to the xvith or xxth."10 8 Josephus, "Life," p. 1. Tr. by Whiston. 18li4. 9 Idem, III.10.5. Michaelis, J. David, "Of the Correspondence of the Hebrew Ifenths with tho Julian," p. 7- Tr. Bowyer. London, 1773* 8 Schiaparelli definitely agrees with Fichaelis when he writesi ’’Hence we see that the first new moon, which began the first month and the Jewish year, could only take place in the last days of March at the earliest, end the sacrifice of the ’omer at the earliest only some days before the end of the first half of April.” From Dalman comes the reason why March could not be the first Jewish month> "Accordingly February is the month in which for the most part [in Palestine] snow can be expected; but March stands with a snowfall equal to January, and thus it has, in this respect as with the rain, the character of a winter month. Here can be mentioned again the two-day snowfall or actual fall of hail to which I was subjected at the beginning of April in 1906 at el-kerak. Therefore spring and winter stand in close affiliation. If, in the days of Josephus, his people commonly partook of ths first fruits on the 16th day of the first month, while today the Jewish first month is frequently a moon too early for the Palestinian barley harvest, and also a month earlier than the Syrian "Nisan,** as Michaelis 1$ has pointed out from Syriac chronology, x then somewhere in the intervening period the ancient Jewish names of the months must have been changed. Scaliger mentiones these changes. He finds agreement for the most part between the tables of the Jews and Dionysius (500 A. D.), but challenges the shifting back of the paschal month by one moon in ten out of nineteen years of the cycle। "But whet difference is there in the embolisms and change of the months! Yet those ancients when they used this cycle thought that they were celebrating the passover in the Jewish Nisan, which was Adar in the years 2, U, 5» 7> 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, as the Table [of the 19-year cycle] shows; and this now first will teach our men how much those ancients erred from ignorance of a thing of no little moment since it Schiaparelli, G. V., "Astronomy in the Old Testament," p. 122. Oxford, 1905. 12 Dalman, Gustaf, "Arbeit und Sitte in Palastina," 3 Band, 2 Halfte, p. 305. Gutersloh, 1928. I? Michaelis, 1. c., p. 21. 9 was hanging from the time of the preaching of Christ and His passion. And this certainly we do not learn from any Christian, but from those who either published the Jewish year, or vrrote concerning the day of the Lord’s passion—that up to this time have observed the position and state of the Jewish new moons and their embolisms.n^4' But nature has stamped the ancient paschal month with a character independent of either its Jewish or Babylonian name. And if any one hears of Abib, the sheaf month, the month of green ears, whose ‘’divine 15 sign was the sickle, he will know that the passover month was first named from the fact of nature’s producing in it a harvest of barley corn. This was the season in which the Israelites left Egypt, and the position of the month was governed by the sun’s ripening crop of first fruits in the Holy Land. 3* The lU-Nisan Passover Date. The days of the week and also of the month are marked off by the sun. But the moon determines the first day of each lunar month by appearing on the western horizon after conjunction. Sometimes it will be three or four days before the young moon appears. Then again she can be seen on the first day after conjunction. It mainly depends upon whether she is near to the earth or far away. For her relation to the earth governs her velocity, and her velocity at the time of conjunction determines how long it will take for her to make a first appearance in the evening sky—whether in one day or more.^ And the evening of her appearance soon after sunset marked the beginning of the new month in ancient times. Scaliger, Joseph, “De Emendation© Temporum,” p. 107 • Francofurt, 1593• Bucherii, Aegidii, “De Doctrine. Temporum, ” p. Antverpiae, 16314-. (Citing Theophilus.) Hevelii, Johannis, “Selenographic,” p. 273» Gedani, 16U7* (There are many authorities from earliest times that agree with Hevelius that the moon requires one to four days in which to make a first appearance. Geminus, Pliny; Aratus, Tatius, Kepler, Hales and Fotheringham are to be mentioned.) 10 Many oriental nations employed the principles of lunar astronomy in governing their calendars. But they differed (1) both with respect to the method of intercalation, and (2) with respect to the actual place of the moon that should mark the first day of the month. In some countries, as "with the Babylonians, the youngest moon was taken to start the month, but never one that was three or four days old after conjunction— 17 only one or two. Other nations, as the Chinese and the ancient Athen-18 ians, started their months from the conjunction itself. Some began 19 with the full moon. z But with the ancient Jews, their calendar was so tied to their harvest feast dates, that the passover became the pivot 20 control for the whole year. As a result, an older form of the cres-cent than that of other nations had to start the new year—one that was in agreement with the ih-Nisan date given by divine ordinance (Ex. 12t6,8j Lev. 2Js5s Num. 9*5)• To this law the Old Testament writers have left a record of confirmation. They agree with Moses that the passover had to take place on the llfth day of the lunar month, whether 21 the ceremony was observed in the first month, or the second month. .But much difference of opinion has existed whether the New Testament pcssovers follow the Old Testament ih-Nisan passover date. And there are many arguments. But they all—both the Synoptic and Johannine hypotheses—resolve, themselves into one question! Kas Jesus offered as Mahler, Eduard, "Chronologie der Babylonier,” Denkschriften der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissonchaften muthematiscH-nah2rvH^senschaft- liche dYasse Scaliger, Gardner, J. 18U9-19U8. Y? Albtrdnl, * 65 Band. Wien, Y8??$. (Compare his dates vd th the con- Joseph, ”De Emendations Temporum,” p. 6. Francofurt, 1595 Endicott, "The Peerless 100-Year Chinese-English Calendar,” San Francisco, 192h. "Chronology of Ancient Nations,” p. 1. Tr. Sachau. London, 1879» 2$ Idem, p. 15» 66* 21 cf, references under Section II. 11 a paschal sacrifice upon the traditional lU-Nisen passover date or not? Paul seems to imply that He was* But why? It is possible to answer this question purely from the standpoint of the position of the moon, and particularly from the relationship of the full moon to the passover date. The following table illustrates the problem. A.D. iPassover ON Day of Full Moon . Moon 4 L Pass. AFTER F.M. j Conjunc. i Too early 1 Nisan 2 Too short Tr. Per. F (Pay) 3 True 1 Nisan True Tr.Per. 5 (Day) 0 1 Apr 12.49* Apr 13 .28 (6.72h) Apr 26* Apr 14 1.28 © t 10 Apr 3.38 Apr 4 .39 (9.36h) Apr 17 Apr 5 1.39 © 04 ho 19 ri Mar 25.26 Mar 26 .50 (12*0 Apr 8 Mar 27 1.50 3 28 d Apr 13.68 Apr 14 .09 (2.16h) Apr 27 Apr 15 1.09 k 35 Mar 28.27 Mar 29 .49 (11.76h) Apr 11 Mar 30 1.49 ct5 ri 36 0 Apr 15.21 Apr 16 .56 (13.44h) Apr 29 Apr 17 1.56 0 8 37 & Apr 4.56 Apr 5 .21 (5.04h) Apr 18 Apr 6 1.21 ~ 46 Mar 26.40 Mar 27 .36 (8.64h) Apr 9 Mar 28 1.36 * C. f. Ginzel’s Chronologie. Demonstration.—In the above diagram, the years have been selected in which the moon’s velocity was rapid at the time of conjunction, because nearing the Nisan perigee* Under such conditions, the moon commonly appears at the second sunset after conjunction in the Holy Land (Col. 5)» However, in these years, a lU-Nisan passover coinciding with the full moon (Col. U), would move up the first day of Nisan to the first sunset after conjunction (Col. 2). But the interval between conjunction and this first sunset—known as the translation period—is so short that the moon could not possibly be seen (Col. 3). In the whole series, the translation periods run from 2.16 hours to 13.141 hours, and it is a known astronomical fact that the young moon, even in fastest motion, cannot be seen at the end of so short intervals. ’’The crescent phase does not begin until 6.75° away from the sun"— Panjon, A., “Jeunes et vieilles lunes,” Bulletin de la Societe Astron-dml^e de France, p." 6h> /46th year, i‘P3^, Paris..... 12 And since the most rapid new moon cannot appear at the first sunset after conjunction, as would be necessary if 11+ Nisan were to coincide with full moon, then, when the new moon is slowest, and the translation period longest, as over three days, the rule of correspondence consistently demands that the calendar should not cut a day off from the translation period by placing the l^-Nissn passover on the day of full moon* In other words, since a fast-going moon cannot hasten her first appearance by a day, how much less should the calendar represent a slow-going moon as so doing, even though the translation period be long! This consistent law relative to the calendar and the moon’s fast and slow motion, the ancient Jews thoroughly understood. Their succinct progress in celendation shows great respect for the literal motion of the astronomical moon. This is confirmed by the dates of the ancient synchronisms, and by the calendar council which the Jewish senate maintained in the first century. In the second century A. D., Mar-Samuel said that he was as familiar with the paths of the sky as with the streets of Nahardea.^ But more than all else, it was the Jewish pass-over that preserved the relationship between the calendar and the varying moon. Hence it is obvious that, on the Jerusalem meridian, the Jewish calendar of old demanded its lU-Nisan date to follow the day of full moon. This is a simple, but most important law that relates to crucifixion calendation. And therefore, before any date can consistently be proposed for Friday of the crucifixion, its relation to the full moon needs first to be investigated. And now to the question whether the crucifixion Friday was the l^th or 15th of Nisan. Astronomically, there are only two rival years for the death passover—JO and JI A. D. Modern investigators have dropped the April J Hoffmann, David, "Mar-Samuel,w p. 19. Leipzig, 187J 15 date in 33 ♦ because the year demands intercalation. In JO A. D., Friday, April 7, was the Jewish day of full moon (Julian Apr. 6.93). Hence, by virtue of the law just described, it was not the ihth of • 21* Nisan. It was, instead, 1J Nisan, just as Fotheringham computes it. Similarly, in JI A. 0., Thursday, April 26, was likewise Jewish day of full moon (Julian Apr. 25.914-)• Hence it could not have been 1U Nisan, and it must therefore have been the IJth. The full moon governs these conclusions. Consequently, from the standpoint of astronomy and the calendar, and contrary to recent crucifixion arguments, these years, ■w whose Nisan full noons fall nearest to the Friday in question—JO and JI A. D.—do not provide the IJ-Nisan Friday that has been laid at the door ■Hi.rMM.u., ». i-wewiwiwri'.imii iiimiwmau Kmwtiu ■»»^rliw»wwl ii,r of the SynoptistsJ There really is no such synchronism in the epoch commonly accepted as the crucifixion period. The death passover must therefore have occurred on 1U Nisan. Time of Slaying and Eating the Paschal Lamb. When all the details connected with the Egyptian passover.are brought together, they leave no alternatives as to the time each incident occurred. Modern exegesis has taken it for granted that anciently, the paschal lamb was sacrificed ’’late on Nisan 11>’S But this is not the picture described under the First Jewish Code. Moses specifically mentions two different nightss (1) the night of the llith of the first month, when the lamb was roasted end eaten—he calls it ”in that same night” (Ex. 12t8)--and dur* Ing the same night the death angel destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt (Ex. 12«29)/? and (2) the night of the Exodus (Ex. 12il|2), which was Fotheringham, J. K., ”The Dato of the Crucifixion,” Journal of Phil* ology, Vol. XXIX, p. 107. London, 19OJ. It is important to remember that in Jewish reckoning the night always precedes the day. The night of the llith is therefore the night that begins at sunset of the IJth. 1U the night of the 15th (Num. 55*3)* Moses calls this night of the 15th the "morrow after the passover," and also adds that the Israelites left Egypt in the sight of the Egyptians, who were burying their dead. These circumstances prevent any possibility of confusing the two nights, for— 1. It is very unlikely that the Egyptian firstborn were buried the same night they were slain, since they were slain at midnight (Ex. 12.29). 2. If the lambs had been roasted and eaten the night of the 15th, which was the night of the Exodus, the occasion could not have been called the "morrow after the passover.” The Exodus would then have occurred on the same night as the passover. 3. Furthermore, on passover night, the people were forbidden to leave their houses until morning (Ex. 12.22). Therefore Passover Night did not coincide with Exodus Night. The second obviously followed the first. The following diagram outlines the various incidents connected with the first passover and shows how they are all disposed in harmon ious relation, if the paschal sacrifice is placed at the sunset begin ning of II4. Nisan, instead of at the end. The first passover sets the precedent for all the passovers that followed. ________________ Israel left Egypt— | EGYPTIAN PASSOvER | "on the 15th day of the first month” "on the morrow after the passover” Lamb chosen— Lamb kept— ’’while the Egyptians were burying "in the tenth day "up until the all their firstborn" (A.R.V.) of this month" fourteenth day" "a night to be much observed" Lamb slain and eaten— "between the two evenings" "in that night" "none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning" "at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt" 15 SUMMATION OF LAWS GOVERNING CRUCIFIXION PASSOVER 1. Death passover governed by a synchronism between the solar and lunar calendars—between the day of the week and the lunar date. 2. Passover full moon governed by the law of the first fruits. Passover subsequent to the Jewish day of full moon. 4- Passover on 1U Nisan—a one-day ceremony. 5. Lamb sacrifice occurring near the sunset beginning of 14 Nisan. 6. Paschal supper—later the same evening. The various laws governing the crucifixion date have thus been summed up as six in number. Each law is in harmonious relation with all the others. These calendar relationships bring harmony into the gospel records without sacrificing any chronological fact or interpretative truth. In this connection, the frequently discussed words in John 18*28 invite consideration. This Johannine passage is commonly taken to imply that the passover was yet future, even though the death Friday be counted as 14 Nisan. On this basis of interpretation, the lambs would be slain about the same time as the death of Jesus, but would be roasted and eaten during the night of the 15th—the high or great Sabbath which Jolm describes (John 19:51)- There are serious objections to this interpretation. And inasmuch as this chance reference alone seems to oppose a lamb sacrifice at the beginning of 14 Nisan, the context deserves detailed analysis. The expression ’’and it was early,” can signify ’’very early,” even a ngreet while before day,” as in the use made of the qualified Greek word proi in Mark 1:55- Thus the context in John would represent a case similar to the circumstance in Park. For it will be remembered that even before midnight, Judas left the Lord’s supper table to meet the 16 ’’temple police,” and the ’’wily priests and elders” who joined the rabble on the way to Gethsemane. Obviously, therefore, according to the conceded ’’Synoptic” argument, these Jews must have left their passover tables when they proceeded to arrest Jesus. Moreover, that which seems manifestly uppermost in the minds of these Jewish officers was to effect a speedy preliminary trial of Jesus by night through the cooperation of Pilate, and then to return to their paschal meal before the morning 26 broke. For, even if the Jews had gone into Pilate’s judgment hall, their levitical uncleanness would have lasted only until the following evening (Lev. 15:1-11). Hence, this Mosaic law could not have prevented them from eating a passover after sunset on Friday if such had been their intention. Consequently, it could not obviously have been a passover supper on the subsequent Friday evening to which John refers, but only to the paschal feast from which the officers and priests had been called by Judas. But Pilate did not respond immediately to the urgent demands of the Sadducean priests, and they doubtless never returned to the paschal table in that tragic year. The foregoing interpretation corrects the erroneous outline of events relative to the crucifixion passover, that has sometimes been ascribed to John, and brings harmony between all the evangelist writings and the calendar. White, Ellen G., ’’Desire of Ages,” p. 705* Conflict Series. 17 III. THE LORD’S PASSOVER—THE NATIONAL FEAST At the time of the Egyptian passover, each Israelite home was invested, as it were, "with the character and dignity of a temple."^ Here the paschal lamb was slain, and the blood sprinkled upon the entrance door. These lambs were not sacrificed by a temple priest at a temple altar. Each lamb was slain by an ordinary person, selected to serve a small group of people (Ex. 12:U). The congregation as a whole took part in the sacrifice, end the lamb was roasted and eaten "in that night" which followed the evening of the sacrifice (Ex. 12:6-8). Such was the service that was commemorated whenever the passover was observed. But sin and idolatry prevented the Jews from regularly keeping the passover, and each renewal of the service tended toward some change in the manner of its observance. The time came, after the fall of the second temple in 70 A. D., that the Jews were so persecuted by Rome that they were not even allowed to announce their feasts. The early church canons forbade Christians from keeping the passover with the Jews, or even accepting unleavened bread from the hand either of those in circum-28 cision, or of those who had come over to Christianity. It became the urge for bishops and prelates to write against the Jews, who, in turn, challenged the Christians that they could not calculate their passover 29 feast without the help of the ancient Jewish reckoning. It has already been shown that the ancient calendar system, from ?? Philo, "Life of Moses," Book III, p. 2814. Tr. Yonge. London, I855. Migne, J.-P., "Patrologiae Cursub Completus,” SL, t. LVI, Concilium Laodiciae Phrygiae Pacatianae, C. XXXVTI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, col. 719. Paris, 1855. ^9 Alblrunt, "Chronology of Ancient Nations," p. $02. Tr. Sachau. London, 1879* Schwarz, Adolf, "Der Jiidische Calender," p. L$2. Breslau, 1872. 18 about the fourth century and onward, vitally changed its feast period, 30 its length of year, end the calendar position of the moon’s phasis. Consequently, aside from the Sacred Text, it is of first importance to the problem to review the testimonies of men who lived near to the time of Jesus Christ. Such writers would be wholly unbiased by the confused lunar reckoning which permeated both Jewry end Christianity after the century of Hadrian and Coinmodus. The records of this second century A. D. show intense antagonism between Christian and Jew—each accusing the other of fallacious moon reckoning, and the Jews deceiving their 31 opponents with regard to ancient lunar computations. Thilo Judaeus (20 B. C. to 5U A. D.)—a contemporary of Christ and the Apostles—makes revealing comment regarding the passover feast of his day: . .on which festival not only do private individuals bring victims to the altar, and the priests sacrifice them, but also, by a part" cular ordinance of this law, the whole nation is consecrated and officiates in offering sacrifices} every separate individual on this occasion bringing forward and offering up with his own hands the sacrifice due on his own behalf.”*^ Then again: • .on which pascha the whole nation sacrifices, each individual among them not waiting for the priests, since on this occasion, the law has given, for one especial day in every year, a priesthood to the whole nation, so that each private individual slays his own victim on this day.”53 $ Sidersky, David, "Etude sur 1’origin© astronomique de la chronologie juive," Memoires prdsentds par divers savants a l’Academie des Inscriptions et ¥olles-lettre8 do 1 *Instltu¥ Je France, Vol. MI , part 2, p. "Wris; r—---------------------------— 3^ In "Heresy 70," Lib. V, Cap. XVI, Epiphanius says of the Jews: "For now we have no communion with them. For they are even mistaken in the very calculation which they think to construct: so that they are found to err in every way, and to depart from the truth." 3^ Fhilo, "Life of MoseSj" Book III, p. 121. Tr. Yonge. London, 1855* 33 Idem, p. 171• [Italics mine.] 19 Philo’s words, "not waiting for the priests," are significant. They are suggestive that not every paschal lamb was sacrificed in the temple, and therefore, not all at the same time. That some private individuals did bring their lambs to the temple altar, according to Philo, is evident. The occasion of the first passover after the dedication of the second temple (Ezra 6:20), and also Hezekiah’s passover (2 Chron. JO:17), are precedents. But, in the time of Christ, some lambs must certainly have been slain "without the gate” as a symbol of Him who "suffered without the gate" (Heb. 1J:12). And as a type of this circumstance, we have the first passover in Egypt, when the lambs were slain at Israel’s doors. Maimonides (12th century) casts more light upon the question of "private altars," admitting that they had been permissible in early times. But he also refers to a traditional interpretation of Deut. 16:5 ( as forbidding such. The following is his complete statement: "Thus the paschal victim, like the other sacrifices, was never slain except in the temple court. And then, there was the edict itself that the paschal victim should not be slain upon a private altar, although it was allowed that individual altars were kindled with individual fires. Whoever therefore had slain the passover lamb upon a private altar would be punished with stripes, as we see written in the law, ’Thou shalt not eat the passover in any of your towns.’ For this tradition has been passed down to us that in this place there is a warning lest anyone should slay the paschr' lamb upon a private altar, even though private altars are granted. The Latin words *cum arae privatae concederentur" without doubt refer to early century practice. Josephus also supports the idea of individual passover altars as common to the time of Christ’s birth. Both "Antiquities" and "Wars" llaimonides, Moses, "Tractatus Primus de Sacrificio Paschall," Cap. I. p. u. Tr. de Compiegne de Veil. London, 168J. 20 describe a sedition that occurred among the Jews during the passover feast, shortly after the death of Herod the Great, Archelaus had assumed the throne in Judaea, but he had not yet been appointed by Augustus. The Jews were lamenting the death of Matthias, and others whom Herod had slain. An ’’innumerable multitude” had come up out of the country to keep the passover—one seditious group resorting to the temple for protection, while the masses were without the city in their tents. Josephus describes them as offering sacrifices wwith great alacrity."^ Against them Archelaus sends a regiment of armed men, whom the Jews attack, with sacrificial lambs in one hand, and stones in the otherI *After which they betook themselves to their sacrifices, as if they had done no mischief.Finally, Archelaus "sent his whole army upon them, the footmen in great multitudes by way of the city [Jerusalem], and the horsemen by way of the plain, who, falling upon them on a sudden, as they were offering their sacrifices, destroyed about three thousand of them.”^ In this season, the moon was full, and in the piercingly clear moonlight of the Holy Land., it was as easy for the army to attack by night as by day. Bit the important feature is the fact that the Romans surprised the Jews as they were in the very act of offering their paschal lambs. Assuredly this was not a temple sacrifice, and it is easy to see how, by this method of observance, many lambs could be offered, as Josephus says, ’’with great alacrity.* Josephus, ’’Antiquities,” XVII.9.3. Wiiston. I8I4I4.. Josephus, *Wars,w II.2.3* Josephus, *Wars,* II.l.J. "Whiston, I8I4I4.. 21 The position therefore taken in this argument is that the gospel account supports a national festival only—one that for the most part in the crucifixion year, was observed on Thursday evening after sunset in the private homes and tents of the people. As further confirmation, attention Is called to certain facts in the cage: 1. The original passover was a night ceremony involving one day. If a two-day ceremony had ever been possible, then the law that delayed the passover a whole month for the levitically unclean would never need to have been given. (Num. 9»10»H«) 2. At the crucifixion passover, both the typical lamb and the Antitypical Lamb were to b© sacrificed. It would be as reasonable to Insist that the barley sheaf, which as first fruits was a type of the resurrection, had to be waved by the priest at the same instant Christ arose, as to maintain that the typical lamb had to be slain at the same hour the True Lamb died. It seems sufficient that the two were sacrificed on the sa.no Jewish day. But the interpretation is surely inconsistent that plans for the typical lamb to bo roasted and eaten sfter the death of the Antitype. It is argued that th© disciples would have to go to the temple on Thursday to obtain their lamb. But It should be borne in mind that the paschal lambs had already been chosen since the 10th—Monday—and that on Thursday, Jesus and His disciples were in hiding outside the gates of Jerusalem, because of the activity of Judas in seeking to betray his Master (John 12ij^). I4 .. But perhaps the most effective witness to the view that the Evangelists are one and all describing the national passover, is John, who says—and it was Thursday evening before the supper—that Jesus knew His hour had come (John l^sl). Jesus knew from the "seventieth week" prophecy in Daniel 9 that the fourth passover in His public ministry would be His last. Bit, if He anticipated th© legal sacrifice upon which the prophecy is based, and subverted the time by a private paschal meal, not coincident with the passover kept by those who would cut off the Messiah, He could not reasonably have insisted to His disciples that "His hour vzas cornel" John’s important words are also confirmed by Luk© (Luke 22tlU), and in harmony with their deep significance, the conclusion is clear that th© gospels are describing on© passover only—the national feast. 