Why do people say Jesus was 33 years old?

Jamdoc

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The historical markers of the life of Jesus don't line up with the traditional view of Jesus being 33 years old, the only age references I've seen in the Gospels are in Luke, where it mentions Jesus being 12, and then "about" 30 when He began to preach. Matthew gives us the markers of Herod the Great dying. Which Herod the Great died in 4 BC. So Jesus would have had to have been born before then, and Herod ordered the killing of the male children under 2 in Bethlehem before he died, so that'd mean Jesus would have been born no later than about 5-6 BC. We know he was crucified based on astronomical data and the Jewish calendar (passover) on April 3, 33 AD, is the most likely date, and that in the Gospel of Luke they give Him as beginning His ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, Tiberius was coronated in 14 AD. so that'd be 29 AD. That'd make Jesus about 35 when He started His ministry and about 38-39 when He was crucified.
So where'd the 33 years old come from? Just the date 33 AD and assuming that the Monk who designated the AD/BC separation in Calendars was right that Jesus was born in 1 AD?
 
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HTacianas

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The historical markers of the life of Jesus don't line up with the traditional view of Jesus being 33 years old, the only age references I've seen in the Gospels are in Luke, where it mentions Jesus being 12, and then "about" 30 when He began to preach. Matthew gives us the markers of Herod the Great dying. Which Herod the Great died in 4 BC. So Jesus would have had to have been born before then, and Herod ordered the killing of the male children under 2 in Bethlehem before he died, so that'd mean Jesus would have been born no later than about 5-6 BC. We know he was crucified based on astronomical data and the Jewish calendar (passover) on April 3, 33 AD, is the most likely date, and that in the Gospel of Luke they give Him as beginning His ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, Tiberius was coronated in 14 AD. so that'd be 29 AD. That'd make Jesus about 35 when He started His ministry and about 38-39 when He was crucified.
So where'd the 33 years old come from? Just the date 33 AD and assuming that the Monk who designated the AD/BC separation in Calendars was right that Jesus was born in 1 AD?

No one knows. It is a "best guess". Luke says Jesus was "about thirty years of age" but he could have either been giving his in general, or he could have been identifying Jesus as an Essene judge. The Essenes did not consider a man an elder until he reached age thirty.
 
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Aussie Pete

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The historical markers of the life of Jesus don't line up with the traditional view of Jesus being 33 years old, the only age references I've seen in the Gospels are in Luke, where it mentions Jesus being 12, and then "about" 30 when He began to preach. Matthew gives us the markers of Herod the Great dying. Which Herod the Great died in 4 BC. So Jesus would have had to have been born before then, and Herod ordered the killing of the male children under 2 in Bethlehem before he died, so that'd mean Jesus would have been born no later than about 5-6 BC. We know he was crucified based on astronomical data and the Jewish calendar (passover) on April 3, 33 AD, is the most likely date, and that in the Gospel of Luke they give Him as beginning His ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, Tiberius was coronated in 14 AD. so that'd be 29 AD. That'd make Jesus about 35 when He started His ministry and about 38-39 when He was crucified.
So where'd the 33 years old come from? Just the date 33 AD and assuming that the Monk who designated the AD/BC separation in Calendars was right that Jesus was born in 1 AD?
The traditional birth date for Jesus is almost certainly wrong. Most modern scholars would agree with you.
 
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Original Happy Camper

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His ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, Tiberius was coronated in 14 AD. so that'd be 29 AD.

The dating of Tiberius Caesar’s reign is open to some debate. Jack Finegan has marvelously sorted through the data, writing some fourteen pages on the subject. He is detailed and precise. He demonstrates that the actual reign of Tiberius was from August 19, A.D. 14 through March 16, A.D. 37.

History tells us that he was co-regent with Augustus Caesar starting earlier in A.D. 11/12. This occurred because Augustus wanted a successor to his throne. Augustus’ first choice of an heir to the throne died before Augustus did. So he adopted his grandson Tiberius Caesar Augustus as a son in A.D. 4 so that he would be the heir to the throne. In A.D. 11/12 he was made co-regent and consequently became the ruler in August 19, A.D.

