HOME BIBLE STUDY GROUP
HOME BIBLE STUDY GROUP | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I. Introduction
According to tradition, our common era now used throughout the whole world had its commencement based on the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem of Judea, during the reign of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar. Please, put these two names into your memory bank: Jesus Christ and Augustus Caesar. That is because as we will demonstrate later, Augustus Caesar was also claimed to be the Expected One, the Son of God, the divine Incarnation that would erase all sins and usher in an era of universal peace.
Our common era superceded the Roman era, which again, according to tradition started 753 years before our common era. This is how the story goes: Jesus Christ was born on the 25th of December at midnight in the Roman Year 753, and the new era, called common/Christian Era, started one week later at midnight between December 31st Roman Year 753 and January 1st, Roman Year 754. Any time after January 1st 754 of the Roman Era is called AD. For example, Roman Year 754=AD 1; Roman Year 755=AD 2, and so on. AD stands for Anno Domini, Year of the (our) Lord. Any event occurring before the Roman Year 754 is labeled B.C., meaning Before Christ. The Roman year 753=1 BC, 752=2 BC and so on. There is no year zero between 1 BC and AD 1 and there is only one year between 1 BC and AD 1. This is very important to remember when calculating time periods covering both the BC period and the AD Christian era.
We are interested in pinpointing the time periods involved concerning some important events during the life of Jesus Christ. Old testament prophecies regarding Jesus Christ were based on the Hebrew calendar. Roman gentile historians used the Roman era. Therefore, we must be able to reconcile the Roman calendar with the Hebrew calendar.
The similarities and differences between the Hebrew chronology, based on Creation, and the Roman chronology, based on some historical events and on the deification of Roman rulers will be discussed. After possessing a good understanding of Hebrew and Roman time reckoning systems, we will review from biblical and non-biblical sources, information pertinent to our current goals: the chronology of important events in the life of Jesus Christ, and give our best estimates for the timing of those events.
Accurate dating of an event gives credence to this event. Archaeological findings have dated the death of Herod “The Great”, during the month of April in the year 4 BC (1). This is the same Herod who attempted to kill Jesus Christ when He was about 2 years old (2). To make matters worse, the “Kyrenios” of Luke 2:2, who supposedly according to bible scholars and translators (3), but not according to Luke, was legate of Syria during the census of the Incarnation, is mentioned by contemporary Jewish historian Josephus (4) as being involved in a census of Judea during a year corresponding to AD 6.
The Herodian factor would push back the nativity to 6 BC at least, and the Josephian dating to AD 6, a span of 11 years (remember there is no year zero between 1 BC and AD 1). This kind of confusion about the chronology of such an important and unique Individual would encourage doubts about His existence, classifying His story under mythology (5). At the least, His claims to Godhood could be attributed to another Christ who made the same claims at about the same time (6).
Is it possible that there are two Christianities and two Christs? Could it be that our common era is the Christian era of another Christ, not Jesus Christ? Are we confusing the two Christianities and trying all forms of intellectual gymnastics to make them fit our preconceived notions? This is the purpose of this monograph to find answers to the above questions and to encourage others to pursue further research on this important topic.
As we shall demonstrate later, there is overwhelming evidence for the existence of two Christianities which started at about the same time, running parallel courses throughout history over the past two thousand years, possessing different belief systems, and antagonistic to each other: Imperial Christianity, established in 15 BC by the Imperial Christ, the deified Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar; enforced by imperial decrees, ecumenical councils and constitutions; worshipping Satan as a sun deity who incarnates cyclically into mortals to rule and reform; and with the ultimate goal of establishing one world Empire, when, at such time, the deified Emperor/Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Roman Empire, the new Augustus Caesar, will rule supreme over mankind. The other Christianity, Evangelical Christianity, was established in AD 31 by Jesus Christ, as described in the Gospels, pure and simple. Essentially, the goal of Evangelical Christianity is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Creator of heaven and earth, and Redeemer of mankind who tabernacled among men some 2000 years ago, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies, with a promise to return as KING of kings and to rule from Shiloh (See Appendix V) during the Messianic kingdom for 1000 years; after which period, this universe is destroyed and replaced with a new heaven and a new earth which will last forever. Finally, the Heavenly Father and His only begotten Son will tabernacle among redeemed men in the New Jerusalem on the new earth and under the new heaven. Satan, the fallen angels and the damned will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire.
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth:
and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
(Isaiah 65:17)And whosoever was not found written in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)
References: