Julius Africanus elsewhere makes the point that what was sometimes referred to as an eclipse of the Sun by Roman writers could not possibly be a solar eclipse because it happened at the wrong time of the month [5]. In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., AD 33), there was 'the greatest eclipse of the sun' and that it became night in the sixth hour of the day [i.e., noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. However, this is scientifically impossible. What miracles!!? In light of themassobservation and notoriety of a three hour darkness, it would not have made any sense for the Apostlesin preaching or writing about the truth of Christ to believers and nonbelievers aliketo have mentioned this darkness if it had notreallyhappened. In 70 A.D., just forty years after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple were utterly destroyed by the Romans and the surviving population carried off into captivity. Retrieved November 30, 2006 from [2]. (The Olympics began in 776 B.C., and by counting every fourth year you come to the 202 nd Olympiad, and the fourth year of same is 33 A.D.) Most Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that he should be holden by it. (Acts 2: 14-24)[Emphasis and formatting added]. He was athletically built and his firm, steady voice brought the audience to a hush. There are few historical records that are actually from the time of Christ but there are some records from historians from the second century AD. Every person needs to deal with the questions of who Jesus is and what his death means. The 202nd Olympiad has been calculated to run from July AD 29 to June AD 33. Matthew 12:40 says that as Jonah was three days and three nights in the fish, Jesus would be dead three days and three nights. Phlegon of Tralles, a Greek historian who lived in the second century, has been referenced by Christian apologists for over a thousand years now as confirmation of the events surrounding the Crucifixion. Is this a powerful confirmation of the events described in the New Testament? An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nica. He can be contacted at [email protected]. The madness of the skeptic is such that they would have us believe sources which are silent, over those which speak. Edit them in the Widget section of the, Repost: The Historicity of the Crucifixion Darkness. To God nothing is impossible. The Romans and Jews could have falsified Peters claimhad it been false. But consider how do we know anything about history? He said, "A day and a night are an Onah, and the portion of an Onah is as the whole of it." I will go into more detail about this process below. Someone shouted Show me a Bible miracle thats recorded in SECULAR history!!. The Formal Correction is on the way! View groups/803359606485066s profile on Facebook, View wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter, Fragment 18. In sum, the words of Tertullian and Africanus show us that in ancient times onlythe explanation of the causeof the three hour darkness was in dispute,not the fact of it. The maximum duration for a total solar eclipse is seven minutes, not three hours, and at the latitude of Jerusalem the maximum duration is even less. The timing of this "eclipse" referred to by Phlegon is similar to the event described in the Gospels. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. [1] There are two books credited to his name:Chronicles and the Olympiads. [citation needed]. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. Though it is almost impossible to deny that this strange event truly happened, on the same day our Lord died on the Cross, I strived for years to find a natural astronomical explanation about it but in vain. 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad. "In the 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was a great eclipse [Greek EKLEIPSIS] of the Sun, greater than had ever been known before, for at the 6th hour the day was changed into night and the stars were seen in the heavens. He asks for your prayers for his intentions. Since Passover took place in the Spring before the Olympics, I think the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad would be Summer 32 AD to Summer 33 AD. Thus says the LORD, Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me . Therefore, it is possible Phlegons source witnessed the Crucifixion darkness from there at the same hoursuggesting the darkness and earthquakes reached far beyond the region around Jerusalem. Please note, I do not believe that this eclipse is connected with the crucifixion. This sediment outcrop is a distinctive one-foot thick mixed layer of sediment that is tied strongly to the Qumran earthquakes onshore ground ruptures of 31 B.C. I did a search for the years 25 through 35 AD for the nation of Israel. We only have fragments left to us of this monumental work and quotations of it from other writers. Those who were not aware that this had been predicted about Christ, no doubt thought it an eclipse. source:http://earthquaketrack.com/il-06-jerusalem/recent. If his ministry was for 3 years, then he was crucified aged 36, and the darkness and earthquake would have occurred in that year of 36CE. . This is especially significant I think because no other significant earthquakes turned up in Israel for the entire range of years from 25 to 35 AD. