The Duration of Jesus' Ministry Author(s): Solomon Zeitlin Source: The Jewish Quarterly Review, New Series, Vol.

55, No. 3 (Jan., 1965), pp. 181-200 Published by: University of Pennsylvania Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1453716 Accessed: 07/01/2009 18:46
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=upenn. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

University of Pennsylvania Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Jewish Quarterly Review.

http://www.jstor.org

THE DURATION OF JESUS' MINISTRY

ZEITLIN,Dropsie College By SOLOMON THE GOSPELSin their account of Jesus' ministry do not

specify its duration. The Gospel according to Luke states that in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar Jesus came to John to be baptized. 1 This would be in the year 29. 2 In the same Gospel it is stated that John began his ministry when Annas and Caiaphaswere high priests. It further stated that Jesus was thirty years of age when he began his ministry. 3 According to the Gospels John the Baptist was imprisoned and put to death by Herod Antipas. 4 Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, who was the procurator of Judaea from 26 to 36. 5 According to the Gospel of John, Caiaphas was high priest when Jesus was crucified. There is no direct statement in the Gospels as to the length of the ministry of Jesus. They are not historical books. The authors were not interested in the simple historical facts. Their major concern was theology. The Gospels are swathed about in theological clothes. The historian who deals with the period of Jesus must seek to divorce the theological encasement from the historical facts. He must bear in mind that the Gospelswere written after the destruction of the Judaean State, more than two generations after the death of Jesus. Even the Gospel accordingto Mark,which is the earliest, was written after the burning of the Temple and his Gospel was based on logia. 6 There were different
1 3.1-21. 3 Luke 3.23. 4 Ant. Mark. 6.17-29; Mat. I4.I-II: Luke 9.9. I8.5. 2(116-119); 5 Cf. Ant. 18.2.2(35), Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.I0(237); I.9-10. 6 Cf. M. S. Enslin, Christian Beginnings, pp. 382-385; C. Guignebert, Jesus, pp. 30-36.
12

Tiberius became emperor in the year 14 CE. Cf. Suetonius, Tiberius; Dio, LVII.

I82

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

traditions about Jesus' ministry and which found their way into the Gospels. Jesus' ministry was in the State of Judaea, in Galilee and in Judaea. It is associated with events which took place in Judaea and in connection with the people and the rulers. It is therefore important for the history of the Second Jewish Commonwealth,if it is possible, to ascertain the duration of the ministry of Jesus. Since Jesus' ministry is connected with John the Baptist it is imperative, if possible, to ascertain when John was put to death by Herod Antipas. The early Church Fathers gave different dates as to the length of the ministry of Jesus. Irenaeus, who lived in the second half of the second century, opposed the view of those who maintained that Jesus' ministry lasted only one year. He asserted that it lasted much longer. 7 Thus at the time of Irenaeus the Christiansbelieved that Jesus' ministry lasted one year. Clement of Alexandria (d. c. 2I7) had also held that Jesus' ministry lasted one year. 8 He further stated that the destruction of Jerusalem occurred forty-two years and three months after the death of Jesus. 9 Since the destruction of Jerusalem took place in the year 70, if we deduct 42, from that date we arrive at the year 28. Thus, according to Clement of Alexandria, Jesus was crucified in the year 28, the I4th year of Tiberius. This contradicts Luke, who places the beginning of Jesus's ministry in the I5th year of Tiberius, i.e. 29. Clement wrote that from the time of the crucifixion of Jesus to the destruction Jerusalem there elapsed forty-two years and three months. Jerusalem was taken by the Romans to September. 10which corresponds in the month of Gorpiaeus This contradicts the Gospels which state that Jesus was
7 Contra

