Jesus (ישוע)

Born: 4 BC at Bethlehem (NASB, Ussher late Dec 5 BC) Died: 33 AD at Jerusalem (", " 3pm Fri 3 Apr 33 AD aka 'the 14th of Nisan' SSM JTB p111) Rose: 33 AD at Jerusalem (", " before sunrise Sat 5 Apr) Father: God / Joseph Mother: Mary 1940 Sallman portrait ===>>

Head of Christ, Warner Sallman, 1940 from Jesus in America, Richard Wightman Fox Harper, 2004, Mustang (most broadly published, many 100s of millions distributed to soldiers during WWII, IJTC p189)

The name Jesus occurs in the Bible ? times (see BibHeb1K) and he was 62 generations from Adam (i.e. Adam's 61gson).

Dates by Ussher (and THA, FAP):
c2580 BC, Egypt's Great Pyramid built [1/7waw]
722 BC, Israel falls to Assyria (Tiglath-Pileser III?)
c600 BC, Jeremiah writes his book
586 BC, Judah falls to Babylon (ldr Nebuchadnezzar, many killed, Daniel and others deported, some flee to Greece to influence Athens?)
580- Nebuchadnezzar builds Hanging Gardens [2/7waw] at Babylon
559-30 BC, Cyrus the Great founds Persian Empire
c550, Temple of Artemis [Diana] built at Ephesus [3/7waw]
546, Battle of Sardis, Croesus, last king of Lydia, defeated by Cyrus, Persians overrun Asia Minor (HT)
539, Greece conquers Carthage, Cyrus conquers Babylon (Oct 539 'handwriting on the wall' at Babylon)

o/l
mene, mene, tekel, u'parsin
numbered (evaluated), numbered (your days), weighed (and found wanting), and divided (your kingdom)

14 Mar 445 BC (or 5 Mar 444?), Artaxerxes' 2nd proclamation (now rebuild city too, 490yr clock starts [see br-400sy], 72yrs after Daniel wrote, 141yrs of captivity), Nehemiah goes to Jerusalem, rebuilds walls

c430 Statue of Zeus at Olympia built [4/7waw]
424-04 Darius II succeeds Artaxerxes I
404 Athens defeated by Macedon, its sea-empire shattered, ends 'classical' age (tHA p45)
396 BC, Jerusalem, Temple and OT completed (190yrs after captivity began, 121yrs after Daniel wrote, 49yrs after 'clock' started ticking (see MacArthur in br-400sy)
359-36 Philip II of Macedon's reign
c353 Mausoleum of Halicarnassus built [5/7waw]
Aug 338 Macedonian defeat of allied Greeks at Chaeronea
334-323 Alexander the Great conquests, after which Judea under Egypt's Ptolemies to 198, relatively independent, peaceful
Fall 333 Alexander defeats Darius III at Issus
322 d. of Aristotle, Demosthenes
307-6 Athenian academies restricted, after which Epicurus founds school (i.e. to preach a universe ruled by chance, the purpose of life = maximize pleasure and minimize pain, and no life after death, in contrast to older [Stoic] ethic of law, human brotherhood [duty], and life after death [see Koster quote in temp21])
305 Lysimachus, Seleucus, Ptolemy, Cassander proclaim themselves kings (i.e. Alexander's empire divided into 4 Hellenistic kingdoms: Macedonia, Syria, Egypt, Thrace)
285 Pharos lighthouse at Alexandria built [6/7waw]
282 Colossus at Rhodes finished [begun 294, 7/7waw]
264-41 1rst Punic War (Rome v. Carthage)
227 earthquake on Rhodes shakes down Colossus [7/7waw, built 294-82 to celebrate victory at 305 BC siege of Egypt's Demetrius 'Poliorcetes' (the besieger')]
220 starting date of Polybius' History
218-02 2nd Punic War, ends when Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal at Zama
206 Roman general Scipio Africanus defeats Carthage
198 Antiochus III consolidates Coele-Syria (incl. Judea, so rule by Egypt -> Syria, less peaceful than before)
196 'Rosetta Stone' decree issued in Memphis, Egypt (? treaty w/Syria's Antiochus III?)
183 d. of Scipio Africanus, Hannibal
167 Macedonia reduced by Rome, divided into 4 republics

167 or 165, Antiochus IV heads E, Lysias left as guardian, Zeus worshipped at Jerusalem Temple, sparks Jewish revolt, Lysias defeated by Judas Maccabaeus, which finally liberates Jerusalem 141 BC, when Parthians annex Babylon and Rome recognizes Judean independence

149-6 3rd Punic War led by Scipio Aemilianus, Cato d149
113-63 Mithradates causes trouble for Rome in Asia Minor (send Marius, Sulla)
91 BC, outbreak of Social War in Italy (i.e. Optimates [Senate, aristocracy] v. Populares [people, Julius Caesar, dictator, 'democracy'])
88 Mithradates massacres 80K Roman 'bureaucrats' in Asia Minor pogrom, Sulla's march on Rome, Marius flees
86 Athens falls to Sulla, Piraeus [port] gutted by fire, Marius d.
82 [Dictator] Sulla wins civil war in Italy, [Optimates] Sertorius sets up in Spain (d72)
78 Sulla d.
74 Lucius Lucullus sent against Mithradates
73-1 Spartacus slave revolt at Capua
71 Lucullus defeats Mithradates, Crassus defeats Spartacus, crucifies 20K slaves along Appian Way
68 Lucullus' political destruction in Rome
67 Pompey stamps out piracy, Mithradates wins at Zela
66 Pompey defeats Mithradates (d63)
65-4 Pompey reorgs E (incl. Judea)
63 Cicero as consul quells Catilene conspiracy, b. of Octavian
62 Pompey's 'Eastern Settlement', returns to Italy, disbands army

[Rome needed cooperative rulers in E border provinces like Judea, since] Parthia, successor to the legendary Persian Empire ... could ... muster the only fighting force that could rival Rome's ... In 62 BC the Roman governor-general Pompey tried to fix the problem by welding all of the smaller client states from Antioch to the Egyptian border into the new province of Syria. When he picked the compliant Hyrcannus II to rule the Jewish lands w/in the province, it was too much for an envious brother named Aristobulus. Rallying a mass of fiery nationalists, he seized the temple, uprooted Hyrcannus, and, [one] would suppose, made ready to [ally] w/Parthia. But now an angry Pompey stormed back to Jerusalem w/a full legion, captured Aristobulus and sent him back to Rome ... This time Pompey set out to 'balance' [minimize] the power of the quarrelsome and unruly Jews ... he carved out, or isolated from Jewish rule, most of the cities that consisted chiefly of Hellenistic populations ... creat[ing] the state of Samaria ... splitting the Jewish stronghold of Galilee in the N from ... Judea in the S. Then in the arid lands ... [in] Syria E of the river Jordan, Pompey created the Decapolis, a loose league of 10 Hellenistic city-states ... [reinstalling] Hyrcannus II ... as ethnarch ['prince' in Jerusalem] ... Herod's father Antipas had risen to become chief minister to Hyrcannus ... [had] rushed troops to reinforce Julius Caesar during his [48 BC] march to Egypt. 4yrs later when J Caesar was murdered in Rome [44 BC], 29yo Herod [had] raised $ in Galilee for ... his assassins, Brutus and Cassius. But when these were defeated ... by Mark Antony and ... Octavian, Herod again switched his allegiance to the victors. Now [40 BC] came the decision that defined the rest of his life. The Parthians at last decided to invade Judea, hoping again to exploit the chaos caused by the Roman civil war. Much of the Jewish elite welcomed the prospect of a new [easier master] ... But Herod was one of the few ldrs in the region to declare for Rome ... [as Antony and Cleopatra plotted against Octavian, Herod made a daring dash for Rome in dangerous late-Fall seas, where he was warmly greeted by Octavian, who needed a loyal ally in the region, Herod was given troops, $ and title 'king', lasting 40yrs, great builder, Temple complex, fortresses at Ascalon, Jericho, Masada, Sephoris, Herodium. He held Judea together by force until his d. in 4 BC, leaving] feuding family factions, fractious religious sects, disputed borders and covetous neighbors. The more the strife, the more Rome would [apply pressure =>] the more tightly the Jewish ldrship would attempt to police and pacify its noisiest factions. [At] Passover 30 AD, Jesus and his followers fell victim [hmmm, all part of God's plan] to that chain of events (FAP xiii-v, or 33 AD, Snyder thinks Jesus' crucifixion was in 30 AD).

At Herod's d. in 4 BC, and "the constant palace turmoil in Jerusalem [having] so undermined Augustus' confidence ... he divided the old king's lands into 3 jurisdictions ... Archelaus, whose mother was a Samaritan, was named ethnarch over Judea and Samaria. Next, Galilee ... and Perea [E of Jordan] went to another son, [Herod] Antipas, along w/the still-lower title of tetrarch. 3rdly, Gaulanitis and Trachonitis [the region S of Damascus] ... were given to another son, Philip ... At the time of Tiberius [after 14 AD], both Philip and Antipas were still ruling ... but Archelaus had not fared [so] well ... In 5 BC [?! his Dad d. Dec. 5 BC, so Mar/Apr 4 BC], his 1rst Passover as ethnarch, crowds in Jerusalem rioted. Archelaus panicked, called [in] Roman garrison, 3K [died] ... uprisings spread ... governor of Syria [Quirinius] comes w/large Army ... Temple looted [or perhaps 'appropriated' to pay for unplanned police action?] ... In any case, all this turmoil was too much for Augustus ... exiled Archelaus to Gaul ... brought Judea and Samaria under direct Roman admin [via] a series of military prefects, or procurators" (12). Adding to the powderkeg were [internal Jewish] conflicts between Pharisees, Sadduccees, Herodians, Zealots, Essenes (13). Snyder thinks the crucifixion was likely in 30 AD in the midst of all this swirling turmoil.

Pharisaism arose in the years that preceeded the revolt of the Maccabees against Rome [actually against Syrian Antiochus IV, by then an ally of Rome (?), after he replaced Egyptian overlordship of Judea in 198 BC] ... At the time, Hellenistic rulers ... were exerting growing pressure on Jews to forego circumcision, eat pork, renounce their sanitary laws and surrender copies of their Mosaic Law. But [these Pharisees] rigidly refused ... [later debate over whether they were right or simply reactionaries who 'evolved not a fulfilling religious experience, but a slavishly meticulous routine.' Paul studied under Gamaliel, gson of Hillel, 'perhaps the most famous of all rabbis' ... both represented 'the more liberal approach' that Hillel had pioneered, it was later said that 'when Gamaliel died, regard for the Torah ceased and purity and piety died'] (37).

Herod's gson Herod Agrippa I had been sent to Rome after [Grandpa] Herod had executed the boy's father [Alexander or Aristobulus IV?], and soon became "a favorite of everyone from Augustus himself [RE1] to the brother-generals Drusus and Tiberius [RE2] to Drusus' sons Germanicus and his lame, stuttering brother, Claudius [RE4] ... [and] Antonia, the proud dau of Mark Antony and wife of Drusus" (42). Agrippa was later even made a special companion to Tiberius' 22yo adopted gson Caligula [RE3] (44). Tiberius had imprisoned Agrippa over a silly incident, but one of Caligula's first decrees as RE was to free him and make him king of Trachonitis and Gaulanitis, "a fertile region just NE of Galilee [and S of Damascus]" (47).

60 1rst triumvirate of Caesar, Pompey, Crassus
55 Caesar unsuccessfully invades Britain
51 Caesar completes conquest of Gaul
50 [Rabbi] Hillel comes to prominence as a teacher in Roman Judea
49 Caesar crosses the Rubicon
48 Caesar defeats Pompey at Pharsalis, Greece, then pursues Pompey as he flees to Egypt; Herod's father Antipas rushes troops to assist Caesar, headed to Egypt
47 Cleopatra orders Pompey's murder; Caesar beseiges her rivals in Alexandria, library partially destroyed; Antipater named procurator of Judea (& son Herod Gov. of Galilee)
46 Caesar returns to Rome w/Cleopatra
45 Caesar becomes dictator of Rome, adopts Octavian as heir, enacts Julian calender
44 Caesar assassinated on 'Ides of March' i.e. 3/15 by Brutus et al
43 2nd tiumvirate of Octavian, Antony and Lepidus; poet Ovid born; Antony has Cicero k.
42 triumvirate defeats Brutus, Cassius et al at Battle of Philippi
40 Herod the Great appointed king of Judea (after kissing up to Octavian, shewdly choosing alliance w/him v. Anthony / Cleopatra [chosen by most other eastern rulers] who were later defeated 31 BC at Actium); Antony m. Octavia (Octavian's sis)

Note: BAR (Jul/Aug 2012) has an interesting bk rvw by David Hendin of Ariel/Fontanille's 2012 bk 'The Coins of Herod' in which he explains that, tho Herod was named king of the Jews in 40 BC by a declaration of the Roman Senate, at the time he was still w/o a kingdom, since Mattatayah Antigonus, the last Hasmonean ruler, was king on the ground in Judea and remained so til 37 BC, when Herod captured Antigonus and his Parthian sponsors. After that, Herod had many of his immediate family members murdered, including his wife the Hasmonean princess Mariamne (30/29 BC) and his 2 sons by her. It was when RE1 Augustus heard about these 'purges' that he reportedly said 'it is better to be Herod's pig than his son'.

37 Antony m2 Cleopatra in Egypt; Herod the Great King of Judea to 4 BC
36 Octavian's fleet defeats Pompey's, d. of Pompey
35 Feast of Tabernacles, Herod murders popular new 17yo high priest Aristobulus, claims accidental
32 Antony divorces Octavia; Octavian declares war on Antony/Cleopatra
2 Sep 31 Battle of Actium, Augustus defeats Antony and Cleopatra
29 Herod has his own favorite wife, Miriamne, executed (!?)
27 Octavian begins 40yr reign as RE1 Caesar Augustus (to AD 14)
23 Octavian resigns consulship but takes title princeps = '1st man in Rome'
19 Roman poet Virgil dies, author of The Aeneid
17 Herod begins rebuilding [2nd] Temple, 46yrs before 1rst passover of Christ, as prophesied (John 2:20), took 9.5yrs (i.e. Christ's 4 passovers were 30-3 AD acc. to Ussher)
15 RE extended to upper Danube

10 Herod builds Phasael Tower in Jerusalem in honor of his dead brother
8 census records 4.2M Roman citizens (total 10x), Augustus names 8th month after himself, Temple dedicated, poets Virgil and Horace die

6 BC, the angel Gabriel (who had earlier spoken to Daniel) appears to Zacharias the priest, tells him his elderly, barren wife Elizabeth would bear John the Baptist, Z struck dumb for disbelief, Herod has his own children Alexander and Aristobulus killed

5 BC, Herod kills many Pharisees for sedition, 'a crafty people, arrogant and enemies of kings ... thought to be able to forsee the future' [so they were, they told Salome his kingdom would be given to her] ... 6mo after John conceived, Gabriel appears to Mary at Nazareth, after she conceived she was hurried to Hebron [home of Z and Elizabeth, stayed 3mo til] John was born ... late Dec Jesus is born in Bethlehem

Note: SSM says John's parents lived in the village of Ein Kerem, just outside Jerusalem. Zacharias was a priest at the nearby Temple (JtB p100)

4 BC, early Jan, Jesus is circumsized on the 8th day, presented to the Lord at the Temple on the 40th day [to Simeon, who had been promised to see 'the Anointed of the Lord' before he died, and Anna] ... Joseph warned to flee to Egypt ... Herod's 'massacre of the innocents' ... Herod finally dies c25 Nov of his [intestinal] disease [celebrated by Jews: 'Herod died, who hated all wise men'], FaP p12: RE Augustus divides Herod's lands 3 ways: Judea/Samaria to Archelaus, Galilee/Perea to Antipas, Gaulanitus/Trachonitus [aka Iturea, 2 small districts just S of Damascus] to Philip (all 3 sons of Herod). The latter 2 worked out OK but Archelaus was soon removed and replaced by direct Roman control via a procurator

Hmmm, the DB entry for 15 Oct 2008 says that, while "no one knows the exact day when Jesus was born, 25 Dec is unlikely. His birth may have been in autumn, when the weather was still warm enough for shepherds to be outdoors w/their flocks [by night]. We know that Jesus was crucified on Passover, and that the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost. So some scholars have reasoned that Jesus' birth may've occurred on another Jewish holiday, the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot ... would be in keeping with God's way of working to send His Son - the Word made flesh who 'dwelt' ('tabernacled') among us (John 1:14) - the the Feast of Tabernacles." Hmmm, this would also mean that, just as Jesus' birth started the cycle, His return will end after coming 'full circle' when the last 3 are permanently fulfilled, ending with Sukkot.

