Leaderboard

* Gustave has correctly cited EGW's statement. She did believe that Christ was crucified in the Spring of 31 AD. * The 33 AD date that Gustave proposes has been a popular date that goes back to the 13th century and was proposed by Roger Bacon. It is a date often found in the margins of the KJV Bibles. * This 33 AD date is based in part upon the assumption that the Jewish calendar of the 1st century AD was exactly the same as the revised version that has come to us today. * As I understand it, this assumption has some conflicts with what we know about the a needed coordination with a Babylonian cycle at that time and also with the Elephantine papyri. * An AD 30 date has been popular among some Christians today. However, this date would not have had a Friday Passover with a Nisan date in April. * Gustave has some support for his proposed Nisan date in 31 AD. But, it is not conclusive, in my opinion. * A major problem is that actually a date can not be conclusively established by either astronomical or calendrical data. * One of the issues is that we can not be positive as to the exact boundaries of the lunar calendar system used by the 1st century Jews. * Some SDAs will consider their understanding of the prophecy of the 2300 days to be a factor to be considered in the date of the crucifixion. This is circular reasoning. Further, in my opinion, this view is based upon one understanding of the 2300 days when in actual fact that 2300 day prophecy may allow for some additional understandings. IOW, I am not going to tie the "midst of the week" to a rigid, concrete specified number of days. If I were to say that I will telephone you in the middle of next week, that might mean Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. It would not be limited to Wednesday. * The bottom line, in my opinion is: The exact date for the crucifixion can not be determined with certainty. All proposed dates are based upon some assumptions/conjectures. This is not an issue of salvation. No important Biblical doctrine is based upon a determination of the exact date for the crucifixion of Christ. NOTE: This is an exceedingly complex issue. There is much that can be said that I have not posted due to space limitations.

Kevin is absolutely correct when he essentially tells us that in the time of Christ, Passover was observed differently according to the specific sect to which one subscribed. I may differ from my friend Gustave, as to which date I prefer. I may think that my choice is a better one. But, the bottom line is, as I understand it, none of the suggested dates can be determined to absolutely correct. Just as I may suggest that Gustave is wrong, so also may he say the same for my preferred date.

Gregory's post has the important information. Where I quote him above is especially important for Adventists to understand. An additional point, the Jews did not agree on when it would have been and celebrated Passover on different days of the same week. This explains how Matthew, Mark and Luke have the last supper be on Passover yet John has Jesus Crucifixion on Passover. It was based on two different ways the Jews had figured out when Passover was, with the last supper being the Essene Passover and the Crucifixion being on either the Temple or another Jewish sect Passover about 3 days later.

Many SDAs I know feel "bound" by the 31 AD theory as this date is cited in Desire of Ages. The church has never articulated a coherent theory on the validity of specific historical data cited by Ellen White in her writing; the church likely cannot do so without upsetting large segments of the membership. Many members hold to a verbal-inspiration, inerrancy, infallibility view of her published writings. Their close cousins are the "if she's wrong about this trivial detail, nothing she wrote can be trusted" members who seek to disparage her entire ministry.