Haereses,

2.22.5,

. . . affirment,

dicunt

uno

anno

cum

praedicasse, et duodecimo mense passum. 9 Ibid. 10 Jewish War, 6.8.5(407, IO.I(435). "Thus was Jerusalem taken in the second year of the reign of Vespasian (70 CE) on the eight of the month Gorpiaeus."
8 The Stromata, I, 21.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

i83

crucified during the Festival of Unleavened Bread (the end of March or April) which would be more than three months. Tertullian states that Jesus's ministry lasted one year, and that he was crucified in the consulatea of Rubellius Geminus
and Fufius Geminus. 11 They were consuls in the year 29.
12

He places the crucifixion on the 25th of March.13Accordingto Tertullian, Jesus was about thirty years of age at the time of the crucifixion. 14The Churchhistorian Eusebius maintained that Jesus' ministry lasted not full four years. 15 According to him Jesus came to be baptized in the I5th year of Tiberius, i.e. 29. Thus if Jesus' ministry lasted not quite four years Jesus was crucified not before the year 33. It is evident that the early ChurchFathers were at variance as to the duration of Jesus' ministry as well as to the year of the crucifixion. Modern scholars also are at variance as to the duration of Jesus' ministry and the year of the crucifixion. Some hold that Jesus was crucified in the year 33, others that it was in the years 30, 29, while still others hold that it was in 28. 16 Goguel, for example, asserts that Jesus was baptized by John in the year 27, that on the eve of passover in 28 Jesus came to Jerusalem and there met his death. 17Guignebert is of the opinion that the maximum length of Jesus's ministry was three or four months. 18 The various opinions of the scholars with regard to the duration of Jesus' ministry are due to the different accounts of it given in the Gospels. The Gospels do not give the year of the crucifixion. Luke records that in the fifteenth year
11 Adversus Iudaeos, 9, Quae passio huius exterminii intra tempora LXX hebdomadarum perfecta est sub Tiberio Caesare, consulibus Rubellio Gemino et Fufio Gemino.
12 13

Cf. Tacitus,

Annals,

5.1.

&drOSeLXvu'raO 'rS toi

' aOC5uoqoWS' 6Xoq TeTpaoc History, 1.10. ou.xoUv 6 c 8ocaxoaatoc a'cTpoS 7lL&Vv Xq p6voq. 16 Cf. Ch. Guignebert, Jesus, I956, pp. 210-211. 17 Maurice Goguel, The Life of Jesus, New York, I933, p. 252. 18 Ibid., p. 2II.

14 Ibid. 15 Ecclesiastical

Adversus Iudaeos. 9, die VIII calendarum Aprilium.

i84

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

of Tiberius Caesar Jesus came to John to be baptized. The fifteenth year of Tiberius correspondsto 28-29. According to the synoptic Gospels Jesus went after the baptism only once to Jerusalem and there met his tragic end. John records that Jesus went to Jerusalem several times after the baptism. In chapter 2.I3 John states, "And the Jews' passover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalen." In the same chapter, 23, he states, "And when he was in Jerusalem at the passover in the feast (day), many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did." In chapter 5.I, it is stated "After this there was the feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem." The feast of tabernacles was called among the Jews "the feast". 19 In chapter 6.3-4 it is stated, "And Jesus went up into a mountain and sat with his disciples. And the passover, feast of the Jews, was nigh." We have in chapter 7.I-3 "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee for he would not walk in Judaea. because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jewish feast of tabernacleswas at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him depart hence and go into Judaea that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest."
We have in chapter 10.22-23, "And it was at Jerusalem the

(feast) of dedication (Hanukkah)20 and it was winter. And the Jewish passover was nigh at hand... in I2.I, "Then Jesus six days before the passover came to .Bethany." On this passover, according to John, Jesus was cricufied. John records that Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem a number of times covering a period of several years. He was in Jerusalem on the festival passovers of different years. Jesus was there on the festival of tabernacles after his first passover visit and again on another festival of tabernacles, and also during the days of Hanukkah. His last journey to Jerusalem was at the time of the passover. Thus Jesus was in Jerusalem on three different passovers and two festivals of tabernacles. Thus,
19 Xn.
20 yXoCVLa.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

