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Statement of belief: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word
is truth.” (John 17:17 KJV)
Updated 5923[(*??*)]06 01 2027 [2011-09-29]
Dated New Testament Events
contributing
towards a better understanding of
beyond
the end of the four Gospels:
Acts of the Apostles;
the
Letters of Paul, Peter, John, James, & Jude; Revelation
Notice: Because the subject matter of this page and
its associated links are still being worked on, I ask you to please be a bit
forgiving with me if all things are not working quite correctly or if there are
other apparent problems. Nonetheless, any constructive criticism or comments
are welcome and appreciated feedback that is more than likely to contribute to
improving this site! Thanks in advance for your feedback!
I.
Re the timing of Acts 1-5: Pentecost; the imprisonment
of Peter and of the apostles; Joses Barnabas; Ananias & Sapphira;
Gamaliel’s speech: Theudas;
Judas of Galilee; etc.
It is important to distinguish similar but different
people and events. One excellent example of this is found when comparing
Josephus’ references to a certain Theudas and a certain
Judas under circumstances very similar to those referenced in the speech by Gamaliel recorded in Acts 5:34-39. Cf. these passages!:
:
"36 For before these days rose up Theudas,
boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred,
joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were
scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas
of
“1. NOW it came
to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea,
that a
certain magician, whose name was Theudas, (9) persuaded a great part
of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river
Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own
command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it; and many
were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not
permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of
horsemen out against them; who, falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of
them, and took many of them alive. They
also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and
carried it to
“2. Then came Tiberius Alexander as successor to
Fadus; he was the son of Alexander the alabarch of
The event re the Theudas
referenced by Josephus are recorded as occurring while Fadus
was procurator of
If the Theudas referenced by
Josephus would have been the same Theudas that is
referenced by Gamaliel (Acts 5:36,) then, considering
Luke’s (the author of Acts) emphasis upon an orderly record in reference to
time and events (Luke 1:1-4,) and considering especially that the events re
Peter as recorded in Acts 5 should most likely precede the events re Peter as
recorded in Acts 10, 11, and 12, which latter events occurred at or before Aviv
15 through Aviv 21, 30 CE [April (7 or) 8-April (13 or) 14, 30 CE] one would be
forced to conclude that the events re the Theudas
referenced by Gamaliel occurred between Tishri 1, 28
CE and Aviv 21, 30 CE [i.e. between September 9, 28 CE and April 14, 30 CE.]
However, if the above conclusion was valid, which it
obviously is not (all things being considered,) then the events recorded re Stephanus and Saul in Acts, chapters 6 through 9, must
necessarily precede the events recorded in Acts chapter 5 (above dated to the
civil year beginning Tishri 1, 28,) especially from verse 12 and forwards, i.e.
since Acts chapters 6-9 records events prior to Paul’s conversion, whereas Paul
apparently places his conversion to the civil year that began Tishri 1, 25 CE.
Cf. also Josephus, Antiquities, XVII:10:5 and its footnote (#16)!
As best I can tell, the “Judas
who caused the people to revolt, when Cyrenius came
to take an account of the estates of the Jews” is
one and the same as the “Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing”
referenced by Gamaliel. Upon a close reading of these
passages it becomes obvious that the events re the Theudas
referenced by Gamaliel occurred prior to the events
re the Judas of Galilee who is being referenced by both Gamaliel
and Josephus in connection with events out of their past. One can safely
conclude that the Theudas referenced by Gamaliel is not the same Theudas that
is being referenced by Josephus.
Thus, the potential discontinuity in Luke’s record,
i.e. Acts, is ob
On the other hand, the fact that Theudas
in Acts 5:36 is not the same as Theudas in
Josephus, Antiquities, XX:5:1,
makes it clear that the events recorded in Acts 1-5 are all closer in time to
the crucifixion and ascension of Yeshua, the first several chapters possibly
all being a record of events closely tied to “the day of Pentecost”
referenced in Acts 2:1
which followed within a week of the ascension of Yeshua, i.e. considering 1. the presence of Pontius
Pilate at
the time (Acts
Conclusion:
The timing of the events referenced in Acts 1-5
clearly relate events prior to the removal of Pontius Pilate by Vitellius (cf. Josephus, Antiquities XVIII:4:2) prior to the Feast of Unleavened
Bread in 23 CE. Indeed, very possibly most or all of these events
may well have occurred in the very same year as the crucifixion of
Yeshua, i.e. in 19 CE. This is certainly true for Acts, Chapters 1
& 2 (cf. the bottom part of the table at this link!)
II.