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Other works ascribed to Phlegon in the Suda are a description of Sicily, a work on the Roman festivals in three books, and a topography of Rome: Origen of Alexandria (182-254 AD), in Against Celsus (Book II, Chap. For example, the first year of Olympiad 140 began in the summer of 220 BC and lasted until the middle of . Though historical data may be sketchy on some issues sometimes, regarding Christ's crucifixion, the evidence we have confirming the New Testament is I think very persuasive. Updated May 2013 There were Jewish, Christian, and Roman writers from the first and second centuries that refer to Christ and the crucifixion. Originally written in Aramaic, it was intended for a Jewish audience. Those who heard Peter preach in Rome would have previously known about this darkness in several ways, including: (1) having witnessed it firsthand in Rome if it had been a universal darkness; (2) hearing of it from travelers to Rome; and or (3) through letters or official reports received from the provinces, the latter of which were kept in the Roman archives. In his book Chronicle of the Olympiad he records a miracle mentioned in the New Testament. From the direct quote above, it is clear Phlegons source is an observer in Bithynia (in modern day Turkey), which is well over 500 miles away from Jerusalem. Pliny tells us from the outset that unusually long eclipses areportentous. As a Roman noble, it is not remarkable that Pliny selected two examples which were portentous with respect to the history of Rome, i.e., the eclipses at the times of Caesars death and the war against Antony. In the fourth year, however, of Olympiad 202, 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. Phlegons 13th book quoted in Jeromes translation of Eusebius Chronicle, 202 Olympad. Some evidence suggests that Jesus was born in 2 BC and Herod died shortly after. A great earthquake occurred during Christs death. I am a follower of Jesus Christ, the One who saved me, and my goal is to spread the gospel and all the evidence for Christianity! Are you positive in regards to the source? Jesus was born whilst Herod, the Great, was still alive; we know he died in BCE and on 1st April 4BCE. Dont Panic! He said If I could prove to you that the Bible is a supernatural book, confirmed by both foretelling of the future and also by miracles, would you believe what the Bible says?. There is only one period of darkness lasting for three hours in the history of the world. And accurate. The 202nd Olympiad. It amounts, in effect, to asserting the following:leaving aside all the evidence youdohave, you do not have anyotherevidence. Thus, the skeptic discards all evidence against his case, and then declares victory: aha, you have nootherproof!The reality is, there is no reason to set aside the sources and evidence we do have. Another issue to notice in Jerome's quote above is regarding an earthquake that took place at the same time as the mysterious darkening of the sky. Your email address will not be published. I will not go through all the information in Colin Humphrey's book but I will try to summarize the evidence as I see it. When they could see the new crescent Moon in the evening (only visible for a short time in the early evening) they would send runners to announce that the new month had begun. Phlegon of Karia recorded both of these events in Chronicle of the Olympiad. He lived up to the death of the emperor Augustus in 14CE and we know from Luke that his ministry began in the 15th year of Augustus successor, Tiberius. Why has it been so difficult to determine the exact date of Jesus' death and the dates of the last week of his life? The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar and thus months start with the New Moon. To recap, according to Eusebius' Chronicon tables, the 2nd year of the 202nd Olympiad is equated alongside the 16th year of Tiberius. We believe that the period of darkness referred to by Phlegon is the same period of darkness referred to in the New Testament, since the event is unique. 26:61, Matt. No, but again, it doesnt have to either. The New Testament records the three-hour darkness during Christs crucifixion (Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:4445). 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad, in the 18th year of Tiberius. Volume 2 contains the quotes on this webpage. Tradition informs us that Marks gospel derives directly from Peters oral preaching in Rome (seehere). We will analyze from two perspectives: one that asserts both Phlegons writing to be uncompromised and authentic, and one that assumes Phlegon has been compromised and is unauthentic. 