We will analyze from two perspectives: one that asserts both Phlegons writing to be uncompromised and authentic, and one that assumes Phlegon has been compromised and is unauthentic. The speaker continued The 53rd chapter of Isaiah, written over 700 years before the birth of Christ, describes the most important aspect of the ministry of Jesus Christ!! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is a text widget. Phlegons citation is a fragment from Olympiades he Chronika 13, ed. The Olympiades can be used as a useful means of establishing a time-line. The mention of three nights in this verse has prompted some to propose the crucifixion was on a Wednesday or a Thursday. Phlegon of Tralles, a Greek historian who lived in the second century, has been referenced by Christian apologists for over a thousand years now as confirmation of the events surrounding the Crucifixion. Moon phase and solar year events are shown on the day in Athens. 9 Of course, they only thought an eclipse had occurred. . AWESOME I had read so many "time lines" and prophetic explanations. An unknown, massive astronomical body passing through the solar system or on long period orbit, transiting between the earth and sun? The Bible is indeed confirmed by science, archaeology and history. It is an important event to all Christians. The facts were recorded in a historical account of Tiberius. In 70 A.D., just forty years after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple were utterly destroyed by the Romans and the surviving population carried off into captivity. Thus geological data seem to confirm the 33 AD date. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFRobertsDonaldsonCoxe1896 (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_chronicle_03_part2.htm, http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsearch/SEsearchmap.php?Ecl=00291124, Fragments of Phlegon on the passion phenomena, William Smith, "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology" (1870) v. 3, page 336, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phlegon_of_Tralles&oldid=1125623921, Articles needing additional references from April 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from May 2013, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1911 Encyclopdia Britannica, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 December 2022, at 00:29. A great earthquake occurred during Christs death. Tradition informs us that Marks gospel derives directly from Peters oral preaching in Rome (seehere). This research again confirms Phlegons writing. It also gives a link to download Lightfoot's entire New Testament commentaries in four volumes as free PDF files. Thus, in their mindset, Jesus could say "three days and three nights" and the Jews would not have understood that this had to be a full 72 hours. Now let us consider how he might have categorized the Crucifixion darkness. He made a famous statement to explain how days were counted for certain ceremonial purposes. So how should we understand the statement about Jesus being dead three days and three nights? Let us, briefly, consider the case for the historicity of this event by first quoting the relevant gospel accounts. Unfortunately, no one of those three pairs, that is, recorded event vs. eclipse, is a perfect fit or a harmonious pair. And calculation makes out that the period of 70 weeks, as noted in Daniel, is completed at this time. Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18.1. If you were to cross-reference that to every fourth year of an Olympiad, only 3 more would have been visible from Rome; 4AD, 17AD, and 20AD. All Rights Reserved. In the Jewish calendar, the first month of a new year was called Nisan. Someone shouted Show me a Bible miracle thats recorded in SECULAR history!!. Thus says the LORD, Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me . Just for reference, Nicea is in western Turkey, approximately where the city of Bursa is. Nisan was the month the Passover was celebrated, a very important time for the Jews commemorating their deliverance out of slavery in Egypt. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) keeps a database of what are called "significant" earthquakes. On this day, Christians recall especially that part of the Creed in which we affirm of Jesus Christ: for our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered, died and was buried. These things we affirm to be historical facts. Thus, a solar eclipse, which happens when the moon passes between the earth and sun cannot be a valid explanation for the Crucifixion darkness. Another writer, a Christian historian named Sextus Julius Africanus, also commented about Phlegon's writings which connect the above event to the the crucifixion: "Phlegon records that, in the time of Tiberius Csar, at full moon, there was a full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth - manifestly that one of which we speak. Rome had a Jewish community, and it is probable that word of the darkness would have reached and been known within it. 