Acts 10-11:18: Peter’s
visit at Cornelius, the centurion.
I have found what seems to me strong evidence that
Cornelius Sabinus, referenced by Josephus in his Antiquities XIX:1:7-8, 14-15 & XIX:4:4-6, is the same as Cornelius,
the centurion, who is referenced in Acts 10. Provided this finding
is correct the events of Acts may thus be dated to a time prior to the death of Caesar
Caius, i.e. prior to January 24, 27 CE
[Tevet (or Shevat) [10th (or 11th) Moon] 21, 27 CE.]
III.
Acts 11:19-12:25: Paul’s relief mission and 1st
visit to Jerusalem following his conversion. The Apostle James killed, and
Peter imprisoned, by
Herod Agrippa I.
“1
Now about that time Herod the
king stretched forth his hands to vex
certain of the church. 2 And he killed James
the brother of John with the sword. 3 And
because he saw it pleased the
Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the
days of unleavened bread.) 4 And
when he had apprehended him, he put
him in prison, and delivered him
to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring
him forth to the people.” Acts 12:1-4 (KJV.)
”1. NOW when Claudius had taken out of the way all those soldiers whom he
suspected, which he did immediately, he published an edict, and therein confirmed that kingdom to Agrippa which
Caius had given him, and therein
commended the king highly. He
also made all addition to it of all that country over which Herod, who was his
grandfather, had reigned, that is, Judea and Samaria; and this he restored to him as due to his
family. But for Abila
(17) of Lysanias, and all that lay at
“2. Now about this time
there was a sedition between the Jews and the Greeks, at the city of
Alexandria; for when Caius was dead, the nation of the Jews, which had been very much mortified under the
reign of Caius, and reduced to very great
distress by the people of Alexandria, recovered itself, and immediately took up
their arms to fight for themselves. So Claudius sent an order to the president
of Egypt to quiet that tumult; he
also sent an edict, at the requests of king Agrippa and king Herod, both to
Alexandria and to Syria, whose contents were as follows: "Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, high priest, and tribune of the people, ordains
thus: Since I am assured that the Jews of Alexandria, called Alexandrians, have
been joint inhabitants in the earliest times with the Alexandrians, and have
obtained from their kings equal privileges with them, as is evident by the
public records that are in their possession, and the edicts themselves; and that
after Alexandria had been subjected to our empire by Augustus, their rights and
privileges have been preserved by those presidents who have at divers times
been sent thither; and that no dispute had been raised about those rights and
privileges, even when Aquila was governor of Alexandria; and that when the
Jewish ethnarch was dead, Augustus did not prohibit
the making such ethnarchs, as willing that all men
should be so subject [to the Romans] as to continue in the observation of their
own customs, and not be forced to transgress the ancient rules of their own
country religion; but that, in the time of Caius, the Alexandrians became
insolent towards the Jews that were among them, which Caius, out of his great
madness and want of understanding, reduced the nation of the Jews very low,
because they would not transgress the religious worship of their country, and
call him a god: I
will therefore that the nation of the Jews be not deprived of their rights and
privileges, on account
of the madness of Caius; but that those rights and privileges which they
formerly enjoyed be preserved to them, and that they may continue in their own
customs. And I charge both parties to take very great care that no troubles may
arise after the promulgation of this edict."
“3. And such were the
contents of this edict on behalf of the Jews that was sent to
CHAPTER 6.
WHAT THINGS WERE DONE BY AGRIPPA AT
“1. NOW Claudius Caesar, by these decrees of his which were sent to
Notice,
below, Josephus’ reference to “that
great famine… in
“2.
Then
came Tiberius Alexander as successor to Fadus;
he was the son of Alexander the alabarch of
Agrippa(I)’s
(i.e. the Herod of Acts, chapter 12) rule began not long after Tishri 22,
23 CE, and ended some time subsequent to the Feast of Unleavened Bread in 31 CE
[between April 3 and October 28, 31 CE.]
It is clear, however, from the above quote out of Josephus that Judea
and Jerusalem, were not within Agrippa’s jurisdiction until Claudius became
Caesar, but that once Claudius became Caesar Agrippa returned “in haste… to
Jerusalem” along with the edict issued by Claudius in favor of the Jews.
Claudius reigned from
shortly after the death
of Caius, who died January
24, 27 CE [Tevet (or Shevat) [10th
(or 11th) Moon] 21, 27 CE.]
Thus, the first five
Feasts of Unleavened Bread following upon the
death of Caius are datable from Aviv
15 through Aviv 21, 27-31 CE:
1.
April 12 – April 18, 27 CE;
2.