i85

according to John, Jesus's ministry lasted more than two years, at least. In order to define the length of time of Jesus' ministry we have to clarify the events in connection with John the Baptist. As was noted before, he began to preach in the I5th year of Tiberius Caesar. We know from both Josephus and the Gospels that Herod Antipas imprisoned John and later executed him. There are differences in the account given by Josephus and that found in the Gospels regarding the imprisonment and the slaying of John. According to Josephus, Herod Antipas imprisoned John and later slew him as he was apprehensive that John might arouse the people to revolt. He thought it wiser to kill him than to repent when it would be too late. 21 There was a war between the Judaeans and the Nabataeans brought about by the act of Herod Antipas; he had sent away his wife, the daughter of the king of Nabataea, and married Herodias, wife of his half brother Herod (still living), son of Mariamme II, The army of Herod Antipas was defeated in the war. Josephus wrote that some Judaeans thought that destruction of the army was God's punishment for the slaying of John. 22The authors of the Gospels relate that Herod Antipas slew John the Baptist because he rebuked him for marrying Herodias the wife of his brother Philip, which was against the pentateuchal law. 23 The authors of the Gospels are in error. Herodias was not the wife of Philip, but was the wife of Herod, son of MariammeII. 24Salome, daughter of Herodias, was the wife of Philip. 25 Furthermore it is unlikely that
21 22

Ant. I8.5.I(I09-110).

Ibid., I8.5.2(II9). Cf. Mark 6.I7. 24 Cf. Ant. i8. v &SeXqcp 5. 4 (I36). 'HpoS&Ld8i Oc&rv ylv?Toc 'Hp687) r.^p Tou tOL,covoq ... 'HpO8ou roi?3 ILeyXou rnotSl Yeyov6TLix MapLza4tJL 25 Ibid. (I37). n 8i OuydcqPpaurTj= aoraX4tl cprclTc,P y=ctLe?t.
23

Cf. also the Hebrew Josippon. 1 WSee Hegesippus, De Bello Judaico, 2.5. Uxornm Philippi H s -ir:nrnv1 rwe oivbla K n nnp1 1| oN11*nnm1 ?n1 nO
See Hegesippus, De Bello Judaico, 2.5. Uxorem Philippi Herodes

I86

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

Herod Antipas killed John for rebuking him because of his marriage to Herodias, wife of his half brother Herod. He would not have been disturbed by the rebuke of John as undoubtedly he had been rebuked by many of the spiritual leaders of the Judaeans for committing an act forbidden by the Pentateuch. Josephus, in recording the imprisonment and slaying of John, wrote that Herod Antipas feared that his preaching and his influence might disturb the people. Josephus further said that Herod Antipas thought it would be better to put John to death than to repent when it would be too late. The political atmosphere in the Middle East was disturbed by the challenge of King Artabanus of Parthia to Rome. Tiberius Caesar was terrified. 26 He dispatched Consul L. Vitellus to Syria in the year 34, giving him full power. 27 It was the duty of every client prince to keep his domain tranquil. It was imperative for Herod Antipas to have no disorder in his territory. It is true that John did not preach revolt. He appealed to the people to be virtuous and baptized them for the expiation of their sins. John called for a religious awakening. Herod Antipas was aware of the Apocalyptists, in character-a religious people, who preached for a change in society, and who had caused trouble to his father King Herod. Judas of Galilee, who preached non-submission to the Romans, did so in the name of religion. John concentrated his activities in Peraea, where there was a melting pot of different peoples who could be easily aroused to revolt. John began preachingin the year 29. Most likely his imprisonment took place in the year 32-33. He was executed at the close of the year 33, more probably in the beginning of 34.
inlicito ac nefasto sociavit sibi iure matrimonii. Non tulit hoc Iohannes et ait illi; non tibi licet habere uxorem fratris tui. Turn ille commotus in carcerem detrusit Iohannem. The author of Josippon undoubtedly made use of Hegesippus. 26 Cf. Ant. I8.4.4(96). 27 Tacitus, Ann. 6.32. Cf. also Dio, 58.26.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