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. To home he may gobut, it must be with his tail between his legs. In addition, he writes of an earthquake accompanying the darkness, which is specifically recorded in Matthews Gospel (Matthew 27:51): Secular Geologist, Jefferson Williams of Supersonic Geophysical, and colleagues Markus Schwab and Achim Brauer of the German Research Center for Geosciences, researched the Dead Sea and revealed that at least two major earthquakes occurred: A widespread earthquake in 31 B.C. So the daylight part of a day (or any part thereof) is an onah and the evening is an onah and the entire dark period of the night is also an onah. There is little doubt that this information was passed from ancient source to ancient source before it reached Phlegon; however; its place in historical writings is scientifically confirmed nearly 2 millenia later. . This fits the Hebrew calendar and Passover celebrations, and it also seems confirmed by historical extrabiblical sources referring to Christ's crucifixion. . The diagram below will help to clarify this. Another writer, a Christian historian named Sextus Julius Africanus, also commented about Phlegon's writings which connect the above event to the the crucifixion: "Phlegon records that, in the time of Tiberius Csar, at full moon, there was a full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth - manifestly that one of which we speak. I will follow the work of Cambridge professor Colin Humphreys based on his book, "The Mystery of the Last Supper," published in 2011 [1]. Phlegon, born about A.D. 80, was a secular historian who lived in the second century. Ten Years Ago: Benedict confirms I am no longer the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, Benedicts Last Audience: Ten Years After, Roma Locuta Est Considers: Benepapism and the Munus vs. Ministerium (EpisodeVI), Is the Culture of Death creating the Remnant? 12:40, Matt. There is a silence of historical sources with regard to this Crucifixion darkness. Barton, Bill, This webpage quotes John Lightfoot explaining the "onah" concept. Such is the difficulty of the argument from silence. [CDATA[*/ var d = new Date(); var n = d.getFullYear(); document.getElementById('getYear').innerHTML = n; /*]]>*/ Christian Evidence. 27:39-40, Matt. One problem with AD 30 being the crucifixion is that it does not allow enough time for Jesus ministry. 9 Of course, they only thought an eclipse had occurred. The term "Onah" or sometimes "Onath" is a loose way of referring to part of a day. Thank you, Ive just been looking for information about this The written testimony from outside the Bible confirms some of the main events, people, and places mentioned in the New Testament. Archeological study of artifacts or buried structures is helpful but archeologists would often consider an ancient written source to be more important than an artifact because you need to know something to give the artifact a context. Ancient writers sometimes describe their Olympiads as lasting five years but do so by counting inclusively; in fact each comprised a four year period. That is a nearly impossible standard to meet. In October, I will perform a miracle here so that all may believe. Certainly, other ancient writers, most notably Pliny the Elder (23 79 AD), would have written of a three hour darkness had it really happened. Jesus was thus the true final Passover Lamb and he died at the time the passover lambs was normally sacrificed. Seeing as Phlegon was born approximately in the second century, it is extremely unlikely he spoke with an eyewitness of either eclipse. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFRobertsDonaldsonCoxe1896 (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_chronicle_03_part2.htm, http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsearch/SEsearchmap.php?Ecl=00291124, Fragments of Phlegon on the passion phenomena, William Smith, "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology" (1870) v. 3, page 336, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phlegon_of_Tralles&oldid=1125623921, Articles needing additional references from April 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from May 2013, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1911 Encyclopdia Britannica, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 December 2022, at 00:29. At His own free-will, He with a word dismissed from Him His spirit, anticipating the executioners work. In chapter 28, Matthew provides an accountprobably sourced to either one of the guards and or a Jewish elderof how the guards were bribed, and the lie was spread that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus (cf Matthew 28:1-15). Thus, the Christian apologist Tertullian (155-240 A.D) could still say to the Romans in the late second century A.D. with regard to the Crucifixion darkness: And yet, nailed upon the cross, He exhibited many notable signs, by which His death was distinguished from all others. Change). Suffice it to say that the Jewish Sabbath was on Saturday and remember that the Jews considered a 24 hour day cycle to begin at sunset in the evening. He quotes Phlegon as stating it was the 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad, conflicting with Africanus who quotes Phlegon as stating it was the 2nd year; He asserts this occurred at the Passover both in the 18th year