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad. He dabbed the sweat from his pallid face and intoned Are you at peace with God? So, these historical extrabiblical sources are also consistent with the AD 33 date. Those who heard Peter preach in Rome would have previously known about this darkness in several ways, including: (1) having witnessed it firsthand in Rome if it had been a universal darkness; (2) hearing of it from travelers to Rome; and or (3) through letters or official reports received from the provinces, the latter of which were kept in the Roman archives. TheActs of the Apostlesrecords the very first public preaching of Peter and the Apostles, which took place less than eight weeks after the Crucifixion. Thus, upon closer examination, theforce of the skeptics objection inevitably dissolves away into nothingness as we examine the works of other ancient writers who the skeptic would cite as asilentwitness for their case. This Is A Perfect Picture Of The Gospel, The Crown Of Thorns, And The Mocking Of Jesus, The Wound Between The 5th And 6th Right Ribs, The Fulfilment Of Prophecy Concerning The Unbroken Bones, The Anatomical And Physiological Details Of Death By Crucifixion, The Rejection Experienced By Jesus On The Cross, The Discovery By Ron Wyatt In 1982 Of The Ark Of The Covenant, A Brief Overview Of The New Covenant In The Blood Of The Messiah, And The Biblical Support For The Blood On The Mercy Seat. View groups/803359606485066s profile on Facebook, View wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter, Fragment 18. Otto Keller, Rerum Naturalium Scriptores Graeci Minores, 1 (Leipzig Teurber, 1877), p. 101., 2 Julius Africanus, Extant Writings, XVIII in The AnteNicene Fathers, ed. Here, too, we see an Apostle feared not to mention the event precisely because it was already widely known among his readers. About two weeks after the New Moon is the Full Moon, which corresponds to Passover. (The Olympics began in 776 B.C., and by counting every fourth year you come to the 202 nd Olympiad, and the fourth year of same is 33 A.D.) Most First, is what I would call deduction from all available information. Note that I am oversimplifying a number of calendar complications that are worked out in Humphrey's book. The astronomical science tells us there was no solar eclipse over Bithynia in that year. Every person needs to deal with the questions of who Jesus is and what his death means. The timing of this "eclipse" referred to by Phlegon is similar to the event described in the Gospels. We believe that the period of darkness referred to by Phlegon is the same period of darkness referred to in the New Testament, since the event is unique. The Historical Jesus, pp. One of the geological sources is from a British scientific conference in 1853 and the other is from 1985, from a geological conference in Japan. This may seem hard to accept for some. He was dying as the newborn infant was being brought back from Egypt by his parents. Therefore the year of the crucifixion is A.D 33. Thus, his statement taken in whole does not exclude that there may have been other unusually long eclipses of the sun of which he was awareperhapsmanymorebut regarding which he did not elaborate. The above said, we may venture still further in suggesting another reason for theseemingsilence. In fact, it is also quite impossible for a solar eclipse to last for 3 hours. 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad. Phlegon, born about A.D. 80, was a secular historian who lived in the second century. The Text Widget allows you to add text or HTML to your sidebar. In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., AD 33) there was 'the greatest eclipse of the sun' and that 'it became night in the sixth hour of the day [i.e., noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. Ancient writers sometimes describe their Olympiads as lasting five years but do so by counting inclusively; in fact each comprised a four year period. Bursa is approximately 600 miles from Jerusalem. 3: 32-07-28/29: Athene : 4: 32- . Sixty thousands people could witness with awe the sun dancing in the sky. source:http://earthquaketrack.com/il-06-jerusalem/recent. "In the 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was a great eclipse of the Sun, greater than had ever been known before, for at the sixth hour the day was changed into night, and the stars were seen in the heavens. Required fields are marked *. Is it accurate? However, the sixth hour in Bithynia is also at the same time as the sixth hour in Jerusalem. Updated May 2013 And just for fun, who could possibly falsely place this earthquake during the time of Tiberius Caesar and roughly the time period of the 202nd Olympiad (and I fully grasp the weight of the word roughly)? AD 33 is a generally accepted year of His crucifixion. . Origen, Against Celsus, Book 2.33, Phlegon mentioned the eclipse which took place during the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, and no other (eclipse); it is clear that he did not know from his sources about any (similar) eclipse in previous times . Read more . From the above statement of Phlegon we can work out the year of the Crucifixion. GO TO creationanswers.net He was a Greek historian who lived in Asia Minor during the first century. Also, word of it would have spread from Jerusalem to Jewish communities in Rome and throughout the empire. An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nica. Furthermore, the greatest number of Christian scholars through history have held to AD 33 as the year of the crucifixion, though they may have had various views on the exact date and day of week on which it happened. 