I87

According to Mark,28 Herodias, the wife of Herod Antipas, was hostile to John because he rebuked Herod Antipas for making her his wife while her previous husband, half brother of Herod Antipas was still living, which is prohibited by the Pentateuch. According to the law she was not his legal wife but was an adulteress. There is a possibility that the Gospel according to Mark supplements Josephus. Herodias was the daughter of Aristobolus who had been executed by his father King Herod. She was the granddaughter of Mariamme the Hasmonean. Like her brother Agrippa she was ambitious. She left her husband Herod, a commoner, and marriedHerod Antipas because he was a tetrarch. She probably thought that should there be children through her marriage they would be descendants of the Hasmonean family. This would give them a strong claim to the hegemony over Judaea. Later, when Gaius Caligula made her brother Agrippa king over the domain of Philip, she persuaded her husband Herod Antipas to go to Rome for the purpose of obtaining the title of king. 29 John's taunting her as an adulteress, as not being the legal wife of the tetrarch, would make the children no descendants of the Hasmoneans but would brand them as illegitimate childrenin the eyes of the Judaeans, and that this enraged her. The execution of John was due to political reasonsas was pointed out by Josephus. Herodias encouraged her husband to do away with John. The account of Jesus' going to John to be baptized is theological not historical. Professor Morton Enslin was right when he said that the connection between Jesus and John the Baptist was brought in later by Christian thinking. 30 Baptism became the ultimate requirement in Christianity. Since Jesus never practised baptism 31 it was necessary for the early Christians to connect Jesus with John, that Jesus
28
29 Ant.

31 John

30 Christian Beginnings,
4.2.

6.I7-28. I8.7.I-2(240-255).

Ch. X, pp. I49-I53.

I88

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

was baptized by him. John the Baptist became the messenger who paved the way for Jesus. 32 The Gospel according to Mark definitely states that Jesus of Nazarethcame from Galileeand was baptized by John in the Jordan. 33Matthew gives another version, namely that Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized but John said, "I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me?" 34 Jesus was baptized. According to Luke, Jesus was baptized at the time when John baptized the people, being thirty years of age when he began his ministry. 35 The Fourth Gospel also connects Jesus with John the Baptist but does not state that Jesus was baptized by him. "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.... And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me. Upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending,and remainingon him, the same is he which baptizeth with the holy spirit." 36 From the Fourth Gospel it can be seen that Jesus was not baptized by John the Baptist. From the same Gospel we learn that Jesus did not baptize people but the disciple did. 37 There was no further association between Jesus and John the Baptist. Mark states that after John was imprisoned Jesus went to Galilee where he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God. 38 Not only in the Gospel of John but also in the synoptic Gospels there are indications of enmity between the disciples of John the Baptist and Jesus. The Gospels state that the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked why the disciples of John do fast while the disciples of Jesus do not fast. 39 The Gospel according to Luke states that when John the Baptist learned of Jesus's miracles he sent two of his disciples to Jesus to interrogate him. They said to Jesus,
32 Cf. Enslin, 33 1.9.

Ibid.

36 1.29-33. 37 4.2. 39 Cf. Mark 2.I8.

34 3.I3-I7. 36 3.2I.

38 1.14.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

I89

"John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee saying Art thou he that should come ? Or look we for another?" 40 This seems to indicate that John while in prison sent men to find out about Jesus, that he was not sure whether Jesus was the man whom the people expected. These two men led different ways of life. John's raiment was of camel's hair with a leathern girdle around his loins. He did not eat bread nor did he drink wine. His food consisted of locusts and wild honey. 41 He lived in the wilderness. Jesus not only ate bread and drank wine but he dined with the Pharisees, 42 publicans and sinners. 43 He dressed like his fellow men and traveled through the country, mingling with the people. The way of life led by Jesus displeased the disciples of John the Baptist. The Fourth Gospel states that Jesus went to Judaea with his disciples. At the same time John the Baptist was baptizing in Aenon near Salim. This evangelist added, "for John was not yet cast into prison." 44 Mark, on the other hand, states that Jesus went to Galilee when John the Baptist was imprisoned. 45 In carefully pursuing the narrative in the Gospels concerning the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist we may construct the duration of the ministry of Jesus. In the year 29 Jesus went to the wilderness around the Jordan to be baptized by John. Whether Jesus was baptized cannot be definitely established. Jesus went to John in Peraea in the latter part of 29. He did not remain there long and, apparently disappointed in John, returned to his native country Galilee where he began to preach the coming of the kingdom of God. The idea of the approach of the kingdom of God was propagated by the Apocalyptists and became the belief of many Judaeans who were influenced by them .With the approach
40 41 42