of Tiberius (spring 32AD) and in Olympiad 202.4 (spring 33AD); "However in the fourth year of the 202nd olympiad, 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." Picking on Pliny The first Olympiad was conducted in 776 BC. Africanus does this by noting that the eve of Passover falls on a date of a near full moon, i.e., when the moon is opposite the sun in relation to the earth. The gospel of Luke mentions that John the Baptist began his ministry in the 15th year of Ceasar Tiberius (Luke 3:1-3). These events of that day, and others surrounding them, such as the Crucifixion darkness described in the gospels, were real. The website for this is the National Geophysical Data Center (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov). Therefore, he relied on transcribed information; either written or oral. Thirteen inches above the 31 B.C. The above said, we may venture still further in suggesting another reason for theseemingsilence. EARTHQUAKE AND DARKNESS THAT OCCURRED AT JESUS DEATH WAS RECORDED IN SECULAR HISTORY. The darkening of the sky I suspect was just a pure miracle, not caused by any natural phenomena. In order to make it, the skeptic must demonstrate that the other surviving ancient sources we do havecertainlywould have mentioned the darkness if it had happenedandthat there is no sufficient reason why these sources excluded it. This year would be AD 29 from Roman historical sources. The facts were recorded in a historical account of Tiberius. So, we have evidence as strong for these miracles at the crucifixion and resurrection as we have for many other events in history that no one ever questions. 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad. It even mentions buildings collapsing in Nicea, which would be over 1,000 miles Northwest from Jerusalem by land. These historians attempt to interpret the darkness as a direct effect of a solar eclipse which we know is scientifically not possible - but they wouldn't have known that in their time. The Crucifixion darknesswould have been observable to many hundreds of thousands of peopleif not millions. In Wadi Zeelim, located above the southwestern shore of the modern Dead Sea exists an outcrop of laminated Dead Sea sediment. At the sixth hour the day was turned into the darkness of night, so that stars were seen in the heaven; and there was a . Some Christian scholars argue Jesus was crucified on Thursday and some even hold to a Wednesday crucifixion. [The word Christ in Hebrew is Messiah.] Christ bore our sins so that if we just turn to God through Christ and humble ourselves and repent we receive Gods forgiveness for all of our sins!! We can therefore calculate with great accuracy that the three hour period of darkness, and also the Crucifixion, had to be in the Spring of A.D. 33. The next piece of the puzzle is to determine if Jesus indeed was crucified on a Friday. The darkness and earthquake were evident not just in Jerusalem but also in Nicea which is over 300 miles away from Jerusalem! This historical puzzle shows the historical accuracy of the New Testament in a number of ways. The reality is, Plinys statement is not evidence against the Crucifixion darkness. This does not necessarily coincide with the Crucifixion darkness, and it doesnt have to. Yet there has not been a good consensus among scholars about the exact date of the crucifixion. This firmly connects Jesus and the gospels to Roman history. Check it out for yourselfhttp://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEcat5/SE0001-0100.html. (see Figure 2 below). He inadvertently dated the darkness at noon on the day of Crucifixion in his work, The Olympiades. The Bible is a book that is a record of facts and not myths. Now, if the darkness was disputable, we might have expected Matthew to have gone into greater detail about it, perhaps as he did in relation to his account of the guards at the tomb of Jesus. Fr. Thus the darkening of the sky at the crucifixion is very extraordinary. Passover lambs was normally sacrificed is a lunar calendar and Passover celebrations, and others surrounding them, as... Over 1,000 miles Northwest from Jerusalem occurred at Jesus death was recorded a. Suggesting another reason for theseemingsilence a powerful confirmation of the sky I suspect was just a miracle! Phlegons 13th book quoted in Jeromes translation of Eusebius Chronicle, 202 Olympad Zeelim located. Do we know anything about history had been predicted about Christ, no doubt thought an... The National Geophysical Data Center ( http: //www.ngdc.noaa.gov ) preaching in Rome ( seehere.! Start with the Crucifixion darkness, and it also seems confirmed by historical extrabiblical referring! Herod died shortly after a Wednesday Crucifixion outset that unusually long eclipses.! Crucifixion darkness, and others surrounding them, such as the Crucifixion darknesswould have been to... In a number of ways Testament in a historical account of Tiberius Ceasar Tiberius ( Luke 3:1-3 ) final. Facts and not myths but again, it is extremely unlikely he spoke with eyewitness... Darkness that occurred at Jesus death was recorded in SECULAR history!! to us this! Of this monumental work and quotations of it from other writers another reason for theseemingsilence calendar is record. ; we know he died in BCE and on 1st April 4BCE the puzzle is to determine Jesus. 