22 IV. JEWISH FEASTS DURING CHRIST’S PUBLIC MINISTRY There ere two features set forth in this analysis as essential to the outline of Christ’s public ministry: (1) that it involved four 38 passovers, but not a period of four full yearsr and (2) that the four passovers are checked off by epochs in the life of John the Baptist. These two marks of distinction not only tie together the whole ministry of Christ, but they also bring harmony between the records of the Synoptic ts and that of th® Fourth Evangelist. The first passover (John 2tl$) and the last, or the crucifixion passover, need no arguments. Bit the chronology that singles out in the Synoptic gospels an additional barley-harvest season, not belonging to any of John’s passovers, is based upon one event—the imprisonment of John the Baptist. Therefore, since the first passover occurred before John was cast into prison (John Ji23), and since Jesus did not begin public preaching in Galilee until after the imprisonment of the Baptist (Matt. U: 12,17j Mark 1:1U)» the ears-of-corn Sabbath described by all three Synoptlsts, and introduced into the Synoptic context soon after the return of Jesus into Galilee, must have marked a passover during the imprisonment of John the Baptist. Consequently, this incident of the Synoptists* barley harvest could not have belonged either to the first passover, while John was baptizing near Jordan, nor to the passover in John 6, which came about the time of feeding the five thousand, after John’s death (Matt. 1Ui13)» Therefore, the Synoptic barley harvest must a 38 Eusebiust Hence, the whole time of our Saviour’s ministry is proved not to embrace four entire years, there being four high priests for four years, from Annas to the appointment of Caiaphas, each one of which held the office a year respectively.h—^Ecclesiastical History/' p. 60. Cruse. London, I8I4.7. 25 haw been current with a paschal season during the period of John’s imprisonment. In this manner, Matthew, Mark, and Luke Introduce another passover, not included among the feasts described by the Evangelist John, and making altogether four passovers belonging to the public ministry of * Christ. As will later be demonstrated, this Synoptic passover occurred in the spring of 29 A. D. It can be designated the second passover. I I Years 0.5 From the baptism of <3irist to the first Passover (spring). FIRST YEAR Spring —[First Passover) — John baptising near Jordan.*^ 1.0 Fall — Tabernacles—t!a feast of the Jews. Sabbath healing of the impotent man. An attempt to slay Jesus. , John the Baptist not yet in prison.*41 SECOND YEAR 1.0 Spring — John the Baptist in prison.^ Jesus begins public preaching in Galilee/4-' . ISecond Passover!— Synoptists’ barley harvest.^ THIRD YEAR ________________ . Spring — [Third Passover) — "a feast of the Jews.w^ John is dead—Feeding of $000. 0 1.0 Fall — Feast of Tabernacles.^7 Attempt to stone Jesus. Healing of blind man.4^ Winter — Feast of Dedication—another attempt at stoning. FOURTH YEAR (beginning)____________ Spring — (Crucifixion Passover) 3.5 years The third passover occurred after the death of John the Baptist, and it was near the time of feeding the five thousand. Jesus did not p9 John 3:2? John 5sl John 3:^4 John 5s32 Mark 1:14 $ Matt. 4:12,13 Luke 6:1 Matt. 12:1 Mark 2:23 J+5 John 6:4 Matt. 14:13-15 john 7^8 John 9:1-16 W John 10:22 attend this passover—He was in Galilee. There are those who read only ”feast of th© Jews” in John 6:U, because of a possible original relation of the Fourth Gospel to Aramaic, which omits the words ro 770.0-^ in this text.5$ And this translation is then employed to drop out a whole year from the public ministry of Christ. However, ell four of the Evangelists describe the feeding of the five thousand, which Incident John strictly associates with this festival. And thereby the chronology of th© third passover is established. Even though the words to ira^a, may have been a primitive interpolation, yet it must be remembered that John commonly names his feasts, which are six in number. And, as if in further confirmation of a paschal season In his sixth chapter, he states that there ”was much grass in the place,” where the people sat down to eat (verse 10). Mark adds that the grass was green (Mark 6iJ9)» These descriptive details of that desert plain on the border of Galilee point to the spring as the season of the year. In Palestine, during the summer, ”the plains are parched with drought, and every green herb is dried up. • .no green thing remains but the foliage of the scattered fruit trees, and occasional vineyards and fields of millet.” But after the spring rains, there are "rich and 51 juicy pasturages.” That the grass was green, and much of it is indicative of the season that had preceded the feeding incident. It had rained sufficiently for grass to spring up abundantly around the border plain of the sea of Galilee, which, during summer and autumn, is notable up for its lack of green grass.J The passover always followed just such a 5° Dalman, Gustaf Hermann, ”Jesus-Jesh.ua,” pp. 88,92. Tr. Levertoff. New York, 1929- |1 Kitto, John, ’’Palestine,” pp. 2U,l|.5. New York, 1900. 5^ Ogg, George, ’’Chronology of the Public Ministry of Christ,” p. 19* Cambridge, I9I4O. period of* rain—called the latter rain. The feeding of the five thousand Jews at a time when there was much green grass on the Galilean plain, precisely locates Jolin’s sixth chapter feast in the spring. But the Fourth Evangelist also ties his festival to this season by his descriptive storm of darkness and wind that began in the evening when the disciples took ship for Capernaum after the feeding of the five thousand. It was an all-night storm (Matt. Ius26)—on.e that drove the rowers about four miles off their course. And it was dark (John 6:17-19)• This darkness was obviously caused by the storm, for otherwise the whole scene would have been lit up by the full moon of the approaching feast. Such a stom, which all the gospel writers describe, was typical of early spring in Palestine, but not of harvest time (1 Sam. 12|17 and Prov. 26tl), either in summer or fall. By comparing the years of the crucifixion epoch in Table I, on page of this series, it will readily be seen that the year $0 A. D. is the only one with a very early season passover—April 8. This early spring storm, occurring near passover time, therefore identifies the year 30 A. D. There is accordingly no alternative but to conclude that John’s third-mentioned feast is the third passover in the public ministry of Christ. The fourth is, of course, that of the crucifixion. These four passovers signify that the actual public ministry of Christ involved a period of about three years. This fact is implied in the parable, where Jesus says to the dresser of His vineyard, nBehold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree.** (Luke 1Ji7.) In the FEAST OGTLIWB on page 2J, it will be noted that wa feast 26 of the Jews" (John 5*1) is designated as Tabernacles. The chronology demands that the feast be located several months after Jesus passed through Samaria during grain harvest (John U*35> last clause). That a grain harvest was also possible in the period of the seventh month, com-53 pare Jer. 41*1*8’ this occasion, the Julien year was the same as that of the first passover—28 A. D. The record in John 5 calls for a synchronism—the coincidence between a feast day and the Sabbath day. / legend connects the Bible incident with a "certain season" (verse Li), and the presence of a "multitude" (verses 3, 13) indicates the important day of this feast season, pointing to such convocations as the 15th of Nisan, or the 15th or 22nd of Tisri. Jesus commonly worked under the protection of a multitude of people (Luke 22*6), especially when around Jerusalem. But in the year 28 A. D. (of. Table I), these convocations were dated as follows* 28 A. D. 15 Nisan • Thursday 15 Tisri - Sabbath (always two days later 22 Tisri ® Sabbath than the 15th Nisan) Hence the big feast day in John 5. upon which the Sabbath heeling seems to have taken place, and after which the Jews sought to slay Jesus (verse 16), who was then called to account before the Sanhedrin (verse 51u JI ), fits perfectly with either the first or last day of Tabernacles, but not with the feast of Unleavened Bread or the Passover. Crucifixion Passover—a Late Season Feast. Thus the outline of Christ’s public ministry is based upon seven specific Jewish feasts. 53 "It was four months to the time of harvesting the grain, but here was a harvest ready for the reaper."—White, Ellen G., "Desire of Ages," p. 191• Conflict Series. White, Ellen G., "Desire of Ages," p. 201|.. Conflict Series. These concur with various seasons in the four years indicated, and they ere of importance of chronology from th® fact that certain Scripture references to these feast seasons intimate whether the corresponding years were common or intercalary. If a passover, or any feast, were unusually late for the season, or early, it is consistent to expect some evidence in the Bible pointing out the presence or not of the embolismic month Veadar. And there are several suggestive allusions to that effect. The all-ni^it storm on Galilee in the pre-crucifixion year has already been referred to as a sign of an early psssover for that year. Two incidents will now be given as evidence that the crucifixion pass-over came late in the spring—-not early: (1) the closed fishing season in John 21; and (2) the state of vegetation at the time of the crucifixion. 1. There is uniform testimony that the Galilean fishing season is from rid-Dec ember or January to mid-April.Twice Airing the ministry of Christ, He performed a miracle in order to fill the disciples♦ nets with fish. The first instance was in Galilee, near the time of the Synoptic passover, end the year was 29 A. D. The passover for that year was on Monday, April 18—cf. Table I—and it is obvious that the season was not early and the fishing season was at its end. In the very early spring before the crucifixion, Peter could readily hook up a fish off the shore of Galilee (Matt. 17«27), ’‘where the shallows swarm with small fish-fry."^ Dunkel, P. Franz, "Die Fischerei am See Gennesareth,” p. J81. Bib-lica, Vol. $, 19^U. Roms. Masterman, Ernest W. Gurney, "Studies in Galilee,” p. J8. Chicago, 1909* Rohricht, Reinhold, "Regesta Regni Hierosolymitani,’’ p. $8. Libraria Academies "Wagneriana. 1895* Masterman, E. W. G., Idem. 7 28 The occasion of the second miracle was in the year of the cruci-fixion, after the resurrection. Peter and his comrades had fished all night, but had caught nothing. Then came the early morning catch at the command of the Master. If the crucifixion had occurred early in April, then fishing would still have been good for a week or two. But the fact that it was not good in water that in season teems with large fish a few 57 yards out from shore, is indicative that passover in th® crucifixion year was late—that is, after the fishing season had ended. Hence a Veadar spring. 2. At the time of Christ’s death, the 11 time of figs was not yet” in the highlands about Jerusalem (Mark lltlj). And still, there was in this particular orchard to which the Synoptists refer, an isolated tree in full leaf, but without any figs. And in other orchards also, other kinds of trees were leafing out (Luke 21i29,30). But this special fig tree was barren, and in the parable, it is left from year to year with the expectation that it would, after more culture, bear fruit (Luke 13*9)* However, in the final, actual scene, it bore only pretentious foliage. And its green covering was so ^luxuriant in appearance, and beautiful to the eye,”$® that Jesus endowed the tree with a symbol, and to it likened the hypocrisy of the Jewish nation. In early April, th© fig trees of southern Palestine have little green figs only—no leaves. But at the time of th® crucifixion pass-over, leaves were maturing. If the passover had been in early April, none of the trees around Jerusalem would have been in leaf. Upon this very fact Jesus made comment: 57 Masterman, E. W, G., Idem. 58 mte, E. G., "Desire""^kges,” p. 583. Conflict Series. 29 MBehold the fig tree, and all the trees. When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.” Luke 21>29»3$* Hence, the fig tree with such abundant foliage, and the leafing out of other trees also are witnesses to the lateness of the crucifixion passover, and the extreme nearness of summer. Accordingly, the crucifixion spring must have included the embolismic month Veadar. V. REJECTION OF JO A. D. AS THE CRUCIFIXION YEAR Throughout this discussion of principles governing the crucifixion year, definite conclusions have been drawn why the year JO A. D. was not the crucifixion year. These will now be reviewed under four arguments s 1. Coincidence Between Calendar and Gospel Narrative. The pass-over date in JO A. D., as indicated by the full moon on April 6 (of. Table I), is the very earliest passover that any first century reckoning offers.^ On the contrary, the passover date in JI A. D. was a late season date—the moon fulling on April 2J. These two passovers—one the very earliest, and the other late—belong to two adjacent years that are rivals in crucifixion chronology. All this from a calendar standpoint. But the gospel narrative makes the same distinction between the pre-crucifixion year and the crucifixion year itself as the calendar does between the years JO and JI A. D. And this correspondence between the gospels and the calendar is too marked to be passed over. The early spring storm on Galilee near passover time in the pre-crucifixion year no Scaliger places the first century passover limits from April 8 to May 6 ^endatione Temponim, p. 26j). Schiaparelli has April 10 to May 10 ronogy‘ in the' bl‘d 'fe'steanent, p. 126). Earlier passover^ are dropped oh account of Inhercaiailon. 30 exactly answers to the very early passover in 50 A. D. that is pointed out by the full moon on April 6. And again, the signs of approaching summer in the season of Christ*s death recorded by the Synoptists concur with tiie late season passover in $1 A. D. and its paschal full moon on April 25* Obviously, the conclusion is inescapable that the very early passover in the year 50 A* D* has no agreement at all with the closed fishing season of the Johannine narrative and with the trees in full leaf described by the other Evangelists in the crucifixion year 2. A Friday •“Passover in 50 P* Nullifies Ancient Calendar Relations* The ancient Jews had a calendar relation between their pass over and full moon such as belonged to no other nation of th® Orient The advocates of 50 A* D* for the crucifixion year obtain a Friday-pass over synchronism only by placing the passover on the Jewish day of full moon, and thereby nullifying the passover full moon relation* But this calendar procedure also breaks the true relation between the conjunction and the first day of Nisan, thus making the translation period alto- gether too short, as shown in the following diagram: Conjunction Phasis M March w 22.84 If 1 N: .sar '.C.T. If 1 N: san If 1 N: > san. If 1 N1 san if i k< . san L i 232 Tr. Per. ■2.92------- , M M 30 A.D. -15.09 days------- (Wax.Per.) April S [ Su. M [ tu W Full Moon 23 2425 2§s27 2829 30 31 1 2.314 5 °o ! t! hen P a s .. o v e r = lA | —I ■ I ; ‘ then a s s ,o v : f Pass 693 J.C.T SS Sa 8a before then Passover Su M 9 10 F*H b^forg F and JI D. is J8l|. days. But if the passover on April 8 is moved back to Friday, April 7, additional day is thus added to the year, making it J8J days long. But it has been pointed out by Jewish chronologers— Sider sky and Poznanski—that the modern Jewish calendar only, with its dehiyoth, has a J8j-day year, and that such a year length did not exist 6o in the first century A. D. Therefore, it is conclusive that a Friday passover on April 7 in JO A. D. would distort the length of the lunar year. A Friday-Passover in JO A. D« Apuld Occur Before the Joon Fulls. The early testimonies of Aristobulus and Philo refer to a pass-over ceremony after full moon, but not before it, as would necessarily be the case at sunset of April 6, JO A. D.^‘ The oft-cited statement of Aristobulus—repeated by Anatolius, Eusebius, Theophilus, and many others—maintains that the day of the paschal festival began "on the llith of Nisan after the evening when the moon stands diametrically opposed to the sun as any one can see at the time of full moon.”^ These words have taken part in all the ancient Easter controversies. The astronomical event of the full moon rising with the setting sun, and on the morning after, setting with the rising sun, was significantly described by the Babylonian idolaters as that "God was seen with the See ref. JO. * In this position, the paschal supper would occur over four hours before the instant of full moon at Apr. 6* *9J» J* C. T. Nancelii, Nicolai, ’’Analogia Microcosm! ad Macrocosmon," Secunda Pars, Ad Lilios Fratres, col. 120ij.. Paris, 1611. Cf. Eusebius, Petavius, Bucherius, and Caspari. God*"6? At the setting sun on 13 Nisan, the ancient calendar of the Jews commonly marked this event in Jerusalem. This was the custom as late as the time of Anatolius of Laodioea (277 A. D. ).^ v After him, in the sixth century A. D., the Scots and Celtic churches were still trying 65 to follow his teaching. y Then, in the words of Philo, the world was ’’full, not by day only, but also by night, of the most beautiful light.” This was a fit prelude to that ceremony of shedding the blood of the paschal lamb, which was a symbol of the True bight. But by Eusebius, Theophilus, and Ambrose, and from that time on generally, the crucifixion passover was placed after sunset on Thursday of passion week, which was called II4. Nisan, while Friday, the next day, was named 15 Nisan. f This is the reckoning adopted by Maimonides, 68 Edersheim, and Torrey of our own century. The modern Jewish calendar also observes the passover on 15 Nisan, with ceremonies at the sunset beginning of the day. But these variations of the passover supper are entirely different from that commanded by the Pentateuch, and the * * * * * * * 65 66 Neugebauer, P. V., und Weidner, Ernest F., "Ein astronomischer Beo- bachtungstext aus dem 37• Jshre Nebukadnezars II," (— 567/66), p. 1|2. Berichte uber die Verhandlungen der Fbnigl. Sachs!schen Gesellschaft ’3fer Wissenschaften zu Leipzig ^hilogisch-Krs£oTr£scHe Hasse. Sand. WZZrwr.----------------------------------------------------------------- Bucherii, Aegidii, "De Doctrina Temporum," pp. 14.51,14.52. Antverpiae, I63I4.. 65 Idem. 66 Philo, "The Life of Moses," Vol. Ill, p. 291. Tr. Yonge. London, I855. "And this feast [Feast of unleavened bread] is begun on the fifteenth day of the month, in the middle of the month, on the day on which the moon is full of light, in consequence of the providence of God taking gare that there shall be no darkness on that day. "—Idem.» pp. 2814..285* * 7 Bucherii, Aegidii, "De Doctrina Temporum," pp. W6. Antverpiae, 165U. Maimonides, "De Saorificiis Liber," p. J8. Tr. Ludovicus de Compiegne de Veil. London, 1683* Edersheim, Alfred, "Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah," Vol. II, p. 1|79* New York, 1923. Torrey, Charles Cutler, "The Date of the Crucifixion According to the Fourth Gospel," Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. L, p. 2141. 1931* Yale Press. 55 relation between Jewish and Julian time has become much involved In the hands of* investigators of the crucifixion date. But the spiritual interpretation, or paschal symbolism, is wholly lost in the year 30 A, D. when the supper is placed before full moon at th® sunset beginning of Friday, April 7 (Jewish time). And neither in JO A. D. can the supper be dated after the sunset ending of Jewish Friday, April 7, as ill. Nisan, calling the Sabbath evening 1J Nisan on which the actual supper ”S” occurred in that year. For this is contrary to the Pentateuch, which calls for the sapper on the beginning evening of lU Nisan. And so, let it be repeated, according to the law of the Pentateuch, wherever the supper is placed, that day, from sunset to sunset, belongs to 1U Nisan. Therefore, since the only consistent position for the passover in JO A. D. was in the night of the Jewish Sabbath—S on the diagram, this night must have belonged to 1U Nisan. Consequently, in the year JO A. D. there was no ’’Friday” passover in the Jewish calendar sense, and therefore no crucifixion date. This conclusion is illustrated in the following diagrams 30 A.D. — Jewish time, sunset to sunset m April 6 w April 7 m April 8 *^^^^hursday r^^^F riday y^^^Saturday Fifth Sixth DayX^r Sabbatbi'^x^ ss 12 Nisan * ss 13 Nisan ss 14 Nisan Sl S = Evening of slain lamb and Paschal Supper The foregoing arguments relative to the year JO A. Da can be summarised under two conclusions1 1. That the Nisan moon of the year JO A. D. agrees only with the calendar and gospel conditions in the pre-crucifixion year. 3U 2. That a passover on Friday, April 7 in JO A* D* is wholly out of agreement with calendar rules governing the lunar year, end the Old Testament law governing the position of the paschal supper. VI. THE CRUCIFIXION DATE GOVERNED BY LAW 1. Ancient Jewish Law. The death nFridaytt has to get Its Jewish date from the position of the paschal supper. And by the authority of the Pentateuch, the only traditional date for the supper is 1U Nisan. Furthermore, there is no ancient Scripture sanction of any kind supporting 15 Nisan as the supper date, which is strictly of later invention. Conseouently, seeing that the New Testament has no Jewish date for its passovers, the crucifixion argument is wholly dependent upon the ancient low of the Pentateuch, which Moses gives as lh Nisan in the following language: "And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. . • And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire. • .w Ex. 12:6,8. In Hebrew, the word here translated that is also translated as same (cf. Gen. 8jll). The Latin gives ttin the same night.* Consequently, the conclusion is self-evident that the lamb was eaten in the ni^it of the lljth of Nisan, and not in the night of the 15th of Nisan. For it has already been shown (cf. page 9) that in neither JO er JI A. D. could the ’’Friday" of passover week have been designated 15 Nisan without making the translation period too short by one day. Hence the year JI A. D. must have agreed with the following pattern: 35 F.M 31 A.D. Aoril 26 April 28 Saturday- April 27 Friday jo — Jewish time, sunset to sunset 4 Sixth Day Fifth Day Sixth Day 4 Sabbath ss 13 Nisan ss 14 Nisan ss 15 Nisan ss S - Evening of slain lamb, Paschal Supper, and Lord’s Supper Demonstration. —In this diagram, there are two hypothetical posTiions ^or tne paschal supper—ttSM and S’’’—the Jewish Friday night, and the night of the Jewish Sabbath. If WS,W is chosen, then, according to Pentateuchal law, that Sabbath night was lU Nisan. But by counting back on the calendar, it will be found that the 1st day of Nisan would then have occurred on the 15th of April, thus making the translation period ,U. 19 days long. (Conjunction » Apr. 10«58.) But this period is altogether too long for any meridian. Hence, in JI A* D., the night of the Sabbath, which on the calendar belongs to April 28, is out for the paschal supper. And MSW—the night of Jewish Friday—is the only alternative position. Therefore that night mu at have belonged to II4. Nisan, and the day was April 27 on the calendar. In its favor are the following facts, and there are no facts in its disfavors a. Occurs after full moon—neither before it nor on it. b. Coincides with a ih-Nisan Friday. c. Concurs with Synoptic and Johannine suppers. d. Involves a Nisan translation period of J.19 days in harmony with a waxing period of 1J.J6 days. (Cf. Table I.) Therefore, on the basis of the lU-Nisan passover supper of the Pentateuch, the evidence is in favor of a Friday, jppril 27 crucifixion in JI A. D. 2. Calendar Law. In Table I, the hypothetical crucifixion epoch has been marked off from 28 to A. D. These years have each been considered as possible crucifixion dates by one and another. The following series is taken from this Table, whose moon dates are based upon Ginzel1 J The moon never goes to the fourth day after conjunction to make a first appearance, for her velocity is too rapid even in apogee. CRUCIFIXION EPOCH (Jerusalem. Civil Time) A. D» Full Moon Passover on 1U Nisan Day of the Week Tr. Per. (Days) Wax. Pe (Days) 28* Apr 27.62 Apr 28 Wednesday 1.09 13-9U 29 Apr 17-21 Apr 18 Monday 1.95 111-39 50 Apr 6.93 Apr 8 Saturday 2.92 15.09 JI* Apr 2S.9h Apr 27 Friday 3.19 15.36 32 Apr 1U.1|7 Apr 15 Tuesday 2.81 15.52 33* May 3.29 May U Monday 2.87 15.39 3U Apr 22.11.0 Apr 23 Friday 2.19 111.82 * Years v/ith a Veadar spring. In this Table, each passover date is governed by one and the same calendar rule, namely, that the passover on 1U Nisan always follows the sunset to sunset Jewish day of full moon in Jerusalem* This basic rule governs the whole calendar, which includes the Julian date for the first day of Nisan, and hence th® length of the adjacent translation period. On the other hand, the full moons end conjunctions, and the resultant waxing periods have been deduced for the meridian of Jerusalem from standard moon tables. It should be noted that the translation periods, which are governed by the passover full-moon rule, have an average short end long correspondence to the waxing periods, which are governed by the standard almanac tables. In the foregoing series, with the exception of the impossible 3U A. D., there is only one year that has a llp-Nisan Friday passover—the year JI A. D. The only way in which a Friday passover can be obtained for any one of the other years is by rejecting the law that governs the relation between passover and full moon. The results shown by this table are based upon this law, end the passover date in each year is thereby governed. The consistency of the law is shown by the relative 37 correspondence between the translation periods and the waxing periods. The year 33 A. D. was formerly the popular crucifixion date with both Jewish and Gentile chronologers. Its April full moon falls on Friday, April J. But it is clear, from this very early full moon date, that this year had to have an embolismic passover, Jpril 3 being altogether too early for ripe barley. Furthermore, April 3 is the day of full moon. On these two counts the year 33 fails to qualify. And in addition, the 33-year date for the death year was based upon the Rabbinical calendar which was not operative in the