5 Therefore, Jesus was certainly born before 4 BC, possibly as early as 7 BC if we allow for a year between the magi’s visit and Herod’s death. From the Jewish historian Josephus and other sources, we know that Herod the Great died in 4 BC. This is where other ancient historians are helpful. Shortly after this, Herod the Great died. Going off the details of this decree, we can see that the magi probably visited Jesus when he was one or two years old, not while he was in the manger as is traditionally thought. Then, based on the information they gave him, he secretly ordered the slaughter of all boys ages two and younger in Bethlehem. Wanting to dispose of any potential challenges to his authority, Herod asked the magi exactly when the baby was born. When Herod heard a rumor from the magi that a “king” had been born in the town of Bethlehem, he was jealous. 3Īccording to the Gospel of Matthew, magi-wise men-came to Judea to visit the baby Jesus. Why do scholars think Jesus was born between 7 and 4 BC? First off, one of the earliest historical documents to record Jesus’ birth says it took place during the reign of Herod the Great, the Roman ruler over Judea. 2 The Birth of Jesus and the Gospel of Matthew
In the early Middle Ages, when the Christian monk Dionysius Exiguus tried to calculate the year of Jesus’ birth and consequently developed our date numbering schema, he was off by a few years. In fact, most scholars now agree that Jesus was probably born between 7 and 4 BC. So was Jesus born exactly halfway between 1 BC and AD 1? Well, it’s not that easy to figure out. Early Christians who created the calendar based on Jesus’ birth established that the year immediately preceding the birth was 1 BC and the year immediately following it was AD 1. This all begs an interesting set of questions: How do we know when Jesus was born? Are we sure we’ve gotten it right? Exactly when was Jesus born?įor starters, we must recognize that in this date system there is no year zero. And to tell someone that you were born in 1992 is to say you were born 1,992 years after Jesus. So if Alexander the Great was born in 356 BC, he was born 356 years before the birth of Jesus. The era before Jesus’ birth is known (oh-so creatively) as BC, or “Before Christ.” The era that follows (our current era) is referred to as AD, which comes from the Latin term Anno Domini, meaning “in the year of the Lord.” 1
By the end of the eighth century the proposal was widely accepted. In the sixth century AD, Christian scholars proposed numbering the years by using the birth of Jesus of Nazareth as a starting point. Though some cultures use a different calendar, the most widely accepted scheme today is the Gregorian calendar. The Birth of Jesus and the Gregorian Calendar The years, decades, and centuries of human history are all marked by one event: the birth of Jesus Christ. Whether it’s 2012, 2013, or 2020, we’re subtly reminded that the very number of the year is established by something that took place over two millennia ago. In fact, every time you write a check, file your taxes, book a reservation, or simply make an appointment, it’s there too. Even if you’re not religious, it’s hard to escape the nativity scenes and carols reminding us of that “silent night” long ago.īut the occasion that takes every December by storm isn’t lost on the rest of the year.
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