3 BC, angel appears to Joseph; 'return to Israel,' settled in Nazareth ... Jewish revolt mostly due to Sabinus, a greedy agent of Caesar, who tried to plunder Herod's wealth for himself, Roman reprisals by (General) Varus, who crucified 2K Jews.

4-6 AD, "Scholars agree that Saul was probably born 8-10 yrs after Jesus, in the last yrs of Augustus, raised in Tarsus, cosmo capital of Cilicia, 130m NW of Antioch" (FaP 36)

7 AD, "To the 3 ancient sects of the Jews - Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes - Judas the Galilean [b. Gamala, and his associate Saddok] added a 4th [Zealots]"

Spring 9 AD, Jesus brought to passover at 12yo, left behind by parents, disputing in Temple w/experts! "He was obedient to his parents, followed his father's trade as a carpenter and ate his bread by the sweat of his brow"

9 AD, 50yo Ovid banished for loving books and being a little too candid re Augustus
14 AD, census shows 4.9M Roman citizens, RE1 Augustus d. 19 Aug, Tiberius RE2 23yrs
18 AD, poet Ovid dies, Caiaphas HP69 in Jerusalem to 36 (BN HT, cf 84HPs)

23 AD, Tiberius' son Drusus dies, dad can no longer face dead son's frends, so Herod Agrippa (gson of Herod/Miriamne, son of exec. Aristobulos), who'd grown up in Rome and become best friends w/Drusus, headed back to Galilee, ruled by Antipas who'd m. Agrippa's sis Herodias. SSM calls Agrippa 'the most adventerous of the Jewish princes, who'd befriend Rome's demented RE [Caligula] and regain Jerusalem' (115). Antipas offered him a drab job, but since that wasn't his style he fled to his homeland of Idumea where, produgal rogue that he was, something was bound to turn up (116).

26 AD, Joseph Caiaphas [s-i-l of former HP Annas] succeeds Simon as HP, 30th Jubilee [every 50th year, i.e. 1500yrs since Moses], Jesus' 30th year, marked start of his ministry (likely on Yom Kippur 9 Oct), John the Baptist: 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight'. Also, Pontius Pilate steps into 'proconsul' position of Judea (26-36), based mainly at Caesaria on the coast, but w/secondary HQ at Antonia Fortress at NW corner of Temple mount. RE2 Tiberius retires to Capri but continues to govern via Sejanus in Rome.

27 AD, John baptizes Jesus (who had come from Nazareth to Galilee for the occasion) in the Jordan, along with many others, dove descends from heaven, voice of God (manifestation of trinity), 40 days of testing in desert, Jesus returns to Galilee

Note: By the late 20s AD, John had attracted many followers, many wondered if HE were the promised Messiah. John lived and preached first in the desert near Jerusalem, then later in Herod Antipas' Galilee where he had family. What got him k. were his open denunciations of H Antipas (JtB p100, tho many privately hated him 'as a venal debauchee and Roman stooge'). Tho already m. to a Nabataean [Arab] princess (for diplomatic reasons), he'd fallen for his niece, Herodias (the already m. dau of HerodGrt's exec. son Aristobulos). She demanded he div. the princess, which he did. John the Baptist then railed against this latter-day Ahab/Jezebel til Antipas ordered his arrent. Both John and the princess were imprisoned at HerodGrt's Machaerus Fortress across the Jordan, 2.3k ft above the Dead Sea (pics?). It was likely Herodias' dau Salome who danced.

[28 AD, John the Baptist executed on Herod's orders (BN HT)]

29 AD, John's ministry winds down as Jesus' winds up (FaP)

[30 AD, Pilate orders the crucifixion of Jesus (BN HT)]

30-3 AD, 'Jesus visited Jerusalem at least 3 times for Passover and other festivals before his final visit ... when He preached in the Temple during Tabernacles [John x:x], he was hailed by some as a prophet and by others as the Christ - tho snobbish Jerusalemites sneered 'shall Christ come out of Galilee?'. When He debated w/the authorities, the crowd challenged Him: 'they took up stones to cast at Him but Jesus hid himself and went out of the Temple, going thru the midst of them'. He came back for Hanukkah [Festival of Dedication/Lights], but when He claimed 'I and my Father are one', then the Jews took up stones again ... but He escaped' (JtB p103)

30 AD, Jesus calls his disciples (Andrew, Simon [Cephas, Peter], Philip, Nathanael), 1rst miracle at Cana, 1rst of 4 Passovers of the Ministry of Christ 'from which the 1rst year of the 70th and last 'week' [7yr period] of Daniel begins', Jesus drives out the money changers, instructs Nicodemus, Herod imprisons John, Jesus 8mos in Judea baptizing, then to Galilee, meets Samaritan woman en route Jan/Feb 31 (4mo before Passover)

[31 AD, Stephen martyred in Jerusalem, Christians scatter (BN HT)]

31 AD, Jesus lives at Capernaum, preaches around Galilee, calls Levi (Matthew), 2nd Passover 'from which begins the 2nd yr of 70th week of Daniel', Sejanus k. 17 Nov

FaP paints this scenario (pp8-9): Tiberius discovers Sejanus' perfidy [late 30 AD] and has him executed [Spring 31 AD], initiating "a new wave of treason trials and executions" ... prompting Parthian [heir of famed Persian kingdom] King Artabanus II to attack Armenia [sensed Roman weakness] ... "His boldness served as a cue [i.e. to also challenge Rome] for the rulers of smaller Arab client states that bordered on Roman Syria - and specifically Judea. This in turn forced the governor of Syria [Quirinius] and his regional procurator of Judea to tighten their control of the Jewish power center, Jerusalem. And at the end of this domino chain were the rebel prophet Jesus [crucified 1yr earlier in Apr 30 AD, acc to Snyder] and his tenacious followers [in Apr 31 AD preparing for their 1rst Passover (in Jerusalem) w/o Jesus p7, which led to a riot and crackdown].

[32 AD, Paul converted on 'the road to Damascus' (BN HT, AD 35 in FaP)]

32 AD, John the Baptist beheaded, feeding of 5K, 3rd Passover 'from which began 3rd yr of 70th week of Daniel', tells Pharasees they 'frustrate the cmds of God in order to keep the traditions of men', fortells His death, resurrection, 2nd coming; transfiguration

Sun 29 Mar 33 AD, Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem [likely via S gate near Siloam, JtB p104], or 6 Apr 32 AD acc. to MacArthur (see br-400sy), when Messiah was presented at Jesus' triumphal entry, ending 490yr 'clock' foretold by Daniel (hmmm, FAP: 30 Mar 30 AD, tying to uprisings against Rome in which Jesus/disciples were caught up). His disciples were awed by the city, but Jesus said 'no stone shall be left upon another'. By day He healed the sick at Bethesda Pool just N of Temple, and Siloam Pool to S, by night staying w/His friends at Bethany.

Mo 30 Mar 33 AD, Jesus re-entered city, this time heading for Royal Portico of Temple, overturned tables, expressed anger that 'My father's house is become a den of robbers' (JtB p106)

Tu 31 Mar 33 AD, Jesus re-entered city, by tradition via 'Beautiful Gate' on W side (near today's 'Gate of the Chain'), to devate w/His critics, replying to their challenge on taxes 'Render unto Caesar that is Caesar's', and warning of the coming Judgment Day and Kingdom of God. This is when his disciples asked 'tell us what shall be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?' (JtB p107)

[Mark and Luke state that there had just been some sort of Galilean rebellion in Jerusalem, suppressed by Pilate, who'd k. 18 Galileans around the tower of Siloam S of Temple, one of the rebels, Barabbas, whom Jesus would soon encounter, had committed a murder, JtB p108]

We 1 Apr 33 AD, ? presumably more healing, preaching, debating ...

erev Thu 2 Apr 33 AD, The Last Supper in the Upper Room (aka Cenacle, or Coenaculum, on W hill later known as Mt Zion), then Jesus and Peter, James, John walk to Gethsemane, pray/sleep 3x, then Judas comes w/guards and arrest Jesus (wee hours of night?), Caiaphas, Pilate ... near midnight, Jesus is marched around S walls and thru the Siloam Gate to the palace of Annas (father-in-law of then-current HP Caiaphas) in the Upper City (JtB p108). Peter denied Christ by the fire in the courtyard. Jesus blindfolded and spends night being taunted in courtyard.

Fri 3 Apr 33 AD [14 Nisan 3793], early in morning Jesus appears before Pilate on the Praetorium, the raised platform outside Herod's Citadel, the Roman HQ near today's Jaffa Gate, who sends Him to Antipas, who toyed w/Him and gave Him a robe, then sent Him back to Pilate, where He is tried w/3 others, Pilate offers to free 1, washes hands ... Jesus carries cross bar out of Citadel prison and thru streets of Upper City, turning L thru Gennath (Gardens) Gate into an area of hilly gardens, rock-cut tombs and Jerusalem's execution hill, the aptly named Golgatha [Place of the Skull, latin 'calva' JtB 111] (Passover, Jesus permanently fulfills #1/7, see below), He is crucified in the morning, dies around noon? darkness for 3hrs

Note: JtB says this route is different from Via Dolorosa because many wrongly believed that Antonia Fortress was the Praetorium where Pilate had made his judgements

"An an inscription was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS" (Luke 23:38, get Greek, Latin, Hebrew translations). J R Porter's Jesus (FHL) indicates that above Jesus' head on the cross was the titulus (apparently Latin, hmmm, origin of titular, meaning 'officially but not really'), a placard used by the Romans to indicate the reason for the crucifixion. A painting on p215 shows (in small print!) the phrase 'King of the Jews' in Latin, Hebrew and Greek (in that order), as follows (cf. John 19:20, Mark 15:26, Matt. 27:37):

noon to 3pm Fri 3 Apr 33 AD, 3hrs of darkness

Fri 3 Apr to Thu 9 Apr, Festival of Unleavened Bread, Jesus permanently fulfills #2/7 (see below)

3pm Fri 3 Apr 33 AD, Jesus shouts ... and dies, 4th Passover 'in which Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed [1 Cor 5:7] and so put an end to all legal sacrifices, beginning of 4th and middle yr of last [70th] week of Daniel'

before dawn Sun 5 Apr 33 AD, Jesus arose from the grave, Jesus permanently fulfills '1rst Fruits' #3/7 (see below)

Thu 14 May 33 AD, Ascension from Mt of Olives
Sun 24 May 33 AD, Pentecost (aka Shavuot, Jesus permanently fulfills #4/7, see below)

33 AD, 7 chosen as 1rst deacons; Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, Nicolaus (Acts 6:1-7), Stephen later stoned, 1rst martyr (Paul supv), igniting 1rst serious Jewish persecution of Christians, scattering them

c33 AD, Philip dies, tetrarch of the family's N lands. Tho Antipas asked RE2 Tiberius to add those lands to his, Agrippa rushed to Capri to ask him to give them to him instead. Tho Tiberius always liked Agrippa, he didn't like his unpaid debts, but Agrippa persuaded his mom's friend Antonia (severe and chaste, dau of Marc Antony) to loan him $ and appeal to the RE, which did the trick. Agrippa used the $ NOT to pay off his debts but to give another bankrupt princeling (25yo Caligula) a big gift. Caligula and the child Gemellus (Drusus' son) were joint heirs to Tiberius, who now asked Agrippa to look after Gemellus. Instead, the opportunistic Agrippa became best friends w/Caligula, and likely shared a life of extravagant debauchery in and around Capri for the next 4yrs (JtB p116-7)

[34 AD, Paul's 1st visit to Jerusalem after his conversion (BN HT)]

34 AD, Paul energetically persecutes the Christians, disperses them
35 AD, Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus [JtB p122 says c37], then spends 3yrs in desert (to 38 AD)
36 AD, Pilate recalled to Rome, "never to surface again in recorded history" and Vitellius (father of RE8?) installed as governor of Syria at Antioch (FaP 31)
37 AD, believers in Antioch 1rst to be called 'Christians'

Mar 37 RE2 Tiberius dies, RE3 Caligula r37-41 i.e. by then he'd murdered his joint-heir Gemellus. Caligula at once freed his good friend Agrippa, who'd been imprisoned by Tiberius for plotting against him, and named him king of Philip's N tetrarchy. Agrippa's sis Herodias and husband Antipas travelled to Rome to get this reversed, but Agrippa managed to frame them, alleging rebellion, so Caligula deposed Antipas (later d. in Lyons) and gave all his lands to Agrippa (JtB 117). Very soon a clash ensued, as Caligula insisted that his image be worshipped at the Temple (and everywhere else in the RE). Agrippa (uncharacteristicly bravely) went to bat, managing to spare Jerusalem this outrage (118)

37-44 Herod Agrippa K of N Palestine

38-44 Paul returns from desert and goes to Jerusalem, ? and settles in Tarsus, where Barnabas finds him after being sent by Jerusalem ldrs to check out Antioch church. Both go together to preach in Antioch, 3rd city of RE (1 Rome, 2 Alexandria). Paul spent >2yrs there

midday 24 Jan 41 AD, Caligula is leaving the theater via a covered walkway, accompanied by Agrippa, when a Praetorian tribune draws his sword and rams it down onto Caligula's shoulder, nearly bisecting him. His wife and baby were also k. soon after. As the Senate tried to restore the republic, Agrippa took cntl of Caligula's body and led a squad of Praetorians to the palace, buying time by claiming he was still alive. Noticing a stirring behind a curtain, they found 'the lame, stammering scholar Claudius, Caligula's uncle and son of Agrippa's family friend Antonia' (JtB p119). They named him RE4. Tho Claudius (a republican) tried to refuse, Agrippa convinced both him and the Senate! SSM: 'no practicing Jew, before or since, even in modern times, has ever been so powerful'. RE4 rewarded Agrippa by giving him ALL of HerodGrt's kingdom. Agrippa had 'left as a penniless ne'er-do-well, returned as king of Judea'!