time of Christ. » The year 3-U A. D. has a lU-Nisan Friday passover on April 23. But this year history challenges as too late for the death of Christ, since it belongs to the 203rd Olympiad. The 202nd Olympiad is the one commonly chosen by the early fathers. Its acceptance as a crucifixion date would interfere with the very exact chronology of the Acts and the life of Paul, and with the Messianic prophecy in Daniel nine. Hence this year is not to be considered as a possible death year. Consequently, the year JI A. D., with its Friday passover on April 27, is the only possible year of the series that can qualify for the death year of Christ. This conclusion is based upon calendar rules by which each passover date is governed, and not by different rules for different dates, as is so frequently encountered. The question of embolism in the crucifixion year, is given further proof by the following historical incidentt In the year 1722, Thomas Shaw (Oxford) was traveling through the Holy Land. He noted that ’’barley, all over the Holy land, was in full ear in the beginning of April [Old Style], and about the middle of the month [lastof the month, New Style], it began to turn yellow, particularly in the southern districts.” He makes the following comments "According therefore to the quality of the season, in the year 1722, the first fruits could not have been offered at the time appointed; aniT would therefore have required the intercalating of Ve-adar, and the postponing thereby the passover for at least a month." Doctor Shaw was consequently an eye-witness in Palestine that the spring of the year 1722 demanded the intercalation of the Veadar month. But between the years 1722 and JI A. D. are 1691 years, or exactly 89 cycles of 19 years each. Hence, according to the invariable law of embollsmic repetition, as explained by Reinach,since the year 1722 had a late spring, demanding the interpolation of Veadar, therefore the year JI A. D. must have been likewise embolismic, since the interval between these two years consisted of an exact number of 19-year cycles. Thus the double witness of history and nature to the accuracy of the barley-harvest law in relation to the 19-year cycle. And this after more than three thousand years from the time of its ordination. The law of embolism can therefore be added to the calendar rules governing the crucifixion date, Friday, April 27» JI A. D. J. Prophetic Law. It yet remains to be demonstrated that the year JI A. D. Is in harmony with the Messianic outline of the ministry of Christ as set forth in Daniel nine. According to Daniel, the anointing of the Messiah at His baptism was to 8 covered the large part of the seventh year—Nisan to Kisleu inclusive. And, furthermore, January 1 annually coincides with a different day in Kisleu or Tebet, as intercalation decides. These facts have led to confusion concerning the year in which Exra left Babylon, but it can be shown that the Julian year U57 B. C. was the only possible year. There are no eclipses that tie in with the reigns of the Persian kings after the time of Cambyses and Darius I. This adds importance to the double-dated Aramaic papyri that are dated in the reign of Artaxerxes, of which three will be citedt^? (1) Papyrus B — Artaxerxes’ accession year. (2) Papyrus E — the 19th year. (?) Papyrus F — the 25th year. Zimmern, Heinrich, wZum babylonischen Neujahrsfest.” Cf. ref. JO. 73 Cowley, A., "Jewish Documents of the time of Esra,” pp. J2,h2,l|ii. London, 1919* The double dates in the Aramaic papyri are now "generally -7h accepted as belonging to the Babylonian and Egyptian calendars# And by these synchronal dates the regnal years of the Persian kings are identified with their corresponding Julian years. The Edward Fahler tables on Babylonian chronology endorse the 1+57 C. date for the seventh 75 of Artaxerxes. These tables are based upon ancient cuneiform texts and contracts. The earliest tablet with an Artaxerxes I record is dated on the 5th day of the 7th month of his first year (Oppert). The latest record gives the end of his reign as Ll years, 11 months, 16 77 days. This implies that there was no hesitancy for a time after the king’s death "in continuing to date tablets also according to the year „79 of the previous reign. But the records of Ezra and Nehemiah likewise offer convincing evidence concerning the seventh year of Artaxerxes. In connection with Ezra’s return from Babylon—he had about 1700 men besides women and children in his company—there are recorded seven specific dates, not one of which could consistently concur with the Jewish Sabbath, because of the nature of the work performed on these days. The following is the eeriest Parker, Richard A., "Persian and Egyptian Chronology,* American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, July, 19hl, p# 16. (7) 1 Nisan (1st month) — trial finished. Ezra 10117* Assuredly Ezra would not have begun any itinerary, or have struck camp, on the Sabbath. Neither is it consistent to see him land in Jerusalem and pitch camp on the Sabbath. If the foregoing dates ere compared with a Jewish calendar table (of. table on page ), it will be found that there is only one day of the week which will concur with 1 Nisan without resulting in Sabbath interference in the itinerary of Ezra. That day was Thursday. (Cf. Table II on p. .) And the year U57 B. C. was the only year in a period of 16 years, 1J of which are included in Table II, that had 1 Nisan occurring on Thursday. The Feast of Trumpets, which occurred in the 21st year of Artaxerxes, Jewish reckoning, was also a synchroni sm—both the Bible and the calendar being in agreement that the 1st of Tisri in this year—l-M B. C. coincides with the Sabbath day. (In Table II note that 1 Nisan in Ui? is Thursday. Hence 1 Tisri would be two days later in the week, or Sabbath.) c. Thus is the beginning of the 70 weeks’ Messianic period established in U57 B* C., and the last, or seventieth week, would be designated by the years 27 to 5I4. A. D.— from Tisri to Tisri—as the following Jewish table shows 1 Three Months Hine Months (Tisri, Hesvan, (Tebet, Shebat, Kisleu) Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Ab, Elul) I II A. D. 27 to 28 s 1 28 h 29 = 2 29 H JO « 3 50 n 31 = U "Midst" 31 n J2 - 5 32 33 - 6 33 tt 3U = 7 Since the crucifixion occurred In Nisan, the comparison has to be made in column II, whose years include the month Nisan. There can therefore be no question but that the year JI D. corresponds to the exact middle of the "seventieth week." In such a marvelous manner^ prophecy heralds the death year of Christ. SUMMARY FOR JI A. D, The year JI A. D, has been chosen as the crucifixion date on the basis of the following lawsi 1. Pentateuchal Law; It has been shown that the New Testament pr movers the law of Moses for the designation of their passover supper date, which was anciently conananded to be observed at the beginning of lip Nisan. Within the compass of Christ’s public ministry, Friday, April 27, JI A. D., is the only date that answers to such an observed passover on llj. Nisan. 2. Calendar Laws It has been shown that unless the 1U Nisan passover fol lows thejewi sh day of full moon in Jerusalem, the relation between the conjunction and position of the phasis is nullified. The Friday, April 27, passover date in JI A. D. is the only date in the generally accepted period for the ministry of Christ that upholds these two Indispenaable calendar relationships—the passover-full-moon relation, complementary to that of the conjunction-phasis relation. J. Prophetic Leyrt The prophecy in Daniel nine proclaims a crucifixion in the "midst’1 of the seventieth week. It has here been demonstrated that only the year JI A. D. answers to this Messianic demand. CONCLUSIONS The death of Christ in the year A, D. has "been supported by only a few investigators of crucifixion chronology for the reason that the laws governing ancient Jewish time have not been recognized. Neither has it been taken into account that the modern Habbinical calen* dar has been built up upon an entirely changed fundament—a changed position of the ancient paschal month, a changed date for the paschal supper, a changed time for the moon’s first appearance after conjunction, and a change in the natural length of the lunar year—just to men* tion major changes. In addition, the argument has recently been proposed that, from the time of the Babylonian exile, ancient Jewish reckoning conformed to the Babylonian calendar, which was based upon observation of the moon. But this last argument fails because the crucifixion date proposed—the year 3$ A. D.—in no sense agrees with the Bible specifics-\ tions for the death year of Christ, but, on the contrary, does conform to the Biblical outline of the pre-crucifixion year. Therefore, the year 31 A. D., with the death passover on a lU-Nisan Friday, April 27» remains as the only possible death date of Christ. It may be difficult for some to follow through all the proofs given in this series that Friday of the crucifixion was the llfth day of Nisan. The following statement by Bllen G. Wit© is confirmatory of this conclusion, and merits attention! "On the fourteenth day of the first Jewish month*, the very day and month on which for fifteen long centuries, the Passover lamb had been slain, Christ, having eaten the Passover with His disciples, insti tuted that feast which was to commemorate His m death as ’the Lamb of God, which take th away the sin of the wo rl d. ’"—"Great Controversy," U5 In other words, this remarkable citation states that, the crucifixion pa s so ver was a one-day ceremony only, and that on the lUth day of the first month Nisan, when the paschal lamb was slain, the paschal supper was eaten, and the Lord’s supper was instituted—three passover events all on one day. Obviously, only one day in the crucifixion year can answer to this demand—the sunset to sunset sixth day of the week upon which Christ was crucified. With reference to the death of Christ the same pen has written that wevery fact connected with It should be verified beyond a doubt” (nDesire of Ages,” p. ^71). And, in order to aid in such research, moon tables have been included in this series on crucifixion chronology. Every chronological conclusion concerning ancient Jewish time demands checking with ancient Jewish law, and with the calendar principles upon which it was founded. Only upon such a basis can correct calendar decisions be drawn. Grace E. Amadon TABLE II SEVENTH OF ARTAXERXES 3.C. From Tisri (458 B.C.) to Tisri (457 B.C.) JUL. YEAR 4651463 4^1 459 457 455 4^3!4ol 449 447 Ms 443'441 A n-n-i 1 PQ I ▼ ▼ , j i [▼ K„ i -a. 1 74-xi i . । , PQ-Hh ApFlA CV — \PYRUS B "Accession” O 1 Nisan 1 l\ j f 1 Nisan, etc. f\ i L] U 4, ” 25th” 1'4 ' 1 I , -; ; 4™f April SO — IV 1 1 / \ 1 ' 11 kwQ 1 ' \ !\' f \ ft ill ! 7 \ 1 M \ \ I I l\ V 1 I \ ' ft I \ 1 ft I \ T I \ . \ 1,1 \ .A . T ... \ April 10 —r till illlV 1 4 \ I । I - VI I 1 I 1 1 i 1 \ T V \ \ X \ \ \ \ \ \ ft - ft L J 4 i 1 narcn oi \ * li y i Bar lev- Nisan harvest Ni^an ' PAPYRUS E ” 19th” EQUINOX 26 ' . 1 I 1 12B 1 ,| I 127 i , i > KINGS ARTAXERXES II' . Feasft’ 1 1 I, ■ I 1 i ■ 1 1 1 i 1 1 i JEWISH ] L9 1 3 5 7 9 |L1 13 15 17 19 2^ 23 PERSIAN IS II pi'l 3 5 7 9 11 L3 [IB 17 1S| fl S3 . n 19 YEAK CYCLE 16 — 19 — 3 —6 —8 —11 14 17-19 3“ j _ 1 to LUNAR YEAR $ FERIA(lNis) Ti ■ Intercalation ai Syene lil 1 | i । V to v V4 V V IQ Xj.,■ TRANS. PER. Q । । । । i । 1 । । ’ ' I i i r i i i 1 i i i i i i । CO CO Gi CO 04 10 inH^^CO|OlOW^WHH^raO)t< t-Ot^r- 355 30 Mar 22.84—Mar 26 Sun 2.92 Apr 6.93 Apr 8 15.09,_ 384 31* Apr 10.68—Apr 14 Sat 3.19 Apr 25.94 Apr 27 15.36_ 354 32 Mar 29.95-Apr 2 Wed 2.81 Apr 14.47 Apr 15 15.62 ■ —• -*Jr- 384 33* Apr 17.90—Apr 21 Tues 2.87 May 3.29 May 4 15.39 354 34 Apr 7.58—Apr 10 Sat 2.19 Apr 22.40 Apr 23 14.82 354 36 Mar 28.27—Mar 30 Wed 1.49 Apr 11.43 Apr 12 14.16. 384 36* Apr 15.21—Apr 17 Tues 1.66 Apr 29.19 Apr 30 13.98 354 37 Apr 4.66—Apr 6 Sat 1.21 Apr 18.69 Apr 19 14.03 355 38 Mar 24.62—Mar 27 Thur 2.24 Apr 8.23 Apr 9 14.61 384 6940 39* Apr 12.31—Apr 16 Wed 2.46 Apr 27.25 Apr 28 14.94 355 40 Mar 31.46-—Apr 4 Mon 3.30 Apr 15.92 Apr 17 15.46 «*■ 384 41* Apr 19.33—Apr 23 Sun 3.44 May 4.85 May 6 15.62 354 42 Apr 8.87—Apr 12 Thur 2.90 Apr 24.16 Apr 25 15.28 354 43 Mar 29.58—Apr 1 Mon 2.18 Apr 13.21 Apr 14 14.63 384 44* Apr 16.60—Apr 19 Sun 2.17 Apr 30.90 May 2 14.30 354 46 Apr 6.14—Apr 8 Thur 1.63 Apr 20.07 Apr 21 13.93 a. 354 46 Mar 26.40—Mar 28 Mon 1.36 Apr Apr 9.55 Apr 10 14.15 384 355 47* Apr 14.11—Apr 16 Sun 1.66 28.54 Apr 29 14.43 48 Apr 2 • 14—Apr 5 Fri 2.63 Apr 17.26 Apr 18 15.12 355 49 Mar 22.35—Mar 26 Wed 3.41 Apr 6.88 Apr 8 15.53 384 50* Apr 10.26—Apr 14 Tues 3.52 Apr 25.77 Apr 27 15.52, 354 * The asterisk marks the years having the Veadar month* Conjunction and Full Moon dates taken from Ginsel. JEWISH-CALENDAR WEEK TABLE III Iyar Tammuz Elul Hesvan Tebet Adar Nisai i Sivan Ab Tisri I Cisleu Shebat Veadar 1* 111 1 111 1 1* 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2* 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3* 3 3 3 3 3* 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4* 4 4 4 4 4* 5 5 6* 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5* 5 6 6* 6 6 6 6 6* 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7* 7 7 7 7 7* 7 7 8* 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8* 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9* 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10* 10 10 10 10 10* 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11* 11 11 11 11 11* 12 12 12* 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12* 12 13 13* 13 13 13 13 13* 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14* 14 14 14 14 14* 14 14 15* 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15* 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16* 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 17 17 17* 17 17 17 17 17* 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18* 18 18 18 18 18* 19 19 19* 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19* 19 20 20* 20 20 20 20 20* 20 20 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 21* 21 21 21 21 21* 21 21 22* 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22* 22 22 22 23 23 23 23 23* 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 24* 24 24 24 24 24* 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25* 25 25 25 25 25* 26 26 26* 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26* 26 27 27* 27 27 27 27 27* 27 27 27 27 27 27 28 28 28 28 28 28* 28 28 28 28 28* 28 28 29* 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29* 29 29 29 30 30 From Table III, the day < 30* 30 (30)(30) 30 (30) >f the week is determined for any Jewish date The asterisk marks the beginning of the week from the first day of Nisan* And, upon whatever day of the week 1 Nisan falls (of* Table I), all the succeeding weeks to the last of Hesvan begin on the same week day* The 15th and 22nd of each month, throughout the whole year, are always the same day of the week as the first day of the month* These permanent calendar features make it possible easily to compute intervening dates between the marked weeks* If, for example, 1 Nisan is Tuesday, then every marked date for the first eight months is Tuesdays and 24 Elul, counting from Tuesday, 21 Elul, would be Friday* The first day of Tisri always occurs two days later in the week than the first day of Nisan* The length of the year governs the weeks as followsi 1* In a 354-day year, the weeks begin on the same day of the week throughout the year* 2* In a 355-day year, the weeks following Hesvan, which gains a day, begin a day later* 3* In embolismic years, the weeks in Veadar begin a day later than the weeks in Adar, to which has been added a day* 4* In a 383-day year, the weeks after Kisleu, which loses a day, and on to the end of Adar, begin a day earlier* If the passover be dated on. the day of full moon, as some insist, discordance with the conjunction date results. For example: in case the phasis takes place at sunset of April 1, as in 13 A.D., then the civil date of 14 Nisan would be April 15, and the difference, as always, would be 14 days. In other words, the civil date of the passover is the 14th day after the civil date of the phasis. But frequently, as in the years 10 and 27, or 18 and 19, the waxing period of the moon is but little more or less than 14 days. Therefore, if a calendar places the passover on the day of full moon, the phasis would often occur on the same day as conjunction — an astronomical event that practically never happens. Hence discord would result between the laws of astronomy and the calendar. Consequently, the misplacing of the passover on the day of full moon, instead of after it, interferes with the laws governing the moon1 s phasis. 9 THE CRUCIFIXION DATE In this brief analysis of crucifixion chronology, the problem will be discussed in three parts: I. Important Scripture Checks Relating to the Crucifixion Date. II. The Lord’s Passover—a National Feast. III. 31 D.—the Only Possible Death Year of Christ according to Luni- Solar Calculation. I. IMPORTANT SCRIPTURE CHECKS RELATING TO THE CRUCIFIXION DATE The outline of the gospel narrative is obviously indispensable to the investigation of crucifixion reckoning. But even so, from Biblical sources alone, no generally accepted date for the death of Christ has as yet been demonstrated. No irrefutable calendar has been the answer to faithful research into the annals of early centuries. The principal reason for this outstanding lack of agreement among scholars of today seems primarily connected with the critical examination of the Bible text. Consequently, the crucifixion time argument here presented is largely based upon astronomical and calendrical analysis. Nevertheless, there are important Scripture landmarks relating to the problem, without the recognition of which no valid solution can possibly be evolved. A few of these outstanding features make up the following series: 1. The ancient barley-harvest lav/, and its relation to primitive Jewish time. 2. Four passovers in the three-year public ministry of Christ. 3. The series of events during passion week. U. Crucifixion Passover—a late season feast. 1. The Ancient Barley-Harvest Law. The Mosaic law commanded Israel that a handful of the firstfruits of the land was to be presented to the priest for an offering at passover time before any bread, parched corn, or green ears should be eaten by the people. These limits were from April 8 to May 6 (Scaliger.) It was to be a statute forever throughout their generations in all their dwellings. (Lev, 23:1O-1L|..) By this means the ancient Crucifixion Date — 2 Jewish year was regulated, and the full moon of barley harvest marked the first month of the year. The original name for the Jewish first month of the year was Abib, signifying new fruits or ’’green ears.” (Deut. 16:1.) Consequently, the sickle became the sign of the paschal season. (Bucherius.) 1 Around Jerusalem, the earliest ripe barley occurs in April, and the harvest itself lasts until about June 1. From this ancient barley-harvest law, as set forth in Leviticus, it is conclusive that the original Jewish passover did not occur so early as Karch. And furthermore, it was not necessary for primitive Jewish reckoning to employ a cycle in determining the first month of the year so long as the passover could be governed by the moon of barley harvest. This is doubtless an impor-2 tant reason why the intercalary year as such is not mentioned in the Bible. But after the fall of the second temple (70 A.D.), the scattered and persecuted Jews had ultimately to follow the dictates of the Roman state, and also of the Church, who (a) based her feasts upon the Earch-passover cycle of Diony-3 sius Exigius, and (b) insisted that Jews and Christians alike should not keep u the paschal feast at the same time. Inasmuch as the apostatizing Church chose the passover of the resurrection as a basis for her feasts, placing Easter on the first Sunday following the equinoctial full moon, the Jews had no alternative but to take the first full moon after the vernal equinox as their paschal season. As a result, the Jewish constant calendar, from the fourth century onward, had many March passovers. The passover of the modern Jewish calendar occurs less frequently in March because its moons fall five or six days later than did the corresponding moons of early century cycles. This is caused by the fact that about every 300 years the moon advances a whole day ahead of the Julian calendar. The accompanying diagram outlines the limits of the paschal full Hlichaelis, Joanne Davide, ”De Eensibus Hebraeorum Commentatio,” Sections II and III. Bremae, 176}. ^Note: Inasmuch as Ezra numbers his months, the month Adar mentioned in ch. 6; 15~~is~"suggestive of intercalation—in other words signifying Adar Sheni. 3Scaliger, Joseph, ”De Emendatione Temporum,” p. 107. Francofur£/ 1595• He says: ”Yet those ancients, when they used this cycle [that of Dionysius] thought that they were celebrating the passover in Nisan, which was Adar [March] in the years 2,J,4,7,10,12,13,15*16,18, as the table shows. . .’’ moon date according to the ancient Mosaic law, and the law governing the mod-* em Rabbinical calendar. PASCEAL SEASON IN FIRST CENTURY Nisan New Moon Paschal Full Moon Vernal Equinox Mar, 23 --1 Nisan Limits---. MARCH /’ ’ s s_qve r L im it s P Tl 8th , 71 (fTrS T RI PE^ARLEy] MAY 6th -28 Days ADAR NI.S AN IYAR L_... .. Spring rains ending first week in April Period of Barley Harvest Full Moon Mosaic Passover Full Moon Rabbinical Passover Moon Scaliger Passover Limits = Full Moon during barley harvest, or the first full mo-on after equinoctial new moon. = First Full Moon after the vernal equinox. = April 8 to May 6 — De Emendatione Temporum, p. 265. Francofurt, 1593. The barley-harvest law, when applied to a continuous series of years, works the same as the law of the 19-year cycle* The moon dates repeat within a day every 19 years. The embolismic years follow the same cycle number indefinitely, and the cycle years can begin from any point in the series. In TABLE I, the Veadar years are marked with an asterisk, and the remaining years are common (c). If these symbols be set down in order, they will run as follows: *cc*cc*oc*c*cc*cc*c 19 years This order of common and Veadar years never changes in Jewish time, and the embolismic month is always in the spring. In ancient Babylonian reckoning, according to the cuneiform tables, the embolismic month alternates between spring and fall. £ Migne, J. £., "Patrologiae Cursus Completus,” S. L. t. LXVII, col. 953, can. 69; col. 959, canons 185, 186. (Ferrandi, "Breviatio Canonum”.) Paris, 18^8. Crucifixion Date — 4 2a.The Four Passovers. There are two vital features that are set forth in this analysis as essential to the outline of Christ’s public ministry: (a) that it involved four passovers, though not of course a period of four 5 full years; and (b) that the four passovers are checked off by epochs in the life of John the Baptist. These two particular marks of distinction not only tie together the whole ministry of Christ, but they also bring harmony between the records of the Synoptists and that of the Fourth Evangelist. [feast OUTLINE OF THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF CHRISTi Years 0.5 ' From autumn to the first Passover (spring). FIRST YEAR __________________6 7 Spring —fFirst Passoverj —John baptizing near Jordan. 8 1.0 Fall — Tabernacles—”a feast of the Jews.” Healing of the paralytic on the Sabbath. Attempt to slay Jesus. 9 John Baptist not yet in prison. SECOND YEAR 1.0 Spring — Synoptists’ ”ears-of-corn” season. 10 fSecond~Pass o ve"F! — John in prison. 11 Jesus begins public preaching in Galilee THIRD YEAR___________________ 12 Spring —!Third Passoverj—"a feast of the Jews.” 13 1.0 Associated feeding of 5000—after John’s death. Fall -- Feast of Tabernacles. 14 Attempt to stone Jesus. 15 Winter — Feast of Dedication--another attempt to stone Jesus FOURTH YEAR (beginning)___________ ____________ Spring--TCrucifixion Passover] 5*5 years Total The argument upon which the foregoing passover outline is based is as * 12 * * ? ’’Hence, the whole time of our Saviour’s ministry is proved not to embrace four entire years, there being four high priests for four years, from Annas to the appointment of Caiaphas, each of which held the office a year respectively.”—Eusebius, ’’Ecclesiastical History," p. 60. Cruse. London, 1847• & John 2:13 ? John 3:23 ®John 5:1. 9john 5:J2. A living witnesst 10Matt. 12:1; Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1 11 Matt. 4:12,17; Mark 1:14 12 z . 13 । John 6:4 Matt. 14:13-21. John 7 15 John 10:31 Crucifixion Date — 5 follows: The chronology that singles out in the Synoptic gospels an additional barley harvest season, not belonging to any of John’s passovers, is based upon one event — the imprisonment of John the Baptist. Consequently, inasmuch 16 as the first passover occurred before John was put into prison, in 28 A.D., and Jesus did not begin public teaching in Galilee until after the imprison-17 ----- ment of John, the ears-of-corn Sabbath, mentioned by all the Synoptists, and introduced into the Synoptic outline soon after the return of Jesus into Galilee, must have marked a passover during the imprisonment of John the Baptist. Therefore, this incident of the barley harvest, which each of the Synoptists mentions, could not have belonged either to the first passover, while John was baptizing near Jordan, nor to the passover in John 6, which 18 came after John’s death, at the time of the feeding of the five thousand. Hence it must have been coincident with a paschal season during the period while John was in prison. In this manner, Matthew, Mark, and Luke introduce another passover, not referred to by the Fourth Evangelist, making altogether four passovers belonging to the public ministry of Christ. This Synoptic passover must therefore have occurred in the spring of 29 A.D. It can be designated the second passover. 2b, Passover Near Time of Feeding the Five Thousand. Jesus did not attend this, His third public passover. He was in Galilee at the time. There are those who read only "feast of the Jews," in John 6:1|, because of a possible original relation of the Fourth Gospel to Aramaic, which omits the word ---------------------------- Jolin 5'^4 17 Matt. Ut 12 Matt. 124-: 13 Crucifixion Date — 6 19 ’’passover” in this text. But this interpretation drops out a whole year from the public ministry of Christ. However, all three of the Synoptists describe the feeding of the five thousand, which is strictly associated with this ’’feast of the Jews,” and by comparing their records, the chronology of the passover feasts can be established. In the authorized version, and in the American Revised, John’s words are direct to the point that ’’the passover, the feast of the Jews vjas nigh,” And, as if in further confirmation of this circumstance, he states that there ’’was much grass in the place,” where the people sat down to eat (verse 10). Mark adds that the grass was 20 green. This descriptive detail of that desert in Galilee is not only signi-21 ficant, but highly so because it was a desert place. In Palestine, during the summer, ’’the plains are parched with drought, and every green herb is dried up ... no green thing remains but the foliage of the scattered fruit trees, and occasional vineyards and fields of millet.” 