The New Testament records the three-hour darkness during Christs crucifixion (Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:4445). What Was Achieved By Jesus At The Crucifixion? In Wadi Zeelim, located above the southwestern shore of the modern Dead Sea exists an outcrop of laminated Dead Sea sediment. Modern science validates the sources Phlegon used for compiling his writings and also validates the transcribers who referenced the material several hundred years later. The timing of this "eclipse" referred to by Phlegon is similar to the event described in the Gospels. You yourselves have the account of the world-portent still in your archives. (Tertullian, Apologia 21) (Emphasis added). (LogOut/ The diagram below will help to clarify this. In ancient Greece the Olympic Games were held in the July of the first year of each Olympiad, which was a 4 year period running from July to June of each succeeding year. On Marvels consists of "anecdotes culled from sources as diverse as the Greek poet Hesiod and the Roman natural historian Pliny the Elder. The fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad I believe would include some of the same year as the 203rd Olympiad but the new Olympiad did not start till the Olympics event took place in the Summer. Moon phase and solar year events are shown on the day in Athens. (Jerome) [4]. Phlegon's greatest work was the writing of a history book, called The Olympiades. All rights reserved. He lived up to the death of the emperor Augustus in 14CE and we know from Luke that his ministry began in the 15th year of Augustus successor, Tiberius. Only the Nov. 24, AD 29 eclipse over Asia Minor can match that, and Joel's prophecy (Acts 2, 14-21) that ``the sun will be turned to darkness and moon to blood." We do not know what other sources that Africanuswho established a library for Severus Alexander might have had at his disposal with regard to Phlegons writings. There is little doubt that this information was passed from ancient source to ancient source before it reached Phlegon; however; its place in historical writings is scientifically confirmed nearly 2 millenia later. Sure, its certainly possible to wildly claim an earthquake happened somewhere, at some time, as they occur on Earth all the time; I could generalize that a major earthquake hit San Francisco in 1900, as I was born approximately 80 years later and have no direct source, but would I be inaccurate in claiming that? However, these are all unlikely candidates as their timing is off from the Olympiad calendar. In Rome,Peter spokeas he had to the Jews of Jerusalem (cf Acts 2:14-24)to an audience that hadpriorknowledge of the three hour darkness. Tertullian, Apologeticus, Chapter 21, 19, Christian Evidence was created to enable Christians to defend their faith, and to open their eyes up to the overwhelming evidence for Christianity. The 202nd Olympiad has been calculated to run from July AD 29 to June AD 33. Why would the Apostles allude to a darkness their hearers and readersknewdid not happen? It has only been referenced in Christian apologist books hundreds of years later. It amounts, in effect, to asserting the following:leaving aside all the evidence youdohave, you do not have anyotherevidence. Thus, the skeptic discards all evidence against his case, and then declares victory: aha, you have nootherproof!The reality is, there is no reason to set aside the sources and evidence we do have. A non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., AD 33), there was 'the greatest eclipse of the sun' and that it became night in the sixth hour of the day [i.e., noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. This firmly connects Jesus and the gospels to Roman history. For example the first Olympiad happened in 776 and the second occurred in 772 BC. 1996. p. 217. In telling the story of the guards, Matthew takes into account what his Jewish audience would already knowi.e., there was aclaimbeing spread abroad that the body of Jesus had been stolenand then he proceeded to provide facts to explain the true origin of that lie. It is believed to be an 8.2-magnitude earthquake. So, these historical extrabiblical sources are also consistent with the AD 33 date. Peter reminds his hearers these things were done in the midst of you, as you also know. Clearly, Peter referenced an eventthe three hour darkening of the sunwhich waspreviouslywitnessed by all hearing him that day. The Text Widget allows you to add text or HTML to your sidebar. AD 33 is too early for his crucifixion, surely. The Formal Correction is on the way! by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973), vol. First, there are differences between the synoptic gospels in the New Testament and the gospel of John that have puzzled Bible scholars. Phlegon of Tralles was a first century secular Greek historian born not long after the Crucifixion. Some events regarding the life of Christ and the life of Paul the Apostle, which are mentioned in the New Testament can be dated. Fr. An earthquake occurred in Bythinia . Last month: Next month: new 02:44 32/07/26 UTC : 1: 32-07-26/27: Noumenia : 2: 32-07-27/28: Noumenia kata Selene Agathos Daimon: Herakleia? Julius