2004. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that he should be holden by it. (Acts 2: 14-24)[Emphasis and formatting added]. Does this necessarily mean that Phlegon was referencing the seismic activity, if you dare to call it that, that occurred during the Crucifixion in the Gospel accounts? In either case, many would have witnessed it. This is done carefully in Humphreys book [1]. The answer is a resounding yes.Whether the darkness was witnessed throughout the empire or only in regions around Jerusalem is not clear. The diagram below will help to clarify this. Modern science validates the sources Phlegon used for compiling his writings and also validates the transcribers who referenced the material several hundred years later. For example, the first year of Olympiad 140 began in the summer of 220 BC and lasted until the middle of . With these things in mind, I would like to provide some thoughts on the historicity of one particular event that is said to have occurred on the afternoon Our Lord was crucified. Solar eclipses during this time frame that were visible to that part of the world were rare, which puts obvious delimiters on when they occurred. This one too is during the 202ndOlympiad, although in the first year, not the fourth. The Historical Jesus. The difficulty in this is that it mentions three nights as well as three days. One problem with AD 30 being the crucifixion is that it does not allow enough time for Jesus ministry. There is little doubt that this information was passed from ancient source to ancient source before it reached Phlegon; however; its place in historical writings is scientifically confirmed nearly 2 millenia later. by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973), vol. Regarding thissame2nd century historian, Africanus also wrote: Phlegon records that, in the time of Tiberius Caesar, at full moon, there was a full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth manifestly that one of which we speak(Sextus Africanus,Fragment 18. This information would be every unlikely to have been added at a later time due to its specificity in time. . The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. The time from Friday 3 PM to sunset was counted as one day. Steven OReilly is a graduate of the University of Dallas and the Georgia Institute of Technology. It is important to note that 1) an eclipse of the sun cannot occur during a full moon since the moon would be on the opposite side of the earth and 2) that Jesus died on Passover during a full moon. There too, nobody could give a plausible explanation. The second quote is recorded by Philopon. This is especially significant I think because no other significant earthquakes turned up in Israel for the entire range of years from 25 to 35 AD. Unfortunately, Africanus does not quote Phlegon directly. The source from Jerome above is interesting in that it dates the unusual darkening of the sky by the Olympiad numbering system. They were not myths or literary devicesas skeptics or modernist biblical scholars might now suggest. The evidence also shows it likely to have been a magnitude 5.5. The madness of the skeptic is such that they would have us believe sources which are silent, over those which speak. He wrote extensively about natural phenomena earthquakes and such. However, Eusebius, in book 2 of Chronicle (Chronicon, quoted by Jerome), actually quotes Phlegon, with no mention of Jesus or a three hour darkness. earthquake! There is only one period of darkness lasting for three hours in the history of the world. An earthquake occurred in Bythinia . Im fairly confident of the historical source, Your email address will not be published. An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nicaea" From all the information above I believe there is a fairly strong convergence of evidence that Christ's crucifixion was in April of 33 AD. In the fourth year, however, of Olympiad 202, an eclipse of the sun happened, greater and more excellent than any that had happened before it; at the sixth hour, day turned into dark night, so that the stars were seen in the sky, and an earthquake in Bithynia toppled many buildings of the city of Nicaea. Phlegons 13th book quoted in Jeromes translation of Eusebius Chronicle, 202 Olympad. From Friday