22 But following the rainy season, there are ’’rich and juicy pasturages.” The very fact that the grass was green, and that there was much of it is indicative of the season that had preceded John’s narrative. It had rained sufficiently for the grass to spring up abundantly. The passover always followed 23 just such a period of rain — designated the "latter rain.” But in marked contrast to the time of the feeding of the five thousand, which followed a period of rain, the feeding of the four thousand, the context shows, came a little later in the same year during the customary summer drought. DaIman, Gustaf Hermann, ”Jesus-Jeshua,” pp. 88,92. Tr. by Levertoff. N. Y. 1929 Mark 6:39 21 Matt. 14:13-21 pp Kitto, John, ’’Palestine,” pp. 23 Canticles 2:11 Crucifixion Date — 7 This miracle also took place in a desert, or wilderness, near a mountain in Galilee, like the first feeding. But in this second instance, the people had to "sit down on the ground” to eat their supper of bread and fish. Mark does not speak of any "green” grass, as he mentioned in the case of the five thousand — he simply calls it ground, from the Greek ge, meaning 25 earth or land. Evidently, this later feeding came during the summer, when every where in Syria the grass dries up. And that this incident occurred during the summer dry weather, can also be concluded from the fact that these heathen people had been with Jesus for three days, and must therefore have 26 slept out on the heath for at least two nights in succession. These two feeding miracles—the one of five thousand Galilean Jews, after the rainy season, and the other later one of four thousand Galilean heathen from around Decapolis, during the summer dry season — precisely locate John’s "feast of the Jews" in his sixth chapter, even if we allow that the Aramaic omits the word "passover” from the text. For it could not have been other than the paschal season when the five thousand were fed, because of the abundant green grass in a desert place; and the feeding of the four thousand that followed later had to occur during the warm, dry weather of summer, when people and children could sleep out of doors. These two miracles could not be consistently related to any other seasons of the Jewish year. There is, accordingly, no alternative but to conclude that John’s third-mentioned feast is the third passover in the public ministry of Christ. The fourth is, of course, that of the crucifixion. These four passovers signify that the actual public ministry of Christ i£att. 16:1+ ^^Mark 8:6 26 Vliite, Ellen G., "Desire of Ages,"p. I4.OI4.. (Con. Series, ed.) Crucifixion Date — 8 involved a period of about three years, and this fact is implied in the para- ble, where Jesus said to the dresser of His vineyard, ’’Behold, these three 27 years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree.” 3* The Events of_ Passion Feek. They all point toward the sunset beginning of a 14-Nisan passover day# Friday / Sabbath I l Sunday I ! Monday V | PASSION WEEK 28 (7 Nisan) — Jesus came to Bethany six days before the Passover, sunset ....“ (8 Nisan) — There they made Him a supper—necessarily the evening after the Sabbath. 29 30 (9 Nisan) -- On the next day—triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jesus enters the temple—it is evening already. JI He went out unto Bethany with the twelve. J2 (10 Nisan) — And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany--the fig tree in Tull leaf. J J Moneychangers overthrown, 34 Hosannas repeated by the children. 35 Blind and lame healed. j6 And when even was come, He went out of the city, 37 On the TOth, The paschal lamb selected. 58 Ql Nisan) — And in the morning, as they passed by--the dried up fig tree. 39 I4.O Teaching all day in the temple. Parable of the ten virgins—an evening scene. 41 And at night He went out and abode in the mount. Lj2 After two days was the passover and unleavened bread. 43 (12 Nisan) (12 Nisan) ^-4 And all the people came early in the morning to Him in £ \ the temple for to hear Him. 44 05 j The Greeks come to Philip (in the outer court). 45 A voice from heaven. Greeks heard the voice. I4.7 -S \ Jesus departed, and did hide Himself from them. 4$ o j 49 (13 Nisan) Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh—Passover. z I Judas seeks opportunity to betray Jesus. JO (1U Nisan) Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passsunset over must be killed, 51 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus. 52 ’ And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, His disciples said unto Him, Fhere wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? 53 Now before*. the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that His hour was come. 54 Friday (14 Nisan) — Day of the crucifixion. 55 morning Trhen John said, ’’Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany;” Crucifixion Date — 8a FOOTNOTES 27 Luke 13:7 28 T , -ion John 12:1 29John 12:2 5°John 12:12; Lark 11:2-7 5\lark 11:11 52Ibid. 55Mark 11:12-]1|. Lark 11:15-18 95Matt. 21:15 36 . Matt. 21:114. 37Mark 11:19 58Ex. 12:3 39 2 Mark 11:20 Uo Matt. 22-21;; Mark 12,13; Luke 20,21 ^Matt. 25:1-13 )|2 Luke 21:37 h* A’att. 26:2; Mark ll4.1l ^Luke 21:38 Ll5 John 12:21 ^6John 12:28 ^7John 12:29,30 ^8John 12:36 ^9Luke 22:1 50 Matt. 26:16; Mark 11;: 11; Luke 22:6 51Luke 22:7 52Matt. 26:17 -^Mark II4.: 12 5U Jolin 13:1 55 Note: Should the Jewish passover be made to coincide with 15 Nisan, then the calendar phasis would frequently occur before the moon could possibly be seen. Crucifixion Date — 9 and on Tuesday evening, while sitting on the Mount of Olives, Jesus Himself said, "Ye know that after two days the passover cometh” (Matt. 26:2 A.R.V.), these two statements go into the Bible record concerning the same point of time--the sunset beginning of the passover day. 'Then this instant arrived in Jewry, Thursday had ended and Friday had begun. The portion of time between the Thursday evening sunset and the subsequent midnight was called the sixth day of the week by the Jews, and would be thus dated on their public documents. VThen the sun set, a new day had begun for the Jew. And when Luke says, ’’Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed” (Luke 22:7), the context shows that he referred to the Thurs-evening day^beginning of the new Jewish day. Obviously the point of time was sunset, when the new day began in Jewish communities. Consequently, Luke must have had Friday in mind as the day ’’when the passover must be killed." Similarly, John, in his description of the Lord’s Supper, says, "Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come" (John 13:1). These words refer to the same occasion as those of Luke •— the passover supper that was to be observed at the evening beginning of the sixth Jewish day, after the Thursday sun had set. By this order of feast observance, the harmony between John and the Synoptists is preserved. 1|.. Crucifircicn Passover—a Late Season Feast. The outline of Christ’s public ministry (page !|) is based upon seven specific Jewish feasts. These concur with various seasons in the four years indicated, and they tie together the ministry of Christ and the ministry of John the Baptist. But of importance also to our chronology is the fact that certain scripture references to these seasons intimate whether the corresponding years were common or intercalary. Necessarily, the year of greatest import is that of the crucifixion. If its Passover was unusually late, it is reasonable to expect some evidence in the Bible of the presence of the embolismic month Veadar. And there are several suggestive allusions to that effect: (a) the closed fishing season in John 21; and (b) Crucifixion Date - 10 the state of vegetation at the time of the crucifixion Passover. a. Ve have uniform testimony that the Galilean fishing season is from 56 mid-December or January to mid-April. Twice during the ministry of Christ, He performed a miracle in order to fill the disciples’ nets with fish. The first occasion ms in Galilee, after the Synoptic Passover. The Bible does not appear to state just how long after, but it is manifest that the season was late. In the very early spring before the crucifixion, Peter could readily hook up a fish off the shore of Galilee, ’’where the shallows swarm with small 57 fish-fry,” The instance of the second miracle was in the yjar of the crucifixion, after the resurrection. Peter and his comrades had fished all night on the sea of Galilee, but had caught nothing. Then came the early morning catch at the command of their Master. If the crucifixion had been early in April, then fishing would still have been good for a week or two. But the fact that it was not good in water that in season teems with large 58 fish a few yards out from shore, is indicative that the Passover was late— that is, after the fishing season had ended. Hence a Veadar spring. b. In the highlands about Jerusalem at the time of the death of Christ, 59 the ’’time of figs was not yet,” And still, there was in this particular orchard to which the Synoptists refer, an isolated tree in full leaf, but without any figs. Nevertheless, in other orchards at this time, trees were Dunkel, P. Franz, ’’Die Fisnherei am See Gennesareth,” p. >81. Biblica, Vol. 5# 192U. Rome; Masterman, Ernest V?. Gurney,’’Studies in Galilee,” p, 38. Chicago, 1909j Rohricht, Reinhold, ’’Regesta Regni Hierosolymitani,” p. 38. Libraria Academica Tagneriana. 1893* S7 Masterman, E, F.G., Idem. 58 ™ ----- Idem. 59 Mark 11:13 Crucifixion Date - 11 60 in leaf. But this special tree was barren, and it had been left from year 61 to year with the expectation that it would, after more culture, bear fruit. However, it bore only pretentious foliage. But its green covering was so 62 ’’luxuriant in appearance, and beautiful to the eye,” that Jesus endowed the tree with a symbol, and to it likened the hypocrisv of the Jewish nation. 63 But in the crucifixion year, the paschal season was cold. The figs around Jerusalem had not yet matured, though leaves had. If the Passover had been in early April, it would still have been cold about Jerusalem, but the fig trees would not have been in leaf. From this very fact Jesus drew a spiritual lessons ’’Behold the fig tree, and all the trees, When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is nownigh at hand.” 61; Hence, the fig tree,with such abundant foliage, and the leafing out of other trees also, are witnesses to the lateness of the crucifixion Passover, and the nearness of summer. In early April, the fig trees of Southern Palestine have little green figs only—no leaves. The Bible gives the following character to the Passover of the crucifixion: 1. It was the ll|.th day of Nisan, as show by all the Bible passovers. 2. It was also called the first day of unleavened bread. 3. It was the day on which the lamb had to be slain and eaten. I4.. It was a one-da;/ Passover. 5. It began at sundown on Thursday. 6. It was the fourth Passover of Christ’s ministry. 7, It was a late season Passover, It yet remains to demonstrate the nature and character of the Lord’s supper in relation to the national feast. -------z--------------- Luke 21:30 61 Luke 13:9 6? ’’Desire of Ages,” p. 65 John 18:18 6U Luke 21:30 583- Crucifixion Date - 12 II. THE LORD’S PASSOVER—THE NATIONAL FEAST At the time of the Egyptian passover, each Israelite home was invested, 65 as it were, "with the character and dignity of a temple," where the pass-over lamb was slain, and the blood sprinkled upon the entrance door. These lambs were not slain by a temple priest at a temple altar. Rut Philo (20 B.C. to 5U A.D.—a contemporary of Christ and the Apostles), makes revealing comment regarding the passover feast inthe time of Christ: ”. . . on which festival not only do private individuals bring victims to the altar, and the priests sacrifice them, but also, by a particular ordinance of this lav;, the whole nation is consecrated and officiates in offering sacrifices; every separate individual on this occasion bringing forward and offering up with his own hands the sacrifice due on his own behalf," 66 Then again: ", . .on which pascha the whole nation sacrifices, each individual among them not waiting for the priests, since on this occasion, the law has given, for one especial day in every year, a priesthood to the whole nation, so that each private individual slays his own victim on this day." 67 Philo's words, "not waiting for the priests," are significant, They are highly suggestive that not every paschal lamb was sacrificed in the temple, and therefore, not all at the same time. That some "private individuals" did bring their lambs to the temple altar, according to Philo, is evident. 68 The occasion of the first passover after the dedication of the second temple, 69 and also Hezekiah's passover, are precedents. But, in the time of Christ, some lambs must certainly have been slain "without the gate" as a symbol 70 of Him who "suffered without the gate,''* And as a type of this was also the very first passover, when the lambs were slain at Israel’s doors in Egypt. Maimonides (12th century) casts more light on the whole question of "private altars." He admits that private altars had been permissible in early times, but that there had been an "edict" forbidding such. This is his com- Philo, "Life of Moses,” book III, p. 281l. Tr. by Yonge. London, 1855 • 66 Idem, p. 121. ' Idem, p. 171 (italics mine.) >8 Ezra 6:20 2 Chron. 30:17 F“be 13? 12 Crucifixion Date - plete statement: ’’Thus the paschal victim, like the rest of the sacrifices, vras never slain, except in the court of the temple. But then, it was permitted that individual altars be kindled with individual sacrifices, although there was an edict that no paschal victim should be slain, upon a private altar; ?Jho-ever, therefore, had slain a paschal lamb upon a private altar, was compelled with stripes: because we see written in the law, ’Thou shalt not slay the pascha in any of your towns.* Deut. 16:5. For this doctrine has been handed down to us that, in this place, it is warned lest anyone should slay the passcver lamb upon a private altar, even though private altars were conceded. 71 The first day of unleavened bread had already come when Jesus said to 72 Peter and John, "Go and prepare us the passover that we may eat.” They were outside of Jerusalem when Jesus said this. Possibly the lamb had even then been slain when the disciples asked, "Where wilt thou that we go and 73 prepare that thou mayest eat the passover,” And, following in detail the Lord’s instructions, the "disciples went forth, and came into the city, and 74 found as He had said unto them: and they made ready the passover." Jesus had said, "And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us." And there the disciples did make ready. "And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him." In none of the evangelistic records is there any suggestion that Peter and John went up to the temple to slay the lamb. In the first place, sunset time was not the customary hour of the day for the temple passovers to be slain, at least according to the Mishna, which Maimonides cites. Secondly if it had been customary with Jesus to have their paschal lamb slain at the temple altar, Judas could have turned over this information to the priests, thus giving them opportunity to trail the disciples and arrest Jesus. Josephus also supports the idea of private passover altars as a common practice at the time of Christ’s birth. Both "Antiquities" and "Wars" give Maimonides, Moses, "Tractatus Primus de Sacrificio Paschali," cap. I. p. 4 Tr. de Compiegne de veil. London, 1683. ?2Luke 22:8 ??Mark 14:12 1-Iark 14:16 Crucifixion Date - II4. a record of a sedition that occurred among the Jews during the passover feast, shortly after the death of Herod the Great. Archelaus had assumed the throne in Judaea, although he had not yet been appointed by Augustus. The Jews lamented the death of Matthias, and those whom Herod had slain with him. An ’’innumerable multitude” had come up out of the country to keep the feast— one seditious group resorting to the temple for protection, while the masses were without the city in their tents, whom Josephus describes as offering sac-75 rifices ’’with great alacrity.” Against them, Archelaus sent a regiment of armed men, whom the Jews, with sacrifices in hand, stoned and wounded. ’’After which they betook them-76 selves to their sacrifices, as if they had done no mischief.” Finally, Archelaus ’’sent his whole army upon them, the footmen in great multitudes by way of the city [Jerusalem], and the horsemen by way of the plain, who, falling upon them on a sudden, as they were offering their sacrifices, destroyed 77 about three thousand of them.” In this season, the moon was full, and in that piercingly clear moonlight of the holy land, it was as easy for the army to attack by night as by day. But the important feature is that the Romans surprised the Jews, who were in the very act of offering their paschal lambs. Certainly this was not a temple service, and it is easy to see how,by this method, many lambs could be offered in a very short time! The position taken in this argument is therefore that the gospel account supports a national Passover only—one that for the most part, in the crucifixion year, was observed on Thursday evening about sunset in the private homes and tents of the Jews. In further confirmation of this interpretation of the crucifixion Passover, attention is called to certain facts in the case: -yr--------------------------- Josephus, ’’Antiquities,” xvii,9«3 • Josephus,’’Wars,” II. 2.5 . 77 Idem. Crucifixion Date - 15 a. The original Passover was a night ceremony only. It was a one-day service even in Josiah’s time.78 Consequently, the national sacrifice had always to be commemorative of that particular night in Egypt, when the destroying angel passed over the doors upon which had been sprinkled the blood. Therefore, to observe the sacrifice on parts of two days instead of in one night, would obviously destroy its spiritual significance. And, if a tv.ro-day ceremony had ever been possible, then the law in Numbers 9 would never need to have been given. 79 b. At the crucifixion Passover, both the typical lamb and the Antitypical Lamb were to be sacrificed. It is consistent that the calendar should date both events on one and the same day only—but not necessarily at the same hour. For it would be as reasonable to insist that the barley sheaf had to be waved in the temple at the same time Christ arose, as to maintain that the typical passover lamb must be slain at the same hour the True Lamb died. It seems sufficient that the two were sacrificed on the same day. But it annuls the meaning if the symbolic lamb is represented as being slain on one day, and the real Lamb on the day following. c. On the occasion of the Egyptian Passover, the lamb was slain by the individual for the family group. But in later years, sometimes the Levites substituted for people who were unclean,80 Nevertheless, this was a substitute service only, for the king prayed, "The good Lord pardon every one.”81 in the time of Christ, we read that many—not all—went up before the Passover "to purify themselves.”8^ These were manifestly the heads of companies upon whom fell the office of slaying the lamb. It is therefore a logical conclusion that priest or Levite did not commonly slay the paschal lamb in the time of Christ. d. It has been argued that, even though private passover altars be granted the disciples would necessarily have to go to the temple sometime on Thursday, either to obtain their lamb, or to have the one selected examined by the priest But it should be borne in mind that the paschal lambs had already been chosen since the 10th—on Monday—so that there was no necessity of waiting until the last few hours before the ceremony in order that the sacrificial lamb should be passed upon by the priest. Furthermore, it should be remembered that on that particular Thursday, Jesus and the disciples were in hiding outside of the city because of the activity of Judas in seeking to betray his Lord. and I4O, when they are advanced one day because their full moons fall after sunset. Such a change results in a Jewish Friday full moon day in the year 30 A.D. But the year 30 A.D. could not have had a Friday passover for the following reasons: a. A Friday passover in 30 A.D., on the basis of the d ate being 11|. Nisan, would signify that the Jews in that year observed their passover before the moon actually fulled—contrary to the Mosaic plan. (Moon fulled on April 6, 10:30 p.m.) b. A Friday passover on April 7, 30 A.D., makes the year JO-JI A.D. to be 385 days long, and causes both lunar years to begin on the same day of the week---Saturday. c. The year JO A.D. was a common lunar year, as shown by the position of its full moon. Therefore this year as a crucifixion date, •would not harmonize with the Bible demand for a Veadar year. d. If JO A.D. had been the crucifixion year, then the moons of the year 29 A.D. would have to govern the Feast of Tabernacles in John 7, and the Sabbath healing of the blind man four days aftei' the end of the feast. But the year 29 A.D. has no synchronism at all with the Feast of Tabernacles in the pre-crucifixion year, its moons coming on the wrong days of the week. e. And finally, the Nisan conjunction in 30 A.D. was in the region of apogee, as has also been recognized by Fotheringham and Schaumberger* There Crucifixion Date - 22 fore its translation period should be as long as possible, and not made shorter by one day. The actual passover in 30 A.D. was consequently on the Sabbath, April 8. 3• 31 A.D.--The True Crucifixion Year w n SEVENTIETH WEEK” (Daniel 9:24 -27) * A.D. Full Moon 13 Nisan 14 Nisan 28 Apr 27.62 Tues 27 Tues 28 Wed Veadar 29 Apr 17.21 Sun 17 Sun 18 Mon 30 Apr 6.93 Thurs 7 Fri Sat I Apr 25.94 Wed 26 L'ii Thurs X'-S i'7 FRIDAY ’’Midst of the week” Veadar 32 Apr 14.47 Mon 14 Mon 15 Tues 33 May 3.29 Sun 3 Sun 4 Mon Veadar 34 Apr 22.40 Thurs 22 Thurs 23 Fri End of "week” — — ... * Called the ’’Week” prophecy. Table "W” represents the seven-year period of Daniel’s ’’seventieth week"—the period in the midst of which the sacrifice of Christ was to be made* All of these years fail of coinciding with a Friday passover except 31 and 34 A.D. But the year 34 A.D., because it came at the end of the period, does not therefore belong to the prophetic “midst;” and it was also a common Jewish year. Thus 31 A.D. is the only year left to conform to the Biblical and astronomical demands with respect to the crucifixion. Its Nisan translation is according to the following diagram: "Midst of the week” Conjunction M CRUCIFIXION YEAR ____U.A.D.______ Friday, April 27 Full Moon Wave Sheaf 1—3.19 Days--*3 Nisan -15.36 Days----- /\28k 15V16 ss j! Translation Period Waxing Period Crucifixion Date - 23 SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT FOR 31 A.D. CRUCIFIXION demand Fulfilment 1, Daniel’s prophetic ’’midst of the week” — first ’’week” of the prophecy being established by eclipses, Assuan synchronisms, and others in Ezra and Nehemiah. 2. Biblical demand for a Veadar year 3. Nisan conjunction in 31 A.D. was in region of apogee, calling for long translation period. 94 4. Moons of 30 A.D. must therefore agree with Feast of Tabernacles in pre-crucifixion year — Year 31 A.D. is in exact middle of the ’’seventieth week” period 93 — 31 A.D. is embolismic. — In 31 A.D., Tr. Period a 3*19 days Wax. Period-15.36 days (About the longest periods) - - In 30 A.D., 1 Nisan s Sunday, March 25 Hence 15 and 22 Tisri - Tuesday Blind man was therefore healed on Sabbath, on the fourth day after the end of the feast, in harmony with context in John 8 and 9 ———————— Note: From history also comes the confirmation that 31 A.D. was a Veadar yearX In the year 1722, Thomas Shaw (Oxford) was travelling through the Holy Land. He noted that ’’barley, all over the Holy Land, was in full ear in the beginning of April [Julian Calerdar, Old Style]5 and about the middle of the month [last of the month, New Style. England did not change her calen-darbefore 1752.] It began to turn yellow, particularly in the sotthern districts.” Dr. Shaw also made note that the Boccores, or first ripe figs were hard, and no bigger than common plums. He makes valuable comment upon these facts: ’’According therefore to the quality of the season, in the year 1722, the first fruits could not have been offered at the time appointed; and would therefore have required the intercalating of Ve-adar, and the postponing thereby the passover for at least a month." — ’’Observations of Barbary and the Levant,” p. 137♦ Edinburgh, 1808. Dr. Shaw is therefore an eye-witness that the year 1722 demanded a Veadar month in Palestine. But between 1722 and 31 A.D. are 1691 years, or exactly 89 19-year cycles. Therefore, according to the law of embolism, since the year 1722 was embolismic, the year 31 A.D. must have been embolismic also. Thus we have the double witness of history and even nature herself to the barley-harvest law in its relation to the law of the 19-year cycle. This significant historical testimony is a telling argument with reference to the efficiency and accuracy of the Mosaic barley-harvest law. The principles of this regulation of the Jewish year were as potential in Palestine after three thousand years and more as when Moses ordained them. They are a faithful lead to one of the vital features governing the crucifixion date. 94 The apogee positions of the moon in the years 3$ and 31 A.D. were computed by Glen H. Draper, U. S. Naval Observatory, Washington, D. C. (Photostat of this computation in the Advent Source Collection) FIRST ’ CENTURY MOONS AND ] INTERVAL! 3 TABLE I p) 1 (Jerusalem Civil Time) » * Day of Tr. From Con. Year A.D. Conjunction 1 Nisan Week Period Full Moon 14 Nisan to F.M. Length (Days) (Days) (Days) 1* Apr. .12.49—Apr 11+ Thur 1.28 Apr 26.40 Apr 27 13.91 355 2 Apr 1-72—Apr 1+ Tues 2,05 Apr 15.91 Apr 17 11*. 