Why are we not sure when Jesus was born?

Rusticus · #11 30th August 2006, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by billwald

We don't know because it is not important.

Oh, I agree with that.

But what do you say to an ubeliever who tells you: "You don't know because it never happend", as they told me?

lilymarie · #12 30th August 2006, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by Rusticus

Oh, I agree with that.

But what do you say to an ubeliever who tells you: "You don't know because it never happend", as they told me?

Another reason for faith. God is very wise. I think faith brings wisdom into love.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

________________

Note: Some translations say: charity in place of the word love. Charity would be "giving".

So some translations read: And now these three remain: faith, hope, and charity. But the greatest of these is charity.

God is very wise. The Bible leaves us to exercise a great deal of faith, and hope and love and giving.

__________

Also, I study archaeology. The writing was primative with not much but cave paintings and drawings and scribles that were called "runes". The Hebrews started a very early language. And Greek and Latin where still in the very early stages of languages. God knew what he was doing. With the blanks left open

a) None can be all knowing like God

b) We still need to exercise faith otherwise we'd all be a bunch of "easy" believers instead of self-sacrificing to seek him and serve him, even though we cannot see him with our eyes, we see and love him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

God is still the only All knowing, Almighty God.

How wise is that! No one can boast they are all knowing like God.

JohnR7 · #13 31st August 2006, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by Rusticus

Why is it that scholars only give us a range of years during which they think Jesus was born?

If we knew when Jesus was born, then we could know when He will return. As it is we know the general time, but we do not know the exact day or even the exact year for sure.

The church age began when Jesus was around 33 1/2 years of age. (half a week) We are told the Church age will last two days or 2,000 years. So if you knew when He was born, then you could add 2033 years and know when the church age would come to an end.

Different people have different ideas about what is going to happen at the end of the Church age. We know there will be a 1000 year reign of Christ and some people believe that there will be a 7 year period that takes place in between those two eras.

The temple was tore down at 70 years or one week.

goliwog · #14 31st August 2006, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by lilymarie

Oh sorry, I see you are going for the year.

Actually, I don't think that can be discovered.

The printing press wasn't invented until the 15th century! Before that all things were written down by hand and most papers are long since dust.

As far as the year, they are pretty close. The Romans decided the year or tried to calculate around 600 AD, I believe.

Type in your search box "what year was Jesus born" and see what you come up with.

Quote:
Oh sorry, I see you are going for the year.

Actually, I don't think that can be discovered.

The printing press wasn't invented until the 15th century! Before that all things were written down by hand and most papers are long since dust.

As far as the year, they are pretty close. The Romans decided the year or tried to calculate around 600 AD, I believe.

Type in your search box "what year was Jesus born" and see what you come up with
Just to clarify The historian noted for creating the a.d/ B.c System was venerable bede (672-735). Originally he intended the A.d B.c system to fall so that the year 1 was on jesus birth/ How was this determined ? Actully bede used the A.d BC system because different culture used many different dating systems and a.d B.c was just a simplification. Anglo saxons for examples dated by the reigns of their kings others used a system instituted by constantine. They did manage to agree that jesus must of been born on what they called year 1 but it is impossible to say how accurate this computus is. The real question is not when was jesus Born but on what calendar do we use ?

I only know a little about computus but perhaps someone can pick up where i leave off

FallingWaters · #15 31st August 2006, 10:16 AM

Well! Have I found a treat for you! I think you have a great question here, so I did a little Googling (I coined it first!) and came up with a really in depth study of the whole problem.
On an objection about Luke, Quirinius, and Herods:

The bottom line, I think, is 3 BC.

"...but there is a reference to such a registration of all the Roman people not long before 5 February 2 B.C. written by Caesar Augustus himself:..."

FallingWaters · #16 31st August 2006, 10:29 AM

I found another web site that adds even more interesting information!
About Exact Date Jesus Was Born

They have the boldness to claim:
Jesus was born within a few minutes of 6:30-7:30 pm on the evening of September 11th, 3 BC.

RECANT

It's based on a BOGUS method of interpreting scripture which I didn't notice until analyzing it more deeply today.. Do yourself a favor and don't believe any of it.

My apologies to anyone I may have misled.

ROGER459 · #17 31st August 2006, 11:11 AM

What difference does it make what day Jesus was Born ON? Mis-Led persons would want to make a Holiday out of it, and there would be even More Fighting over which day Jesus was really born on!

As an Example, lets for discussion say that Jesus was born on July 1. The Real Christians would move their Chrismas to July 1 and the Pegans [i.e. Non-believers] would continue to Celebrate Christmas on December 25!

All the MERCHANSTS, would then have a Double Profit from the Dual Christmas's! Wow!

Perhpas if we would go the THE HOLY SCRIPTURES AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT QUESTIONS?

(TitUS 3:8)This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
(*** 3:9) But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Thanks, Roger459

FallingWaters · #18 31st August 2006, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by ROGER459

What difference does it make what day Jesus was Born ON? Mis-Led persons would want to make a Holiday out of it, and there would be even More Fighting over which day Jesus was really born on!

As an Example, lets for discussion say that Jesus was born on July 1. The Real Christians would move their Chrismas to July 1 and the Pegans [i.e. Non-believers] would continue to Celebrate Christmas on December 25!

All the MERCHANSTS, would then have a Double Profit from the Dual Christmas's! Wow!

Perhpas if we would go the THE HOLY SCRIPTURES AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT QUESTIONS?

(TitUS 3:8)This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
(*** 3:9) But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Thanks, Roger459

This post makes me feel minimized... like the things I am curious about don't matter... like I don't matter... and my opinion isn't important.

I prefer knowing the truth to believing a tradition of man. Whatever truth there is to know, I want to know it. If it cannot be known then I can wait till I get to heaven to find out.

Even if you do know more than me about the Bible, I would be much more open to your ideas if they were delivered with love and gentleness.
Gal 6:1 "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."

Rusticus · #19 1st September 2006, 08:30 AM

Thanks for all the helpful hints.

Because I was asking this in response to a question from a non-believer I was more interested in an independent historical verification rather than in one than is based on scripture itself.

FallingWaters, I have done a bit of googling ([TM], lol) myself and, yes 3 BC seems to be the general consensus.
If you are interested in the subject, this http://www.op.org/op/ebaf/inwhat.htm website might be worth reading, because of the different tack they take on the census. They feel it was not one of the periodic ones for the whole roman empire, but a specific one for palestine.

Roger459, It is all very well to say that these are foolish questions. But when talking to a non-believer, who might just become a believer if we treat them right, one can't just say: Don't ask any questions, just believe, or else........

FallingWaters · #20 1st September 2006, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by Rusticus

Thanks for all the helpful hints.

Because I was asking this in response to a question from a non-believer I was more interested in an independent historical verification rather than in one than is based on scripture itself.

FallingWaters, I have done a bit of googling ([TM], lol) myself and, yes 3 BC seems to be the general consensus.
If you are interested in the subject, this http://www.op.org/op/ebaf/inwhat.htm website might be worth reading, because of the different tack they take on the census. They feel it was not one of the periodic ones for the whole roman empire, but a specific one for palestine.

Roger459, It is all very well to say that these are foolish questions. But when talking to a non-believer, who might just become a believer if we treat them right, one can't just say: Don't ask any questions, just believe, or else........

Thanks for the link. I'll go check it out... glad you like my new word