Africanus quoted from the Olympiades a section no longer in existence which said this darkening if the sun happened at the time of the full moon. Since Passover took place in the Spring before the Olympics, I think the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad would be Summer 32 AD to Summer 33 AD. Nisan was the month the Passover was celebrated, a very important time for the Jews commemorating their deliverance out of slavery in Egypt. So, we have evidence as strong for these miracles at the crucifixion and resurrection as we have for many other events in history that no one ever questions. ", Africanus quoted a section of Phlegon's work as follows: "During the time of Tiberius Csar an eclipse of the sun occurred during the Full Moon.". The question is: should we accept the historicity of this Crucifixion darkness? The source from Jerome above is interesting in that it dates the unusual darkening of the sky by the Olympiad numbering system. Tradition informs us that Marks gospel derives directly from Peters oral preaching in Rome (seehere). However, such an explanation for the Crucifixion darkness is absurd because solar eclipses are counted in minutes, not hours. How could the science not possibly confirm this level of coincidence? Required fields are marked *. Those who heard Peter preach in Rome would have previously known about this darkness in several ways, including: (1) having witnessed it firsthand in Rome if it had been a universal darkness; (2) hearing of it from travelers to Rome; and or (3) through letters or official reports received from the provinces, the latter of which were kept in the Roman archives. Dont Panic! Donations to this ministry aretax-deductible. Last month: Next month: new 18:49 33/01/19 UTC : 1: 33-01-20/21: Noumenia kata Selene : 2: 33-01-21/22: Agathos Daimon : 3: 33-01-22/23: Athene : 4: 33- . Between 3 PM and sunset the Jews had to prepare the body and get it into the tomb, because the Sabbath started Friday evening around sunset. I did a search for the years 25 through 35 AD for the nation of Israel. "In the fourth year, however, of Olympiad 202, an eclipse of the sun happened, greater and more excellent than any that had happened before it; at the sixth hour, day turned into dark night, so that the stars were seen in the sky, and an earthquake in Bithynia toppled many buildings of the city of Nicaea." A few verses later in Matthew 27:51 it is recorded that there was an earthquake at the exact moment that Jesus died. 196-7, College Press Publishing Company, 1996., 4 Tertullian, Apologeticus, Chapter 21, 19 cited in Bouw, G. D. (1998, Spring). It should then not come as a surprise to us that Pliny, who scorned the idea of God and religion (cfNatural HistoryI, 5), would pass over in silence this world-portent now claimed by and associated with the Christian religion, which wasat that time he wrotea portent of a persecuted, criminal and maligned sect. Why preach something that was manifestly untrue? Die Fragmente der Griechischen Historiker. This information would be every unlikely to have been added at a later time due to its specificity in time. Are you sure that you will enter heaven to be with God in the afterlife? On this day, Christians recall especially that part of the Creed in which we affirm of Jesus Christ: for our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered, died and was buried. These things we affirm to be historical facts. . Then the other speaker, also a minister, stepped forward. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. "However in the fourth year of the 202nd olympiad, an eclipse of the sun happened, greater and more excellent than any that had happened before it; at the sixth hour, day turned into dark night, so that the stars were seen in the sky, and an earthquake in Bithynia toppled many buildings of the city of Nicaea." Picking on Pliny Rome had a Jewish community, and it is probable that word of the darkness would have reached and been known within it. From the direct quote above, it is clear Phlegons source is an observer in Bithynia (in modern day Turkey), which is well over 500 miles away from Jerusalem. Christians claim this corroborates the Gospels; opponents say it has nothing to do with the events described during the Passion and only perpetuates a false conclusion. Matthew 12:40 says that as Jonah was three days and three nights in the fish, Jesus would be dead three days and three nights. whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Thepoint is that thedestruction of the discovered earthquake had to be catastrophic in order to destroy buildings there, which leads to the conclusion that the big one that hit Jerusalem also hit Turkey along the fault line at the same time. Emma Southon: "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". Pontius Pilate (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1968), p. 366. Therefore, it is possible Phlegons source witnessed the Crucifixion darkness from there at the same hoursuggesting the darkness and earthquakes reached far beyond the region around Jerusalem. Let us, briefly, consider the case for the historicity of this event by first quoting the relevant gospel accounts. Check