Chapter 9: When Was Jesus Crucified?
If you are one who studies and enjoys end time prophesy, to know exactly when certain historical events occurred is of the utmost importance. The following is to clarify one date in particular, that being, “In what year, month and day was Jesus Christ crucified?
There appears to be a divide as to when the Lord Jesus had been crucified. Was it on April 5th 30 A.D. or was it April 3rd of 33 A.D.? By knowing the correct date, we can also know when the Lord was born, and when He was baptized. No one can move forward with prophesy if they’re not sure of these dates. Let’s begin with several verses in Luke that give the whole story, and also hold the keys to the exact time of Jesus death on the cross.
Luke first informs us that what he’s about to write is correct, and his sources impeccable. Luke’s narrative was written in the year 58 or 59 A.D., and writing to the Jewish people.
Luke 1:3, “Many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration (a narrative) of those things which are most surely believed among us. Even as they were delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. It seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first (beginning) — that you might know the certainty (surety) of those things, wherein you have been instructed.”
Translated: Luke is about to state his purpose and the methods. What he’s saying is, it’s good to have full knowledge of the Lord’s birth, his preaching, miracles suffering, death resurrection and ascension. Question: How did Luke achieve these things?
Luke in his opening statement includes other writers, most likely Matthew and possibly Mark and Paul. He also speaks of eyewitnesses plus his own timeline and understanding of these historical events.
Following are two passages that have caused a heated debate concerning the time of Jesus crucifixion. Today, we have a great advantage, we can look back in our history books and come to correct conclusions concerning this matter, if, and only if we are not lazy in our research.
Luke 3:1, “In the FIFTEENTH YEAR of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea,—.”
Now the following verse when taken at face value appears to contradict the above.
Luke 3:22-23, “Now when all the people (Jews) were baptized (by John the Baptist), it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized —” Ver.23, “And Jesus himself began to be about THIRTY YEARS OF AGE.”
Most agreed that Jesus was born in October between the 15thand 30th of the month, in 4 B.C. This will be the beginning of our timeline. If we begin with 4 B.C. and add 30 years as Luke tells us, we should arrive in the month of October in 26 A.D., for Jesus baptism.
Here’s where the problem is. Luke writes in Luke 3:1, It was,
“In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar” when Jesus was baptized. Tiberius was SOLE RULER of the Roman empire from 14 A.D. to 37 A.D. If we add 15 years to 14 A.D. we would arrive in the year 29 A.D. And because Jesus earthly ministry lasted 3 ½ years, then the time of his crucifixion would have to be April 3ed 33 A.D. the day before Passover, April 4th.
Now let’s take a closer look at this situation. History reveals that Tiberius was co-regent with Augustus Caesar beginning in November of 11 A.D. Caesar Augustus wanted a successor to his throne, but his first choice of an heir died before Augustus did. So, he adopted his grandson Tiberius Caesar Augustus as his son. In November of 11 A.D. Tiberius was made co-regent with Augustus. When Augustus died on 8/19, 14 A.D., this is when Tiberius became sole ruler. Keep in mind, he had already ruled over Rome with Augustus for 3 years.
If we begin our count of 15 Years from November of 11 A.D. as we should, and moved forward 15 years, we would arrive in late October in the year 26 A.D. And because Jesus ministry lasted for 3 ½ Years after his baptism in October of 26 A.D. we would arrive on April 5th of 30 A.D. the day before Pentecost which fell on April 6th.
Now that would support both of Luke’s reports. For my evidence that 26 A.D. is correct for his baptism and April 5th of 30 A.D. for his death would be correct. Following are what I believe are three creditable sources.
I own an early edition of Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary published in 1873. They report, “the fifteenth year of Tiberius — this is reckoned from the time Tiberius was admitted, three years before Augustus’ death in August of the year 14 A.D.” That brings us back to 11 A.D.
So, this agrees with Jesus birth in 4 B.C. plus 30 years, brings us to 26 A.D., the same year Tiberius was in the 15th year of his reign just as Luke reported.