41-54 RE4 Claudius, one of his 1rst acts was to award nearly ALL of Herod the Great's lands to his good friend Herod Agrippa I (who had helped him become RE, torpedo-ing the hopes of the Optimates, see FAP pp75-82) and granting Jews throughout the RE the same tolerance shown them by Augustus

42-3 midway into his 2nd year in Jerusalem, Agrippa decides to purge 'Jewish ldrs of The Way ... an increasing threat to his 3 most important interests: himself, the temple ldrship and the Romans.' About this time, Claudius had ordered Agrippa to cease reinforcing Jerusalem's outer walls (FAP 85, due to concerns to Syrian Gov. Vivius Marcus, JtJ p12)

44 AD, Claudius consolidates Britain, Agrippa has James (bro of John, son of Zebedee and Mary Salome) beheaded; must've been around Passover, since when Agrippa saw how this pleased the people (fellow Jews), he imprisoned Peter during F o UB (#2, Passover + 6days), but God delivered Peter from prison and he went to house of Mary. After this, the original 12 (minus 1) dispersed as follows acc. to oral tradition, and James bro of Jesus took up ldrship of Jerusalem Christians (backed up by archeology, p89), other Christian centers are Antioch, Alexandria (Agrippa d. later in 44 AD 54yo, his fragile coalition dissolved, wild celebrations in streets):

Note: JtB p120: Agrippa was holding court like a Greek god-king in gold-encrusted robes in the forum of Caesaria when he was taken ill w/stomach pains. 'He was eaten by worms' says the bk of Acts. The Jews liked him and prayed for his recovery, but no. Agrippa had the sensitivity the conciliate Jewish moderates, fanatics and Roman; there d. the only man who might've saved Jerusalem.

- 1 Peter to Babylonian Jews, eventually hung upside down in Rome?
- 2 [doubting] Thomas to Parthia, then India
- 3 Bartholomew to Parthia, India, settling in Armenia
- 4 Andrew to Black Sea region, preached in coastal cities
- 5 Philip to Greek cities, incl. Hierapolis
- 6 Simon the Zealot to Gaul, British Isles
- 7 Thaddeus to Edessa, a small state ~500miles N of Jerusalem on the way to Armenia
- 8 James, son of Zebedee, bro of John, k. 44 AD by Herod (#1, Acts 12:2)
- 9 John, exiled to Patmos, wrote Revelation, d. Ephesus of natural causes (only 1)
- 10 Matthew, tax collector, ...
- 11 James, son of Alphaeus ...
- 12 Judas Iscariot [i.e. the sicarii?], suicide, replaced by Matthias ...

44 AD, Claudius sends (procurator) Cuspius Fadus to replace Agrippa (regent for 17yo son Agrippa II, FaP 99). BN HT: Judea once again under procurators. JtB p120: Agrippa's d. unleashed riots in Jerusalem. RE4 also named Agrippa's bro K Herod of Chalcis [in Lebanon] the right to appt HPs. But for the next 25yrs this partnership between Roman procurators and Herodian 'kings' couldn't soothe the turbulence in Judea. The Roman strategy was basically k. the radicals and squeeze the province for profits.

[45 AD, Paul begins his missionary journeys (BN HT)]

45-6 AD, great famine (prophesied c44 by Agabus in Acts 11:28). The Jerusalem church, now headed by James 'the Just' bro of Jesus, rcv's help from Antioch via Paul/Barnabas, who return to Antioch w/John Mark son of Mary (and nephew of Barnabas), commissioned for 1rst missionary trip (FaP 101)

46 AD, Paul's missionary journeys begin this Spring w/1rst trip to Cyprus: cities Salamis, Paphos on Cyprus, then to [port] Perga in Pisidia [where John Mark left them], 95mi uphill climb to [Pisidian] Antioch in Pamphylia, then 110mi E to Iconium, S 30mi to Lystra [Fall, stoned to near death], then 50mi E to Derbe (FaP 101-8), stay til early Spring 47, then retrace steps, Onesiphorus meets Paul on the outskirts of Iconium and later provides only written description: 'a man of little stature, thin-haired, crooked legs, of good state of body, w/eyebrows joining, nose somewhat hooked, full of grace' (116), early autumn 47 back down to Perga, sailed to Seleuca, walked to Antioch.

47 AD, games mark 800th anniv. of Rome (753 BC), census pop. 5,984,072 citizens +9x

48 AD, Apr Passover riot in Jerusalem, 10-30K killed. Also autumn 'marriage' of Claudius' wildly unfaithful wife Messalina to Silius, Claudius confused and clueless, but Narcissus directs harsh response; those 2 and many other co-conspirators executed by Praetorians, from then on Narcissus 'de facto' RE, Claudius passive, m. his niece Agrippina.

49 AD, Jerusalem Council decides circumcision not req for Christians; Paul and Barnabas sent to represent Antiochene Christians, preached along way in towns of Phoenicia, Samaria (Acts 15, FaP p117-22), later in 49, Paul and Silas begin 2nd missionary trip (128), Tarsus, over Cilician Gates pass [used by Hittites 1k yrs before to conquer Syria, by Alexander's 100k 300 yrs before to attack Persians], then down into high Anatolian plains of Galatia, 90m trek to Derbe in Pisidia, Lystra (p/u Timothy), then W to Mysia, Troas, where Paul had the dream summoning them to Macedonia, then met Macedonian Luke, midsummer, so had to wait a bit to sail NW to Neapolis in Macedonia (130). 8m walk up 'steep climb' to Philippi (Luke's hometown), Roman triumphal arch, stayed w/Lydia, trouble w/slave-girl demon, beaten and jailed, sang, miraculously freed, convert jailer, asked to leave, so in autumn headed SW on Egnatian Way 100m to Thessalonica, stronghold of Orphism and w/in view of 10k ft Mt Olympus. Forced to leave by Jews, so walked 70m further W along Egn. Way to Berea, but Jews from Thess. soon force Paul to leave, placing him on a ship to Athens (he hadn't intended to go there). Strolled, argued w/Jews and in mktplace, eventually invited to speak on Areopagus (Acts 15), were he met mostly 'polite indifference,' after the others (Silas, Luke, Timothy) caught up, Paul headed W to Corinth (140), sending the others back to Macedonia (145).

49 AD, Jews (~40k) expelled from Rome (probably Narcissus' doing, 123), Claudius' advisers convince him to marry Agrippina II (dau of Germanicus [bro of RE2 Tiberius], sis of RE3 Caligula, mom of RE5 Nero, then 12yo), oral tradition says Peter visited Babylon, Rome between 42-9. Claudius' 8yo son Brittanicus [orig. Germanicus] had been renamed upon Claudius' 'conquering' of Britain (124, Roman), his dau Octavia later (53 AD) m. (16yo) Nero.

50 AD, 1rst European church est. at Philippi, another Apr Passover riot (127)

51 AD, 13yo Nero being tutored by 50yo Seneca, "a Spaniard from Cordova who'd become a leading Stoic philosopher, essayist, poet, playwright. Many an eyebrow was raised at Agrippina's choice of Seneca ... [who'd] spent the last 8yrs [exiled by Claudius] in Corsica" (141). Agrippina's troika were Burrus, Seneca, Pallas (bro of Judean procurator Felix) v. Claudius' Narcissus.

51 AD?, After Paul had preached and worked [tentmaking] in rough, commercial Corinth awhile, hosted and aided by new friends Aquila and Priscilla, Silas and Timothy arrive report the good news that the new churches in Philippi and Thessalonica were thriving, even under Jewish persecution. His entire stay lasted 18mos (147). Jews eventually brought Paul before Gallio ['bema' seat], bro of Seneca (148).

51 AD, Brit ldr Caractacus captured and brought to Rome (BN HT)

52 AD, Jerusalem council held to resolve Jew v. Gentile Christian issues

53 AD, midsummer, Paul leaves Silas and Timothy in Macedonia as he heads for Caesarea and Antioch via Ephesus w/Aquila and Priscilla (A&P stayed there). Paul shaved his head before leaving, malaria? (150). His 2nd trip had covered ~2800 miles. At this time Rome was confronting the Parthians, who were testing for weakness (158). From Caesaria he headed to Jerusalem, no doubt visiting many Christians in Samaria and Phoenicia along the way of the Roman Road (via Caesaria?). He was in Antioch by winter, giving acct of 2nd trip. His intent was a rest, then adding a 3rd core city (Ephesus) to #1 Jerusalem and #2 Antioch. He angrily wrote Galatians to ward off waywardness (i.e. circumcision still necessary) in NE Asia Minor.

Spring 54 AD, Paul off to 3rd trip via Cilician Gates to the churches of Galatia, Phrygia, Pisidia (160) on his way to Ephesus. Timothy and others probably walked along over pass, then headed for Greece. Paul arrived at Ephesus alone autumn 54? AD and stayed at least 2yrs. His friends A & P were already there. He converted Apollos of Alexandria, an eloquent and refined Jew from Alexandria (like Philo) who'd been preaching a gospel of John the Baptist. Paul's ministry was so effective that it upset sellers of Diana idols, who fomented a riot. It was defused by a sympathetic official, but Paul was urged to leave, which he did, his plan was to head for Greece, then Rome, then Spain (165). His hope was to add #4 Corinth, #5 Rome. He'd written earlier to the Corinthians (1) from Ephesus, answering their many questions. He later learned they'd felt insulted by his letter (173-4 !?). At this, Paul had dropped everything and taken the next ship to Corinth, icy reception, so he'd returned to Ephesus (dejected, like losing a son). Now he wrote his 2nd letter to them (II) and sent Titus ahead w/it (late summer 56? AD). Paul would then head to Troas (150m) and await word from Titus. Paul waited a bit, then gave up and headed for Philippi (177), where he met Titus. Corinth wanted Paul to visit! Turns out they'd been sucked in by a false prophet, having "nearly sunk back to the level of the many 'religions' w/their demonic idols, mercenary priesthoods and intoxicating rituals" (177, hmmm, 4 letters to Corinthians, 1rst lost, so apparently 2nd = I, 3-4 = II). Paul stayed at Corinth 3mos, leaving early in 56 AD for Jerusalem (but sending a letter to Rome in prep. for a planned 57 AD visit).

12 Oct 54 AD, Xenophon, the emperor's Greek physician, helps Agrippina II poison Claudius, he'd ruled 13yrs 8mos (153). She arranged for Nero to be crowned as Brittanicus and Octavia were confined to their rooms (154). She then happily ruled as regent til he came of age (when?). Her cruel executions (e.g. Narcissus) prompted Seneca and Burrus to ally against her by convincing Nero to marginalize her. RE run effectively by them while Nero focused on race horses, slave girls, alcohol. Unfortunately, this indulgence led Nero to test for limits and ramp up his vicious behavior. When Agrippina threatened to bring back Brittanicus, Nero had him killed (poison).

Note: JtB p121: Like his father Agrippa I w/RE3 Caligula, Agrippa II was popular not only w/RE4 Claudius but w/his heir RE5 Nero. Soon after teenaged Nero became RE he awarded Agrippa II more territories in Galilee, Syria and Lebanon. But his scandalous sisters Drusilla and Berenice 'personified the corruption of the elite'. Drusilla dumped her 1st husband (Arab K Azizus of Emesa) for Felix the (cruel/corrupt) procurator (Drusilla and son d. in Pompeii ash, p124), and Berenice, who'd m1 K of Chalcis (her uncle), m2 K of Cilicia, left him to co-hab w/her bro!? (figures in tLE story)

54-68 RE5 Nero (turned 19yo in 56 AD), his conduct worsened, wilding w/mob at night, then later during broad daylight, raping, pillaging, but fancying himself "an artist and athlete" (182). RE7 Otho was a buddy of Nero, shared Poppeaea Sabina (184). P S attacked Octavia while Ag. II saw her as her "only remaining means to obtain power" (184). But wait. She'd used her 'charms' to recover from Caligula's exile, to m. Claudius, w/Pallas, w/Seneca (?), and now w/her own son! (185).

56 AD, early in the year, Paul returned to Jerusalem to deliver $ help (185). Felix had been procurator 4yrs, a man who 'practiced every kind of cruelty and lust ... wielded power w/all the instincts of a slave' (Josephus). This had prompted the Zealots to explode in number, including Sicarii (assassins). Jerusalem insurrection of 30k put down brutally. 1rst notable Sicarii victim was HP70 Jonathan (186). Unrest spread to Caesaria, where Jew/Greek conflict was sharp (187). Paul was showing signs of old age (189). Just missing an attempt on his life in Corinth, he headed for Jerusalem via Macedonia, Troas (where Eutychus fell), Caesaria, (walk 25m to) Assos, 35m S to Mitylene on Lesbos, 60m to Chios, 70m to Samos, 30m to Miletus (where Ephesus ldrs came 20m to meet him), 80m to Cos, then a pass by Rhodes where Colossus parts still littered harbor, W to Patara in Lycia near SW corner of Asia Minor, xfr to cargo ship for 4day 400m trip to Phoenicia (Tyre), passing Cyprus capitol Paphos on their left at midpoint (~200m), delays causing him to miss his goal of reaching Jerusalem by 7 Apr Passover. New goal: Pentecost. They stayed at Tyre 7 days, where friends urged him not to continue to Jerusalem (192). They walked S to Ptolemais (Acre), then boarded a ship for their final 35m voyage to Caesaria, hosted by Philip. There Agabus, 'a well known Christian prophet' (192), warned Paul not to continue. So the group walked to Jerusalem via Joppa. The last 20m from Joppa to Jerusalem was just the 9 travelers (189). This was Paul's 5th visit to Jerusalem but his 1rst in 8yrs. At the suggestion of James and other ldrs, Paul agreed to undergo Temple purification rites (to show he hadn't rejected Moses, 194). But on the last (7th) day, he was confronted by Jews at the Temple. The Romans headed off a riot and saved Paul's life, then roughed him up (unlawfully). Before the Sanhedrin Paul was struck by HP76 Ananias, then resorted to 'diversion and division' by mentioning life after death. Lysias the tribune decided to send the case up to higher authorities (197). Assassination plot was foiled by Paul's sis and nephew (names? KRGG p112 shows Paul m. Phoebe, dau of Mary Magdalene), and Paul was immediately sent to Caesaria to Felix. He was kept in the dungeon til his hearing 5 days later. As autumn arrived, the others went home leaving just Paul (minimum custody), Luke and Timothy. Felix toyed w/Paul for 2yrs til he himself was forced to Rome (200, i.e. 58 AD), also Paul's next (and final) stop.