What are the dates of Tiberius Caesar's reign? | NeverThirsty

Tiberius Caesar began to reignjointly with his stepfather, Augustus Caesar, in AD 12. His fifteenth year was therefore AD 27 in which year Jesus was baptized and began Hiswork. Thus the Messiah appeared on time. He appeared on the very year foretold hundreds of years before by divine prophecy

http://pdf.amazingdiscoveries.org/eBooks/FUTURISMS_FAULTY_FOUNDATION.pdf
 
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JIMINZ

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So where'd the 33 years old come from? Just the date 33 AD and assuming that the Monk who designated the AD/BC separation in Calendars was right that Jesus was born in 1 AD?

It is really of no consequence when Jesus was born, for we all know that when He was born, the year was actually (1) no BC no AD it was the transition between the two.

So then regardless, when Jesus died He was 33 because He was born in the Year
(1)
 
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Jamdoc

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The dating of Tiberius Caesar’s reign is open to some debate. Jack Finegan has marvelously sorted through the data, writing some fourteen pages on the subject. He is detailed and precise. He demonstrates that the actual reign of Tiberius was from August 19, A.D. 14 through March 16, A.D. 37.

History tells us that he was co-regent with Augustus Caesar starting earlier in A.D. 11/12. This occurred because Augustus wanted a successor to his throne. Augustus’ first choice of an heir to the throne died before Augustus did. So he adopted his grandson Tiberius Caesar Augustus as a son in A.D. 4 so that he would be the heir to the throne. In A.D. 11/12 he was made co-regent and consequently became the ruler in August 19, A.D.

What are the dates of Tiberius Caesar's reign? | NeverThirsty

Tiberius Caesar began to reignjointly with his stepfather, Augustus Caesar, in AD 12. His fifteenth year was therefore AD 27 in which year Jesus was baptized and began Hiswork. Thus the Messiah appeared on time. He appeared on the very year foretold hundreds of years before by divine prophecy

http://pdf.amazingdiscoveries.org/eBooks/FUTURISMS_FAULTY_FOUNDATION.pdf

It is really of no consequence when Jesus was born, for we all know that when He was born, the year was actually (1) no BC no AD it was the transition between the two.

So then regardless, when Jesus died He was 33 because He was born in the Year
(1)

That doesn't explain Herod the Great, who died in 4 BC. You'd need to use the other possible date of Crucifixion which was in 30 AD, and Jesus would still be born around 5-6 BC in order to be alive when Herod was alive and ordering the murder of children under the age of 2. Still makes him 35-36 rather than 33.

It's not really of any consequence, just historical curiosity.
 
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ViaCrucis

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Luke says Jesus was "about thirty" when He began His ministry. The Gospels suggest at least three Passovers over the course of Jesus' ministry. So an age of 33 is usually offered assuming an age of 30 when He began His public ministry, and His ministry lasting at least three years, thus being 33 at the Passion.

We actually don't know. But 33 has been traditional as a "guesstimate".

-CryptoLutheran
 
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BNR32FAN

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The historical markers of the life of Jesus don't line up with the traditional view of Jesus being 33 years old, the only age references I've seen in the Gospels are in Luke, where it mentions Jesus being 12, and then "about" 30 when He began to preach. Matthew gives us the markers of Herod the Great dying. Which Herod the Great died in 4 BC. So Jesus would have had to have been born before then, and Herod ordered the killing of the male children under 2 in Bethlehem before he died, so that'd mean Jesus would have been born no later than about 5-6 BC. We know he was crucified based on astronomical data and the Jewish calendar (passover) on April 3, 33 AD, is the most likely date, and that in the Gospel of Luke they give Him as beginning His ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, Tiberius was coronated in 14 AD. so that'd be 29 AD. That'd make Jesus about 35 when He started His ministry and about 38-39 when He was crucified.
So where'd the 33 years old come from? Just the date 33 AD and assuming that the Monk who designated the AD/BC separation in Calendars was right that Jesus was born in 1 AD?

Ive heard that many believe that the year 0AD was actually off by about 4 years.
 
