How old was Jesus when . . .

[37818]

When Luke (3:23) said He was "about thirty years of age." He began His ministry in 28 AD (Luke 3:1). Many suppose He was 30. Now He was born before the death of Herod, Matthew 2:15. And He was then a toddler, Matthew 2:11. His ministry being a minimum of 2 years, three Passovers, John 2:13, John 6:4 and John 11:54-55. Making the crucifixion in 30 AD.

Herod is dated to have died in 4 BC. Jesus would have to been born likely no latter that 5 BC. Making Him at least a 1 year old as a toddler. His ministry beginning in 28 AD would ;make Him to be at about 30 to be 32 years old. And then about 34 when crucified.

[Just Passing Through]

[37818]

If Jesus was born in 3 BC then He would have been 30 years when (28 AD Luke 3:1) Luke referred to Him being about 30. Making Him to be 32 at time of the crucifixion, Him having about a 2 year ministry.

[Faber]

The high priest Matthias ben Theophilus, had a seminal discharge in his sleep, a wet dream during the night immediately before the day of Yom Kippur, which made him ceremonially unclean and thus unable to perform his duties as high priest during the next day. For this reason Herod had him replaced with a relative, Joseph ben Ellemus, on a temporary basis. (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 17 (Niese 17:165-7; Whiston xvii.6.4))

Although the high priest is permitted to perform any priestly function, the only function which he, and he alone, is required to perform is sacrificing on Yom Kippur and entering the Holy of Holies.

It was also about that time that Herod had Rabbi Matthias ben Margalothus put to death by burning. On the night of the execution of Matthias ben Margalothus there was a lunar eclipse. (Josephus, AntiquitiesAncient Roman Statutes, A Translation With Introduction, Commentary, Glossary and Index. (Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press; 1961. Reprinted Clark, New Jersey: The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.; 2003) 127.) If that was about the same time as the census in Judea, that would put the birth of Jesus in 5 BC.

Jesus would have been nearly 32 years old or older by Passover, AD 28.
herod eclipse.gif
Note: 1 BC is considered Year 0000 by calculation. 5 BC is Year -0004.

[Just Passing Through]

[Faber]

Consulships lasted only one year. The twelfth consulship of Augustus was 5 BC. The thirteehth consulship was 3 BC.

As to "the third year": The translation of the first line of the oath reads, "In the time of emperor Caesar Augustus, son of a god, during the twelfth consulship, in the third year, on the day before the Nones of March, in Gangris in . . ." There is a note, "The reference to the third year pertains to the third year after this part of Paphlagonia was incorporated within the Roman province of Galatia (in 6/5 BCE)." See link.http://philipharland.com/greco-roman...nessmen-3-bce/

On the two Matthiases, this may be confusing, but there were two different persons, both named Matthias, in these accounts.

* Prominent Rabbis Judas ben Saripheus and Matthias ben Margalothus, and their students mistakenly hear that Herod had died. They tear down the golden eagle which Herod had set up in the temple. (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 17 (Niese 17:155; Whiston xvii.6.3))

* Another Matthias, the high priest, is replaced by Herod with Joseph son of Ellemus, the brother of the high priest, in order to perform the sacred priestly duties. (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 17 (Niese 17:164-5; Whiston xvii.6.4))

* Herod orders the death of Rabbis Judas and Matthias ben Margalothus and their students. Rabbi Matthias ben Margalothus is put to death by burning. (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 17 (Niese 17:167; Whiston xvii.6.4))

* A lunar eclipse took place that night after the execution of Rabbi Matthias ben Margalothus. (Ibid.)

The Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Yoma, folio 12b (Epstein, Rabbi Dr. Isidore, ed. The Babylonian Talmud. London: Soncino Press, 1935-1952.), reads,

The Babylonian Talmud. London: Soncino Press, 1935-1952]Our Rabbis have taught: If a disqualifying accident occurred to him, and another was appointed in his place then the former returns [afterwards] to his office, whilst the latter has upon himself all the obligations toughing the high priesthood, this is the opinion of R. Meir. R. Jose says: The first returns to his office, the second becomes unfit for the office of either high priest or common priest. R, Jose said: It happened to Joseph b. Elam of Sepphoris that after a disqualifying accident happened to the high priest, he was appointed in the former's place, and the Sages said: The former returns to his office, the latter is unfit to be either a common priest or high priest.