58 AD, John Mark heads to Alexandria (by tradition), back in Rome by AD 66

59 AD, When Nero was 22yo (206), his incestuous relationship w/his mother Ag II worried Seneca and Burrus (the army would not tolerate incest), and prompted Poppaea to suggest Nero have Ag II assassinated. He eventually agreed, having Misenum navy cmdr Anicetus rig a boat to collapse w/Ag II on board (201). She managed to escape and swim to shore injured and reach her villa at Cape Misenum, but Anicetus finished her off there (204). Seneca and Burrus helped cover up the truth and convince the grudging Senate (she had been a schemer, after all). Even the people seemed to go along, tho most knew something was fishy and there was grafitti. So he turned his energy to stage performances, breaking tradition as Praetorians enforced applause! This is also when Nero began to compel public moral and financial profligacy at the Youth Games w/taverns and portable cabanas near Augustus' lake for naval games (207). Worried sensible citizens were amazed and depressed!

60 AD, Festus had replaced Felix as procurator in Judea (212, 58 AD). Meanwhile, Paul still languished in prison at Caesaria. Festus sought to improve relations w/Jews. There'd been 6 new HPs in the last 10yrs. The Jewish elders asked for Paul to be handed over to them. Festus refused but offered a new hearing. Jesus had d. "some 30yrs before" (213). Paul appealed to Caesar and Festus happily agreed (i.e. washing his own hands of it). 32yo Agrippa II and his queen (and sis Bernice, sis of Felix' wife Drusilla) arrived just a few days later. Festus wanted their input, so set up another hearing of Paul (Acts 26:9-18). By now it was late Sep 60 AD (216). Paul was sent (w/Luke, Aristarchus) to Rome via Sidon (50m, Julius allowed Paul to go ashore to greet Christians), Myra [hometown of original 'Santa Claus'] under the guard of centurion Julius. At Myra they caught a large grain ship from Alexandria headed directly for Italy, now carrying 276 passengers and a heavy load of wheat (217). They hugged the S coast of Crete, sheltering at Fair Havens. Tho Paul advised staying there, the captain pressed on to Phoenix 60m W. But before they got there, a fierce nor'easter blew them out to sea, forcing them to dump cargo and drift W. After > a week, all except Paul despaired, but he assured them no life would be lost, tho the ship would be (218). At 14 days out, they ran aground on Malta (Melita = 'honey'), 600m W of Crete and 50m S of Sicily! Paul bit by viper but did not die. They spent the winter on the 18m island, at one point as guests of chief magistrate Publius (219). Paul healed his father and then many others, establishing a Christian community there. By the 1rst week of Mar (61 AD), they all boarded another cargo ship there called The Twin Brothers (ref. Castor & Pollux) headed for Rome via 75m to Syracuse (stayed 3 days), 75m to Rhegium at the tip of the Italian boot, then 220m to the Bay of Naples. "Since Puteoli was the port for all Alexandrian grain ships, one can picture The Twin Brothers gliding slowly through the blue waters as it passed the ruins of Tiberius' villa atop Capri and approaching the promontory of Misenum where Ag II breathed her last. One might even imagine Seneca, sitting on the balcony of his villa at Neapolis, glimpsing [the ship]" (222). Paul and his friends stayed w/local Christians during the 1-week layover there. As they later approached Rome N along the Appian Way, they were met 40m out by Christians (at Mkt of Appius)! Then again at "3 Taverns" 33m out, more at Rome's outskirts, including Epaphroditus of Philippi, sent to be his assistant.

61 AD, While Nero partied and dissipated Claudius' treasury, 2 costly military events also took their toll. Queen Boudicca's 61 AD [probably summer] slaughter of 50k+ Romans in Britain was finally put down by a 10k-man Roman army (led by Roman Gov. Suetonius Paulinus), but at great cost in death, destruction and $ (more than could be repaid by Britons). Also "politically necessary but economically unrewarding" (210) was Rome's defense of newly acquired Armenia, which it had seized in 60 AD from the Parthians, using famous General Cnaeus Domitius Corbulo, and now required stout (and $) defense (also roiling Judea). These factors forced "an embarrassing currency devaluation - the 1rst in imperial times" (210). Also the murder of prefect (city mgr) Lucius Pedanius Secundus greatly troubled Romans.

62 AD, Nero is now 25yo (224). According to a recent DoD program, it was just before Passover in 62 AD that James, bro of Jesus, was executed (thrown off wall, then clubbed by fuller's stick) by the Sanhedrin. Their ldr HP80 Ananus II took the opportunity of doing this during the gap between the d. of Festus (date?) and when the new Roman rep. (Albinus from Alexandria, p235) arrived (date?). This bold move angered the Romans and, to please them, King Herod removed Ananus after only 3mos as HP80. Also in AD 62, Nero div. and exiled, and later had murdered his wife (and sis!) Octavia, and m. Poppaea Sabina, wife of his friend (and future RE7) Otho. As Rome's finances worsened, Nero had many rich citizens murdered both as potential rivals and to seize their wealth. Nero's tutor ('more like chf of staff' p241) Seneca tried repeatedly to warn Nero of danger if he continued his tyrannical and irresponsible ways. The Senate now granted Corbulo the same sweeping military powers they'd given to Pompey ~100yo to defend (and expand?) the same E provinces Pompey had won (230). The Parthian king was Vologeses (who decided NOT to attack after hearing of Rome's war readiness, supported by crushing taxation on Judea and other E provinces) and his bro Tiridates was made (by agreement w/Corbulo) K of Armenia after swearing fealty to Nero. This pressure in Judea frayed relations between Jewish ldrs and Christians, esp. due to 2 events; 1 unexpected d. of (procurator) Festus, 2 HP79 (Joseph) deposed by Herod Agrippa (replaced by 'hardline' Sadducee HP80 Ananus II, who had James k.). Ananus was esp. offended by James' (and the Christians') warnings about 'the Day of the Lord' and Jesus as Judge. As Jerusalem was threatened not only by Parthians but also 'extractive' Romans, and with Passover (AD 62) approaching, Ananus wanted to 'take this splinter sect down a few notches' (i.e. to enforce unity, viewing separatism as an unaffordable 'luxury' in those dangerous times). Albinus turned out to be crooked, making deals w/robbers and merchants to get a cut of their 'loot', and this helped 'sow the seeds of Jerusalem's destruction' soon after. He also made deals w/Sicarii to trade their prisoners for priestly hostages (and $), which of course led to even more kidnappings. Albinas lasted only 2yrs, replaced by Gessius Florus (in 64?). Before Albinus left, to 'settle accts' he k. all imprisoned murderers and set the rest free (for $ if possible), which created even more chaos (e.g. 'deranged and destitute' p236). His departure coincided w/the Temple's completion after >80yrs, as the entire region was 'rife w/unemployment, hunger and crime'.

Note: Joachim Jeremias' 'Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus' p22 says when the Temple was finally finished in AD 62-3, over 18k workers were thrown out of work. Tho the ldrs tried to find jobs for as many as possible, this no doubt led to unrest which fed into the Jewish revolt which began soon after in AD 66.

63? AD, Julius the Centurion delivers Paul 'to the governor of the Foreign Camp, located on the fringe of the Praetorian Guard grounds just outside [Rome]'s NE walls' (236). As a prisoner, Paul was not allowed to enter the local synagogue, so instead the curious Jewish elders visited him 'in great numbers' at his 'house arrest' lodgings (at Mamartine Prison?). After an all-day mtg, a few believed but most didn't, so he 'shook off the dust' and focused on winning Gentile souls and growing the Roman church (and corresponding w/churches abroad). Luke and Timothy had been w/him the whole way from Jerusalem to Rome (shipwreck and all), and Aristarchus and Tychicus (who'd had to leave him after his house arrest in Jerusalem) caught up in Rome soon after his arrival. Others who served his mission in Rome were Epaphroditus (his new asst from Philippi), Jesus called Justus, Demas of Thessalonica, a runaway slave named Onesimus and Mark (the same cuz of Barnabas who'd acomp'd Paul on his 1st missionary trip in Cyprus). He likely wrote the Philippians 1st (237). He also served as mediator, rcv'ing a visit from one Epaphras from Colossae to ask his advise on solving an issue there (the churches at Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea in the Lycus River valley had all been founded by those who'd 1st heard Paul in Ephesus i.e. Paul had never been to them himself, so this was a 'special tribute' to his authority among the churches at that time, p239). Hence lts to the Colossians, Philemon (from Laodicea, Onesimus' owner) and the Ephesians were dispatched. Paul may've even converted some Roman elites. Snyder says there are 14 ltrs between Paul-Seneca that are definitely ancient, but disputed as to authenticity (241). Seneca was 'polite but evasive' but this was likely when 'his star was descending'.

Note: Paul wrote his 4 'Prison Epistles' from prison in Rome (i.e. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon). They were sent to 3 destinations in 2 regions i.e. Philippi in N Greece (then called Macedonia), the rest in what is now W Turkey (Philemon is thot to have been living in Colosse, active in that church). Likely all were intended as 'circular letters' to be read (and copied) and passed around among churches (from DayTmr 11-23-14).

Note: FaP says in the days leading up to the fire, RE5 Nero was becoming more and more psychotic and depraved e.g. 'competing' in arts competitions (while his goons stood in back intimidating all) and holding public orgies in which women of ALL ranks were not allowed to say no to anyone as husbands/families were forced to watch (and staging his own gay marriage and public 'consummation').

Th 19 Jul 64 AD, the 'Great Fire' of Rome begins, worst in its history, rages for 6 days i.e. 'Rome burns (while Nero fiddles', Peter and Paul martyred 'by tradition' tho FaP says maybe not). After 'perhaps as long as a year after the fire [of Nero] tr[ying] to put an end to the persistent suspicions about his own motives' (248) that he finally blamed the Christians, initiating a great persecution. Meanwhile his voracious regime was using any pretext to strip many noble families of everything they owned. 'As w/Caligula, it was only a matter of time before the collective disgust and exasperation ... led to a plot to dispose of Nero' (250). Its discovery led to a 'purge' of many leading Roman citizens, including Seneca (tho he denied involvement).

65 AD, Seneca commits suicide on Nero's orders; Gospel of Mark written about now; Thomas k. and bur. at Mylapore on E coast of India 'in 11th yr of Nero' (by tradition)

65 AD, 2nd Neronian Games festivities held in Rome (tho much fire damage remained 252). Not long after this, Nero's 2nd? wife Poppaea dies (having already k. his own mother and 1st? wife, he seems to have stomped her to death in a drunken rage one night). This is likely the era when Rome's Christians were 'laying low' and either fleeing Rome or spending more time in the catacombs S of town (254).

Also during 64-5 AD, a new procurator arrived in Jerusalem; Gessius Florus made the former corrupt Albinus seem good by comparison. He treated Jews with contempt, and his later efforts to raid the temple treasury sparked the 1st Jewish war of 66-70 (256-8).

Early AD 66, Nero is focusing on building 'The Golden House' (aka Domus Aurea cf tLE) using extra land (300 acres) cleared by the fire [hmmm]. Never finished during his lifetime, he could still claim it as the largest dwelling ever built (259). Then in Sep 66 he and his giant entourage left for 'to tour Greece and est. himself as the greatest artist and athlete in all history' (260). Leaving [freedman] Helius in charge of Rome, Nero requested that several leading generals commit suicide (to prevent any possible rivals taking over, incredibly they obeyed). Meanwhile (perhaps timed while Nero was preoccupied?), Florus arrived in Jerusalem to demand a large sum from the Temple treasury, ostensibly for rebuilding Rome. His provocative tactics (purposely?) sparked the Jewish Revolt.

May 66 AD, 1st Jewish War begins (to AD 70, Rome sends General Vespasian and son Titus)

Note: JtB p129, Chafing under cruel and corrupt procurators, the Jews met in concil and decided to fight Roman oppression. Tho Josephus likely knew this was madness he joined the revolt (maybe planning to subert it?). At that point Agrippa and his sister Berenice left Jerusalem, sending back 3k cavalry to back the moderates (i.e. anti-revolt Jews). But it was the extremists who triumphed (in deciding to oppose Rome). Berenice later pawned her jewels to help fund Vespasian's bid for RE (p132).

early AD 67, knowing the new Roman cmdr Vespasian would soon march E from Syrian HQ in Antioch, then sweep down thru Galilee and Samaria, Jewish ldrshp had chosen Govs-general to conscript and arm troops in each of 7 regions (268). The chosen Galilean ldr was a young priest named Josephus, who would later pen 'the most extensive history ever written of ancient Israel', including lots of details about summer AD 67. He'd been to Rome on an earlier [b37 26yo so AD 63] diplomatic mission and befriended Nero's wife Poppaea. His main impression then was 'Rome's insurmountable power'. In late spring AD 67 Vespasian marched. After destroying Gadara, the 1st town they came to, things bogged down when they arrived at Jotapata (just NW of Cana), 'Galilee's most populous [40k], strongly fortified city' (273, ~70mi N of Jerusalem, 267; built on a steep precipice that surrounded it on 3 sides, and Josephus had built a high wall on the N side which had a more gradual grade, 276). After a brutal 47-day siege (278) the Romans managed to sneak into the city overnight (betrayed by a deserter) on xx 16 Jun AD 67 (279), kill many (40k) and take cntl there [hmmm, JtB p130 says on 29 Jul 67 Titus crept thru the shattered walls and siezed the city of Jotapata]. Josephus and ~40 ldrs hid in a deep pit in a quiet corner of the city (in a cave off to the side invisible from the surface, already stocked w/supplies!). After 3 days they were betrayed by women being interrogated topside, and Vespasian sent an old friend of Josephus' (Nicanor) down to talk him into coming out (guaranteeing his safety). At this point he faced heat from his comrades and 'talked' his way out (JDS notes Josephus always comes out looking good and 'always the [calm, cool] detached historian' in his own writings! :-) 280). After philosophizing (til they rushed him) and then devising a 'death by lots' game leaving him the last hold-out (!?) he accompanies his friend Nicanor upside and ... privately tells ['prophesies' to] Vespasian that HE (and son Titus) will be REs (283, J had also made other predictions that had come true, V learned after some checking) ... becomes a trusted confidante to both of them. Meanwhile, Jews in Rome were being badly treated and Christians at pains to distinguish themselves from them to the Romans (likely a key driver in the de facto split by c100 AD)! [site discovered c1992, confirms Josephus' story]

AD 67 JDS thinks Peter may've been in Rome at this time for a few months, having been driven from Jerusalem 5yrs before after James' execution [AD 62]. Tradition says he brot his wife and dau (Petronilla, paralytic) with him, winning over a Senator named Pudente and family and then being invited to live at his home in the precinct of that name at the foot of Esquiline Hill in the Subura neighborhood, as Peter preached and healed. Tho in his 60s, Peter apparently retained a full head of hair and rough, [stocky] muscular features, as attested by catacomb images of him and 'slight, somewhat stooped, balding, thin-faced w/long straight beard' (284) Paul (see StPaul). As Christians were facing increasing persecution, it was likely now when Peter wrote his letter to the churches of Asia Minor (285, 1 Peter). As Nero's man on the scene, Helius was under pressure to find and punish 'a continuous stream of real and potential trouble-makers' (287), many farcical as noted by contemp. observers. Peter was likely (and by tradition) picked up one day by Helius' goons and thrown into Mamertine Prison, ironically just 'a minute's walk from where the Via Sacra ended at the door of Rome's most venerated inst., the Senate house, squat[ting as] a small, mean stone bldg oddly misplaced on such a splendid street' (287). Then on xx 29 June (tradition) Peter was taken to the 'Vatican' (no one knows where name comes from) fields in NW Rome and crucified upside down as part of the entertainment amid public games. JDS says Paul was also likely caught up in the 'dragnet' around this time, taken S of the city and beheaded. Both later had RCC churches built around their traditional burial spots.