it out for yourselfhttp://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEcat5/SE0001-0100.html. We know that Jesus was crucified in the Spring, at the time of the Passover. (31 B.C. This needs to be updated they just found evidence if quake from 26 to 36ad. (The Olympics began in 776 B.C., and by counting every fourth year you come to the 202 nd Olympiad, and the fourth year of same is 33 A.D.) Most On the Circumstances Connected with Our Saviours Passion and His Life-Giving Resurrection, The Wheels of the Formal Correction turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine. An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nica." [4] Pratt, John, webpage by astronomer John Pratt on Isaac Newtons approach to determining the date of the crucifixion. Copyright Like The Master Ministries. First, is what I would call deduction from all available information. The Crucifixion is widely reported by numerous ancient writers. EARTHQUAKE AND DARKNESS THAT OCCURRED AT JESUS DEATH WAS RECORDED IN SECULAR HISTORY. It even mentions buildings collapsing in Nicea, which would be over 1,000 miles Northwest from Jerusalem by land. The astronomical science tells us there was no solar eclipse over Bithynia in that year. Now before the accusations fly about me ascribing random astronomical events to this writing, consider this: these are the only two solar eclipses that occur within the time frame reference by Phlegon, and from 20-40AD there are only 3 other eclipses that could even possibly have been seen by Rome or the Persian Gulf; one in 20AD and the other two occur after 36AD. And calculation makes out that the period of 70 weeks, as noted in Daniel, is completed at this time. Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18.1. Phlegon, born about A.D. 80, was a secular historian who lived in the second century. However, what concerning the bottom line? This year would be AD 29 from Roman historical sources. 26:61, Matt. The Romans, for example, are known to have have kept archives which included data on eclipses of the moon and sun. Each recounts a fantastical or paranormal event. The sedimentation rate puts this second earthquake about 65 years after the 31 B.C. We only have fragments left to us of this monumental work and quotations of it from other writers. An unknown, massive astronomical body passing through the solar system or on long period orbit, transiting between the earth and sun? Luke clearly goes out of his way to be specific about when this year was, by relating it to six different important officials. ? someone heckled from the back row. The year given by Phlegon for this eclipse is the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., 33 A.D.), which is consistent with one of the possible dates of the Crucifixion (i.e., April 3, 33 A.D.). This research again confirms Phlegons writing. There is only one period of darkness lasting for three hours in the history of the world. Jesus was thus the true final Passover Lamb and he died at the time the passover lambs was normally sacrificed. Though it is almost impossible to deny that this strange event truly happened, on the same day our Lord died on the Cross, I strived for years to find a natural astronomical explanation about it but in vain. Little is known about Phlegon, but he made reference to Christ. It was recorded by a Pagan author who had no desire to promote Christianity yet he confirmed the Bible record! Yes, to God, nothing is impossible. Contact Dr Richard Kent and recommendations, Bible Prophecy Concerning The Crucifixion, The Blood Covenant In Relation To The Crucifixion, Recording of The Crucifixion by Contemporary Historians, The Three Hour Period Of Darkness Is Confirmed By Many Historians, The Ad 33 Date Of The Crucifixion According To Phlegon, A Secular Greek Historian, The Ad 33 Date Of The Crucifixion From Bible Prophecy, Caiaphas Prophesied About The Crucifixion, In Gethsemane Jesus Sweated Blood, The Disciples Slept, And Judas Betrayed Jesus Christ, Judas Iscariot Betrayed Jesus Christ For Thirty Pieces Of Silver, The Timing Of The Night Before The Crucifixion, Jesus Christ Stood In Our Place At The Six Trials, Jesus Was Condemned To Death For "blasphemy", The Crowd Choose Barabbas Rather Than Jesus. Indeed Phlegon, who is an excellent calculator of olympiads, also writes about this, in his 13th book writing thus: "However in the fourth year of the 202nd olympiad [32 CE], an eclipse of the sun happened, greater and more excellent than any that had happened before it; at the sixth hour [around noon] day turned into dark night, so that the . Thus, if the quote is accurate, and Phlegon's eclipse has . Suffice it to say that the Jewish Sabbath was on Saturday and remember that the Jews considered a 24 hour day cycle to begin at sunset in the evening. Many Christian scholars have come to question either the synoptic gospels or the gospel of John because of the difficulties of resolving questions about exactly when Jesus was crucified. Only one earthquake in this span of years came up in the results, in 33 AD The database showed two published geological sources regarding this earthquake. 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