March 31-April 6, 28 CE (or less likely April 29 or 30-May 5 or 6, 28
CE;)
3.
April 18 or 19-April 24 or 25, 29 CE (or very unlikely March 20-26, 29
CE;)
4.
March (24 or) 25-March (30 or) 31, 30 CE; and
5.
March 29-April 4, 31 CE.
Considering the fact
that the events described in Acts 12:1-24 all apparently occurred while:
i.
Paul and Barnabas were on their relief mission “unto the brethren which
dwelt in
ii.
the fact that the record given in Acts 12:1-24 gives no indication that
the events there described covers more than a brief period of time,
iii.
the fact that Paul’s and Barnabas’ mission is likely to have lasted
considerably less than a year (cf. the “fifteen days” referenced in Gal. 1:18,)
and
iv.
the fact that Herod Agrippa (I) died in the civil year starting Tishri
1, 29 CE,
I conclude that each of
the
following events occurred just prior to, at, and/or surrounding, the Feast of
Unleavened Bread of Aviv 15 through
Aviv 21, 31 CE [March 29-April 4, 31 CE.)]
(Cf. also Josephus,
Antiquities, XIX:8:2,)
- Paul’s and Barnabas’ relief mission “unto the brethren which
dwelt in
- The “days of unleavened bread,” referenced in Acts 12:3;
- The murder of James, the brother of John (Acts 12:2) shortly
prior to said Feast; and
- The imprisonment of Peter (Acts 12:3-19) at the beginning of
said Feast.
IV.
The many datable events in the life of Paul:
(Cf. also the items
above!)
Luke, the author of
Acts, has been very careful to include a large number of exactly datable time
references in Acts generally, particularly so in re to the life and travels of
Paul. My study into
these items goes into considerable detail, but the interested student is
invited to participate with me along much the same analytical path as I myself
have traveled before finally arriving at the results now available to all:
1. Saul’s conversion experience on
the road to
2. Paul visited Jerusalem at least five times
subsequent to his conversion experience on the road to
(I have numbered those
five visits from zero through four for the sake of making it easier to
correlate them with the visits referenced in Paul’s epistle to the Galatians.)
3. Table of Dated Events
recorded in Acts and in the Epistles; Sequentially Ordered in Accordance
with the Greek Text.
4. The day to day itinerary
of Paul’s journey to Jerusalem at
Pentecost 44 CE.
5. The detailed itinerary of Paul’s journey to Rome.
6. Dating each of the epistles; not only
the epistles of Paul, but also those of James, Peter, John, and Jude.
V.
The stoning of James the brother of Yeshua
Messiah:
“1. AND now Caesar, upon
hearing the death of Festus, sent Albinus into Judea, as procurator.
But the king deprived Joseph of the high priesthood, and bestowed the
succession to that dignity on the son of Ananus, who
was also himself called Ananus. Now the report goes
that this eldest Ananus proved a most fortunate man;
for he had five sons who had all performed the office of a high priest to God,
and who had himself enjoyed that dignity a long time formerly, which had never
happened to any other of our high priests. But this younger Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high
priesthood, was a bold man in
his temper, and very insolent; he was
also of the sect of the Sadducees, (23) who are very
rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews, as we have already
observed; when, therefore, Ananus was of this
disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity [to exercise his
authority]. Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but
upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrim of
judges, and brought before them the
brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some
others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation
against them as breakers of the law, he delivered
them to be stoned: but as for
those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most
uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent
to the king [Agrippa], desiring him to send to Ananus
that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done was not to be
justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was upon his
journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a sanhedrim
without his consent. (24) Whereupon Albinus complied with what they said, and
wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened that he
would bring him to punishment for what he had done; on which king Agrippa took the high priesthood from
him, when he had ruled but three months,
and made Jesus, the son of Damneus, high priest.”
Josephus, Antiquities, XX:9:1
By a comparison of the reign of
Albinus and the above quote it follows that James the brother of Yeshua
Messiah was stoned to death some time after Tishri
22, 44 CE, but before the year starting Tishri 22, 46 CE.
VI.
The War and the Destruction of Jerusalem:
Click
this link for my complete study "The War and the Destruction of
Jerusalem"!
VII.
John’s captivity on Patmos:
Quoting
Jerome:
Re John: “In the
fourteenth year then after Nero, Domitian, having raised a second
persecution, he was banished to the
“Jerome wrote that
Quoting Irenaeus (c. 130-202 [conventional]):
Domitian died on Tishri 6 [September 18, 82 CE.]
§ Revelation was authored towards the end of John’s captivity on
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