Jan 68 AD, Nero had been absent from Rome longer than any other RE exc Tiberius (who'd moved S to Capri island off Naples). He'd been busy Grand Touring, winning >1800 athletic and dramatic contests (as frightened judges then happily rcv'd huge 'gifts' in return)!? Like Caligula, Nero enjoyed publicly humiliating Senators. But privately he was being mocked (e.g. Dio Cassius quote years later). Pol. executions were rampant, as Nero demanded half (or sometimes all) of their fortunes, often banishing heirs. In a 28 Nov 67 speech he'd capriciously declared all of Greece free of Roman taxation! Helius was now begging him to return to save his throne, as the provinces were roiling w/unrest.

Mar 68, Nero's theatrical return to Rome. Ceremonially breaching a wall, then parading thru the Circus, then the Forum, then ascending to the temple of Jupiter Capitoline, from there proceeding E to the Golden House. Then, once the festivities were over, Nero and his courtiers headed S to Neapolis to enjoy the rest of spring there, 'so much more Hellene than Rome and far more in tune w/his artistry' (296). But Gaius Julius Vindex, Gov. of Gaul (from Acquitania, desc. from a long line of [Gaulish] royalty, dad a Roman senator) was about to revolt. His public call to be rid of Nero was the 1st such anyone could remember. And rather than naming himself as new RE, he refreshingly proposed Galba, a distinguished Roman 70yo patrician then serving as gov. of Spain. Nero responded by ordering Rufus, Gov. of neighboring Germany, to remove this troublemaker (happy at the thot of finally removing this irritant and confiscating his wealth). But Rufus shared Vindex' feelings about Nero (his predecessor Corbulu had 'fallen on his sword' at Nero's order for nothing more than being inconveniently competent). Next came a great tragedy, for altho the 2 ldrs met and agreed to join forces against Nero and marched for Rome, word failed to arrive at the forces defending Rome, who, as the combined army approached, rushed to battle and hacked down the Gaul/German army (caught offguard). Vindex was so distraught he committed suicide in tribute to his lost men. Rufus' men demanded he continue Vindex' fight, but he insisted on yielding to SPQR. But meanwhile, Galba declared himself RE on xx 2 Apr, sending appeals for support to Britain, Germany and Gaul. When Nero heard this, he fainted and spent the next 24hrs senseless in bed! His next phase was losing touch w/reality and proposing bizarre plans e.g. k. all Gauls. There was growing mockery in Rome as grafitti taunted Nero.

8 Jun 68, Nero at dinner rcv'd word that virtually all armies of the N and W were in revolt. He responded by petulantly overturning the table and smashing priceless cups. He then ran outside and ordered his men to take him to Ostia, where a fleet should be prepared for him. But most gave evasive responses and melted away into the darkness, one quoting Virgil 'is it so bad to die?'. For awhile he ranted (drunkenly) and spoke of ways out e.g. flee to Egypt and earn a living as a lyre player! But when his servants proposed sleeping on it and deciding tomorrow, he made sure to take a small box of poison prepared by Locusta the alchemist (who'd helped Nero 'off' many others over the years). Meanwhile, the solidarity shown by provincial legions had stiffened the Senate's spine enough to gather that night in special session and declare Galba RE6. The Praetorian Guard was also persuaded. At these developments, the Roman people (in next few days as news spread) went wild w/celebration, soon to be free of Nero's tyranny. When Nero awoke next morning, the poison and all his servants were gone. He wandered and found 3 loyalists (freedman Phaon, pvt sec'y Epaphroditus, 'wife' Sporus). They snuck Nero to Phaon's house just N of the city, but were recognized by a retired soldier (as they passed the Praetorian camp). Once at the house, he realized the 'jig was up' and (dithering til he heard approaching horses hooves) drove a dagger into his own throat (9 Jun). He was 30yrs 5mos old, of which he'd been RE5 13yrs 10mos. Thus pathetically ended the once-promising Age of Augustus w/the last of his descendants.

Th 9 Jun 68 AD, Nero dies (suicide), ending Julian dynasty (JDS thinks Peter/Paul d. ~Jun 67, p331), RE6 Galba 68-9; Mark k. ~Jun AD 68 in Alexandria; Andrew d. 30 Nov 68 ('the year of Galba') on an X-shaped cross at Patrae, a Greek port city W of Gulf of Corinth (by tradition); John likely left Rome for Ephesus during Nero's reign

68 AD, Meanwhile Vespasian and his army had been slowly marching S toward Jerusalem, leaving deliberate devastation in their wake (302). Having destroyed Jotapata (see above), the general decided to take his time covering the 90 miles S to Jerusalem, both systematically putting down any local opposition and also making the Jerusalemites simmer in terror/suspense, hoping they'd 'exhaust themselves in a convulsion of rivalry and treachery'. The city became a magnet for not only patriots but also 'young, hate-filled firebrands' and criminals of the worst sort. John of Gischala [JoG] and his followers were notorious examples of the latter, and entered Jerusalem (early 68) to cheers after fleeing Titus' destruction of their own city (Gischala) in Galilee. About this time, the Romans changed tactics i.e. offering to spare towns that didn't resist (many took that offer), but not providing any food or supplies (and taking all handy ones for themselves), effectively creating roving bands of hungry citizens and thuggish marauders to wander the countryside. This increased the flow of desperate and criminal refugees to Jerusalem (by design?), causing order to break down there. Some of the worst were the Zealots, 'still led by the defiant Eleazar, who'd seized cntl of the Temple the year before' (303). Once the Zealots named their own HP84 Phannias (a hick from a remote village), Ananus and others were so outraged they stopped caring about their safety and successfully riled the Jewish crowds to beseige the Zealots, which they did. But as they planned their next move, the clever JoG played a double game, befriending Ananus but also passing info to the Zealots. He convinced the latter to allow Idumeans to the S (Arabs, who'd 600ya welcomed Babylonians into their land to conquer the Jews) to come help them. They did, 20k strong, and when Ananus refused to open the gates and a bad (loud) storm blew in, the Zealots managed to overpower their guards, sneak out and let them in. A blood bath followed, as 10s of 1000s were slaughtered, incl. Ananus, of which Josephus said 'his d. was the beginning of the end' for Jerusalem. 1000s more fled (rich paid high price to leave, others snuck out or were k. trying). But after sating their thirst for loot and bloodshed, the Zealots 'got wise' and left (realized Romans would destroy city), leaving JoG to name himself 'king' (he had bigger plans than the other brigands) and try to avoid destruction by Rome. But Vespasian knew what was happening via spies, and cleverly waited for more 'self-destruction' of the city.

68 AD, this was an (humanly) inauspicious time to be a Christian i.e. Zealots would see it as betraying their anti-Roman cause, and others in the Greco-Roman world were just trying to stay on the good side of their unpredictable Roman masters, esp. now that 'the rigidly aristocratic and traditional Galba' was RE6; who knew how he'd view this new cult and earlier persecutions of it? Most churches were small and home-based, and more and more Roman Chr preferred the safety of the catacombs for their mtgs (originally dug to provide affordable burial places outside the city for ANY Roman; IN city not allowed, and NEAR it very $). Here he also discusses the originally simple graves of Peter and Paul (by tradition), much later marked by massive cathedrals.

69 AD, 'Year of 4 REs' RE6 Galba, RE7 Otho, RE8 Vitellius, Civil War, RE9 Vespasian begins Flavian dynasty (him to 79); JDS says by the time of Galba's d. its likely that all 12 (original) apostles exc Matthew and John had been martyred (331); also, by 69 its likely that at least 1 gospel (Mark) was in circulation, perhaps Matthew too. But those who'd actually seen Jesus were either d. or quite elderly by 1C standards.

69 AD, Tho SPQR could've used a break after 14yrs of chaos under Nero, instead they got civil war. [Servius] Galba's main goals were to 1 restore integrity to Rome's sacred inst. and 2 free monarchy from Praetorian Guard tyranny (313). But graffiti was against him as soon as he entered Rome Aug 68 (he seemed humorless, rigid). He tried to crack down on spending (never popular), but his worst problem was age + no heir. This activated rivals, esp. 37yo Otho (carouser, FONero). When Otho offered the PG the funds they wanted, they ass. Galba xx 15 Jan 69. But Otho's re-Nero-izing reign was mercifully short, since the German legions had also been denied funds by Galba and named 54yo Vitellius ['lazy, good-natured, gluttonous (-> overweight) lout' 314] their ldr (and rival to Otho). A civil war ensued in N Italy as the armies ravaged the countryside opposing each other in Mar-Apr ('one of he bloodiest free-for-alls in Roman history', pitched battle at Bedriacum on the Po, near Cremona), ending 16 Apr when Otho 'in perhaps the only noble act of his career' k. himself after urging his men to make peace w/their fellow Romans. But tho decisive ldrshp was needed, Vitellious took his time (3mos, arr. 7/15) to reach Rome, confiscating (and eating) everything available (316). Once in Rome, re-Nero-ization ensued!? Meanwhile, 62yo Vespasian's ofcrs were cajoling him to claim RE-ship and lead his 9 E legions to Rome. He resisted, til Syrian Gov. (and friend) Mucianus (in Berytus) appealed to his DUTY to save Rome from such 'ruin and pollution' (319, long desc. of big Cremona battle to p324, Vesp. general Antonius wins, but brutally, massacres 32k citizens i.e. 'no prisoners'). By Dec 69, Vesp's armies were just N of Rome. Vitellius wanted to surrender but the PG wouldn't allow it, they even torched 'JOM' Temple when some Flavians tried to hide there, 'the symbol of Rome's glory for >500yrs' (324). A house-to-house battle followed that nearly 'cost Rome's life' (not just warfare, but terrible debauchery by losing elites and citizens, ~50k d.). Vitellius tried to flee, but was recognized and publicly k. Against Vespasian's orders, there was no peace, Vitellian stragglers were hunted down and k., rampant rape, pillage, and future RE Domitian (younger son of Vesp) was right in there 'getting his share' (showing his character).

JDS says that, tho Christians had suffered many setbacks and persecutions, it continued to grow rapidly (like a healthy tree that's pruned and sends out new branches). Jerusalem ldrs had forbidden Chr to leave the city til 69 AD, after which many did, forming new colonies in Pella (50mi NE) and strengthening existing ones e.g. Anthioch, Caesaria. Of course many others too, some beyond RE's borders i.e. Thomas/Jude to Parthia ... [here he discusses what became of others, mostly tradition and speculation, cf above list at AD 44].

p/u p337

FaP ch 'AD 70-1' pp336-363

70 AD, Titus (Vespasian's son) destroys Jerusalem; Gospel of Matthew written about now; JtB p137: After the war Josephus and Berenice lived in Rome, Josephus in Vespasian's old home there (w/a pension and commission for his 1st bk 'The Jewish War') and Berenice as consort to Titus. Tho Titus loved her, she offended Romans w/her flashiness and rumors of incest, so he had to send here away. But when he t/o in AD 79 she returned (now in her 50s). Agrippa II was given a kingdom in Lebanon and d. c100 AD. He visited Jerusalem in AD 75 for the inauguration of the [pagan] Temple of Peace. His relatives became kings of Armenia and Cilicia and ultimately even Roman consuls (p138). Jerusalem became the HQ for Rome's 10th legion. Vespasian allowed Yohanan ben Zakkai, who'd escaped Jerusalem in a coffin, to teach the Law at Yavneh (Jamnia) on the Mediterranean. SSM says the destruction of Jerusalem 'separated [Christians] forever from the mother-religion, proving the truth of Jesus' prophecies and the succession of a new revelation' (139).

FaP ch 'Epilogue' pp364-9

Sa 16 Apr 73 AD, Romans breach Masada walls, find all dead (date from Josephus via BAR)
75 AD, Gospel of Luke written about now
77 AD, Roman conquest of Britain, Gov. Agricola to 84
79 AD, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae destroyed by erupting Mt Vesuvius, RE10 Titus 79-81
81 AD, RE11 Domitian 81-96

96 AD, RE12 Nerva 96-8 begins Antonine dynasty; Revelation written about now; JtB p139: Nerva had no sons, so chose his leading general Trajan as heir

98 AD, RE13 Trajan 98-117; JtB p139: tall, athletic, stern, ideal RE? perhaps greatest since Augustus, but saw himself as conqueror of new lands and restorer of old values - bad news for Christians and Jews. In AD 106 he ordered the crucifixion of Simon, Overseer of Chr in Jerusalem (#4? in 'Jesus Dynasty' which 'there ended'). Seeing Jews as 'enemy #1' in his E campaigns, Trajan began attacking them everywhere.

101-7 AD, RE reaches maximum extent

[tempting to include many key dates from JtB here ... maybe just point to JtB notes in br-tbfg?]