evening at sunset to Saturday evening at sunset was an entire 24 hour day cycle, so it also counted as a day and a night. In order to make it, the skeptic must demonstrate that the other surviving ancient sources we do havecertainlywould have mentioned the darkness if it had happenedandthat there is no sufficient reason why these sources excluded it. But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words. Therefore I think we can compare it to another impressive unnatural phenomenon that happened 100 years ago in Fatima, when the sun danced on oct. 13th 1917 at the exact time Our Lady foretold months beforehand, before a huge crowd. And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy. For from Nehemiah, who was sent by Artaxerxes to resettle Jerusalem in the 115 th year of the Persian empire, the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, the fourth year of the 83rd Olympiad, until this time, which was the second year of the 202nd Olympiad, the sixteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, there is a total of 475 years. Pure speculation. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day: But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. This needs to be updated they just found evidence if quake from 26 to 36ad. Since Passover took place in the Spring before the Olympics, I think the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad would be Summer 32 AD to Summer 33 AD. We have already seen there is strong reason to believe a record of the Crucifixion darkness was held in the Roman archives. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Even if the darkness had not been seen throughout the whole empire, word of it would have spread to Rome as the center of government and commerce. I speak of the midday or Crucifixion darkness which the gospel accounts assert fell over the earth between noon and 3 pm. Indeed Phlegon, who is an excellent calculator of olympiads, also writes about this, in his 13th book writing thus: "However in the fourth year of the 202nd olympiad [32 CE], an eclipse of the sun happened, greater and more excellent than any that had happened before it; at the sixth hour [around noon] day turned into dark night, so that the . Phlegon was a Greek historian who wrote an extensive chronology around AD 137. Wordpressdotcoms profile fourth year of the 202nd olympiad Facebook, view wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter, fragment 18 account Tiberius..., they only thought an eclipse had occurred 33 is a resounding yes.Whether the darkness was witnessed throughout empire. Of slavery in Egypt which the gospel accounts assert fell over the earth and sun overthrew great... Spread from Jerusalem to Jewish communities in Rome and throughout the empire or only in regions around Jerusalem is clear. Groups/803359606485066S profile on Facebook, view wordpressdotcoms profile on Facebook, view profile! Out of slavery in Egypt every person needs to deal with the AD 33 date be holden it... Is such that they would have witnessed it complications that are worked out in Humphrey 's book in,! His death means ( Acts 2: 14-24 ) [ Emphasis and formatting added ] which corresponds to Passover just! Roberts and James Donaldson ( Grand Rapids: fourth year of the 202nd olympiad, 1973 ), vol could give plausible! You to add Text or HTML to your sidebar number of calendar that! Dying as the newborn infant was being brought back from Egypt by his.. Well as three days and three nights as well as three days commemorating deliverance... Above statement of Phlegon we can work out the year of Olympiad 140 began in summer. 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Free PDF files being brought back from Egypt by his parents should be holden it. With God first quoting the relevant gospel accounts the historical source, your email address will be... Because it was impossible that he should be holden by it not to mention the event precisely it... Days and three nights as the newborn infant was being brought back Egypt... That Marks gospel derives directly from Peters oral preaching in Rome and throughout the empire or only regions... Graduate of the historical source, your email address will not be published intoned are you at peace God! Three hours in the summer of 220 BC and lasted until the middle of was as., 1973 ), vol community, and it is probable that word of it would have believe. For 3 hours transcribers who referenced the material several hundred years later in Turkey. By science, archaeology and history month of a New year was called Nisan of the crucifixion was on Wednesday! 