Does the earthquake in the Gospels pinpoint the crucifixion date?

[Eklypised]

The Gospel of Matthew:
"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."

Now did a earthquake really happen. Well

Significant Earthquakes Full Search, sort by Date, Country

So from this a earthquake definitely happened in 33AD in ISRAEL: PALESTINE

And to corroborate Julius Africanus quotes Thallus’ reference the earthquake and darkness at Jesus’ death. The quote reads:

On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun.

Of course Thallus wasn’t a Christian.

• All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday
• All four gospels agree that Jesus died a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath (nightfall on a Friday)
• The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan; right before the start of the Passover meal

So with all this information its possible the crucifixion date is Friday April 3, 33 AD.

We can also get the year from a quote from
Phlegon

In the fourth year, however, of Olympiad 202 [32-33 AD] 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.

Another quote from St Agapius in the 10th century

We have found in many books of the philosophers that they refer to the day of crucifixion of Christ, and that they marvel thereat. The first of them is the philosopher Inflātūn, who says in the thirteenth chapter of the book he has written on the kings: In the reign of Caesar, the sun was darkened and there was night in [for?] nine hours; and the stars appeared. And there was a great and violent earthquake in Nicea and in all the towns that surround it. And strange things happened.

 

[dqhall]

The Gospel of Matthew:
"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."

Now did a earthquake really happen. Well

Significant Earthquakes Full Search, sort by Date, Country

So from this a earthquake definitely happened in 33AD in ISRAEL: PALESTINE

And to corroborate Julius Africanus quotes Thallus’ reference the earthquake and darkness at Jesus’ death. The quote reads:

On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun.

Of course Thallus wasn’t a Christian.

• All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday
• All four gospels agree that Jesus died a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath (nightfall on a Friday)
• The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan; right before the start of the Passover meal

So with all this information its possible the crucifixion date is Friday April 3, 33 AD.

We can also get the year from a quote from
Phlegon

In the fourth year, however, of Olympiad 202 [32-33 AD] 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.

Another quote from St Agapius in the 10th century

We have found in many books of the philosophers that they refer to the day of crucifixion of Christ, and that they marvel thereat. The first of them is the philosopher Inflātūn, who says in the thirteenth chapter of the book he has written on the kings: In the reign of Caesar, the sun was darkened and there was night in [for?] nine hours; and the stars appeared. And there was a great and violent earthquake in Nicea and in all the towns that surround it. And strange things happened.

I have read records of an earthquake in Tiberias and Safed in 1837. I saw a photo of an earthquake damaged hotel in Jericho from sometime after the camera was invented. There is a major fault zone along the Jordan River Valley. Can not confirm a global earthquake from the first century.

 

[Radagast]

We can also get the year from a quote from Phlegon

In the fourth year, however, of Olympiad 202 [32-33 AD] 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.

There was indeed a solar eclipse in 33 AD, but it wasn't visible in Israel. And solar eclipses can't happen on or near the Passover Full Moon anyway (the moon is in the wrong place).

 

[dqhall]

There was indeed a solar eclipse in 33 AD, but it wasn't visible in Israel. And solar eclipses can't happen on or near the Passover Full Moon anyway (the moon is in the wrong place).

This is why I am not a fundamentalist, but had to study Christianity in search of knowledge anyway.

 

[Radagast]

This is why I am not a fundamentalist, but had to study Christianity in search of knowledge anyway.

I don't know what "being a fundamentalist" has to do with it.

There was darkness at the Crucifixion, but obviously that darkness was not a solar eclipse.

 

[dqhall]

I don't know what "being a fundamentalist" has to do with it.

There was darkness at the Crucifixion, but obviously that darkness was not a solar eclipse.

Archaeology showed the cities Joshua was supposed to have destroyed were not occupied at the same time. The Kingdom of David was not as large as stated in the Bible. I am not surprised when finding contradictions. I am grateful some of Christ’s teachings were preserved.