117 AD, RE14 Hadrian to 138 AD, Hadrian's Wall begun 122, Pantheon completed 124; JtB p139-40 'Rome's Jewish problem was witnessed by the new gov. of Syria, Aelius Hadrian, who was m. to Trajan's niece. When Trajan d. w/o an heir, his empress announced that he'd adopted a son on his deathbed: Hadrian ... [who became] one of the supreme monsters of Jewish history'

135 AD, Bar Kokhba revolt (began 132) against Hadrian quashed, Masada; Jews dispersed

[Fr 3 Apr 33 dJC]
[Fr 2 Jun 52 dJC+1k wks]
[Fr 2 Aug 71 dJC+2k wks]
[Fr 1 Oct 90 dJC+3k wks]
[Fr 30 Nov 109 dJC+4k wks]
[Fr 29 Jan 129 dJC+5k wks]

Fr 31 Mar 148 dJC+6k wks
Fr 30 May 167 dJC+7k wks
Fr 29 Jul 186 dJC+8k wks
Fr 27 Sep 205 dJC+9k wks
Fr 26 Nov 224 dJC+10k wks
Fr 26 Jan 244 dJC+11k wks
Fr 27 Mar 263 dJC+12k wks

Fr 23 Sep 320 dJC+15k wks

Fr 21 Jul 416 dJC+20k wks

Fr 18 May 512 dJC+25k wks

Fr 15 Mar 608 dJC+30k wks

Fr 11 Jan 704 dJC+35k wks

Fr 8 Nov 799 dJC+40k wks

Fr 5 Sep 895 dJC+45k wks

Fr 3 Jul 991 dJC+50k wks

Fr 30 Apr 1087 dJC+55k wks

Fr 25 Feb 1183 dJC+60k wks

Fr 23 Dec 1278 dJC+65k wks

Fr 20 Oct 1374 dJC+70k wks

Fr 17 Aug 1470 dJC+75k wks

Fr 14 Jun 1566 dJC+80k wks

Fr 11 Apr 1662 dJC+85k wks

Th 6 Feb 1758 dJC+90k wks

We 4 Dec 1853 dJC+95k wks

Tu 4 Oct 1949 dJC+100k wks
Tu 3 Dec 1968 dJC+101k wks
Tu 2 Feb 1988 dJC+102k wks
Tu 3 Apr 2007 dJC+103k wks

Tu 10 Nov 2015 dJC+103,448 wks (actually Fr, which is also dJCS+33wks, dRAS+66wks)

Tu 8 Nov 2016 dJC+103.5 wks

Tu 1 Jun 2026 dJC+104k wks
Tu 31 Jul 2045 dJC+105k wks

From Bruce Wilkinson and Ken Boa's 'Talk Thru the Bible' (1983, SBC lib, p447, 507):
# Date written, place written, NT bk, author, recipients, theme
1 46-9 Jerusalem?, James, James (d. as martry shortly bef 70 AD), diaspora, faith gauge
2 49 Antioch, Galatians, Paul (trial 62 AD, Nero persecution 64, d. 68, Jerusalem destroyed 70), churches of Galatia (NC Turkey), unshackled
3 51 Corinth, 1 Thess, Paul, church there, stay on target
4 51 Corinth, 2 Thess, Paul, church there, work and wait
5 56 Ephesus, 1 Cor, Paul, church there & in region, spanking the saints
6 56 Macedonia, 2 Cor, Paul, " & saints in Achaia, anatomy of an apostle
7 57 Corinth, Romans, Paul, Chr in Rome, paid in full
8 60-1 Rome, Ephesians, Paul, saints of Ephesus [W coast Turkey], body-building
9 60-1 Rome, Colossians, Paul, saints of Colosse [SW Turkey], cmdr-in-chf
10 60-1 Rome, Philemon, Paul, beloved bro Philemon, bondage to bro-hood
11 62 Rome, Philippians, Paul, saints at Philippi [NE Greece], how to be happy tho humble
12 62-3 Macedonia, 1 Timothy, Paul, 'my true child in the faith' Timothy, ldrshp manual
13 63 Corinth, Titus, Paul, 'my true child in the faith', conduct manual
14 63-4 Rome?, 1 Peter, Peter (d. in Rome under Nero's persecution), 'those who reside as aliens', pain w/a purpose
15 55-65 (tho controversial, most scholars believe this was 1st gospel) Rome?, Mark, [John] Mark (d. when? where?), to Romans, not a bio but a topical narrative i.e. gospel
16 64-6 Rome?, 2 Peter, Peter, co-believers, poison in the pew
17 67 Rome, 2 Timothy, Paul, 'my beloved son' Timothy, combat manual
18 64-8 where?, Hebrews, who?, to whom? [presumably the Hebrews i.e. Jews], milk to meat
19 58-68 (tho controversial, suggestions have ranged from 40-140) may've been written in Palestine or Syrian Antioch, Matthew (d. when? where?), to Jews, life of Jesus i.e. gospel
20 60-70 Greece?, Luke [v1], Dr Luke (a Gentile, b. Syrian Antioch, never m., d. 84yo), to Gentiles, 'an accurate, chronological, and comphrehensive acct of the unique life of Jesus Christ to strengthen Gentile faith'
21 60-70 Greece?, Acts [v2], Dr Luke, to all, acct of early church
22 66-80 where?, Jude, Jude (d. when? where?), to believers, fight for the faith
23 60-90 (after the synoptic gospels c66-8, one of the last surviving eyewitnesses of the Lord, lived into Trajan's reign 98-117 AD) Ephesus, [Gospel of] John, John, to all, supplements other 3, whereas they focus on Galilean ministry, he concentrates on Judean ministry
24 c90 Ephesus, 1 John, John, to my little children, fellowship barometer
25 c90 Ephesus, 2 John, John, to the chosen lady & her children, bolt the door
26 c90 Ephesus, 3 John, John, to the beloved Gaius, open the door
27 95-6 Patmos, Revelation, John, to the 7 churches in Asia, critique and coming events

Hmmm, so NT authors are James, Paul, Peter, [John] Mark, ? [Hebrews author], Matthew, Luke, Jude and John (9 individuals), v. 12 disciples (4 NT writers Peter, James [son of Alphaeus], John, Matthew, plus 8 others; Andrew, Philip, Nathaniel [aka Bartholomew], [doubting] Thomas, James [son of Zebedee, inner circle], Thaddaeus [aka the 'other' Judas], Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot). Curious that the other 8 didn't contribute any books/letters to the NT. The 5 non-disciple NT writers are Paul, [John] Mark, ? [Hebrews author], Luke and Jude.

See Roman Empire for more details.

The 8 covenants: Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Palestinian, Davidic, New [same as ? ZPEB v1] (Scofield Bible p1)

The 4 OT themes: election, covenant, law, exodus (EHB p122).

The 6 dispensations: infancy (creation to Noah), childhood (Noah to Moses), adolescence (Moses to Prophets) and youth (Prophets to Christ), manhood and old age (Christian era), renovation (millenium), 'fullness of time' (eternity) (ZPEB v2 p145).

There have been only 3 times in history [human i.e. not incl. creation] when God provided 'a great outpouring' of 'signs and wonders' to emphasize His presence in events in a special way: 1) Moses [#26] and the Exodus 2) the events surrounding Elijah (875-48 BC ~#38) / Elisha (848-797 BC ~#39) 3) Jesus [#63/75] and His ministry. Jesus said that evil generations demand signs and wonders (Matt 12:39), but we could add that stupid ones ignore them (hmmm, are charismatics driven by evil? non-charismatics by stupidity? Does this age qualify as 4th great age of S & W?).

At the transfiguration, Jesus appeared with Moses and Elijah (~#38, Matt 17, Mark 9, Luke 9). Elijah's importance in God's plan for the ages is apparent from 1) this and also 2) his predicted reappearing before 'the great and terrible day of the Lord' (Mal 4:5) and 3) his avoidance of death via 'translation' to heaven along with Enoch (#3, Gen 5:18-24, 2 Kng 2:11, ZPEB v2 p284).

In the OT, only Abraham (2 Chron 20:7, James 2:23) and Moses (Ex 33:11, Isa 41:8) were privileged to be called 'a friend of God,' now accorded to every believer who abides in Jesus. The common thread is obedience to God's Word (John 15:10-4, RBC DB 29 Feb 08).

In this book, EHP discusses the 'Ways' of Jesus, Abraham [faith], Moses [language], David [imperfection], Elijah [marginality], Isaiah (of Jerusalem [The Holy], of the exile [beauty]), then opposing ways of Herod [politics], Caiaphas [religion], Josephus [celebrity pp15-6] and notes that OT figure Moses is most mentioned in NT at 81x, David 56x, Isaiah 23x (p63, The Jesus Way, Eugene H Peterson, Eerdmans, 2007, 289pp, SBC).

Chuck (Charles R.) Swindoll has written more than 30 best-selling books, including the "Great Lives from God's Word" series, including Job [~#20] (#7? 2004), Moses [#26] (#4? 1999?), David [#33] (#1 1997), Elijah [~#38] (#5 2000), Esther [~#41] (#2 1997), Joseph [#62] (#3 1998), Jesus [#63] (#8? Thomas Nelson, 2008, 308pp, SBC), Paul [#64] (#6 2002). The 9th volume in the series is "Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives" on Cain, Abraham, Esau, Achan, Samuel, Saul, Abigail, Absalom, Rehoboam, Jabez, Naaman, Gehazi and Uzziah (2005).

Christ Carrying the Cross El Greco 1580 (BTA p?)	A model reconstruction of Herod's [3rd] Temple at the Holy Land Hotel in Jerusalem (IEBC p88)	Christ Pantocrator [Ruler of All], 6C encaustic icon, Holy Monastery of St Catherine at Sinai, Egypt (IJTC p1)

1: Sallman 1940 2l: Holy Family RCC, Chicago 2m: Godspell 2r: Janet McKenzie's "Jesus of the People" 1rst NCR 2000 3: "Yeshua" 2nd NCR 2000 4: Sacred Heart of Jesus (JIA cvr)	1. Earliest Known, from catacombs of St Calixtus 2. From Emerald Intaglio of RE Tiberius 3. After Francisco di Francia 4. After Albrecht Duerer 5. After Paul de la Roche (JIA p312+)	Friend of the Humble (Supper at Emmaus) [detail], Leon Augustin Lhermitte, 1892, Courtesy Museum of FA, Boston, gift of Randolph Coolidge (IJTC pi)

Christ Before the High Priest [Caiaphas], Gerrit van Honthorst c1617, National Gallery, London (CBH p354)	Ecce Homo [Behold the Man, cf. John 19:5], Antonio Ciseri [1821-91], Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Firenze (CBH p356)

Jesus the Christ 19xx Richard Hook (1914-75) (my fave, d/l)	Head of Christ Richard Hook, 1964 (d/l)	d/l (Hook knockoff?)	light/shadow game/image (d/l)

Miscellaneous other images people have posted online (yahoo 'free Jesus images' and www.photobucket.com):

	Sacred Heart of Jesus artist? year?

Precious In His Sight, Greg Olsen, date?	Solemnity of Christ the King artist? date?

	Way to Emmaus, (German) Robert Zund (1827-1909)

(oil on canvas, c1999, www.art4god.com) AJ p180d	Alias: the Messiah, Son of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, etc. (courtesy Father Jack N Sparks and Right On Magazine) Hook knockoff?, AJ p180e	(c1977, www.jesuslaughing.com) AJ p180h

Painting of Jesus by Akiane Kramarik that 4yo Colton Burpo said looked like Jesus as seen by him in an amazing dream/vision during surgery (also saw God's throne and met his miscarried sis), hmmm, real? (cf bk Heaven is Real by Pastor Todd Burpo w/Lynn Vincent)

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Christ the Redeemer

The Christ the Redeemer statue at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, stands atop Corcovado (lit. Hunchback) Mountain, which rises 2310 ft above the city. The 100-ft statue is made of concrete, and is the work of Paul Landowski (WB).

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro "Like the familiar statue of The Christ of the Andes on the mountain border between Chile and Argentina, this massive figure represents Christ offering [both] a benediction and an invitation to be reconciled to God and to [each other]" Bruno Barbey/Magnum Photos (IJTC p248)	another view, from Acton Notes Feb 08

another view (d/l)

a view of Rio de Janeiro w/statue (d/l)

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Cristo de la Concordia [of Peace] in [Cochabamba], Bolivia is the largest statue of Jesus ever made (wikipedia [not anymore, see below list])

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Cristo del Otero above Palencia, Spain (wikipedia)

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The Christ in the Andes, famous 4-ton statue high in the Andes along the road between Chile and Argentina

From CT Dec 2013, here's list of Jesus statues >100' tall:
1 360' 'Christ the King' Lisbon, Portugal
2 272' 'name?' location TBD (planned, by Zurab Tsereteli, pres. of Russian Academy of Art)
3 171' 'Christ the King' Swiebodzin, Poland
4 164' 'Christ Blessing' Manado City, Indonesia
5 157' 'Christ Resurrected' Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico
6 133' 'Christ of Peace' Cochabamba, Bolivia
7 128' 'I Have Come to Save the World' Saidnaya, Syria (most recent, just arrived 'in a Syrian city that still speaks his language ... begun in Armenia in 2005, the bronze statue was installed at this pilgrimage site this fall ... arriving just as the region (most notably, Maaloula) became a hot spot in Syria's civil war ... 50k Christians in the mtn-ous region have appealed for citizenship in Russia, where #2 is being made')
8 125' 'Christ the Redeemer' Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
9 121' 'Christ of the Pacific' Lima, Peru
10 118' 'Christ of Vung Tau' Vung Tau, Vietnam

---

Monument to the Discoveries on the bank of the River Tagus, Lisbon, Portugal, inaugurated 1960 by dictator Antonio Salazar for 500th anniv. of d. of Henry the Navigator, towers 164ft above river, Henry is in front holding a caravel, flanked by other 15-6C greats Vasco de Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, Pedro Alvars Cabral, on their expeditions, the Portugese conquerors - followed by Spanish, Dutch, British, French - took w/them the Christian faith and scientific ideas (EfA 3/30)

On a recent Day of Discovery program (Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, aired Sunday, 26 Sep 2004), some interesting information was presented. Yom Kippur (Sat 25 Sep 2004) is the 10-day "Day of Atonement" festival and Jews are encouraged to humble themselves and repent (la'anot), including both intellectual agreement with God on our failures and also emotional, grieving, brokenness. In this spirit, 3 activities are demanded; t'shurah, tefillah and tzedakah. The easy translation of these Hebrew words is, respectively, repentence, prayer, charity. But clarifications were that repentence means not just regret, but also return (e.g. to the error, and to God, C. S. Lewis: if you've made a wrong turn, its not enough to feel bad about that, you must actually turn around and go back to the point of error and take the correct path). Prayer means not just asking God for things, but "(re)connecting" with God. Charity means not so much giving or doing a favor as doing justice, what was right all along, what was supposed to be (but wasn't). Pastor Meno Kalisher (Jewish Christian) clarified that Jesus' first coming permanently fulfilled the first 4 of the 7 Jewish festivals or "dates" in Lev. 23 (instituted in Moses' time), and his second coming will likewise fulfill the last 3. The point was to allow Jews to see that He was/is the real Messiah by fulfilling these exact dates and not an imposter. These festivals are:

1) Passover (Apr/May, 1rst month, 14th day, 1rst was Wed 5 May 1490 BC [Ussher])
2) Festival of Unleavened Bread (week of introspection, purification, starts on Passover, 1rst month, 15th-21rst day)
3) Offering of First Fruits or "sheaf" holiday, 2 days after Passover
4) Festival of Weeks (i.e. Shavuot, Pentecost, 7 weeks after Passover, 3rd month, 5th day, celebrates God's gift of the Law via Moses)
5) Festival of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah, Aug/Sep, 7th month, 1rst day)
6) Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, Sep, 7th month, 10th day)
7) Festival of Tabernacles/Booths (Sukkot, 7th month, 15th day)

On Fri 3 Apr 33 AD [Ussher, this was the 1523rd annual passover, but "the beginning of the 4th or middle 'day' (i.e. year) of the last 'week' (i.e. 7yr period) of Daniel" (i.e. of Daniel's prophesied 70 weeks, i.e. the beginning of the 487th year of 490 total *)" 1 Cor 5:7, Dan 9:27], Jesus Christ was crucified and buried on Passover, permanently fulfilling Lev. 23 #1 Passover and #2 Feast of Unleavened Bread "purity" (granting humans purity) festivals or 'dates,' arose 2 days later ('on the 3rd day' Sun 5 Apr), permanently fulfilling the #3 Lev. 23 "sheaf", "First fruits" holiday. The coming of the Holy Spirit 7 weeks later (Fri 22 May) permanently fulfilled the #4 Festival of Weeks or Pentecost (i.e. the Holy Spirit now helps us live up to the 'law of love'), completing fulfillment of the first 4 Lev. 23 festivals by Jesus' 1rst coming, likewise the last 3 will be by his 2nd coming). These last 3 are the #5 Festival of Trumpets (i.e. Rosh Hashanah, Sep/Oct, Thu 16 Sep 2004, Sat 27 Sep 2003 ...), #6 Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, Sep/Oct, Sat 25 Sep 2004, Mon 6 Oct 2003 ...) and #7 Festival of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot, Sep/Oct, Thu 30 Sep 2004, Sat 11 Oct 2003 ...). This line of thinking would imply Jesus will return (2nd Coming) on Rosh Hashanah (Tue 4 Oct 2005 [start of 5766] or ...).