Also, I have an 1840 edition of Adam Clark. Adam Clark was a British theologian and Biblical scholar who was born in 1760 and died in 1832 A.D.
He wrote,
“On August 28th, 11 A.D., Caesar Augustus associated Tiberius with himself in the full government of the empire; or as the historian Velleius Paterculus expressed it, “that he (Tiberius) might have equal power with himself (Augustus) in all the provinces, and in all the armies of the empire.”
Who was Velleius Paterculus? He was a Roman historian, born in 19 B.C. and died in 30 A.D. His history covered the period from the death of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. to the death of Augustus in 14 A.D. In 14 A.D., Jesus would have been 18 years of age.
So, the above would account exactly for the three years of difference which appears to exist between the statement of Luke in Luke 3:1, and Luke 3:23.
The computations and conclusions of many modern chronologist is incorrect when they claim Jesus died in April of 33. Why? because they did not allow for the 3 years of Tiberius’s co-rulership with Augustus Caesar.
To conclude, Adam Clark wrote,
“For, as Tiberius was associated with Augustus on 8/28 11 A.D. and Augustus died on August 19th 14 A.D., it appears that the time in which the two emperors reigned conjointly, was exactly three years plus nine days.”
Luke had reckoned the 15th year of Tiberius did not begin with the death of Augustus Caesar, but from 11 A.D. when he was co-emperor with Augustus. Jesus ministry lasted exactly 3 ½ Years before he was crucified. This would take us to April 5th of 30 AD.
Second question, how do I know that Jesus earthly ministry was 3 ½ Years?
Jesus was baptized by John and the Holy Spirit, in October of 26 A.D., and confronted for 40 days by the devil. This is when his 3 ½ year ministry to the Jews began, October of 26 A.D.
Following is Johns reports of the events of Jesus first years after baptism. He goes toward Bethany and calls out the first 5 disciples. He now returns north to Galilee with them and does his first miracle. He goes to Capernaum which is 85 miles from Jerusalem on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee with his mother, brothers, and disciples and stays for a short time. We do not know how much time had passed, all I can say is, Jesus did a lot of walking around the land of Israel.
John records three, possibly four Passovers:
The 1st Passover John writes to us about:
John 2:13-14, “And the Jews Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he (Jesus) had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables.”
The 2ed Passover: John writes,
“After there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” A feast was taking place in Jerusalem, but John did not tell us which feast. There were three major Jewish feasts: Passover in the spring: Pentecost 50 days later, and the feast of Tabernacles in the fall.”
The next Passover: April of 29 A.D. This is what occurred days before.
John 6:4, “And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company (5000 of them) come unto him, he said unto Philip, whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? Scriptures go on to tell us of the young lad that had 5 loaves and 2 small fish. Jesus multiplies what the lad had, and feeds the 5000, then put what remained into 12 baskets.
John 10:22, then tells us of his travels in Judea, when he visits Martha and Mary in Bethany, returning to Jerusalem for Hanukkah, the feast of Dedication in December of 29 A.D.,
The last Passover fell on April 5th of 30 A.D. This one concluded Jesus 3 ½ year ministry:
Following are a few of the places and people Jesus visited, days before the cross.
John 11:55, “And the Jews Passover was near at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. Ver.57, “Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he (Jesus) was, he should show it, that they might take (seize) him.”
Jesus goes to Mary’s and is anointed by her, he then goes to Jerusalem.
John 12:1, “Six days before the Passover” he goes to see Mary and Lazarus, the following day he returns to Jerusalem. He washes the disciple’s feet; has his last supper with the 11; gives them a new commandment; and is then arrested.
So, from Oct of 26 A.D. until the final Passover of 30 A.D., the date of his crucifixion would be April 5th 30 A.D.
So, here’s the Timeline for Jesus life:
Jesus was born in October of 4 B.C. Tiberius was co-ruler with Caesar Augustus from November of 11 A.D., in 11 A.D., when Jesus was 15 Years old. When he was 30 years of age sometime in the middle to late October of 26 A.D. he would be baptized by John. 3 ½ Year later on April 5th of 30 A.D. he was crucified.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com