19 384 5* Apr 20.41—Apr 23 Mon 2.36 May 1+.90 May 6 11+.1+9 4 Apr 8.44—Apr 11 Fri 2.33 Apr 23.62 Apr 21+ 15.18 PP5- 5 Mar 28.69~-Apr 1 Wed 3.07 Apr 13.22 Apr 11+ 15.53 PPP 6* Apr 16.60—Apr 20 Tues 3.17 May 2.09 May 3 15.1+9 Ttcl. 7 Apr 6.25—Apr 9 Sat 2.52 Apr 21.31 Apr 22 15.06 P PL-354 8 Mar 25.96—Mar 28 ^ed 1.80 Apr 9.33 Apr 10 11*.37 9* Apr 13.9U—Apr 16 Tues I.83 Apr 28.02 Apr 29 14.08 354 Io Apr 3.38—Apr 5 Sat I."39 Apr 17.33 Apr 18 13.95 PP4-*-355 11 Mar 23.53 —Mar 26 Thur 2.23 Apr 6.90 Apr 8 14.37 PPP 12* Apr 10.23—Apr 13 Wed 2.54 Apr 21+.92 Apr 26 11*. 69 P°L 354 15 Mar 30.28—Apr 2 Sun 2.48 Apr 14.61 Apr 15 15.33 14* Apr 18,09—Apr 21 Sat 2.68 May 3.58 May 4 15.1+9 P°M-355 15 Apr 7.57—Apr 11 Thur 3.20 Apr 22.99 Apr 21+ 15.242 PPP 35)i 16 Mar 27.25—Mar 30 Mon 2.51 Apr 11.11 Apr 12 14.86 PP5-38)i 17* Apr 15.27--Apr 18 Sun 2.50 Apr 29.78 May 1 14.51 354 18 Apr 4.89—Apr 7 Thur 1.88 Apr 18.89 Apr 20 14.00 354 17 Mar 25c26—Mar 27 Mon 1.50 Apr 8.27 Apr 9 14,01 PPH-384 20* Apr 12,00—Apr 11+ Sun 1.77 Apr. , 26.21 Apr 27 14.21 P'-'H-355 21 Apr 1.03—Apr 4 Fri 2.73 Apr 15.92 Apr 17 14.89 384 22* Apr 19.74—Apr 23 Thur 3.03 May 1+.93 May 6 15.19 23 Apr 9.00—Apr 12 Mon 2,77 Apr 21+.53 Apr 25 15.53 355 Pl । Mar 28.55—Apr 1 Sat 5.21 Apr 12.86 Apr 11+ 15.31 383 25* Apr 16.57—Apr 19 Thur 2.20 May 1.58 May 2 15.01 354 26 Apr 6.28—Apr 8 Mon 1.49 Apr 20.60 Apr 21 11+.32 355 27 Mar 26.83—Mar 29 Sat 1.93 Apr 9.76 Apr 11 13.93 583 IH* Apr 13.68—Apr 15 Thur 1.09 Apr 27.62 Apr 28 13.91* pop 355 29 Apr 2.82—Apr 5 Tues 1.95 Apr 17.21 Apr 18 11+.39 355 30 Mar 22.84—Mar 26 Sun 2.93 Apr 6.93 Apr 8 15.09 384 31* Apr 10.58—Apr 11+ Sat 3.19 Apr 25.91+ Apr 27 15.36 354 32 Mar 29.95—Apr 2 ^ed 2.81 Apr 11+.1+7 Apr 15 15.52 PPH-3 8)1 33* Apr 17.90—Apr 21 Tues 2.87 May 3.29 May 4 15.39 PUi+ 354 3U Apr 7.58—Apr 10 Sat 2.19 Apr 22.1*0 Aor 23 14.82 PPh-3 5)1 35 Mar 28.27—Mar 30 rred 1.49 Apr 11.1+3 Apr 12 14.16 PP4-!-384 36* Apr 15.21—-Apr 17 Tues 1.56 Apr 29.19 Apr 3C 13-98 •z5) > 37 Apr 4.56—Apr 6 Sat 1.21 Apr 18.59 Apr 19 11+.03 P PL-355 38 Mar 24.62—Mar 27 Thur 2.24 Apr 8.23 Apr 9 14.61 ppp 384 39* Apr 12,31—Apr 15 ^ed 2.46 Apr 27.25 Apr 28 11+.91+ * qq l+o Mar 31,46 —Apr 4 Mon 3.30 Apr 15.92 Apr 17 15.1+6 384 Ui* Apr 19->3p --Apr 23 Sun 3.44 May 1+.85 May 6 15.52 354 42 Apr 8.87—Apr 12 Thur 2.90 Apr 24.15 Apr 25 15.28 P Jt+ 35)t 1*3 Mar 29«58— Apr 1 Mon 2.18 Apr 13.21 Apr 11+ 14.63 PPL-384 2i4* Apr 16.60—Apr 19 Sun 2.17 Apr 30.90 May 2 14.30 354 1+5 Apr 6.14—Apr 8 Thur I.63 Apr 20,07 Apr 21 13.93 35)1 46 Mar 26.40—Mar 28 Mon 1.42 Apr 9.55 Apr 10 14.15 PP5-384 Ul* Apr 14-11—Apr 16 Sun 1.66 Apr 28.51+ Apr 29 11+.1+3 355 48 Apr 2,> lb.--Apr 5 Fri 2.63 Apr 17.26 Apr 13 15.12 355 1+9 Mar 22.35“-Mar 26 vred 3.41 Apr 6.88 Apr 8 15»53 PPP 381+ 50* Apr 10.25—Apr 11+ Tues 3.52 Apr 25.77 Apr 27 15.52 351+ *The asterisk” ifii'Is the years having a Veadar spring. Conjunction and Full Moon dates taken from Ginzel’s ’’Chronologie.” JEWISH-CALENDAR WEEK TABLE II - 25 Iyar Tammuz Elul Hesvan Tebet Adar Nisan Sivan Ab Tisri Kisleu Shebat Veadar 1- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2- 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 5 3 3 3- 3 3 3 3 3- 3 3 3 3 1+ 1+ 4 4 14 4 4 4- 4 4 4 4 4- 5 5 5- 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5- 5 6 6- 6 6 6 6 6- 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7- 7 7 7 7 7- • 7 7 8- 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8- 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9- 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 lo- 10 10 10 10 lo- 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 ll 11 11 11 11- ll 11 11 11 11- 12 12 12- 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12- 12 13 13- 13 13 13 13 13- 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14- 14 14 14 14 14- ■ 14 14 15- 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15- 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16- 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 17 17 17- 17 17 17 17 17- 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18- 18 18 18 18 18- 19 19 19- 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19- 19 20 20- 20< 20 20 20 20- 20 20 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 21- 21 21 21 21 21- • 21 21 22- 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22- 22 22 22 23 23 23 23 23- 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 24- 24 24 24 24 24- 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25- 25 25 25 25 25- 26 26 26- 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26- 26 27 27- 27 27 27 27 27- 27 27 27 27 27 27 28 28 28 28 28 28- 28 28 28 28 28- - 28 28 29- 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29- 29 29 29 30 30 30- 30 (30)(30) 30 (30) From Table II, the day of the w'^ek is determined for any Jewish date. Hyphens mark the beginning of the week from the first day of Nisan. The first 255 days of the Jewish year — to the end of Hesvan — are always reckoned the same. In this period, the weeks never change their beginning day. Hence, upon whatever day of the week 1 Nisan falls, all the succeeding weeks to the last of Hesvan begin on the same week day. The 15th day of each month, throughout the whole year, is always the same day of the week as the new moon day. These permanent calendar features make it possible easily to compute intervening dates between the marked weeks. If, for example, 1 Nisan is Tuesday, then every hyphened date for the first eight months is Tuesday; and 24 Elul, counting from Tuesday, 21 Elul, would be Friday. 1. In a 355-day year, the weeks following Hesvan, which gains a day, begin a day later. 2. In embolismic years, the weeks in Veadar begin a day later than the weeks in Adar, to which has been added a day. J. In a 383“day year, the weeks after Kisleu, which loses a day, and on to the end of Adar, begin a day earlier. In a 354-day year, the weeks begin on the same day of the week throughout. Crucifixion Date — 26 The characteristic chronological period to which the crucifixion year must conform is set forth by the prophecy of Daniel, and is confirmed by well authenticated eclipses and synchronisms. The new moon’s place in the heavens in the spring of two consecutive years—JO and JI A.D» has been calculated according to the perigee formula of Brown’s lunar tables and the calendar moon found to be in harmony with her calculated position. The embolismic spring of JI A.D. in Jerusalem is confirmed by observation at the end of 89 cycles from that point of time on the same meridian. All of these witnesses—prophecy, eclipse, papyrus roll, lunar calculation, and history—bear testimony that April 27, JI A.D., and this date alone, fully meets all the demands with reference to the death year of Christ. Prepared for the Class in the History of Prophetic Interpretation by Grace E. Amadon March 11, 19^2 Insert — ♦ $3. Ju Bella Jud.VI.IX»3, Josephus speaks of the “ninth hour to the eleventh” as the time when they sacrifice (thuousin) at the feast called passover. In U this text he does not mention the Jewish date of the sacrifices, which neo-essarily included both evening burnt offerings and paschal lambs« Some try to find evidence in this citation that the date was the afternoon of the Jewish fourteenth of Nisan. But when he wrote “Antiquities” twenty years later, he made it very plain that such was not his interpretation, as the following translation from his Greek original showsi “But when the fourteenth day had come, all, ready for departure, sacrificed, and sprinkled their houses with blood using bunches of hyssop, and, having supped, burned the remnants of the flesh, as just ready to depart. — Ant.II.XIV.S. Of. also Ant.III.X.5. He gives only one date for all the episodes ! 4 DATE AND HOUR OF THE CRUCIFIXION PASSOVER & In mediaeval centuries Jewish manuscripts were still extant with refer-tvfe-MVvv 'U-UU enoe to the ancient passover date* Both Albi runt and Maimonides^ad these ') sources in hand, although they do not state what they were. In the seven- teenth century.Bucherius collected all available texts. This historical ev-A A. idence is valuable, for it reveals a change in date of the ancient biblical Ltt-V-a duMi, ' ' passover. To this fact M ilinonidef' Ls. also witness. Questions relative to the A A passover date still continue to c ins (1/ Jas the national lamb slain on Thursday afternoon, ox at sunset beginning of death Friday% or about the same time that Jesus died? The inquiries are^Sot "theological and astronomical basis. In this number we give further evidence with regard to the ancient passover date end hour, leaving for another study the discussion of questions relating to the Johannine passover texts. We review the historical witness regarding the time of slaying the crucifixion passover—the date and hour. Our conclusions are based upon the following sources and authorities, and mainly concern the period of the Second Temple, tr- J 1. Pentateuohal^Authority. There are altogether six specific examples of passover observance in the period from Moses to Josiah.1 2 3 4 * 6 besides repeated Old Testament instruction concerning the time of celebration#^ And in each instance the passover lamb was slain on the Jewish "fourteenth" of the first month. This date has never been disproved for the period of the First Temple.® 2. Current Witness under the Second Temple. The Bible enumerates at least eight passovers in the time of the Second Temple for which there are addi- 1 Alfred Edersheim, '"Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah/1 Vol. II, 481, 482. New York, 1923. 2 Karaite si A. Reland, "Antiquitates Sacrae Veterum Hebraeorum/* p. 275. 1717. 3 Talmudist si San. 43 a. 4 Ex.l2:6-28; Num.9:5; Num.9:ll; Josh.otlOj 2 Chron.30il5; 2 Chron.35il. $ Lev.23:5; Num.9:3; Num.28:16; Ezek.45:21. 6 Even Maimonides, who dates the Talmudic passover on the fifteenth, writes follows regarding the time of Moses: ”0n the fourteenth day of the first month, when the passover offering was sacrificed,” etc.—Tractatus Primus de Sacrificio Paschali, cap, dec, sec. XII. Londini^ 1683. Ezra 6:19; Luke~ll:41; John 2:13; passover during John Baptist* s imprisonment (Matt.l2:l, Mark 2:23, & Luke 6:1); passover after John’s doath (John 6:4); crucifixion passover; Peter’s passover (Acts 12:3,4); Paul’s passover at Philippi (Acts 20:6,7). tvo^tc^Asources-^.^^ Aristobulus, Philo, the Gospels, Luke, and Josephus. The New Testament reports seven of these feasts, although no date is given. However, both the crucifixion passover and Paul s festival at Philippi are each tied to a definite day of the week;$ and these synchronisms, together with the , fully establish the sacrificial date of the passover as the fourteenth of Nisan during the time of the Second Temple. From these sources it can be demonstrated that the original laws of Moses governed the Jewish feasts until the Romans finally destroyed Jerusalem. And in addition, we are able to distinguish between law and custom in Josephus’ and that later enjoined by the Talmud when Jewish independence was when extreme measures were taken in order to hold the nation to- own time, gone, and gether. 1. We Fa.fj.pyer Date Uhder Second Temple have early and late witnesses for the first passover date in the tea: of the Second Temple. The building was finished in the sixth year of 9 Darius I on the 3rd of Adar (Ezra 6:15).’' In a few weeks the passover was -xJLje celebrated, for who*®AdateAwe have the following testimoniest a. "And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth d^ of the first month." (Ezra 6tl9.) b. "And the children of Israel that were of the captivity held the pas sever the fourteenth day of the first month, after that the priests and the Levites were sanctified." (1 Esdras 7:10.) c. "And they offered the sacrifice which was called the Passover, on the fourteenth day of the same month [Nisan]." On this occasion only certain priests and Levites had purified themselves, and they accordingly killed the sacrifices for all the rest of the people. It is significant that they set up the service of God "as it is written in the law of Moses"—and not according to the new moons of Babylonia, from whence 8 According to the narrative in Acts 20, the 20th day after Paul’s passover at Philippi coincided with Sunday. By means of this synchronism the exact year can be calculated just as in the case of the crucifixion passover which coincided with Friday. $ Both the MT and LXX give 3 Adar in the 6th of Darius as the date. 1 Esdras 7t5 has the 23rd of Adar, which probably is the date of the dedication, the same as Josephus gives, although he has a different year./^Ant.XI.IV. 8.j 10 tat.XI. IV. 8. oJU^X >ooa,D.) - 3 - the Jews had wionwHy cornel and by whose kings they were being governed 2. -Our next witness is Aristobulusxwho lived in the time of Ptolemy Phi-lorn etor, to whom he dedicated his commentary on the laws of Moses.ll The en- tire work is said to have been still 12 Middle Ages* Whether this is true extant in a library on Patinos during the of the passover law and its relation or not, his to the full description and explanation moon is of decisive impor- I tanoe to the ancient Jewish calendar, and has been cited again and again as Jewish authority throughout the Christian era. The following is jghat Aris- >|SI'd.e. •- , X . tobulus^says with regard to the Jewish passover date, Cx c p d. "Since there are two equinoxes, spring and autumn, which are separated i 3 “C-$by equal distances: and since the passover was appointed on the 14th day of 3 £ ' :the first month after the evening when the moon is caught in the region oppo-"^jsite to the sun, just as even the eyes can see, certainly the sun is found holding a part of the vernal equinox, and the moon, on the contrary, a part ? J au^u®na^*” 13 ,J J The foregoing translation is from a Latin version that is even earlier C- j J Sbhan that published by Aegidius Buoherius (Antwerp, 1634), which Zahn main- ' 5 'J ^tains is an early translation of the genuine text of Anatolius. Aristobulus was in many respects the forerunner of Philo, who lived in the time of Christ* ' (X, UaAz 3. The works of Philo the philosopher give a more complete^analysis of the Jewish feasts and sacrifices than even^Josephus the priest* With regard to the slaying of the passover lamb and its Jewish date, dribs statement! ar» pre cise and to the point: e. "On this day every dwelling-house is invested with the outward semblance and dignity of a temple. The victim is then slaughtered and dressed for the festal meal whioh befits the occasion. The guests assembled for the banquet have been cleansed by purificatory lustrations, and are there. . • to fulfil with prayers and hymns the custom handed down by their fathers. The day on which this national festivity occurs may very properly be noted* It is the fourteenth of the month • • .* _________ __________.. ...[New York. H Eusebii Pamphili,Chronic i Canones * ed. Fotheringham. Londinii, 1923* Emil Schurer, xHistory of the Jewish People,"*""seo* div., v. Ill, p* 242. \ 13 Nico^ancelii, ^Analog!a Microcosm! ad Macrocosmon,'* secunda pars, col. 1204. Lutetiae Parisiorum, 1611. Tr. Amadon. 14 Zahn, xForschungen zur Gesch. des N.T. Kanons,M III. pp. 177-196. 15 Philo, ^Special Laws II,* sec. 148, 149. Tr. Colson. Loeb Classical Library, Vol* VII. Cambridge, 1935* - 4 - Concerning those who, through adverse circumstances, failed to make the paschal sacrifice with the mass of the nation, Philo represents God as vouchsafing an answer to Moses: f. "’Mourning for kinsfolk.’ He said, ’is an affliction which the family cannot avoid, but it does not count as an offence. • • But when its term is finished let not the mourners be denied an equal share in the sacred services, and thus the living be made an appendage to the dead. Let them form a second set to come on the second month and also on the fourteenth day, and sacrifice just as the first set, and observe a similar rule and method in dealing with the victims.’" (Of. Num.9:11.) Philo’s testimony is important for two reasons: (1) he says that he discov ered his facts by the study of ancient history, necessarily that of his own nation^‘ and (2) he thereby compares festal customs in the time of Moses with those of his own day. Hence his descriptions com consistently be regarded Olaa? not only as interpretation of ancient Jewish law, but also as an indication that the ancient sacrificial laws were being observed in the first century. If not, his investigation and research would obviously have taken note of the difference. His elucidation of the passover-full-moon relation is of additional importance. This we shall refer to again in a later study. 4. Josephus has several references to the passover "fourteenth" whlah-he irminotTi rjitti^r~rly Jewish history; and yet they are source statements, for 18 he insists that they represent Jewish practice in his own time. They are therefore important because they are not only an of the origi- nal passover law, but also because they agree with the testimony of Philo. 19 In the September number of The Ministry we have cited one of these passages, and the others are as follows: g. "He commanded Moses to tell the people to have a sacrifice ready after they had prepared themselves on the tenth day of the month Xanthicus [Nisan] against the fourteenth • . •" 20 Philo, xDe Vita Mosis II,sec. 231. Tr. Golson. Loeb Library, Vol. VI. 17 Philo, '’’Special Laws II,*sec. 146. Loeb Library. Vol. VII. 18 Ant. II.XIV.6j III.X.5. 19 Ant. III.X.5. 20 Ant. II.XIV.6. 5 h. ’’But when the fourteenth day was come, all, ready for departure, offered the sacrifice and purified their houses with blood, using bunches of hyssop for the purpose, and, having supped, burned the rest of the flesh, as just ready to depart.” (Italics mine.) , . In “Wars/^Josephus mentions the*'festal “fourteenth*" just once; i. “When the day of unleavened bread came round on the fourteenth of the month Xanthicus [Nisan], the reputed anniversary of the Jews’ first liberation from Egypt, Eleazar and his men partly opened the gates and admitted citizens desiring to worship within the building.” 21 22 All of tUiac ^vLaVoaA. sources—Ezra, Aristobulus, Philo and Josephus—have one and the same Jewish date for'passover obs^*w»ee, namely, the fourteenth day of the first lunar month. This was the passover date for slaying the lamb in the period of the Second Temple. (Of. a, b, h, e, f.) It was the same date as commanded by Moses, and it had not changed in the time of Jo sephus. In the time of Christ, therefore, the national passover must have *Uca2; XIX,5,1). Hence death must have been in 44 A.D,, an important epoch in Paul’s ministry; for soon after, the famine began, and Paul and Barnabas go up to Jerusalem with relief. •p jxz Famine could not yet have begun in Judaea at the time of Herod’s death, for if a shortage of food had prevailed in his jurisdic-tion, it would have been futile for Tyre and Sidon to negotiate peace with him, since their very motive was to obtain food (Acts 12:20). It is logical, therefore, to date Paul’s third journey to Jerusalem the year after Herod’s death, or 45 A.D. ।--^>45 Jerusalem (3rd "time) — to take relief to Judaea (Acts 11:30; 12:25) I 45-46 52 53-55 T 54 o txO «5 V) O r© d r;i 56-60 |Third Missionary Journey} (Acts 18:23-Acts 21). Asia and Europe. r Felix procurator in Judaea — appointed by Claudius in 53 A.D., early ) in 13th year of Claudius (’’Antiquities,” XX,7,1). ) Galatia and Phrygia (Acts 18:23) (lipper Coasts of Asia Minor (Acts 19:1). Ephesus li a: tn KI 59 © ■P £ o . _ _ -•£->59 d %.60. Disputing in synagogue three months (Acts 18:8). Teaches in school of Tyrannus two years (Acts 19:9). Sends Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia (Acts 19:22) i i ’’Asia for a season.” From Ephesus writes first letter to Corinth (’’Acts of Apostles,” p. 298}.^ ~ _____ ____L’Diana of the Ephesians.” "Over ikrseyjuvri" COicAs Qy.} p.ia/) Troas (2 Cor. 2:12; ’’Acts of Apostles,” p. 323). Paul disappointed that Titus had not come (2 Cor. 2:13). 1 Plans to spend winter in Macedonia (1 Cor. 516:6). Desires to be in Jerusalem by next Pentecost (1 Cor. 16: 8 and Acts 20:16). L । « Macedonia (Acts 20:1). Illyricum (Romans 15:19-24). Greece — three months (Acts 20:3). r- - - Letter to Gal&ti-ans- (-’’Aets of Apo-stles/’ = 2 Cor. 8:10 ( Letter to Rome from Corinth (’’Acts of Apostles,” p.- 373, and Rom. 15:23; 16:1). j ’^Philippi — second letter to Corinth (’’Acts of Apostles,” p. 324). CO! Mentions vision ’’above fourteen years ago” (2 Cor.l2:2) -----*_____Fea st of Pa ssover (’’Acts of Apostles,” p. 390) • 'roas — five days ”i ties,” p. 391). : ’after days of unleavened bread” ("Acts of Apos-Remained seven days. Farewell sermon and Communion -- evening after Sabbath Jerusalem (6th and last time) / j SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORD "PASSOVER” PART I severa^ bhe b°°ks by Ellen G. White s there are important references to the ancient Jewish passover. But the word passover, as employed, or Nisan is by no means limited to the fourteenth day of the first month Abibj—the OT paschal date—and its true meaning has to be obtained from the context. A similar usage of this word is also true of biblical writers and of Josephus. When Luke wrote his gospel, he took pains to explain that the "feast of unleavened bread" was also called Passover (Luke 22sl). On the contrary, Moses made sharp distinction between these two expressions, stipulating that the passover was to be observed "in the fourteenth day of the first month,” and the feast of unleavened bread, "in the fifteenth day of this month." 13* We shall here examine the key statements in the Spirit of prophecy relat-ness. ing to the passover, end show their harmony with an ancient historical witA The beginning of the passover season is described in "Patriarchs and Prophets," page 537, where obviously the beginning of the month itself—not the passover date—is implied as corresponding to the last of March and the beginning of Aprils The time limits here mentioned would not cover much more than a week, and they could not therefore signify the whole paschal month, nor even the first half of it ending at full moon. But they can consistently represent that variable period in which the passover month customarily began. However, in certain years, the actual beginning was toward the middle of April, or even as late as the third week. This variation was caused by the nearly eleven days’ difference between the common lunar year of 354 days, and the common solar year of 365 days. Every two or three years the accumulated difference was added to the lunar year, thus advancing the subsequent new year. In this manner the calendar moon kept pace with the sun, or the lunar year made to agree with the solar. prior to the feast, is In "Desire of Ages," pages 75, 76, the "time" of the passover journeyA described. The portrayal is similar to the foregoing citation from "Patriarchs and Prophets." The songs are mentioned that beguiled the journey; the evenings are characterized as delightful, for the moon was approaching the Passover - 2 full, as is always the case between conjunction and opposition, w frea new moon to-, full moon. This pilgrimage was necessarily earlier than the passo ver feast itself, end therefore^the word passover here could notr©prosent the paschal date.ftIn "Desire of Ages," page 705, the whole week of unleav- ®ned bread is included in the word passover? while on page 774 of the sane book, this word is applied to services that followed the paschal sacrifice, such as are described in Num.28t 17(^25. Frequently, therefore, the word passo« ver is used in a general sense and it would be inconsistent to read into such language a definite date, unless specifically stated. <3^ (ks an illustration of an exactly dated construction with reference to the word passover, "Great Controversy," page 599 can be cited* "On the fourteenth dey of the first Jewish month, the very day and month on which, for fifteen long centuries, the Passover lamb had been slain, Christ, having eaten the Passover with His disciples, instituted that feast which was to commemorate His own death as ?the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.1" That this important statement mey be fully understood, and in order to show what word the phrase "on the fourteenth day” qualifies, the sentence is here presented in diagram: Lamb of God , X ''6 / " -jvhich taketh ain / 3 V" world which was to caimemorate death 4 lamb had been slain This sentence is complex, consisting of one principal clause and three subordinate relative clauses. The phrase "on the fourteenth day," etc*, is a time phrase, and hence must qualify some verb or participle in the sen-alto* tenoe, and that in such a way as to keep the whole sentence intact. There areA Passover - 3 gether five action word# in this citation, and these have been numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the diagram* The obvious action word which this time expression should qualify is either ”1” or ”2”, and the chronological moaning to the crucifixion date is the same, whichever word is chosen* But if the phrase in question should be attached to the relative clause "4,” this clause would thereby lose its antecedent ”day and month,” whose office is expressly to tie clause ”4” to the main sentence, but would fail entirely of so doing unless very- anchored in some other place than in the Ao Ians e itself* In other words, if the time phrase ”on the fourteenth day,” etc*, should be placed with the verb ”had been slain,” then relative clause ”4" would thereby include both the connecting word ”which” and its antecedent ”dsy and month,” and as a rssx.lt, all of clause ”4” would be out off from, the main sentence and become grammatically distorted* Hence there is no alternative but to leave this time phrase where it has been placed in the diagram* The foregoing diagram plainly teaches an important fact relating to oru-aocording to the Spirit of prophecy, cifixion chronology, namely, that At he Jewish date of the crucifixion was the fourteenth day of the firat Jewish month, and that on this date (1) the lamb was slain, (2) Jesus ate the passover supper, (3) instituted the communion feast, and (4) was Himself slain for the sin of the world* Let us now compare a few statements from Josephus regarding the ancient passover date* He sayst ”In theAmonth Xanthicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries* • • the law ordained that we should every year sley that sacrifice which I before told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the Passover, and so we do celebrate this passover in companies, leaving nothing of what we sacrifice till the dey following*” same connection Josephus further sta- ”The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and continues seven days • • •” 1 2 1 Ant*III*X*5j XI.IV.83 B* V.III.l. These citations will be further analyzed in Part II of this study* 2 Ant*III.X.6* Passover - 4 And then