Jesus permanently fulfilled these holidays.

Year	Jewish	1 Passover	2 Unleav Bread	3 1rst Fruits	4 Shavuot	5 Rosh Hashannah	6 Yom Kippur	7 Sukkot	f33AD	S>P days
9564 BC Creation (from theosophy, but also about right per Henry Morris)	-5603	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	-9596	xxx
Sa 21 Sep 4004 BC Creation (Ussher)	-43	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Sa 9/21	Mo 9/30	Sa 10/5	-4036	xxx
3961 BC	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	-3993	xxx
1921 BC Abram arrives in Canaan (Ussher)	2040	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	-1953	xxx
1491 BC Exodus (Ussher)	2471	We 5/5 (midnight Tu 5/4, 10th plague)	We-Tu 5/5-11	Fr 5/7	Th 6/24	Fr 10/15	Su 10/24	Fr 10/29	-1523	xxx
1451 BC	2511	We 5/5 (#40, 1rst in Canaan)	We-Tu 5/5-11	Fr 5/7	Th 6/24	Fr 10/15	Su 10/24	Fr 10/29	-1483	xxx
1004 BC, Solomon's Temple dedicated Fr-Th 10/30-11/5, 9th Jubilee, open 4th millenium of world	2958	We 5/14 (#487)	We-Tu 5/14-20	Fr 5/16	Th 7/2	Fr 10/23	Su 11/1	Fr 11/6	-1036	xxx
791 BC (Uzziah/Jeroboam II)	3171	? 5/5 (#700)	? 5/5-11	? 5/7	? 6/24 (total eclipse of sun, hmmm Assyrians said 6/15/763)	? 10/15	? 10/24	? 10/29	-823	xxx
771 BC	3191	? 5/13 (#720)	? 5/13-9	? 5/15	? 7/2	? 10/23	? 11/1	? 11/6 (near total eclipse of sun at Jerusalem 11/8, Sukkot+2)	-803	180
770 BC	3192	? 5/5 (#721, near total eclipse of sun at Jerusalem)	? 5/5-11	? 5/7	? 6/24	? 10/15	? 10/24	? 10/29	-802	xxx
726 BC	3235	Su 5/5 (#765, normal, but Passover delayed 1mo due to Hezekiah's cleansing of Temple)	Su-Sa 5/5-11	Tu 5/7	Mo 6/24	Tu 10/15	Th 10/24	Tu 10/29	-758	xxx
722 BC Assyrians sack N kingdom of Israel	3239	xx x/x	xx-xx x/x-x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	-754	xxx
697-539 BC Babylonian cntl of Holy Land	3264-3422	xx x/x	xx-xx x/x-x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	-729 to -571	xxx
623 BC	3339	Tu 5/5 (#868 revived by Josiah, erev 5/4)	Tu-Mo 5/5-11	Th 5/7	We 6/24	Th 10/15	Sa 10/24	Th 10/29	-655	xxx
588 BC Jerusalm beseiged by Nebuchadnezzar (destroyed 9th of Av [late Jul] 586)	3374	We 5/4 (#903)	We-Tu 5/5-11	Fr 5/6	Th 6/23	Fr 10/14	Su 10/23	Fr 10/28	-620	xxx
575 BC, Ezekiel's vision of restored Israel/Church	3387	Sa 5/5 (#916)	Sa-Fr 5/5-11	Mo 5/7	Su 6/24	Mo 10/15	We 10/24	Mo 10/29	-607	xxx
573 BC, God promises Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar Tu 4/21	3389	Tu 5/5 (#918)	Tu-Mo 5/5-11	Th 5/7	We 6/24	Th 10/15	Sa 10/24	Th 10/29	-605	xxx
539-336 BC Persian cntl of Holy Land	3422-3625	xx x/x	xx-xx x/x-x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	-571 to -368	xxx
537 BC, this year marks end of 70yr Babylonian Captivity	3425	? (#954)	?	?	?	?	?	?	-569	xxx
536 BC, Jews return to Jerusalem during #5, 'month 7, day 1', then on day 15 celebrate #7	3426	? (#955)	?	?	?	? Jews return to Jerusalem	?	? celebrate Sukkot 2wks later	-568	xxx
535 BC, 1st Passover back in Jerusalem	3427	? (#956 but missed 70 so 886)	?	?	?	?	?	?	-567	xxx
515 BC	3447	? 14th day of 1rst month, 1rst (erev) Passover in 2nd Temple, #976	?	?	?	?	?	?	-547	xxx
510 BC	3452	? (#981, 2 days before Passover [month 1, day 13], Ahasuerus [Xerxes?] had issued Haman's edict to k. Jews on month 12 [Adar], day 13, but later on ?th month [Sivan], day 23, came edict allowing Jews to defend themselves, 1rst Purim on month 12, days 14-5)	?	?	?	?	?	?	-542	xxx
467 BC	3495	? (#1024, 2 wks before Passover [mo1 day1], Ezra lvs Babylon for Jerusalem, arrives 4mos later [mo5 day1]; Nehemiah arrives 454 BC, permission to go marks start of Daniel's '70 weeks')	?	?	?	?	?	?	-499	xxx
416 BC, 21rst and last Jubilee of OT, prophets say look for John the Baptist, Christ, then 'sign off' for '400 silent years'	3546	? (#1075)	?	?	?	?	?	?	-448	xxx
336-166 BC Greek (mostly Egyptian Plotemaic, but Syrian Seleucid 201-) cntl of Holy Land	3625-3795	xx x/x	xx-xx x/x-x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	xx x/x	-368 to -198	xxx
320 BC, Ptolemy I Soter captures Jerusalem by deceit on Sabbath, Jews mocked for worshipping instead of fighting, many deported to Alexandria, but oppression mild under Egyptian Ptolemies.	3642	? (#1171)	?	?	?	?	?	?	-352	xxx
164-37 BC Maccabean period	3797-3924	? (#1327-1483)	?	?	?	?	?	?	xxx
5 BC	3957	[? Th] (#1486)	[? Th-We]	[? Sa]	[? Fr]	[? Sa]	[? Mo]	Jesus born? (Sep/Oct) [? Sa]	-37	???
AD32 (LY)	3993	Tu 4/13 (#1522)	Tu-Mo 3/13-9	Th 4/15	We 6/2	Th 9/23	Sa 10/2	Th 10/7	-1	177
AD 33	3994	Fr 4/3 [? Sa 4/2] (#1523)	Fr-Th 4/3-9 [? Sa-Fr 4/2-8]	Su 4/5 [? Mo 4/4]	Sa 5/25 [? Su 5/24]	Su 9/13 [? Mo 9/12]	Tu 9/22 [? We 9/21]	Su 9/27 [? Mo 9/26]	0	176
34	3995	Tu 3/23 [? Tu 3/21]	Tu-Mo 3/23-9 [? Tu-Mo 3/21-7]	Th 3/25 [? Th 3/23]	We 5/12 [? We 5/10]	Th 9/2 [? Th 8/31]	Sa 9/11 [? Sa 9/9]	Th 9/16 [? Th 9/14]	1	208
70 Temple destroyed by Romans (9th of Av = late Jul)	4031	? (#1560 but missed >= 70 so <= 1490)	?	?	?	?	?	?	37	xxx
1493 Tetrad 1 (JH Blood Moon, '92 Spain exile)	5254	Tu 4/2	Tu-Mo 4/2-8	Th 4/4	We 5/22	Th 9/12	Sa 9/21	Th 9/26 (? JH 9/25)	1460	177
1494 Tetrad 1	5255	Sa 3/22	Sa-Fr 3/22-8	Mo 3/24	Su 5/4	Mo 9/1	We 9/10	Mo 9/15	1461	xxx
1949 Tetrad 2 (JH Blood Moon, Israel 1948)	5710	We 4/13	We-Tu 4/13-9	Fr 4/15	Th 6/2	Fr 9/23	Su 10/2	Fr 10/7	1916	177
1950 Tetrad 2	5711	Su 4/2	Su-Sa 4/2-8	Tu 4/4	Mo 5/24	Tu 9/12	Th 9/21	Tu 9/26	1917	xxx
1967 Tetrad 3 (JH Blood Moon, 6-day War; Israel wins Sinai, Pal. territories)	5728	Su 4/24	Su-Sa 4/24-30	Tu 4/26	Mo 6/15	Tu 10/4	Th 10/13	Tu 10/18	1934	178
1968 Tetrad 3	5729	Fr 4/13	Fr-Th 4/13-9	Su 4/15	Sa 6/2	Su 9/22	Tu 10/1	Su 10/6	1935	xxx
1973 Yom Kippur War; 10/6 Egypt/Syria surprise attack	5734	Tu 4/17	Tu-Mo 4/17-23	Th 4/19	We 6/6	Th 9/27	Sa 10/6	Th 10/11	1940	xxx
1992 (LY)	5753	Sa 4/23	Sa-Fr 4/23-9	Mo 4/25	Su 6/12	Mo 9/28	We 10/7	Mo 10/12	1959	176
1993	5754	Tu 4/6 (Eas ?)	Tu-Mo 4/6-12	Th 4/8	We 5/26	Th 9/16	Sa 9/25	Th 9/30	1960	178
1994	5755	Su 3/27 (Eas 4/3)	Su-Sa 3/27-4/2	Tu 3/29	Mo 5/18	Tu 9/6	Th 9/15	Tu 9/20	1961	207
1995	5756	Sa 4/15 (Eas ?)	Sa-Fr 4/15-21	Mo 4/17	Su 6/6	Mo 9/25	We 10/4	Mo 10/9	1962	178
1996	5757	Th 4/4 (Eas ?)	Th-We 4/4-10	Sa 4/6	Fr 5/26	Sa 9/14	Mo 9/23	Sa 9/28	1963	206
1997	5758	Tu 4/22 (Eas ?)	Tu-Mo 4/22-8	Th 4/23	We 6/11	Th 10/2	Sa 10/11	Th 10/16	1964	177
1998	5759	Sa 4/11 (Eas ?)	Sa-Fr 4/11-7	Mo 4/13	Su 5/31	Mo 9/21	We 9/30	Mo 10/5	1965	178
1999	5760	Th 4/1 (Eas ?)	Th-We 4/1-7	Sa 4/3	Fr 5/21	Sa 9/11	Mo 9/20	Sa 9/25	1966	208
2000 (LY)	5761	Th 4/20 (Eas 4/23)	Th-We 4/20-6	Sa 4/22	Fr 6/9	Sa 9/30	Mo 10/9	Sa 10/14	1967	176
2001	5762	Su 4/8 (Eas 4/15)	Su-Sa 4/8-14	Tu 4/10	Mo 5/17	Tu 9/18	Th 9/27	Tu 10/2	1968	177
2002	5763	Th 3/28 (Eas 3/31)	Th-We 3/28-4/3	Sa 3/30	Fr 5/17	Sa 9/7	Mo 9/16	Sa 9/21	1969	208
2003	5764	Th 4/17 (Eas 4/20)	Th-We 4/17-23	Sa 4/19	Fr 6/6	Sa 9/27	Mo 10/6	Sa 10/11	1970	178
2004 (LY)	5765	Tu 4/6 (Eas 4/11)	Tu-Mo 4/6-12	Th 4/8	We 5/26	Th 9/16	Sa 9/25	Th 9/30	1971	206
2005	5766	Su 4/24 (Eas 3/27)	Su-Sa 4/24-30	Tu 4/26	? (Mo 6/5)	Tu 10/4	Th 10/13	Tu 10/18	1972	177
2006	5767	Th 4/13 (Eas 4/16)	Th-We 4/13-9	Sa 4/15	Fr 6/2	Sa 9/23	Mo 10/2	Sa 10/7	1973	178
2007	5768	Tu 4/3 (Eas 4/8)	Tu-Mo 4/3-9	Th 4/5	We 5/23	Th 9/13	Sa 9/22	Th 9/27	1974	206
2008 (LY)	5769	Su 4/20 (#3498) (Eas 3/23)	Su-Sa 4/20-6	Tu 4/22	Mo 6/9	Tu 9/30	Th 10/9	Tu 10/14	1975	177
2009	5770	Th 4/9 (Eas 4/12)	Th-We 4/9-15	Fr 4/11 (? Sa 4/12)	Fr 5/29	Sa 9/19	Mo 9/28	Sa 10/3	1976	178
2010	5771	Tu 3/30 (#3500) (Eas 4/4)	Tu-Mo 3/30-4/5	Th 4/1	We 5/19	Th 9/9	Sa 9/18	Th 9/23	1977	208
2011	5772	Tu 4/19 (Eas 4/24)	Tu-Mo 4/19-25	Th 4/21	We 6/8	Th 9/29	Sa 10/8	Th 10/13	1978	208
2012	5773	Sa 4/7 (Erev 4/6) (Eas 4/8)	Sa-Fr 4/7-13	Mo 4/9	Su 5/27 (erev 5/26) (Whitsunday 5/27) (Pentecost 5/27)	Mo 9/17 (erev 9/16)	We 9/26 (erev 9/26)	Mo 10/1 (erev 9/30)	1979	177
2013	5774	Tu 3/26 (Erev 3/25) (Eas 3/31)	Tu-Mo 3/26-4/1	Th 3/28	We 5/15 (erev 5/14) (Whitsunday 5/19)	Th 9/5 (erev 9/4)	Sa 9/14 (erev 9/13)	Th 9/19 (erev 9/18)	1980	176
2014 Tetrad 4 (JH Blood Moon, event?)	5775	Tu 4/15 (Eas 4/20)	Tu-Mo 4/15-21	Th 4/17	We 6/4 (WhS 6/8)	Th 9/25	Sa 10/4	Th 10/9	1981	177
2015 Tetrad 4	5776	Sa 4/4 (Eas 4/5)	Sa-Fr 4/4-10	Mo 4/6	Su 5/24	Mo 9/14	We 9/23	Mo 9/28	1982	208
2016	5777	Sa 4/23 (Eas 3/27)	Sa-Fr 4/23-9	Mo 4/25	Su 6/12	Mo 10/3	We 10/12	Mo 10/17	1983	176
2017	5777/8	Tu 4/11 (Eas 4/16)	Tu-Mo 4/11-7	Th 4/13	We 5/31 6 Sivan	We 9/20 (? Th 9/21)	Fr 9/29 (? Sa 9/30)	We 10/4 (? Th 10/5)	1984	176
2018	5778/9	Sa 3/31 (Eas 4/1)	Sa-Fr 3/31-4/6	Mo 4/2	Su 5/20 6 Sivan	Mo 9/17	We 9/19	Mo 9/24	1985	178
2019	5779/80	Sa 4/20 (Eas 4/21)	Sa-Fr 4/20-26	Mo 4/22	Su 6/9 6 Sivan	Mo 10/7	We 10/10	Mo 10/15	1986	208
?	?	Mar/Apr?	Mar/Apr?	Mar/Apr?	Apr/May?	Sep/Oct?	Sep/Oct?	Sep/Oct?	?	xxx

Yr, Jewish Yr, 1:Passover, 2:F of UB, 3:1st Fruits, 4:Shavuot, 5:Rosh H, 6:Yom K, 7:Sukkot, fr 33 AD, S>P days

Pattern Sa Sa-Fr Mo Su Mo We Mo
1 to 4 = 7wks 1day = 50days
4 to 5 = 16wks 1day = 113days

So thru 2014 there (should) have been 3504 Passovers, but only (at most) 1490 have been properly observed, so the Jews are (at least) 2014 behind! Will God require them all to be made up before the end occurs (as He required 70 years of Babylonian Captivity to make up for earlier missed ones)?