Footnote 14 adds,

It happened to Joseph ben Ulam of Sepphoris ... who served for an hour (or: little while) as high priest and as he went out he said to the King: My lord and King: Whose were the bullock and the goat which were offered up to-day, did they come from me or from the high priest? The King understood (the trend) of his question and he replied: What is this, ben Ulam? Are you not satisfied with having served in the high priest's office for one hour before Him Who spoke and the world was created, so that you seek to obtain the high priest's office for yourself? In that moment ben Ulam understood that he was deposed from the high priesthood.

[37818]

In Luke 2:42, "And when he was twelve years old, . . ." Actually according to our reckoning He was 11.

His age of 12 is based on the day He was born being year 1 not 0.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 not 0 1 2 3 . . .

The calendar AD begins with 1 AD. 0 AD is 1 BC, being there is no year zero.

[Jesus was born before Herod's death. ]

[Just Passing Through]

As to "the third year": The translation of the first line of the oath reads, "In the time of emperor Caesar Augustus, son of a god, during the twelfth consulship, in the third year, on the day before the Nones of March, in Gangris in . . ." There is a note, "The reference to the third year pertains to the third year after this part of Paphlagonia was incorporated within the Roman province of Galatia (in 6/5 BCE)." See link.http://philipharland.com/greco-roman...nessmen-3-bce/

Josephus Antiquities XVII: But as for Herod, he dealt more mildly with others [of the assembly] but he deprived Matthias of the high priesthood, as in part an occasion of this action, and made Joazar, who was Matthias's wife's brother, high priest in his stead. Now it happened, that during the time of the high priesthood of this Matthias, there was another person made high priest for a single day, that very day which the Jews observed as a fast. The occasion was this: This Matthias the high priest, on the night before that day when the fast was to be celebrated, seemed, in a dream, to have conversation with his wife; and because he could not officiate himself on that account, Joseph, the son of Ellemus, his kinsman, assisted him in that sacred office. But Herod deprived this Matthias of the high priesthood, and burnt the other Matthias, who had raised the sedition, with his companions, alive. And that very night there was an eclipse of the moon.

[37818]

Ok. And this has to do with Jesus being how old when?

http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/fo...ld-History-201

[Faber]

I note that the Jewish Encyclopedia, on Matthias ben Theophilus (Not the Matthias in AD 65) connects him with the Matthias who was implicated with Golden Eagle incident (see hereRes GestaeThe Historical Geography of Asia Minor, vol. IV. (London: John Murray; 1890) 194-195.) follows Joachim Marquardt

[Just Passing Through]

[37818]

Luke wrote "about," ωσεί meaning approximately. And assuming He was 31 in 28 AD that would make Him to be 36 in 33 AD. (The 18th century proposed date for a Friday crucifixion).

[Rushing Jaws]

When Luke (3:23) said He was "about thirty years of age." He began His ministry in 28 AD (Luke 3:1). Many suppose He was 30. Now He was born before the death of Herod, Matthew 2:15. And He was then a toddler, Matthew 2:11. His ministry being a minimum of 2 years, three Passovers, John 2:13, John 6:4 and John 11:54-55. Making the crucifixion in 30 AD.

Herod is dated to have died in 4 BC. Jesus would have to been born likely no latter that 5 BC. Making Him at least a 1 year old as a toddler. His ministry beginning in 28 AD would ;make Him to be at about 30 to be 32 years old. And then about 34 when crucified.

David was thirty years old

https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/5-4.htm

The notion of Jesus as Davidic King is found in St Luke as well as in St Matthew.

See also https://biblehub.com/genesis/41-46.htm - Jesus is to some extent a Joseph-like figure.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

When Luke (3:23) said He was "about thirty years of age." He began His ministry in 28 AD (Luke 3:1). Many suppose He was 30. Now He was born before the death of Herod, Matthew 2:15. And He was then a toddler, Matthew 2:11. His ministry being a minimum of 2 years, three Passovers, John 2:13, John 6:4 and John 11:54-55. Making the crucifixion in 30 AD.

Herod is dated to have died in 4 BC. Jesus would have to been born likely no latter that 5 BC. Making Him at least a 1 year old as a toddler. His ministry beginning in 28 AD would ;make Him to be at about 30 to be 32 years old. And then about 34 when crucified.

Using your own logic then Luke's birth narrative must be wrong.

[Faber]

What would be wrong about Luke's narrative? If Herod died around 5-4 BC, then Jesus would have been born at the latest around 6-5 BC. He woul have been about age 33 when he began his ministry, if that was AD 28. and probably close to 35 if he died AD 30, which is the most commonly accepted year of his crucifixion.