again : “But on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that time they do not touch ’;hem." 3 And these statements from this ancient priest and Pharisee are also in harmony with the following from the ’Desire of Agess ‘; "The Passover was followed by the seven days’ feast of unleavened ore ad • On the second day of the feast, the first-fruits of the year’s harvest, a sheaf of barley, was presented before the Lord • • • The slain lamb, the unleavened bread, the sheaf of first-fruits, represented the Saviour* 4 * * "Christ arose from, the dead as the first-fruits of those that slept* He was the antitype of the wave-sheaf, and His resurrection took place on the very day when the wave-sheaf was to be presented before the Lord*" $ In other words3 the resurrection of Jesus took place on the second day of the feast of unleavened bread when the wave-sheaf was offered* Therefore, since^osurreotion Sunday was the secund day of the feast, then the Sabbath during whioh Jesus ley in the grave must have been the first day of the feast, and, according to Lev* 2St6,7, this first day of the feast of unleavened £ VbbyfuM, and vex them* uhder Hadrian and Constantius the persecution became so severe that all religious exercises among the Jewish people, including computation of the calendar, were forbidden under penalty of extremes in punishment•$ Th© Jews sought refuge in dens and oaves, and hence could not announce their feasts* In the words of Siderslqr, they went through ”iron and fire*”9 10 As ? result, the festal dates became uncertain, for intercalation was irregular* The paschal Ismbs were no longer sacrificed, and the OT "fourteenth” of the first^month was falling into discard* And when ecclesiastical Rome came into power, the passover Cobles reached ”to— a new peek* Church canons and laws forbade Christians observing the same passover date as the Jews; Christians were in conflict if they even re-ceived unleavened bread, from the hand of a Jew! John and his disciples in \\ Asia Minor had observed the passover of the crucifixion on the fourteenth day of the first month, while the Europaeans had come to keep the'^passover '' 10 of the resurrection on another date. The Jews challenged the Christians as to the accuracy of their Easter tables* This from Epiphanius in his testi 7 Lev. 23114* $ Cf. Jewish Encyclopaedia, art* Calendar* 9 M.D* Sidersky, "Etude sur V origins astronomique de la chronologic juive,” Memoires presentes par divers savaits a l'Aoademie des Inscriptions et belles-lettreTdgX^st&^d^Tranoe*' VoK "ftiF^rO’*' "T*arf sT^7~^ 10 Joseph Scallger, De Spendatione Temporum, Franoofurt, 1593, 105* Passover - 6 mony against the Audians, indicates the existing antagonism.: r*~~ "For you, brethren3 who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, ought to celebrate the passover accurately and with all diligence after the equinox, taking care not to observe the feast with the Jews* For there is now no fellowship for us with them* For they are even mistaken in the very calculation which they think to construct s so that they are found to err in evexy wey, and to depart from the truth* The Arabiai’. ohronologer Alblruh^ about 1000 A.D*? produced the first complete record of early Jewish calendatioa, aside fro the Bible and Josephus# Be makes the following statement regarding the Jewish attitude with reference to the Christian passover i ’’The followers of Jesus wanted to know beforehand the Passover of the Jews, in order to derive thence the beginning of their lent* So they consulted the Jews, and asked them, regarding this subject, but the Jews, guided by the enmity which exists between the two parties , told them lies in order to lead them astray,71 12 And with the increase of Jewish sectaries came charges and recriminations in the midst of Jewry itself* We have the^, testimony of Yefet ben *A11 the Karaite, who challenges the Habbanites with an oft-repeated Karaite accusa tion: ’’They have introduced the calculation of the calendar, and changed the divine festivals from their due seasons*” 18 And similar testimony comes from. Sc all ger , who says that he learned the A truth fro® Jews, not from Christians: "Yet those ancients [theAChuroh] , when they used this cycle, thought that they were celebrating the passover in the Jewish Nisan, which instead was the [.Jewish] Adar in the years 2,4,5,7,10,12,13,16,16,18, as the Table shows"—10 years out of 191 Under such conditions, it is very simple to account for the almost forgotten OT "fourteenth” of Nisan^ which today is more or lesschallenged/y Jewish and Christian scholars alike Yas the ancient passover date/ Not only J.B. Cotelerius, SB, Patrum qui temporibus Apo st olio is floruerunt, Amstelae-dami, Volumen secundum, 1724, 218. ~ Albiruhi, The Clironology of Ancient Nations, tr* Saohau, 1879, 302# Philip BimbSSj, The Arabic Comment aryofYefet ben *Ali the Karaite on the Book of Hosea, Fniladelphia, 154fe, iXVixi* — Scaiiger, De Emend at ione Temporum, Francofurt, 1593, 107. Passover - 7 Is the season and Jewish date of the anoient passover called in question, but the time of day when the lamb was slain, and the hour and date when the lamb was eaten—these are questions which have commonly perplexed and embar- rassed students of the Bible* It was the paschal wonth, however, ttat explicated the Millerite prohlen in 1844. These students of propheoy had to choose between a Mar oh-April Nisan first and an April-Mey Nisan for a Jewish,jnonth of the anoient type* Their argu ment in lunar time was difficult because it had to be worked out on a merid-ian far distant from the land where the prophecy had originated, togetherA the Jewish laws governing the anoient Jewish year* Again and again ifsa the question asked whether barley would be ripe in Judaea in the period end- ctvcC- passover aadr ol^o his churches (Acts 20t6). Doubtless the other apostles did likewise. And two centuries later, in a letter to bishop Victor at Rome, the Christian priest '-olycrates, ; anti-- f[ ilir a.J. his three daugh* 5 tors, John the Beloved, his disciple Polyosrp, Thrasus, Saggaris, Papirius, and Tlellto, xxxx then adds: *®Jud.II.I.3> Ant.IX.XIII.2,3* xvnMI.^ bte. c Greswell, Edward, "Dissertations upon the Harmony of the Gospels," vol.I, n. 71. Oxford, 1830. Soaliger, Joseph, "De Emendations Temporum,” p. 105. Francofurt, 1593. 4 White, E.G., "Acts of the Apostles," pp. 390, 391. $ So spelled in the original Greek. What Keaneth Pesaoh - 2 "Those all observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the gospel, desisting in no respect, but following the rule of faith* " * And these communicants of eastern Asia were called Quartode cimans, or ’’fourteenth-day" people, and they ; trenuously contended for the pasohal institution which the Apostle John had established* Bishop Victor condemned and excommunicated these Asian churches* In response, Irenaeus, Gallio bishop of C )} Lugdunz vrote to Victor, charging him with impiety for his wioked deed* This fourteenth-day controversy continued even as late as the eighth sen-tury, •specially among the Celtic churches of the north. * 7 8 9 10 * 12 They claimed ori gin from the East, and insisted that their forefathers had been taught by the Beloved John with regard to a fourteenth-day pasohal celebration* In regulat* ing their feasts they adopted the lunar cycle of Anatoliu^Y which was based . 9 upon a fourteenth-day passover on any day of the week* Rome protested, and eventually\jjhe Celts yielded to her missionaries, who taught the passover "of the resurreotion"A along with a "fifteenth-day* crucifixion* In fact, many presbyters in the West accepted^ ^iipposed Jewish that Jesus died on 10 the fifteenth day of the first Jewish month* Thus the cycle of Anatolius » Alia1 one of the earliest—did not meet with favor at Rome* At this time nearly every ohuroh had its pasohal cycle, and every bishop was necessarily a calculator! H The council of Nicaea did little more than to stipulate that the passover should occur on the Lord’s dey next after the first full moonft- equinox* Later on in 13 Gaul, the cycle of Viotorius flourished, while Gallioan churches under $ Eusebius Pamphilus, "Ecclesiastical History," p. 223* Tr* Cruse* London, 1647* 7 Nicephori Callisti, "Ecclesiasticae Historic," lib. XII, p. 292. Paris. 1630* ® Migne, J*P*, "Patrologiae," SL Cursus Completus, tom. IXVII, col* 470. 1848. 9 Dionysil Petavii, "Animadversiones Epiphanii Opus," p. 195* 10 For exsnple, Theophilus and Ambrose. (Aegidii Buoherl£, "De Dootrina Tempo-rum," pp* 473, 477. Antverpiae, 1634.) v ' H Migne, tern. LXVII, col* 475 (a). „ J 12 Ibidem, col* 459*“FCn-*X'j— ls Ibidem^, col. 952. What Mean©th Posach? - 3 Gregory of Toure followed Anatolius.In the year 577, for example, Spain kept passover in March, Franco, in April#* 16 But, amid all this confusion, the western church established her canons and missals upon the cycle of Dionysius Exiguus. The Dionysian oycle was built up upon Cyril’s Alexandrian tables, which followed those of Theophilus. These were in Greek discourse, and had to be turned into Latin. The problem was further complicated because Cyril’s cycle was based upon the Egyptian year, and hence all the new moons and lunar numbers had to be changed over into the Roman form of year. Nevertheless, no cycle was ever more renowned than that of Dionysius, who established a beginning for the Christian era, and a calendar for the church of Hcme.1S This brief outline of the early hiatoxy of th. eoole.lasti^oyole Indi-cates how complicated a problem in ancient Jewish time may become, and accounts for the many assumptions by which It is today confronted, some of which «• very old. While the Oriental ehurohea, folKming John the Apoatle, kept paaaover On the fourteenth, aM the^weatem ehureh taught that Jemia 4M the fifteenth. In the mean time, the Jewish rabbinical calendar, based upon the Talmud, and as later endorsed by Maimonides,aintroduced a passover on the fifteenth, and .hanged allots north. to a BOnth-earli.r aeaaon. Th. exert date of each change is not known. The evidence, however, is unmistakable. The question of the true paschal month was one of serious consequence to the churchl and a change In Jewish practice that resulted repeatedly in^twelfth-month passovers-M*Adar—and sometimes even before the equinox, it — jLsJk-cCtt seems has left a long record ofAd4seuee4en whether passover should occur before or after the vernal equinox. The Jews appear to have been chiefly respon 14 Ibidem, col. 952. 16 Ibidem ,5467. I® IbidSm, col. 466. lz Michaelis, John David, ”Dissertation on the Hebrew Months,” London, 1773. (The- question- of^j^etrue lunar month in 1844 was one of- the ohtof problems, •sad with regard te^Hisj^Miohaelis were of exceptional importance to the leaders of the^* seventh month” movement. He was one of the first to doubt that the modern Jewish months areA correct as to- the-ir season*.) 2 What Meansth Pesaoh? - 4 sible for this agitation* But we should not forget that the Jews at this time were under severe pressure from persecution. However, the ancient biblical laws with respect to the passover season are simple and specific, and the Christian church commonly accepted the biblical view* This is nicely > expressed in the following words of Theophilusi "For the month of new fruits, as I before said, is not In the twelfth month [ Adar], when winter still hangs on, and when the new fruits are not yet ripe, and when Indeed the sickle cannot be put to the harvests* For th® divine law has In particular constituted this [the sickle] as the sign of the first month*" CwX also many other passover arguments, besides*the problem of the true paschal month, are the heritage of twentieth-century students of ancient discussions Jewish time* These^for the most part ar iso (1) from the question as to what "hLo dXut’ event marked the passover date—whether lamb sacrifice or paschal supper? A A and (2) from the problem of linking the true passover date with the right day of the week in the crucifixion period* And in addition, there Is the » 20 question as to whet day the short period ben ha-urbayim belonged—whether to the ensuing day, or to the day before. With the Karaites and Samaritans, this Hebrew phrase represented the time between sunset and twilight > with the Rabbinists, it asms before sunset, from about three o clock and on* JCvOi In any event, In this short period, the daily evening offering of the "I *T*itr4ritr 4-.V>a YiA««iffctrat* lainh iihgj b ffhtlni?' of thp. taranle insert 1 — In spite of Talmudist assumptions that on a Friday the Pas3ah lambs were slain at X150 p.m. in order that the roasting could be finished before the Sabbath (Pesaohia 58 s), Chwolson insists that in ancient time the passovers were slain during the evening twilight, and cites the Samaritans and Karaites as illustration. He also asserts that on Friday afternoon the twilight was already counted the Sabbath in Jewry (D. Chwolson, "Das letste Pass an ahi Christi, p* 163* Leipzig, 1908.) Thia is in harmony with Josephus, who mentions the privilege granted the Jews by Cassar Augustus that "they be not obliged to go before -wy judge on the Sabbath day, nor on the day of preparation [paraskeue] to it, after the ninth hour. (Ant.MI.VI.2.) 'i • \ '•>ssz.11 *'■.-? Z"22 Cf* margin of Hum*28i4, Ex*12t6, Peut*16i6, and Ex*30i7,8. In Deut.1616, only evening" is given in the Hebrew, but Ex.12i6 supplies the dual form* Philo Judaeus, "Works," Vol*III, p* 213* Tr* Yonge* London, 1865. Of. I0-44-. JsKxtbj e ’ ' a s 2 ya>vvA cXJLvMs t5L oJGLb ; With reference to the fulfillment of the type, the death alone of the pas-over the supper chai la*nb^-==?; to have priority *ir prefiguring the death of tie herb of OT God (1 Cor.5i7). And therefore, the slaying of the typical lamb on the.four teenth—which all admit—could only be met by a crucifixion on the same date* Consequently, the symbolic meaning of the type necessarily nullifies o-ny argu- ment that assumes a crucifixion on the fifteenth* Astronomy also lifts a warning finger against a "fifteenth" crucifixion FridayAnd Soallger^wMrti 24 25 26 27 28 Cf. September number of The Ministry* "Patriarchs and Prophets,11 p. 352. Conflict of the AgesSeries. Ibidem, p. 353. ' \ 2 Q_CC O-* n "C© VUVXOw’vktwi O-vub t AO-cfc.CJi CLw^aaO fc-Cr’iit S Qaaa. OA-xJ/O/vvb Ola/uoL 2 Ozt> tv o-b , etui, dp Q. -U SojtA-iXctAcL A ._____________— The barley harvest limits determined the moon, and the moon, when full, pointed out the day of the feast, all of which identified the first month of the year. Consequently, seeing that there were always just as many harvests as solar years, by using the full moon in barley harvest for the passover festival, the Mosaic lunar cycle periodically adjusted itself to the sun’s annual motion. As a result, the full moon of barley harvest, not only designated the passover, but it also determined the correct length of the year, and therefore brought harmony to all the years of the cycle, both common and embolismic. The Millerites understood the fore- going principles, and oft repeated them in their papers. They learned the importance of the relation of the harvests to the Jewish feast period from the Karaites, whose teaching referred them back to the law of Moses. Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 are primary sources in reference to the Jewish Millerite Reckoning — 2 C*^VQXJeA ^0AAAZ7VAA>X>J( leap-year. Here Moses* presents the -original-coincidence of first ripe barley with It was aould the full moon*-* a creative synchronism that the Jews cfixJJaieadtijw^employed &or so long as they kept up the temple service in Palestine. In harmony with this vital principle, the Millerites chose April 19, 1844, as Nisan 1, and the consequent May 2 as Nisan 14, on the Boston meridian. The previous section shows what rules the Millerites used in marking out the Mosaic typical feasts for the year 1844, and the present discussion proves that their conclusive dates were in strict harmony with the demands of both astronomy and the Bible. (2) Conditions Governing the First Day of a Lunar Month In the middle of each lunar revolution around the earth, the moon becomes full of light for about three days; on the other hand, for about the same length of time, at the beginning of each lunation she has no light at all. During this darkness, ear ly* April 'This'statement implies that the Rabbanite New Year in the East is celebrated two days--a fact that is uniformly confirmed by J wish testimony. On the other hand, in the West, only one New Year’s day is observed by the Rabbanite Jews (cf the American Jewish Year Book, calendar). This irregularity in the calendar length of the Jewish year between the East and the West corresponds to a similar difference in time in the annual course of the moon, as from full moon to full moon, between the Orient and the Occident, which is caused by the difference in time between meridians and its consequent*seffect upon the new moon dates which start the Jewish year. The Rabbanite computed calendar provides for these variations by its system of postponements, and its double new moon days. The Karaites, on the other hand, had no postponements, nor Mo double feast days, and consequently had to adjust their calendar to various meridians wherever they had settled. This very difference in time between the meridian of Babylon and Jerusalem, although only a few minutes, led to the well-known polemic between the Karaites and Rabbanites of the tenth century, each striving for their own meridian as the fit longitudejge^reckonia^ time and the calendar. uAUjoXu tx> G.E • Amadon • <2 <2'7'7 i Historical Confirmation of Crucifixion Calendar The Nisan new year dates in Chart C were not based upon any historical date or eclipse, but were computed wholly from the position of the passover, as outlined by the ancient authorities Hoses, Aristobulus, Philo, and Anatolius -The following historical events, taken from scripture and history, confirm those calendar dates: 1, 28 A.D. "Feast of the Jews ' in John 5:1- St• John’s narrative shows that tKT'Tfoast of~SrtTJem7' in his’ fifth chapter ms the feast of harvest (ibc. 23:16), or Tabornaclos- After the first passover in Christ’s public ministry (John 2), Jesus tarried a little where John ms baptizing (John 3:22), and then departed for Galilee, going through Samaria (John 4:1-3). It ms therefore summer, and the fields of grain were glistening in the sunshine. From this circumstance, Jesus ms enabled to precisely point out the forthcoming harvest of oil and wine, which always preceded the seventh month feast of Tabornaclos. The Spirit of Prophecy comments as follows: "Before Ilin lay the fields of grain, their tender green lit by the golden sunlight* Viewing the beautiful scene, No triployed it as a symbol, ’Say ye not there are yet four months, and then comoth liarvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.* He hero referred to the gospel field. • . among the poor despised Samaritans. . • they were ready for harvest-"— Spirit of Prophecy, Vol* II, pp» 146, 147. But the literal harvest that was four months off, could have boon no other than tho oil and vintage which led up to the feast of ingathering in the seventh month* The feast of Tabernacles must therefore have been tho "feast of tho Jews" in John 5:1. It began on the Sabbath day, and on this day, Jesus healed the paralytic at Bethesda. Jesus did not return again to Jerusalem until the occasion of another feast of Tabernacles two years la tor, at which tine He referred to the Sabbath healing of the paralytic at His first harvest feast: "Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel" (John 7:21) • • • are ye angry at no, because I have made a nan ov-ory whit whole on the sabbath day?" (verse 23). The Spirit of Prophecy also comments on the words, "I have done one work:" "Jesus referred to His act of healing tho nan on the Sabbath" (Vol. II, p. 341), and further adds that over since tho healing of the paralytic at Bethesda, the Pharisees had been determined to kill Jesus (idem, p. 340). This accounts for the fact that Jesus could not attend tho second and third passovers. As a background, therefore, for the calendation involved, there arc two feasts of Tabernacles, two years a port, connected with which are tv© Sabbath miracles — the first healing, occurring upon Sabbath, the first day of the feast, and the second, upon Sabbath, the fourth day after the feast, as the reckoning will show. In harmony with the foregoing narrative, the year 28 A.D., in Chart C, has Nisan new year on Thursday, April 15 (compare the cycle dates). Tisri now year ms therefor© on Sabbath, October 9, and hence Tabernacles, or 15 Tisri, necessarily followed on Sabbath, October 23. Consequently, the coincidence between the Tabernaclea Sabbath of John 5 and the Tabernacles Sabbath of Chart C, in the year 28 A.D. is exact. Historical Confirmation — 2 2• 28 A.D. Passover (Jo.m2). At the tine of the passover marking the first year of Christ’s publiomlnistry, the Jews said to Jesus, ’Forty and six years was this tonpie in building’’ (John 2:20). Prideaux says that Her-od began, after two years of preparation, ’’just 46 yoars before the first pa sever of Christ’s personal ministry” (’’Connexion,” Vol* II, p. 394). And Dr. Smith adds that *it was at the Passover, 46 years prev- c ‘ ious to the spring feast of 28 A.D., that Herod presented to the Jews his A design for restoring the temple* (Dr. Smith’s "New Testament History," p. 85. Hew York, 1888). irr*- MoJUa>,yrf. , pjy If, from the spring of 28 A.D., 46 years are counted back on the t calendar abacus, one Is brought to the spring of 19 B.C., the recorded 18th year of Herod’s reign (Josephus, ’Antiquities,” p. 321). In both yoars, 19 B.C. and 28 A.D., the the/fe.ssover5 of Chart C en^on April 28. u>eAa-Hence the time between these those two passover dates ms exactly 4G solar years, as the Jews intimated to Jesus. Therefore, their statement and the crucifixion oalendation are in perfect agreement. 3. 30 .‘-.D, feast of Tabernacles. The narrative in John 8 and 9, follows th© third feast of ^.Yermcles in Christ’s ministry, and ends with the Sabbath healing of the man born blind. These chapters outline a series of events that harmonize with a Sunday new year in III san, 30 A.D., as recorded in Chart C. They line up as follows: Scene I Seen© II (With the tud©) Scene III 1. Sunday, Haroh 26 — 1st day of Nisan. 2. Tuesday, September 19 — 1st day of Tisri. 3. Tuesday, October 3 — 15th Tisri, or Tabernacles. 4. Tuesday, October 10 — last day of feast. 5. Ifodnesday, October 11 (early .aorn) — Jesus cones to temple multi- to teach; woman tried for immorality by scribes and Pharisees; all leave (John 8:1-11). 6. Thursday, October 12 (early :o>m) — "I am tho light of the world." )? i % 3? (in the treas- ”It was morning; tho sun had just risen above the ury) mount of Olives, and its rays fell with dazzling bright- ness on tho marble palaces, and lighted up the gold of tho temple walls, when Jesus, pointing to it, said, *1 am the light of the v.orld.’" (’’Desire of Ages,” p. 463). Jesus teaches all day, until the Jews attempt to stone Him (John 8:59). Scene IV 7. Friday, October 13 — Jesus hides Himself for a whole day, necessarily uniting for Sabbath protection before appearing (in hiding) openly in Jerusalem again. It is implied in John 10:40 that Ho went beyond Jordan for safety. Scene V 8. Sabbath, October 14 (early mom again) — a second time Jesus said, "I am the light of the world.’ "And it was the sab-(Jerusalem) bath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes" axjabxA- (John 9:14). Khen Jesus said the second time, ”1 am the light of the world,’’ r another new day must have been dawning. He had returned early Att day from His hiding place, and in passing along, sees the man born blind. It must bo remembered that, after the determined outburst of Thursday, which ms again renewed on the 25th Kis leu, at the feast of dedication (John 10:22, 31; 1 Hao. 4:59), the Sabbath day, or a crowded feast day, would be the only time that would protect Jesus in public. For, since Historical Confirmation — 3 the healing of the paralytic on th© Sabbath day (John 5), the Jewish leaders had "had a determined purpose to compass His death" ("Spirit of Prophecy," Vol. II, p. 340). If Jesus had appeared openly in Jerusalem on Friday morning, so soon after the attempt to stone Him, it doubtloss would have cut short His life and ministry. But on the subsequent Sabbath morning, under the protection of tho strict laws covering the Sabbath, He could publicly heal the blind nan’s ©yes, send him out of the city to wash in Siloam, and then fearlessly talk with the Pharisees (John 9; 40), to Thon it ms sin to pick up even a pebble, or a broken piece of pottery on the seventh day of the mok (Mdorshoim, Albert, "Life and Timos of the Messiah," Vol. II, p. 784). Accordingly, the Sabbath healing of the nan born blind, leads beck day by day to the last day of the feast of Tabernacles, Tuesday, October 3, and further back to the Passover on Sabbath, April 8, and finally to the IJisan new year on Sunday, March 26, in 50 A.D.^ Thus the validity of the feast dates in Chart C aro again established by the chronology of the week in the Bible narrative. CRUCIFIXION YEAR Nisan First Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread Passover Thursday Q Full Moon f 13 Friday ^Morning sacrifice 14 x "■to pascha’ ss Fifth Day Sixth Day Saturday ss ben ha-^rbayim Burnt offering (Num.28:4) Paschal sacrifice (Lev.23:5) SpsluSiS" (£*-30:7,8) Sun setting (Deut.16:6) 15 'ta azuma' Seventh Day ss High Day (John 19:31) Holy Convocation (Lev.23:7) Therefore ben ha-arbayim of the fourteenth had to come at the end of the thirteenth; and in no case, at the end of the fourteenth, when it would belong to the fifteenth. Insert The foregoing sentence from “Great Controversy” could have originally been written in several different ways} and yet express the same thought* The statement could have been broken up into two or three short sentences land even the first meaning of the author be maintained. But, whatever the language em- ployed, it would conform wfcbh the chronological fact that Jesus ate the paschal supper and instituted the communion feast on the fourteenth day of the first Jewish month. For the^Jewish date of the death of the Lamb of God is the central thought of this ias-pirodand it has been given A as a guide to th0'«touth and preiinf "gtf crucifixion chronology* Suggestive form of lesson CHRONOLOGY OF THE SEVENTIETH WEEK Two epochs in the life of Christ are predicted in the Jewish prophecy in Daniel nines 1. Baptism » 7 weeks + 62 weeks (483 years) after the ’’going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem" (autumn). 