CBS talk said that the 3rd of 7 festivals [1st Fruits] is ALWAYS on 'the day after Sabbath' which of course is always a Sunday. Hmmm, I hadn't reflected that above. If true, I should (I'll start it in 2018). The holidays are:

[0 Palm Sunday = 10 Nisan, acc. to Hal Lindsey Su 4-14-19, right?]
1 Passover = 15 Nisan
2 Unl Brd = 15-21 Nisan
3 1st Fruits [Sheaf] = 17 Nisan (or is it 1st Su after 15th?)
4 Shavuot = Passover + 7wks = 6 Sivan
5 Rosh Hashanah [Trumpets] = 7 Tishri
6 Yom Kippur [Atonement] = 10 Tishri
7 Sukkot [Tabernacles] = 15 Tishri

In CT Apr 2016, a blurb on Anglican, RCC and Orthodox ldrs wanting to synchronize the date of Easter - which [for RCC and us] falls on the 1st Su after the 1st full moon after the vernal equinox [3/21] - to the 2nd or 3rd Su of Apr. E Orthodox churches, which follow the Julian calender v. the Gregorian [w/1586? correction] and require Easter to be after Passover, celebrate later than other churches. Coptic Orthodox Bishop Angaelos believes celebrating together would be a pwrfl act of unity. Anglican ldr Justin Welby would like to see the date fixed in the next 5-10yrs, but ack's that 'the 1st attempt to do this was in the 10C'! Also Pope Francis recently met [Russian Orthodox ldr i.e. E Orthodoxy's largest branch after 1054 split] Patriarch Kirill at Havana airport (pic).

On his Su 6 Apr 2014 program, Irvin Baxter discussed the '4 Blood Moons' theory. He calls 'Tetrads' when 4 consecutive 'blood moons' (created when earth is between sun and moon and blocks former's light from reaching latter, but some light 'bends' and hits moon, giving it a reddish color) fall on Jewish feast days. He says only 10 of these have occurred since the birth of Christ (55 sets of 4 consecutive blood moons, but only 10 coinciding w/Jewish feast days). But only 3 (of latter 10) have occurred in last 500yrs, all marking important events in Jewish history i.e. 1493-4 (marking Columbus' 1492 voyage and Spanish persecution of Jews, he says some think Columbus was Jewish and was secretly searching for a safe place for his people to settle), 1949-50 marking 1948 Israel refounding, and 1967-8 marking Israeli war. Now we have a 4th; beginning w/Passover 15 Apr 2014 (tomorrow, erev 4/14 today), Feast of Tabernacles 8 Oct 2014 (erev Sukkot, Sukkot 10/9), Passover 4 Apr 2015 and Feast of Tabernacles 28 Sep 2015. Hmmm. Who/what document originated this theory?

FHT 21 Sep 2011: This year Rosh Hashanah begins after sundown 28 Sep and extends til nightfall on 30 Sep. Yom Kippur begins after sundown 7 Oct and extends til nightfall 8 Oct. These 'High Holy Days' can cost $1k for a family of 5! Chabad of FH is the local branch of the largest Jewish outreach organization in the world.

[Hmmm, JtB p64 says the 3 'chief' Jewish festivals were (c200 BC) 1 Passover (Pasach), 4 Weeks (Shavuot) and 7 Tabernacles (Sukkot)]

Purim begins Wed 7 Mar 2012 (DoD 'Lands of the Bible' calender). Palm Sunday 1 Apr, Maundy Thursday 5 Apr, Good Friday 6 Apr (and Passover begins), Easter Sunday 8 Apr. Hoshana Rabba is Su 7 Oct, Shemini Atzereth Mo 8 Oct, Simchat Torah Tu 9 Oct, Hanukkah Su 9 Dec (erev 8 Dec).

See Hebrew Calender.

Hmmm, must somehow reconcile 365.25-day solar year w/ 29.5-day lunar cycle (x12 = 354 days per year). Also, 12/25 (Christmas) - 9mos (gestation) = 3/25 Annunciation Day (from 'The Year 1000' by Robt Lacey). Learned from Antikythera device show that lunar cycle is 29.5 days, and 19 solar cycles = 235 lunar cycles. Maybe figure out how to predict how many days in last column i.e. from last holiday of this yr to 1st of next yr?

See br-tha.

Could continue table w/ 2012 Pass Sa 4/7 (Eas Su 4/8), 2013 Pass Tu 3/26 (Eas Su 3/31), 2014 Pass Tu 4/15 (Eas Su 4/20), 2015 Pass Sa 4/4 (Eas Su 4/5), 2016 Pass We 4/23 (Eas Su 3/27), 2017 Pass Tu 4/11 (Eas Su 4/16), 2018 Pass Sa 3/31 (Eas Su 4/1), 2019 Pass Sa 4/20 (Eas Su 4/21), 2020 Pass Th 4/9 (Eas Su 4/12). The website www.shma-israel.org says Jesus' last Passover was Tu 3/27 31 AD, but hebcal says Passover that year was Tu 3/25!? Hmmm.

Ussher editor notes that Sir Robert Anderson traced Passover dates for the years 22-37 AD (22 Su 4/22, 23 Th 3/25, 24 We 4/12, 25 Su 4/1, 26 Th 3/21, 27 We 4/9, 28 Mo 3/29, 29 Su 4/17, 30 Th 4/6, 31 Tu 3/27, 32 Mo 4/14, 33 Fr 4/3, 34 Tu 3/23, 35 Mo 4/11, 36 Fr 3/30, 37 Th 4/18), concluding it must have been 33 AD (hmmm, I calculated 353 days between 4/14/32 and 4/3/33; 354 between 4/3/33 and 3/23/34 [28day Feb], shouldn't these be 360? I must be missing something, need to figure out pattern). A FT reader supplied a complete list of Easter dates from 326-4099 AD. The next 3/23 Easter (after 2008) will be 2160. 3/22 Easter, the earliest possible, will occur in 2285, 2353, 2437, 2505 [hmmm, intervals of 68, 84, 68yrs, regular?] (FT Apr 08 p72).

Hmmm, looking for patterns: In general, once the Passover day of the week is known, you can get the other 6 by adding +0-6, +2, +1, +2, +4, +2; similarly dates from Passover are +0-6 days, +2 days, +7 weeks and 1 day, +23 weeks and 2 days, 24 weeks and 4 days, and 25 weeks and 2 days (still looking for pattern to next Passover, i.e. number of days, from which can be derived both day-of-week and date). Passover Tu 4/10 35 AD, 208 days from 9/14/34. 16wks, 1day from Shavuot to Rosh Hashannah.

Jubilees: #1 1396 BC in land of Canaan in 50th year (arrived 1445), #2 1347 BC ... #9 1004 BC, #10 955, #11 906 BC, ... #29 24 BC, #30 26 AD the 30th year of our Lord Jesus Christ, which marked the beginning of His gospel, #31 75 AD ... #41 565 AD ... #51 1055 AD ... #61 1545 ... #70 1986 AD, #71 2035 AD ...

1rst month = Nisan (Mar/Apr aka Abib, cf Ex ?:?)
2nd month = Iyyar (Apr/May)
3rd month = Sivan (May/Jun)
4th month = Tamuz (Jun/Jul)
5th month = Av (Jul/Aug aka Av, many bad events for Jews on '9th of Av')
6th month = Elul (Aug/Sep)
7th month = Tishri (Sep/Oct 1 Tishri = Rosh Hashannah, New Year's, 1st mo til Exodus, Creation mo)
8th month = Cheshvan (Oct/Nov)
9th month = Chisleu (Nov/Dec aka Kislev)
10th month = Tevet (Dec/Jan)
11th month = Sh'vat (Jan/Feb)
12th month = Adar [I] (Feb/Mar)
extra month = Adar II (as needed to synch w/solar yr)

Meton the Athenian observed the summer solstice on the morning of 6/27 432 BC, and formulated the 19yr lunar cycle, which started 7/15 (next new moon), showing he knew 1 year = 365.25 days. Hmmm, is 6/27 solstice correlated to Shavuat? How about Passover w/1rst day of Spring 3/21? Editor Larry Pierce refers to the 19yr lunar cycle (235 orbits, after which new moon is 1/1) and the 28yr solar cycle (after which each day/month corresponds exactly to that in earlier cycle) in his intro. From 4004 BC to 0 (i.e. 1 AD) there are exactly 143 28yr solar cycles, so 1 AD begins a new cycle (1-28 AD). Current cycle began 1/1/1989 and will end 12/31/2016, so 2009 is year 21. Hmmm, so days/dates in 2009 (1989-2016) should mirror those in 1981 (1961-1988). Hmmm, 2020 (2017-44) Passover is Th 4/9, but -28yrs 1992 is Sa 4/23, which means 4/9 is the Sa 2 wks before, NOT a Th (?! but -11yrs 2009 is the same), so 28yr solar cycle doesn't seem to work (what am I missing)? 2017 (1rst yr of cycle) Passover is Tu 4/11, but -28yrs 1989 (also 1rst yr) 4/11 is a Th (Pass?)? Hmmm.

The June 2007 "Been Thinking About" pamphlet (from RBC Ministries) further clarifies that "Jesus was crucified on Passover [#1] - to provide the ultimate exodus from bondage. He was buried during the Feast of Unleavened Bread [#2] - to once and for all 'put away' the leaven of sin. He was raised on the Feast of Firstfruits [#3] - as the first of all who will be resurrected in His Name. 50 days later, on the Feast of Pentecost [#4], the day on which Jewish people celebrate the giving of the Law - Jesus sent His Spirit to enable His followers to fulfill the principle of the law from their hearts. 3 holidays remain unfulfilled. They fall at the end of Israel's annual holiday cycle and correspond to predicted events that have not yet come to pass." By "law" [Torah] Jews mean "the total instruction that God entrusted to Israel via Moses, including law (moral commandments), history, and ceremonial rituals.

Another interesting tidbit. Here's how the Bible describes the "Festival of Trumpets" (i.e. Rosh Hashanah, Lev. 23:23-5, NRSV): "The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the people of Israel, saying: In the 7th month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of complete rest, a holy convocation commemorated with trumpet blasts. You shall not work at your occupations; and you shall present the LORD's offering by fire." So, trumpets are used to start the 5th (of 7) festival. Now look at 1 Thess. 4:16-7 (KJV): "For the LORD himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of GOD [NSRV: with the sound of GOD's trumpet]: and the dead in Christ shall first: Then we [who] are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD." Yet another indication that the LORD will likely return during the Fall celebration of Rosh Hashanah (i.e. Jewish New Year).

* See a good explanation of the 70 weeks of Daniel in br-400sy from John MacArthur's 1985 book The Future of Israel, in which he explains why Daniel's 490yrs (173,880 days) likely begins with Artaxerxes' 5 Mar 444 BC decree and ends with Jesus' 30 Mar 30 AD triumphal entry into Jerusalem (5 days before His crucifixion; 4 Apr 30 v. Ussher's 3 Apr 33, hmmm).

NT Jerusalem (HIBD pp1628-9)

"The [2nd] Temple was rebuilt [by Ezra, Zerubabbel, Nehemiah 536-445 BC and] later restored by the Maccabees, then enlarged and expanded by King Herod [the Great]. A great platform was built for [it], surrounded by massive walls. Herod hoped this would help to make the Jews more content w/Roman rule" (KAW p99, view of S entrances)

NT Jerusalem (CT Sep 2008): Jul 08 Leen Ritmeyer dated E wall masonry to c700 BC, i.e. King Hezekiah's era, confirmed Temple 500-cubit (861ft) square platform, drawing for ESV Study Bible, Golgotha in foreground is where Church of Holy Sepulchre now stands (see Israel)

Roman Prefects of the 1st Procuratorship of Judea (WWiB p256):

• before which, Herod's son Archelaus as tetrarch
  
• Coponius 6-9 AD
  
• Marcus Ambivulus 9-12 AD
  
• Annius Rufus 12-5 AD
  
• Valerius Gratus 15-26 AD
  
• Pontius Pilate 26-36 AD
  
• Marcellus 37 AD
  
• Marullus 37-41 AD
  
• after which, Agrippa I, gson of Herod, appt'd King of Roman Judea d44 AD
  
• Cuspius Fadus 44-6 AD (p301)
  
• Tiberius Alexander 46-8 AD (p301)
  
• Ventidius Cumanus 48-52 AD (p302)
  
• Antonius Felix 52-60 AD (p302)
  
• Porcius Festus 60-2 AD (p304)
  
• Lucceius Albinus 62-4 AD (p304)
  
• Gessius Florus 64-6 AD (p306, outbrk of Jewish war)
  

The original legend behind the mandylion [image of Christ, probably the Shroud of Turin, which became the most revered icon at Constaninople, which had by far the largest collection in the world prior to its 1204 plunder in 4th Crusade ... image came from Edessa in AD 944, likely originally from 1C Qumran, from Const. it landed at Lirey, a small town in N France (141), then to Duke of Savoy at Chambery (Ste-Chapelle), then to their new capital at Turin, Italy, where it remains today] claimed that 1C AD Abgar V the Black, king of Edessa, wrote to Jesus offering safe refuge in his city (124). A later version from c400 AD had Abgar sending a painter w/the letter to get a portrait of Jesus (126). About 100yrs later [c500], Armenian historian Moses of Korene spoke of the mandylion, and as the 6C progressed it was spoken of NOT as a painting but 'an image made not by human hands but by a miracle' and seen as 'a relic of great power'. The Byzantines were shocked by its physicality, expecting a 'pwrfl world ruler' they found 'a dead man' who'd been brutally murdered (128). This is probably why they concealed it in a special box showing only the face and hiding all the blood stains (also to protect it from Monophysites, who may've destroyed it otherwise). So a new version of the Abgar story had a sick Abgar sending a msgr [and painter] named Ananias. But when he couldn't paint Jesus, Jesus rubbed his face on a cloth to create an image. In his 1978 book, Ian Wilson speculated that it had been Abgar himself who'd concealed the wounds, showing only the face (Temp).