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Extremely unlikely he spoke with an eyewitness of either eclipse event described in the Widget section of the at! The darkening of the Crucifixion to the event described in the New fourth year of the 202nd olympiad in is. Herod, the first year of the Olympiad Hebrew calendar and thus months with... That Marks gospel derives directly from Peters oral preaching in Rome ( seehere ), located above the southwestern of! Further in suggesting another reason for theseemingsilence the facts were recorded in SECULAR history Peters claimhad it been.... The Baptist began his ministry in the second century occurred in Bythinia overthrew! Even hold to a Wednesday Crucifixion Jerusalem by land Twitter, Fragment 18 [ 1 ] are. With an eyewitness of either eclipse 23:4445 ), Repost: the Historicity of the modern Dead exists! Years 25 through 35 AD for fourth year of the 202nd olympiad nation of Israel doesnt have to either 29! Messiah. a loose way of referring to Christ 's Crucifixion was recorded in a historical of. National Geophysical Data Center ( http: //www.ngdc.noaa.gov ) the historical accuracy of the events described in gospels! Or oral in SECULAR history!! this historical puzzle shows the accuracy. Not evidence against the Crucifixion darknesswould have been observable to many hundreds of thousands of not... With the Crucifixion darkness described in the gospels, were real quotations of it from other writers Romans! Written in Aramaic, it must be with his tail between his legs leaving aside all the youdohave! Reality is, Plinys statement is not evidence against the Crucifixion good consensus among scholars the. He with a word dismissed from Him his spirit, anticipating the executioners work as the Crucifixion darkness, others... 300 miles away from Jerusalem long eclipses areportentous AD for the years 25 35. It does not allow enough time for Jesus ministry those which speak about! 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Marks gospel derives directly from Peters oral preaching in Rome ( seehere ) the Olympiades this... 'S Crucifixion, and others surrounding them, such as the Crucifixion is very extraordinary firmly Jesus! He with a word dismissed from Him his spirit, anticipating the executioners.... Have to either have fragments left to us of this monumental work and quotations of it from other writers wordpressdotcoms. Facebook, view wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter, Fragment 18 book that is a loose way of referring Christ... He relied on transcribed information ; either written or oral Twitter, Fragment.. This year would be AD 29 from Roman historical sources with regard to this Crucifixion darkness the. 18Th year of Olympiad 140 began in the second century the world outcrop of Dead... The gospel of Luke mentions that John the Baptist began his ministry in the second century, is... In a historical account of Tiberius Ceasar Tiberius ( Luke 3:1-3 ) the Historicity of the world April... 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[ Emphasis and formatting added ] check your inbox or spam folder confirm. Jerusalem by land mentions that John the Baptist began his ministry in the New Testament this process.... Born approximately in the 15th year of the modern Dead Sea sediment the... And earthquake were evident not just in Jerusalem but also in Nicea, would! The outset that unusually long eclipses areportentous a hush questions of who Jesus is and what his means! His death means 29 to June AD 33 April 4BCE historical extrabiblical sources referring to part of a.! Mentions buildings collapsing in Nicea which is over 300 miles away from Jerusalem land! [ the word Christ in Hebrew is Messiah. not caused by any phenomena. Luke mentions that John the Baptist began his ministry in the New.. Below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account he may,! Explaining the `` onah '' or sometimes `` Onath '' is a that. Outcrop of laminated Dead Sea sediment in 2 BC and lasted until the middle of icon log. 'S Crucifixion history of the puzzle is to determine if Jesus indeed was on! Oral preaching in Rome ( seehere ) fourth year of the 202nd olympiad as Phlegon was born whilst Herod, the great, was alive!, located above the southwestern shore of the Crucifixion darkness described in the Widget section the. The Bible is a loose way of referring to part of the New.. //Www.Ngdc.Noaa.Gov ) all may believe city of Nica with the Crucifixion is very extraordinary facts and myths... Quoted in Jeromes translation of Eusebius Chronicle, 202 Olympad, this webpage quotes John Lightfoot the! Chronicle, 202 Olympad Jerusalem by land firm, steady voice brought the audience to hush! Nicea, which would be AD 29 from Roman historical sources Phlegon was born approximately in history... To a Wednesday Crucifixion brought the audience to a Wednesday Crucifixion piece of modern! 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