2. Crucifixion « a* After 62 weeks shall Messiah be out off. b. In the midst of the week*—of confirming the covenant—He shall oause the sacrifice and oblation to cease (spring). In the second of these predictions, the point of time is given as the "midst of the week," or the middle of the prophetic year. But inasmuch as the event described—the crucifixion—occurred in the spring of the year in the paschal month Nisan, this Jewish month is thereby tied to the "midst” of the prophetic year in question. And since then the midst of the prophetic year was in the spring, the actual beginning of the prophetic year must have occurred six^months earlier, or in the autumn. Thus, in Daniel’s prophecy, we have a coincidence between two calendars—prophetic and Jewish. The autumn new year in ancient Jewish time was the first of Tisri. The Tisri beginning of the ancient Jewish year was that which marked, the Jewish reckoning of a king’s reign in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, and, as has just been shown, the prophetic year of Daniel’s Jewish prophecy was coincident with this chronology. Evon while Nehemiah was in Babylon, he reckoned the 20th year of the king from autumn to autumn? for in his period from Kis leu into Nisan (Noh. 1:1 and 2il), the 20th year of Artaxerxes does not change. The months covered in this interval were Kisleu (9), Tebet (10), Shebat (11) Adar (12), and Nisan (1). In Babylon, the king’s year changed in Nisan (Zimmem, Heinrich, "Zum babylonisohen Neujahrsfest," Aus den Berl ch-ten der phi logic ch-hist or ischen Klasse der koniglich saohsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschafton zu Leipzig. Band LVIII, 1903). But Nehemiah did not ’’Seventieth Week" * 2 change the number of the k^.g’ a reign in Nisan* Hence it is obvious that he must have ehanged to the 21st of the king in Tisrl* Accordingly, the midst of Daniel’s "seventieth week" exactly coincides with the crucifixion pasohal month, which, in turn, masks the beginning of the seventieth week and also of each year of the week «e concurring with the autumn Tisrl* This was one of the first arguments employed by the leaders of the "seventh month movement" in 1844 in determining the October 22 date* (Quote authority*) And furthermore, it is fitting that the Danlelltio prophecy itself, in predicting the ministry of "Messiah the Prince,” should incorporate into its chronology the autumn beginning of the civil year that, in Jewry, oomonly designated the reigns of kings and princes* Jeremiah's chronology also follows the autumn beginning of the Jewish civil year (Cf* Jer* 36 and 46)* But Bsekiel and Zechariah employed the spring beginning of the year, and in this respect agreed with Babylonian custom* The schedule of events which Esra and Nehemiah carried out after the return—the correction of domestic evils in the camp of Israel, and the build Ing of the wall—agrees with the chronology in Daniel nine, which obviously counts its years from autumn to autumn, and thus marks the season of the baptism of Christ* In the research of Frans Fraidl covering monographs on the "Week" prophecy, as he calls Daniel nine, he found so many that he had to close his investigation, as reported in his Gras Festival Paper, with the 15th century* With reference to Christian commentators throughout the Christian era, he states that all but one "recognise in the prophecy a Messianic prediction*"— "Die Exegese dor Siebsig Wochen Daniels In der alten und mittleren Zeit*" Gras> 1883* In nearly all early chronologies and astronomies, the prophetic ’’Seventieth Week” * 3 periods of Daniel are a part of the discussion* From James Ferguson (astronomer) oomes a helpful comment on Daniel ninet ’’There Is a remarkable Prophecy In Daniel, oh. lx. ver. 26, 27, concerning the year in which the MESSIAH should be cut off. • • Now, as It is generally allowed, that by each of Daniel* s prophetic weeks was meant seven years, the middle of the week must be in the fourth year Ast ronorjy Explained upon Sir Isaac Newtonia Principles,” p. 192» London, 1756. Thus, the Jewish prophecy In Daniel nine has been a true guide to the outline of the public ministry of Christ, which was not one year or two years as frequently Insisted in current religious journals, but over three years, including four pass overs. Suggestive Questions (To be written out) 1. To what nation does the prophecy In Daniel nine chiefly refer? 2. Upon ydhat kind of time is the prophecy based? 3. By what event is the calendar Daniel employs tied to the Jewish calendar? 4. At what season of the year does this coincidence between the two calendars occur? 5. How then is it detenninod that Daniel counted his prophetic year from autumn to autumn. 6. In what season therefore was Jesus baptised. Have you any other proof than Daniel nine? (Look in the New Testament.) Ji Oat- I 5 u ■ \ 0 $ 3'1 >w» 3La 3r B 0 3 i ■ 30 31 31 3o 30 ^1 31 30 31 V\A- F-Xl St.kA- >9 So 2° 3o 3 I 6 k6 ■M 10 I5? 8 3 I 13 >? 31 30 <1 H 3J 30 31 s I 31 3G 0JU»A ^0 W - Af' LU 1 H aanji la ) 7# I tux. . H . *? % 4 u 9 x^ b‘ 14 3trtr . n I? CLUjv \% % 4 3 try . O A a. IH %trf 5tT4 > *7 Cl^v. H CX > -■ ■ * •J •TV r * ) 17 g strr 1^ 1H 1 1 °T^ J b* s n Q VJUa V? Tt®-.'- » 14 GJr-A. )H — 5$^ Ove W’ . S t>-6' - । -_• • < ' \ ^7 n%v *> M 3c .Q %o X<| ) 7 $ I rlftA. 0-7-Ma\ iw O 2/ M $<3 x5 %o M I 7 ? i^x H6‘4 ° l 1 1 0 I 7 S 7 7 cU^ ’ ’7$76? * .' ' I ^'X’v-^euvG , 3 h Q., £>» * Ql^xXX \ O *5 io Tv^Xvhl. -s. Ovti-% ■=£• 173 ^>7 4 7. w )o'T\aX^ka. wu 3*+ Gl«6' '7 $ ? I t- 5* H 7 7 & - I ^-^3 sJUe-4 V*-* I b < H C 7 . »*• H 7 O JLaa-A>-X I (X-ft_x^v U-<-^-crr~e. | q ~]"" ufrJXxA q-y <1 £ — Ttj'N; v HctAxJU. 7_c| 3 X7 CZ, £). , | Vuw. 11 - J.TIKI I 7 3 H <& H A loT^. - ) ?‘^ )|?3 ) 7 G h i } - CG4 ’ r £ * > I tr S O? ‘ ~ o ^>o VQ >p* L, i/5”7 I 7 3 I 0- I H d--C^vv^ ~Z=- f ->VA,ctc<.-M_ I 3 i I A $ " __. $: S -=- S. tT Xcum<0 -:.30 - Wed > seven days" 10 - Thurs 20 - Sun 1(7) pi 11 1 - Thurs 21 - Mon J (8) Y 2 - Fri A 3 - Sabbath/ Last day at Troas R .4 - Sunday "Last < evening of his stay ," Paul preached until midnight. 1 Margin of Acts 20 = 60 A.D. CLcXb Am : 5.? -t© FaaXXa. . Porcius Fest^us — "Roman procurator in Palestine about 60-62 A.D." (Cent. Diet.) Millman (*Hist. of Jews" Vols. II, III, p. 183. N.Y., 1881) places death of Festus in 62 A.D. In office two years. Smith’s "Hew Testament History," pp. 122, 123, places death in 61 or 62 (probably), Shurer (Div. I, Part II, pp. 182-4) gives summary of recent researches. Many insist on earlier date, but Paul’s ministry seems to equal 25 years at least. r,tf ed^I a^-sb ©jWBO ©rd iovo -d.4X.> «1 *3 0) b^ yQ, y7 LOGS .-a dii artoxr ivrxo ill.'-! nori'o. ltrs*! cne?'' od7" "■ o ©id r.Gca n >,55 rr: xttj ox/; aY-sb Xfavor i.oi *vonxxiaei Tid yjbJ-8 9.0 0 o* no id- -lev tt, 4- vjcfc;- V I ~ " kacMov^vod a&-Z’ d«4.5FWrItMfr zfs?®T° ;.. '., -.4 ^,7 aboiT d ikirl lad-M U, >xQrio jtiscLaei; dsua I'v.w' ot't. , t n< M • 11 SI • ■■■bm? aiurfl . . ®S -vsofnjjj Io (*) / i £1 ' 1 / tfl g,^, ; 8 ^g?'T - or ’1>’-h,-VwU I y- THE PROPHETIC ERA The number ”2300," representing the longest period, of prophecy, has a three-fold, character. It is prophetic in that its time is reckoned, on the year-day principle, as given to the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek.4:5,6); it is symbolic for the reason that it is exactly equal to 46 jubilees (45 times 50), thereby partaking of the nature of a jubilee, and in this way acquiring a starting point as provided for every jubilee year, the tenth day of the seventh month (Lev.25:9); it is also a secret number as indicated by the r-name of the one who gave it - Palmoni, the numberer of secrets (Ban. 8:13, margin). The length of a prophetic year can be determined by comparing verses 2 and 3 in Revelation 11; here it may be observed that two concurrent events of the Bark Ages, (1) the treading down or persecution of God’s children, and (2) the clothing of His two witnesses - the Holy Scriptures - in sackcloth, are described under two different, but e; io J Lays NEW MOON Ps.81:3 We know that the Ascension occurred at New Moon from several sources. An ordinance relating to it was given by Joseph to Israel way back in Egypt (Ps.81:5), He did this to encourage his brethren that the Lord would surely come; ”He will surely visit you,” he said in Gen.50:24, and at every new moon the people were to prophecy of this glad event by blowing the trumpet. We also have a parable based on this circumstance. The ”loud and stubborn harlot” in Solomon’s proverb entices a simple youth with these words: For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long j ourney: He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the new moon. Prov.7:19,20 (margin). Lest we forget, prophecy connected this sign of Joseph’s faith with one of Solomon's proverbs, in whose days "coming home at the new moon” had become a legend; but his fable is to us the strongest kind of evidence, because founded on the story of Joseph. ’We have therefore (see Figure III) just 42 days reaching back from the New Moon of the Ascension to Friday of the Crucifixion,- from New Moon to the Passover Moon, These 42 days represent one and one-half revolutions of the moon, or four conjunctions with the sun: 1. Full Moon --- Crucifixion. 2. New Moon ---- 14 days afterward. 3. Fu.ll Moon --- End of another 14 days. 4. New Moon of Ascension ---- End of still 14 days more. The 40 days in Acts 1:3 do not begin until Jesus first presented Himself to the apostles, which was at the end of Sunday (John 20:19). The 42 days then include Luke’s 40 days, the Resurrection day, and the Sabbath that Jesus was in the grave. This sacred chronology shows the relation of the moon’s phases to the history in hand. The mean length of the lunar month is about 28 days. If the moon’s revolution is figured from 9 a fixed, star, or a fixed, point on the ecliptic, as the vernal equinox, its time is a little over 27 days; but when the moon’s revolution is figured in respect to the sun, which also moves in the same direction (about 1 degree a day), it takes 2 days longer for the moon to catch up with the sun, making this revolution a little over 29 days. Its average time then is about 28 days, slightly more than 7 days to each phase; and this is evidently the foundation figure of the Passover, for the command was: And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the Lord. Numb28:7. . . thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou earnest forth out of Egypt. Deut.l6:6. When the ordinance of the Passover was first given to Israel, Moses said, ’’This month shall be unto you the beginning of months” (Ex.12:2), their first new moon of the year. Hence it must have been a full moon that 14 days later lighted the path of Israel out of Egypt on the night of 15th Abib, or Nisan. Num. 33:3. And this day was always to be remembered by a special festival (Num.28:17), but it was not the passover day. It was the morrow after the passover. And so, at the time of the crucifixion we should expect the full moon to enter the scene sometime on Friday afternoon, or between 14 and 15 Nisan. In the time of David (1 Sam.20:24-27) we find the nation observing the occasion of the new moon, and it is especially noted as occurring on the first day of the month (verse 27). The Jewish calendar was timed to the moon’s behaviour by intercalating a month every three years. But a more accurate treatment of the calendar was yet to come. In the fourth century before Christ one Meton, an Athenian, discovered the 19-year cycle of the sun and moon, known as the Metonio Cycle. In this period of 19 years 19 apparent revolutions of the sun, within about 2 hours, are equal to 235 revolutions of the moon. This discovery of Meton was brought into use July 16, 433, and was adopted in all the colonies of the Greeks. It was also engraved in golden letters on tables of brass, and has been the basis of the calendars of all the nations of modern Europe. The 19 years, or golden numbers, of each Metonic Cycle are numbered consecutively 1 to 19. The year 1 of the Christian era is No; 2 of the Cycle, and the year 31 is No. 13, as the tab 1 e be- low represents: C.Era G.N. C.Era G.N. C.Era G.N. C.Era G ♦ N. B.C. 1 -- 1 8 -- 9 16 — 17 24 — 6 A.D. 1 -- 2 9 -- 10 17 — 18 25 -- 7 2 -- 3 10 -- 11 18 — 19 26 -- 8 3 -- 4 11 -- 12 19 -- 1 27 -- 9 4—5 12 — 13 20 — 2 28 — 10 5—6 13 -- 14 21 -- 3 29 — 11 6 -- 7 14 -- 15 22 — 4 30 — 12 7 -- 8 15 -- 16 23 -- 5 31 -- 13 Every year in the Christian era divisible by 19 is always No. 1 of the Cycle, and by computation it may be obse rved that the 10 year 1931 is No. 13 the same as the year 31. This fact is of significance also ‘because in the year 1931 three of the Jewish feast lays had. eclipses: Passover (April 2) ---- Total eclipse of the moon. New Year (Sept.12) ---- Partial eclipse of the sun. Feast of Tab- (Sept.26) ---- Total eclipse of moon, ernacles Cf. Nautical Almanac, 1931 It is particularly the eclipse of the moon, on April 2 that claims our attention. This was Thursday, the first full moon following the vernal equinox in 1931. It therefore was the original day for the passover. The Nautical Almanac gives the exact time of the occurrence as April 2 -20 hrs,-5.5 m. at Greenwich, The time at Jerusalem would be 2 hrs.-2Q.89 m. later, or April 2-22 hrs.-26.39 m. civil time, that is, from midnight to midnight. To obtain the time of the passover moon in 31 A.D. we have recourse to the law of the moon’s motion in the Metonic Cycle. The whole period between 31 A.D. and 1931 A.D. is 1900 years, or 100 cycles of 19 years each. The sun and moon travel this distance in entirely different fashion. While the sun is apparently racing around the sky, marking off our years, 1900 of them, the moon is circuiting the earth 23500 times, outlining our lunar months, each one being 29.530588 days long. The sun’s year consists of 365.24219689 days (this figure is corrected according to Nautical Almanac). And the moon’s performance lags the sun’s by a few days. The difference is not great, however, for the Moon equals 23500 times 29.530588 or 693968.818 days Sun ” 1900 ” 365.24219689 ” 693960.174 ” Moon’s Lag equals 8.644 days In common language these figures mean this: On April 2, 1931 the sun and moon are in conjunction. It is the Passover Full Moon both by the almanac and the Jewish calendar. The sun has just finished its nineteen hundredth round of the heavens, a series started April 2, 31 A.D. The moon has run around the earth for the last one of her 23500 revolutions. Since the year 31 the moon has lagged the sun about 2 hours every nineteenth year, These cyclic delays amount to 8.644 days in all, or 8 days 15 hrs.-27.36 m. The problem is: On what day in 31 A.D. shall the- moon start her 23500 lunar revolutions so that both moon and sun shall be in conjunction on April 2, 1931? There is only one answer. If the moon should start with the sun on April 2, 31, (that date would then be a full moon) she would be 8,644 days behind the sun on April 2, 1931, and Full Moon would occur on April 11. Therefore, to come out even, she must start this side of the sun’s starting point by 8.644 days. We add as follows: Sun’s Start equals Moon’s Lag ” Moon’s Start A.D. 31 A.D. 31 4th mo. 2 nd day 22 hrs. 26.39 m. 8 ” 15 ” 27.36 ” April 11 13 hrs. 53.75 m. or April 11, 1:53 P.M., 31 A.D. 11 4 . The next step in this important chronology is to determine on what day of the week April 11 fell in 31 A.D. Chronologic treatises give the information that the Christian era began on Monday. This can easily be proved by reckoning from a knovm date of modern times if the leap days are placed in proper order, one for every year divisible by 4, except the centuries, which must be divisible by 400. Such a table will show a sequence of the days of the week for every 4 centuries: NEV/ YEAR’S DAY FOR YEARS LISTED A.D. 1 - m 401 - m 801 - m 1201 - m 1601 - m 101 - S 501 - S 901 - S 1301 - S 1701 - S 201 - T 601 - T 1001 - T 1401 - T 1801 - T 301 - t 701 - t 1101 - t 1501 - t 1901 - t m--Monday S--Saturday T —Thursday t--Tuesday The Christian era has in no way changed its days of the week in its course of time: otherwise it could not present such a sequence. Since therefore the year 1 A.D. began on Monday, count the New Year’s days forward to the year 31: Jan.l mtwTSsmtTfS s t wT f s m t w f S A.D, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12.-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-22-21-22 smwTfSmtw 23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31 Numbers underlined are leap years So January 1 for the year 31 A.D, was Wednesday* And April 11 was Friday - count the days off on the table below: w w w w Jan, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-31 23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-w Feb. w w w w Mar, w 14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-w w w April w 27-28-29-30-31-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-lA FRIDAY w Now we can understand David when he called the moon a faithful witness in the sky’ and his inspired description of the sun rejoicing in his race in the heavens J Ps,19:5, It is only since the year 1750 that accurate observations of the sun’s position have been knovm, but even now corrections of these early tables have to be made. The number 29.530588 has been obtained from many observations, or occultations, of ancient and modern eclipses, yet this figure offers an uncertainty of about one tenth of a second (Moulton, p.189). If only 17 hundredths of a second were added to this constant, it would bring the time of the full moon on this Friday of A.D. 31 just as Jesus was dying on the cross' This observation, if accepted by astronomy, would be without a peer in the field of science. 12 From the problem worked, out on page 11 a rule may be deduced. which will apply to any full-moon date of the twentieth century, and obtain the corresponding full moon of the first; Rule, To any full-moon date of the twentieth century simply add the amount of lag the full moon makes between this date and the same date of the first century, which is always a period of 1900 years. This lag is 8.644 days, or 8 days-15 hrs.-27.36 m. as explained above. To get Jerusalem time 2 hrs.-20.89 m. must be added to the dates recorded at Greenwich. TABLE I PASSOVER MOON BATES AT GREENWICH -- TWENTIETH CENTURY Year Gold.No. Bay of Week Bate 1927 9 Sunday April 17- 3 * 35.4 1928 10 Thursday April 5- 3 - 38 1929 11 Monday Mar. 25-7-46 1930 12 Sunday April 13-5-48.5 1931 — 13 Thursday April 2- 20- 5.5 1932 14 Wednesday April 20- 21- 27.1 1933 15 Monday April 10- 13- 37.6 1934 16 Saturday Mar. 31 - 1- 14.5 TABLE II PASSOVER MOON BATES AT JERUSALEM -- FIRST CENTURY Year Gold.No. A.B. 27 -- 9 28 -- 10 29 -- 11 30 -- 12 31 -- 13 32 -- 14 33 -- 15 34 — 16 Bay of Week Sunday ---------- Thursday ----- Tuesday Sunday FRIBAY ---- Wednesday ---- Tuesday ------ Saturday ----- Bate April 25- 21- 23.55 April 13- 21- 25.25 April 3- 1- 34.25 April 21- 23- 36.75 APRIL 11- 13- 53.75 April 29- 15- 15.35 April 19- 7- 25.85 April 8- 19- 2.75 And so, during the seven years of the seventieth week of the first century, there was only ONE FRIBAY on which the passover moon occurred. This year, 31 A.B., stands forth as the year of the Crucifixion. The early records of Christianity were largely destroyed by the pagan persecution. The Alexandrian library, which contained the valuable rolls of the ages long past, was burned by the Christians themselves in the sixth century A.B. The Voide of history is silent concerning the date of the Vicarious Sacrifice. The Bible records the day, but the Faithful Moon declares both’ -Friday, April 11, 1:53 P.M. , A.B.31, Her Creator was dying on the Cross. The dates in Table I were taken from the Nautical Almanac. The passover moon should be the first full moon after the vernal equnox, but this rule is not always adhered to by the modern calendar of the Jews. They observe no aniversary of their first festival on Monday, Wednesday or Friday. If the full moon occurs on these days their ceremonies are conducted on the next day, or, if the time is very early, on the next ensuing full moon. 13 III IV CHAPTER OUTLI. J K ,0 F. II! ..H.E V LL 1 T. ION PERIODS C ’one TWO THREE FOUR FIVE -i SIX SEVEN SEVEN CHURCHES 1 OUR HIGH .PRIEST 2 EPHESUS SMYRNA PERGAMOS THYATIRA 5 SARDIS PHILADELPHIA LAODICEA SEVEN SEALS U THRONE 0? GOD T H E HO L Y PL ACE 5 THE SEALE ID BOOK 6 WHITEHORSE IPALEI , IHORSEI . E8WA?S?' Signs in the Sunf Moonf Stars 7 SEVENTH SEAL THE SEALING i SEVEN TRUMP- ETS ' 8 ALTAR OF INCENSE tt TRUMPET 1 TRUMPET 2 TRUMPET 5 TRUMPET !• 9 _JL • TRUITT 5 Gol'Wt]MPET -^ar . 11-MEASURE TEMPLE. ALTAR. ■ WORSHIPERS 10 H MOST HOLY PLACE 11 ’..'.IC ,D h 0 E IS PAST TRUMPET 7 THE ■ END OF THE WORLD 12 13 GREAT RED D B *A GON WILD E R N E S S 1260 years| !| DRAGON WROTH~fl T H E BEAST r 6 6 6 I A N 0 T . . i HER BEAST 11+ . ... . ... First and Second MESSAGES Third Angel’s MESSAGE 15 SEA OF GLASS 16 SEVEN LAST PLAGUES 17 "Wilderness” Vis Lon W A S -—। The B E A S - |- IS NO C that thou sawe st T YET IS 18 LAST CALL ADVENT 19 WHITE HORSE 1000 Yrs. 20 JUDGMENT HOLY CITY 21 NEW JERUSALEM BENISON 22 Blessed ire they that do his commandments • • » ♦ that they may ent- r in through the GATES Meton found, that after a lapse of 19 years the phases of the moon recurred, on the same days of the same months, except that they were 2.074 hrs.- later each time. However, in spite of this simple relationship "between the month and the year, the moon is really more complex in her motion than any other body in the heavens. Were the moon’s orbit a true circle or a true elipse, the theory of this motion would be easy to solve; but the variations, which in the case of the planets produce a sensible and marked change only after many revolutions, cause in a single revolution of the moon distinct and definite deviations from her previous course. The recession of her nodes along the ecliptic results in a continual change in the plane of her orbit, so that if, during one revolution around, the earth she occults, or passes by, certain stars, at the next revolution she will pass to one side of them, and will remove further and further from them each time around. Eventually she will pass over every star revolving across her belt of travel. For this reason the conclusion cannot be far from right that on the day of the Crucifixion there may have been certain planets which coincided with the moon. Two or three years before the nativity a most remarkable conjunction of planets occurred - that of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation Pisces. This is admitted by all astronomers. It presented the most brilliant spectacle in the night-sky, such as could not but attract the attention of those who watched the stars in their courses. The next year the planet Mars joined the conjunction. The merit of discovering these facts belongs to the great Kepler. His book, De Stella Nova, was published at Prague in 1606. He showed that this planetary display occurs once in every 800 years. Quoted from Life and Times of Jesus, Albert Eder-sheim, pp.212, 213.. Though this conjunction was not the angel Star which guided the wise men to Jesus, yet it probably stirred them to discover if possible the Star of which Balaam prophesied, The three-hour darkness at the time of the crucifixion stands out alone as supernatural. It could not have been an e-clipse of the sun, for solar eclipses do not last so long. Nor could it have related to the moon, for this darkness was in the day time. Eclipses are regular in occurrence, somewhat like the moon in the Metonic Cycle, They return periodically after the same relative position of sun, moon and node. This period is called the Saros, equivalent to 18 years and 11 days. It was used by the Chaldeans in predicting eclipses; it is still used today in connection with modern methods. Although the ancients had no tables of the sun and moon, yet they could foretell with considerable accuracy the time of an eclipse. After the period of the Saros eclipses repeat themselves in pretty much the same order. The only solar eclipse on record which was visible at Jerusalem during the public ministry of Christ was on Nov.24, A.D,29. It happened at noon, and the stars were seen. But there is no warrant at all for associating it with the crucifixion. Also April 3, A.D,33 has been offered as a possible date, because it is claimed that this day was an eclipse of the moon. But April 3 in the year 33 was on Sunday, and the full moon in that month was on the 19th, according to the reckoning on page 13 of this Syllabus . 15 Though the perturbations of the moon have for ages taxed, the efforts of science to analyze and. tabulate the moon's motion in the heavens, yet the standard almanac of the twentieth century is based, upon most complete tables relating to her position. They are almost entirely founded, upon analysis, and present an error which rarely amounts to a second of arc. From them the moon's place in her orbit can be predicted years ahead with a precision that could not be obtained with observation. This is true proof that science has discovered the important laws of the moon's motion, laws which came into action at Creation, principles of physics by which she was commanded to rule the night. And thus mere man approaches the mind of God J It would seem as if the eclipsed moon herself were trying to call attention to that day in 1931--Thursday, April 2. Spring had come, and shortly all Christendom was hailing the Easter dawn by various rites, though mostly pagan in origin. The Hebrew Pass-over too had not only lost its form, but its meaning was gone. The first festival was to be both a memorial of deliverance from Egypt, and a type of the greater deliverance from sin. To show this the blood of the sacrifice had to be sprinkled upon the posts of the doors. One man--human effort-- could have saved Israel „ from Egyptian slavery, but only God could deliver from sin. The communion feast of Christianity, which was ordained as a substitute for the ancient rite inherited this holy meaning. The worshiper who accepts communion sees in its symbols a representation of the Lamb of God "that taketh away the sin of the world." All the years of the twentieth century are in a peculiar^ sense related to the Metonic principle. Each year not only belongs to the 19-year Cycle of Meton, but it is also one of a 1900-year Cycle which is governed by the same law. Each one of the 1900 years is exactly 100 cycles (100 times 19) distant from its corresponding year of the first century. Furthermore the moon covers this same period of time in just 23500 revolutions lacking 8.644 days. No other century of the Christian era is like this; for the cycle number 19 is not an aliquot part of any century previous to 1900. The twentieth century is the only one since the Metonic law was discovered that represents an even number of Melon's Cycles, and because of this it is specially marked. By simple computation it can point the way back to the Cross of Calvary. At a time when the world needs most to know about the sacrifice of Christ the heavens declare the glory of God.' And in this manner the long line of the periods of prophecy is sealed fast. They are as sure as the course of the sun, moon and stars can make them. And concerning these Isaiah calls across the years, "Not one faileth." When Gabriel told Daniel that the "seventy weeks" were decreed to seal up the vision, he was in^rg~ ality announcing the death of the Messiah, If that event had^come to pass, all prophecy would have failed. 