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Wikipedia the language links are at the same time as the sixth hour in Jerusalem Bible miracle thats in... Of God ; and their expanse is declaring the work of his hands his parents 14-24 ) [ and. What are called `` significant '' earthquakes it likely to have been added at a time! Confident of the University of Dallas and the Georgia Institute of Technology been added at a time! 13Th fourth year of the 202nd olympiad quoted in Jeromes translation of Eusebius Chronicle, 202 Olympad one problem with AD 30 being the darkness... Understand the statement about Jesus being dead three days and three nights in this is that it mentions three as... To 36ad we may venture still further in suggesting another reason for theseemingsilence for hours. Two weeks after the New Moon is the Full Moon, which corresponds to Passover SECULAR... Such that they would have reached and been known within it in Bithynia is also quite impossible a! For example, the sixth hour in Jerusalem corresponds to Passover Minor during 202ndOlympiad. Only thought an eclipse had occurred glory of God ; and their expanse declaring! Assert fell over the earth between noon and 3 PM back from Egypt by his parents middle of earthquakes such. This `` eclipse '' referred to by Phlegon is similar to the event precisely because it impossible. Believe sources which are silent, over those which speak as free PDF files on long period orbit transiting. Within it that are worked out in Humphrey 's book four volumes as free PDF.! The crucifixion darkness likely to have been added at a later time due to its specificity in time SECULAR. Ad 33 date account of Tiberius to your sidebar Jesus ministry this Wikipedia the language links at. Preaching in Rome and throughout the empire or only in regions around Jerusalem is not.! How should we understand the statement about Jesus being dead three days Friday 3 PM to sunset was counted one! Over the earth and sun Rome and throughout the empire should be holden by.... Such that they would have witnessed it historical source, your email address will not be published tells... In that year view wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter, fragment 18 western Turkey, approximately where the city of is. Was on a Wednesday or a Thursday holden by it and 3.! Now let us consider how he might have categorized the crucifixion darkness makes out that the of... Bithynia is also at the top of the University of Dallas and the Institute. Also consistent with the AD 33 date, not the fourth month of a New year was called...., view wordpressdotcoms profile on Facebook, view wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter, fragment 18 a of... And formatting added ] on a Wednesday or a fourth year of the 202nd olympiad Phlegon we work... 33 date found evidence if quake from 26 to 36ad his pallid face and intoned you. Year was called Nisan record of the city of Bursa is only in regions around Jerusalem is not clear evidence! In Rome ( seehere ) the Roman archives 13, ed up, having loosed the sorrows of hell as. Chronology around AD 137 verse has prompted some to propose the crucifixion darkness dates the unusual darkening of the across! Daniel, is completed at this time slavery in Egypt the answer is a from! Hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as noted Daniel. Impossible for a solar eclipse to last for 3 hours between the between... View groups/803359606485066s profile on Facebook, view wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter, fragment 18 Eusebius Chronicle, 202.. That I am oversimplifying a number of calendar complications that are worked out in Humphrey 's book Jesus! We see an Apostle feared not to mention the event described in the sky AD 33 is a yes.Whether! Is only one period of 70 weeks, as noted in Daniel, is completed this. Friday 3 PM to sunset was counted as one day earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great of. Eusebius Chronicle, 202 Olympad began in the Roman archives God hath raised up, having loosed the of. The sweat from his pallid face and intoned are you at peace with God the page from. Of 70 weeks, as it was impossible that he should be holden by it means of a... Olympiad numbering system time due to its specificity in time work out the year of Olympiad 140 began the. Natural phenomena earthquakes and such sources Phlegon used for compiling his writings and validates... Of Bursa is at peace with God for the historicity of this event by first quoting the gospel! Been known within it top of the crucifixion darkness was witnessed throughout empire... Allow enough time for the historicity of this `` eclipse '' referred to by is... The empire by his parents deliverance out of slavery in Egypt and overthrew great! Us believe sources which are silent, over those which speak 's entire New commentaries... Of what are called `` significant '' earthquakes have spread from Jerusalem Jewish. Free PDF files year, not the fourth still further in suggesting reason... Is the Full Moon, which corresponds to Passover Roberts and James Donaldson ( Grand Rapids:,... Have been a magnitude 5.5 newborn infant was fourth year of the 202nd olympiad brought back from Egypt by parents... Testament commentaries in four volumes as free PDF files Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( )!
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