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ViaCrucis

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Ive heard that many believe that the year 0AD was actually off by about 4 years.

There was no year 0. 1 BC is followed by AD 1.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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BNR32FAN

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There was no year 0. 1 BC is followed by AD 1.

-CryptoLutheran

your right I should’ve known better. I knew that and I don’t know why it didn’t come to mind. My mistake. Just like there’s no 0 century.
 
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Jamdoc

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Ive heard that many believe that the year 0AD was actually off by about 4 years.
Yeah 1AD appears to be off by about 4-6 years given the reigns of kings/emperors stated within the Gospels. So I see Jesus as having been in his mid 30's when He began His ministry, rather than 30 on the nose. We know over 30, but under 50 directly from the Gospels of Luke and John.
 
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JIMINZ

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Yeah 1AD appears to be off by about 4-6 years given the reigns of kings/emperors stated within the Gospels. So I see Jesus as having been in his mid 30's when He began His ministry, rather than 30 on the nose. We know over 30, but under 50 directly from the Gospels of Luke and John.

Does it really make a difference, Jesus died for our sins, whether He was 33, or 93, get over it.
 
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Jamdoc

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Does it really make a difference, Jesus died for our sins, whether He was 33, or 93, get over it.
It is historical curiosity, in order to frame the events. It is also just wanting to know where popularly held beliefs that are not expressly in the bible come from.

In this case it's a popularly assumed age, that is never stated in the bible (only "about 30" stated in Luke and under 50 stated in John)
In other cases it can be a popular doctrine, stances on the millennial Kingdom, stances on the rapture.
If the bible doesn't come right out and say it, it has to be inferred from other verses, and many doctrines come from that. So sometimes it's good to know where beliefs come from if it's not directly quotable in scripture.
 
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JIMINZ

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It is historical curiosity, in order to frame the events. It is also just wanting to know where popularly held beliefs that are not expressly in the bible come from.

In this case it's a popularly assumed age, that is never stated in the bible (only "about 30" stated in Luke and under 50 stated in John)
In other cases it can be a popular doctrine, stances on the millennial Kingdom, stances on the rapture.
If the bible doesn't come right out and say it, it has to be inferred from other verses, and many doctrines come from that. So sometimes it's good to know where beliefs come from if it's not directly quotable in scripture.

Just accept the fact that no one knows and can't pinpoint when He was Born, Crucified.

If people could , the would them worship those days, we don't know when He will return either, (WHY) they are not important to the overall story of just who Jesus was and what He did for mankind, historically you will never come up with a spot on date.
 
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BNR32FAN

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Just accept the fact that no one knows and can't pinpoint when He was Born, Crucified.

If people could , the would them worship those days, we don't know when He will return either, (WHY) they are not important to the overall story of just who Jesus was and what He did for mankind, historically you will never come up with a spot on date.

you act like there’s something wrong with discussing it. Some people like to share information and ideas to get a broader perspective. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that.
 
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BobRyan

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The historical markers of the life of Jesus don't line up with the traditional view of Jesus being 33 years old, the only age references I've seen in the Gospels are in Luke, where it mentions Jesus being 12, and then "about" 30 when He began to preach. Matthew gives us the markers of Herod the Great dying. Which Herod the Great died in 4 BC.

There is no year "zero" so the dates do not work "Exactly" as a number line. Jesus was born in 4BC and in 27 AD he began his ministry

We know he was crucified based on astronomical data and the Jewish calendar (passover) on April 3, 33 AD, is the most likely date,

Very likely 31 A.D. not 33 AD.
The Mysterious Events of the Year 31 A.D.!

When did Jesus die? – Jesus died on Friday 31 AD April 27 at 3 pm [Nisan 14] « God's Word Explained

Most Christian churches teach that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning. They believe Jesus died in 33 AD since in that year Passover occurred on a Friday. They see the preparation day as the day before the weekly Sabbath. They count Friday as Day 1, Saturday as Day 2 and Sunday as Day 3.

Luke 24 says that week-day-1 Sunday "was the third day" since the crucifixion
 
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