16 A.D. 31 April 11 April 2 FRIDAY FULL MOON GOLGOTHA PASSOVER MOON FIGURE IV A Illustrating the Cycle \ of Meton THEORY: With the Full MooTT^ScCvanced to April 11 in A.D-. 31, from that point on,her place on the moon's orbit slips behind, the sun 2.074 hrs. every 19 years. By the time the sun and. moon have reached. April 2, 1931, the full-moon place has receded, the amount of 100 X 2.074 hrs., or 207.4 hrs., or 8.644 days. Therefore on this date at the end of 1900 years the Full Moon has receded just as many days as she was advanced on April 11 in 31. Hence the Sun and Full Moon must exactly coincide on April 2, 1931 if they start at Full Moon in April 11, 31. By adding 8.644 days and the differ^ ence in time between Greenwich and Jerusalem, or 2 hrs.-20.89 m.sto April 2 we get the date of the Passover Moon in 31, or April 11-13-53.75 (Cf. page 11). AS TRONOMI CAL TERMS CONJUNCTION: At conjunction the Moon is between the earth and the Sun, and the longitudes of the Sun and Moon are equal. The motion of the Moon is so rapid that it constantly overtakes and passes the Sun in its eastward travel among the stars. OPPOSITION: At opposition the earth is between the Sun and the Moon. They are practically in one straight line. NODES: The two points in which the orbit of the Moon cuts the path of the Sun, known as the Ecliptic, are called the nodes. There is an ascending node, and a descending node. SYLLABUS ON CHRONOLOGY End of Chapter One By Grace Amadon 17 1ISTICS OF- A TRUE lUNI-SOLAR CALENDAR (its relation to new and full moons • // /time./' It is the purpose of this demonstration and-nsunflrmatipstrue lunar present not only the early descriptions of this > iaggsie&e- system of time= measurement, but to set forth no t defined, and others not\,gener»lly men ivarious chronoI- ogers. It is-essentiaInto understand what was primitively known with reference to luni-solar reckoning, but also to comprehend whv bhe modern rabbinical form es% M cannot identify ^he-dates.of prophecy. Our sources inc the ancient writ- ings, swad-also recentx Archeology present and the Bible ibsetf is not^silent^ The subject, as here discussed, covers the follow* ing outline: T. s, Ill, -w. 'V The Hebrew new year. Primitive month — both computed and observed. Nisan festival moons brought into agreement by passover principle , Confirmation of Passover calendar J Laws governing the moon1 s"”ph^,sis — their general agreement with passover calendation. L 'She Hebrew New Year Moses said to Israel, at the time of the Exodus to 1 shali--be the first month of the year to you.” ’’ear of corn,” and this meaning corresponds with the fact that when Israel left Egypt, 2 ’’the barley was in the ear.” In commemoration of this crisis in Jewish history, God commanded 3 first month. that a sheaf of barley be always offered in the temple It is)said that“the divine law especially constituted during the the sickle as a sign of „4 the first month. The Jewish months were at first designated by number, although, in early times, a few names were a 1 so. introdiTn^d . Ethanim^Cseventh), and Buly’(eighth) ■ .- ... 1 These were Ab^b^Cfirst)x Zif/( second) The numbers began with the spring month tEx. 12:2 2Ex. 9:31. 3Lev. 23:10,11,14; Deut. 16:9,10 ^Bucherii, Aegidii, ”De Doctrina Temporum,” p. 472. Antverpiae, 1634. 5Deut. 16:1. 1 Kings 6:1. '1 Kings 8:2. $1 Kings 6:38 I Luni-solar calendar-2 Abib, and this system of numbering ms never interrupted, even after the return from Babylon. This conclusion is confirmed by Ezra, who describes the Hebrew 9 ninth month as one of ’’groat rain.” Such would not,have been true of Sivan, the ninth month from Tisri in a commonpyear like 457 B.C. ’ The Jewish feast period extended from spring to fall, or from Nisan to Tisri r "tAxe-h- inclusive. Nisan\marked the beginning of the sacred year, as. Moses commanded, but, ultimately, the first day of Tisri became a new year^also. The time of the change is not generallyx^aciriad^ although it may have been introduced shortly after the reign of Solomon, as the beginning of the regnal year in the northern kingdom. Saul was anointed king in the spring, two or three weeks before wheat harvest. But after Israel was divided into two kingdoms, the king of Judah began his reign r Aprimitive Hebrew month depended wholly upon observation of the moon. The moon was created to rule the night, and both 16 sun and moon were to be for signs, seasons, days, and years. A similar thought is also written in Ecclesiasticus: ”He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world. "From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection. "The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, being an instrument of the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven; "The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord. "At the commandment of the Holy One they will stand in their order, and never faint in their watches .’’I? And yet, probably the same hand that wrote the preceding verses, which glorify the light of the moon, also wrote the following: ’’For he hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely, to know ... 'l The beginning, ending, and midst of the times; the alterations of the turning of the sun, and the change of seasons; "The circuits of years, and the positions of stars.” Certainly the last three verses imply more than lunar observation alone. i !■ - i - - r - ■ ■■ --'ll - - "I. -• - r-r-T - r - - ~ ~l _ T ’ n I l ---- loScaliger, ”De Emendations Temporum, ” p. 79. ’’The conquered received the law)from the conquerors.” 16(len. 1:14,16. -^Eccles .44:6-10. -^Sapidntia 7:17-19. Luni-solar calendar — Certain sacrifices were always to be offered on the first day of each month, and over them, it was commanded, that the trumpet be blown. Even in Egypt, the trumpet had been used to announce the month, although doubtless the sacrifices had to be omitted‘on account of Egyptian prejudice. After the return from Babylon, the initial service consisted in gathering together en masse at Je-21 rusalem to dedicate with solemnity the first day of Tisri. The yearly newr moon feast, celebrated during the reign of Saul, seems to have occurred at the Nisan new moon, for about this very time Saul had been honored by the anointing of Samuel. If so, at that time, the month of Nisan ms dedicated by double feast days. At the beginning of the month, both the royal teo observe the first appearance of the new 22 moon, for it ms ’’when the new moon ms come,” that the feast ms served. The festival ms further continued on the evening of Kodesh sheni, the second day of 23 the new moon. That this ms an evening meal may be concluded from verse 35. The phrase ”as at other times,” in verse 25, shows that this ms a customary feast in Sa*ul* s day. So much the moon’s observation! But the fact should not go unnoticed that David knew the exact time of the 24 feast, both in Gibeah, where Saul lived, and in Bethlehem, the home of David. David said with finality to Jonathan, ’’Behold, t^Jnorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat.” Jonathan also said about the ’ same, but gives added information that David had been commanded by his brother 2^'" to come home for the yearly sacrifice. These details indicate that not only David, Jonathan, and the royal court knew in advance the precise time of the Ni- san new year, but the country-side It was of first importance that the matter of the new year should be well known by Israel generally. The appointment of a festival, upon which all the l$Num. 10:10 ?kl Sam. 20:24 S 1 Sam 20:5 2°Ps. 81:3-5 ??1 Sam. 20:27. 2^-Ezra 3:6 241 Sam. 15:34 ?*1 Sam. 20:29 Luni-solar calendar -- 5 sacred feasts depended, could not have been left to individual observation of the moon over various sections of the land. It was therefore a question for authority to determine. When David was king, according to Abendana, "it seems to have been the peculiar office and employment of the tribe of Issachar, to watch the lunar changes, and they are said to be^men that had understanding of the times?"28 The same thing was said of the wise men in the court of Ahasuerus.29 In the time of Christ, the members of the Sanhedrin, as we learn from history,30 * * were possessed of great astronomical knowledge, being obliged by their office to apply themselves to astronomical calculations of a complicated char- achter. It is said that the Beth Din knew beforehand the answers that the wit- 31 nesses should give to the questions asked them.'' Of necessity, this last state ment is the truth, for how could the priests, or members of the Sanhedrin con duct such a court of astronomical witness unless they themselves were fully in- formed with reference to Albiruni refers the the exact position of the moon? beginning of Jewish calendar computation to the second 32 century B.C.,^ but it is evident from the Bible instances cited and from the historical evidence that Jewish calculation goes back much farther in point of time. Sider sky agrees withWau oonoluoion in the following statement: "As this Arab author of the Xth century has proved himself one of the best informed in the various systems of chronology in use with the ancient nations, and had particularly good documents with regard to the Jews, we are therefore authorized to depend upon the date he indicated, the year 200 of the Seleucid era, or 112-111 B.Ci'33 Consequently, it seems reasonable to conclude, that very early in Jewish history, the time of new moons ms both computed and observed, and that luni-solar time, even anciently, could not have been the result of observation alone as is so frequently declared by various writers on this subject. |81 Chron. 12:32 . ^Esther 1:13 °Hoffman, David, "Mar Samuel," p. o2Albiruni?, "Chronology of Ancient Nations," p. 68. Tr. by Sachau. London, 1879. 33Sidersky, David, "Etude sur I’origine astronomique de la chronologie," p. 632. Luni-solar calendar — 6 III, Agreement Between Nisan Festive. 1 Moons It was, of course, imperative that the date of the Nisan new year should harmonize with the paschal 14th. \ But since the Nisan phasis was dependent upon definite rules pertaining to the moon’s visibility, it may also be inferred that the date, 14 Nisan, had likewise to agree with these same rules. Inasmuch, however, as the paschal date can be fixed by distinctive rules of its own, independent of the new moon, it is essential to inquire whether these paschal rules, which have come down to this century from very early times, are also in agreement with the astronomical principles controlling the first appearance of the new moon? First, as to the rules governing the paschal 14th,,er 14 Moan.. These relate to the paschal month, and to the passover day. The paschal month has already been touched upon in the first paragraphs, but its identifying features will now be more fully outlined: Passover Month Follows the ;Spring Rains ”My beloved spake, and said unto me. Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away. Z/For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”$4 .^■2-)—Comment by Ellen G. White on Foregoing Scripture ’’The first of these festivals, the Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, occurred in Abib, the first month of the Jewish year, corresponding to the last of March and the beginning of April. The cold of winter was past, the latter rain had ended, and all nature rejoiced in the fresh- "Mth the Jews these calculations were in use since the 11 nd century B*C. until the end of the Ilnd century A.D. according, to the lesti.ony of several ancient authors. But it is probable that these calculations go back much farther."—Sider sky, p. ^97. ^‘±7— rirs~c rruius apt nipt? in -aaar ? ’’For the month of new fruits is not located in the twelfth month^ when the time of winter still hangs on, as I have before said, since the new fruits are not yet ripe, and since indeed the sickles cannot be put to the harvest. For this has the divine Law especially constituted as a sign of the first month. 7 34Cant. 2:11,13 35Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 537. 36Maimonidae, Mosis, ”De Jejunie,” p. 43^ Ex Hebraeo Latine conversi a Ludo-vico Dp Compiegnei,. ParisiisA 1667. ... ■ . ,. .... 37Bucherii, Aegidii, ’’Cbmmentarius De Docfrina Tempo rum, ” p. 472. Antverpiae,- 1634. ..... __ Luni-solar calendar — 6 III, Agreement Between Nisan Festival Moons t ■' ■ --------- . .... » - It ms, of course, imperative that the date of the Nisan new year should harmonize with the paschal 14th. But since the Nisan phasis was dependent upon definite rules pertaining to the moon*s visibility, it may also be inferred that the date, 14 Nisan, had likewise to agree with these same rules. Inasmuch, however, as the paschal date can be fixed by distinctive rules of its own, independent of the new moon, it is essential to inquire whether these paschal rules, which have come down to this century from very early times, are also in agreement with the astronomical principles controlling the first appearance of the new moon? First, as to the rules governing the paschal 14th, or 14 Nioan. These relate to the paschal month, and to the passover day. The paschal month has already been touched upon in the first paragraphs, but its identifying features will now be more fully outlined: zz(l-)7~ Passover Month Follows the :Spring Rains "My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away. Z/For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; ^The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away."* 3^ ^2^— Comment by Ellen G. White on Foregoing Scripture ’’The first of these festivals, the Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, occurred in Abib, the first month of the Jewish year, corresponding to the last of March and the beginning of April. The cold of winter ms past, the latter rain had ended, and all nature rejoiced in the freshness and beauty of the springtime. The grass ms green on the hills and valleys, and wild-flowers everywhere brightened the fields. The moon, now approaching the full, made the evenings delightful. It ms the season so beautifully pictured by the sacred singer (Cant. 2:11-13, Rev. Ver.).35 Rain Ends in Palestine After March "When the March period is over, indeed, when the sun enters that sign which is called Taurus, then no, fast is appointed: for rain at this time is for an evil sign, since it,should not rain straight on [that is, continuously] from the beginning of the. year~." 6 x(’4$ First Fruits Not Ripe in Adar > "For the month of new fruits is not located in the twelfth month^ when the time of winter still hangs on, as I have before said, since the new fruits are not yet ripe, and since indeed the sickles cannot be put to the harvest. For this has the divine Law especially constituted as a sign of the first month."3? S^Cant. 2:11,13 35Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 537. 36Maimonidae, Mosis, "De Jejunie/’ p. 43* Ex Hebraeo Latine conversi a Ludo- yico Dp CoDipiegne_,^Parisiis,. 1667. 4^ 3'Bucherii, Aegidii, "Commentarius De Docfrina Temporum," p. 472. Antverpiae/ 1634. _ _ Luni-solar calendar — 9 cases, the Passover were not retarded a day, then the Nisan phasis, in certain years, would occur on the very day of conjunction, at the end of too short a i 1 "Since the astronomical length of a month is equivalent to 29 days 12 hours, 44 minutes, 3 seconds (ideler,^Handbuch der Chronologic,* 1. 43), then it must follow that in actual practice,months of 29 and months of 30 days must pretty regularly alternate with one another.” 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 Albtruni, "Chronology of Ancient Nations," p. 153. Sealiger, "De Qnendatione Temporum," p. 85. Sidersky, "Etude. • • chronologie juive,” p. 601. Pliny, "Natural History," p. 112. Tr. by Bostock and Riley. London, 1855. Caspari, Ch. Ed., "Introduction to the Life of Christ," p. 5. Gemini, "Elementa Astronomiae," p. 35. Interprete Edone Hilderico. In ’Urano-locion," cura & studio Dionysii Petavii. Paris, 1630 Shurer, Emil, "History of the Jewish People," First Div. Vol. II, p. 365. Luni-solar calendar — 12 IV. Confirmation of the Passover Calendar The long And'short translation periods of the moon are mentioned by many. among whom are Aratus, Pliny, Geminus, Soaliger, Hevelius, and HaleS, The follow ing are some of their statements: 1 • ’ Moon* s Horns Identify Her Age — Cta-xxL <4? ^Scan first the horns on either side the Moon* For with varying hue from time to time the evening paints her, and of different shape are her horns at different times as the Moon is waxing — one form on the third day and other on the fourth. From them thou canst learn touching the month that is begun.”5® 2. When the Moon is Four Days Old—- ’’Whenever the Moon with slender horns shines forth in the West, she tells of a new month beginning: when first her rays are shed abroad just enough to cast a shadow, she is going to the fourth day.” 9 - * r - 3. The Moon in Conjunction— I ,rWhen the moon has ceased to be visible, she is in conjunction, a period known to us as 1 interlunium^1 [Translation porio-d.] During the conjunction, the moon will be above the horizon the same time as the sun, for the whole of the first day; on the second she will advance upon the night ten-twelfths of an hour and on^gfourth of a twelfth; on the third day, the same as on . / the second, etc.” ’’There are eight different epochs of the moon, or sun. ' /> .. - - ~ 5. Fastest and Slowest Moon-__A. . .1'3 ’’For when the moon is fastest, she appears sickle-shape on the very day moon are visible on the same day or night in no Xand indeed it has happened very seldom to any one 4 . i _ . _ ' * -i itself of conjunction; when slowest, on t^g third day, and remains sickleshape, meanwhile, even to the fifth day.” ° ’’The old and the new other sign except Arie! to have witnessed it.”' 6. Translation Period — "But the first rising of the moon does not commonly happen on the first day after conjunction; but at length on the second, often even on the third and fourth — this is apparent to all observing her.”65 ( 56 Aratus, "Phaenomena,’’ p. 441. Tr. by Mair. London, 1921. Aratus, Idem, p. 437. $$ Pliny, "Natural History," Vol. IV, p. 112. Bostock Pliny, Idem, p. 120. [ and Riley. London, 1890. f Pliny, Idem, p. 112. Geminus, "Elementa Astronomiae," p. 40. Lutetiae Parisiorum, 1630. Pliny, "Natural History," Vol. I, p. 49. 65 Hevelius, "Selenographia," p. 273. Luni-solar calendar — 13 7• Jewish Calendar Computed by the Shape of the Hoon on the Third Day — S c "But the Jewish, Arabic, and Samaritan new moons commonly exceed the Size of the phasis, so that the civil new moon of the lunar months are of a three-fold kind: the Attic, from the conjunction, the Calippic, from the waxing moon [earliest phasis], and the Jewish, Samaritan, and Arabic, from the shape of the moon from the third day, I say.” ° ^The length of the translation period, therefore, is an identifying feature of the Passover calendar, for* it is in full agreement with the requirements of historical sources, both early and late. 1 Z77 ^JA From/art astronomical standpoint, anrimportant confirmatory feature that supports a computed lunar calendar, is the moon1s velocity cycle which coincides within- almost identical translation cycle. They are both 62 years in length; they both compfite seven waves, with marked highland low points; the short wave, in each case is almost coincident; but more than all else, the Nisan perigee a year in the moon*s cycle, always contacts the translation cycle atAdefinite and constant place. This fact enables one to determine the approximate location of the moon’s perigee in early centuries for which no figures are available without A exacting calculation. Consequently the translation cycle greatly assists in checking lunar dates from the standpoint of the moon’s visibility. This is in e-xsvei harmony with Albirunl’s law that the length of the lunar month varies ac- 67 cording to the variation in motion of both sun and moon. x Passover calendation can be further!jdantifted by/the/1 redords of the Assuan papyri, which provide the double-dated business contracts that were discovered in Egypt about 1900. They were found tied up and sealed, just as they were buried over 2000 years ago. These papyri, therefore, offerttobtod evidence with regard to Jevash reckoning in the Ezra-Nehemiah century. The Passover calendar, as outlined in Charts A, B, C, and E, and in Chart D for the fifth cen-tury B.C., presents eno method, which^Jm*.thus f^zdemonstrated a constant relation between these double dates. t- u 111 66 Scali ger, "De Qiiendatione Temporum," p. 6. 67 AlbirhnT, "Chronology of Ancient Nations," p. 153. 14 Luni-solar oalendation — nevertheless, the Aramaic dates — some of which occurred after the Tisri new year, others before — offer a substantial and harmonious check upon the oalendation by which they have been solved. For, unless a constant period between Nisan and Tisri existed in ancient times, the pre-Tisri dates would show a relation to the Egyptian calendar different from the post-Tisri dates. But the, oalendation hereh demonstr a teS jssetu all of the Aramaic dates — both before and after Tisri —.inIte one and the same re la tier?* with the Egyptian), This the Nisan and 'Tisri ncTv.^year^ in ancient times, were a testimony that fixed number of days apartg) V• Passover Principle Confirmed by New Hoon It yet remains to be shown whether the dates of a luni-solar calendar, com- puted on the basis of the passover principle, are in full harmony with the dates determined by the astronomical rules governing the moon*s phasis, and with the primitive Jewish method of observing the moon. First, as to the character of the moon’s phasis, which the early Hebrews employed to begin their year. The questions asked the witnesses by the Beth Din in the court in ancient Jerusalem;, called Beth Yangzek, related particularly to the moon’s size and shape. The questions were somewhat as follows: 1. What shape was the moon? 2. Were her horns turned toward the sun, or away from it? 3. How high above the horizon was the moon? 4. Toward which side was her deci 5. How wide was the moon’s disk?$ ination? According to this examination, the moon had size, shape, and horns. The moon was a disk, that had definite width. She had altitude above the horizon, 68 Lyons, Jacques, ’’Jewish Calendar,” p. 13. Montreal, 1854 c' Luni-solar calendar — 15 and the greater dication of tho the height, the older the moor^ All of these features suee. in- ftwwb that the Beth Din^employed -'an older moon for the starting of the year, as has been suggested by previous citations. The question re- lating to the horns shows this, for very young moons- do hot have horns --.they )#ften as fine as a thread, (stripes are simply a streak in the sky^> and crftzn hard to differentiate from twiligh' atmosphere and cloud. In the spring, a fine, bright, colored, horizontal cloud stripe may be mistaken for the crescent moon^ S& Schoch wrote to Schaum- berger-. I q IXax. <>y a^. A few excerpts will explain the horned moon — giving definition and the time of her appearance. Johannis Hevelius speaks first: ,1. Definition of the Horned Moon ’’But we call the horned moon that phasis, which to some of the ancients is^-the second moon, because, that on the second day after conjunction ofrfuminaries she is earliest seen, and follows the first moon.”6$ A 'i 2 • Time of Appearance of Horned Moon — "But because she is not always able to be seen on the second day, all of those causes can hinder which do not allow the first moon to be seen on , the first day after conjunction. Yet the special obstacle is when she/-Z> turned about in the signs of short settings, of which kind are Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius. For, although the moon may be in perigee, and around the northern border, yet if she does not draw near to a sign of long setting, in vain is the horned moonawaited on the second day.”. a sQ » "~7” 3 • Jews TJiwaaAAy Begin Month from^Horned Moon — "The new moon of the first Calippic Hecatombaeon begins on Jthe 30th day of the Jewish month Sivan, since the Jews begin not only. from the phasis, but also from the horned moon ... as I said, the Calippic new moons are from the waxing crescent, not from the horned moon. 1 Bsrt passover reckoning) fully meets the demands ofltJas horned moon, since all the long translation periods end in a horned ^ptessi^/that is two or three \O-w iXc*. oXVjtA. days old/'^-ahe. younger moons begin and end each translation wave, being the "first" moons which Hevelius describes, because they appear on the first day af- ter conjunction. In the last citation, Scaliger mentions this earlier phasis^ 69 70 71 Hevelii, Johannis, "Selenographia," p. 281 Hevelii, Johannis, ’’Selenographia,” Idem. Scaliger, "De Emendatione Temporum,” p. 71 LuniOsolar calendation -- 16 Consequently, according to historical demand, and the astronomical laws per taining to the Nisan moon’s visibility and its relation to the Passover, there is no principle involved, whose operation is disturbed or defeated by paschal caIm lation of the full moon of barley harvest. Agreement between observation and com putation of the moon is here demonstrated by the Bible itself, by history, archeol ogy and astronomy. SUMMARY 'he foregoing facts relating to primitive luni-solar time, haw-been obtained from the Bible, history, archeologic sources, and calendric6'and astronomical rec- educed: ords, rfhe following 1. That a calculated system of time-reckoning was of-^nooeiitty employed by the Hebrews much earlier than is generally admitted. 2. That the passover principle of lunar time calculation, as here presented, is a simple ,-and logica^form of^luni-solar reckoning, is one that satisfies the demands of the Mosaic institutions, and is confirmed by archeology, astronomy, and calendar science. . _ v t 3. That the check upon passover reckoning, afforded^by the dates of the Assuan papyri of the 5th century B.C., makes available a form of lunar cal-xsdt endation for identifying L/the important dates of the 2300-year prophecy of Daniel. /