7.I9-20;

cf. also ibid. 24-25.

Matt. 3.4.
Luke 7.36; II.37-38.

43 Mark 2.15; Luke 27-29. 44 3.24. 4S I.I4.

I90

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

of the festival of Passover Jesus came to Jerusalem. While he was in Judaea some disputations occurred between the followers of Jesus and the followers of John. 46 Jesus left Judaea and returned to Galilee where he continued his ministry. It appears that some ofhis followershad been contemplating to take Jesus by force and make him king. 47 It seems that some of the followers of Jesus were nationalists who wanted Judaea restored as a kingdom and planned to instigate a revolt against Rome. Jesus was averse to any open rebellion and fled to a mountain to escape these followers.48 While in Galilee Jesus frequently visited Capernaum and Caesarea Philippi. Jesus concentratedhis ministry in Galilee. He feared going to Judaea feeling intuitively that a plot was being organized in Jerusalem to kill him. His brethren, who did not believe in Jesus, wanted him to go to Judaea so that his followers could witness his deeds. He declined to do so as he feared for his life saying, "my time is not yet full come." 49 When his brethren went to Jerusalem for the festival of tabernacleshe alsowent but in secret.WhileJesus was in Jerusalemhe openly continued his ministry. He remained in Jerusalem until after Hanukkah in the winter of 33-34, and it was during this time that John the Baptist was put to death by Herod Antipas. Jesus then went to Peraea 50where John the Baptist had originally practiced his ministry. The synoptic Gospels confine the contact between Jesus and John the Baptist to the time of the baptism of Jesus. Not only from the Gospel of John but even from the synoptic Gospels themselves it may be inferred that Jesus had several contacts with John the Baptist. True, Jesus was somewhat disappointed in John's way of life, his preaching and baptism but John made a profound impression on Jesus and influenced him. When Jesus asked his disciples what men
47 Ibid., 5.I5.
48

46 Cf. John 3.22-36. Ibid.

49 Ibid., 7.8.
50 John I0.40.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

I9I

thought of him they answered that the people said he is John the Baptist. 51Accordingto the Gospels, Jesus comparedJohn with Elijah. 52 He followed the doctrine of the Apocalyptists who believed that Elijah would return and be the forerunner of the Messiah. Matthew states, "And his disciples asked him saying Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist." 53 Jesus also compared John the Baptist with the prophets. Luke wrote, "The Torah (law) and the prophets were until John: Since that time the kingdom of God is preached."54 It is true that some of the passages in the Gospels, wherein Jesus upholds John the Baptist, were editorial additions when the early Christians accepted John as an integral part of Christianity. It is evident from the synoptic Gospels and the Gospel according to John that there were clashes between the disciples of John the Baptist and those of Jesus. These clashes were based on the fundamental differences in their views. John the Baptist practiced baptism, Jesus did not. John introduced baptism for the remission of sin. Jesus preached the approach of the kingdom of God, the coming of the Messiah, the king of Israel. From Peraea Jesus went to Judaea, Jerusalem. 55He was reluctant to go, even fearful. He sensed that after John was put to death for causing a disturbance that he would share the same fate. Not only he but also his disciples were reluctant to go to Jerusalem. Jesus felt that he must go so as not to shake the faith of his followers and their trust in him. The
51 52

Mark 8.28.

Cf. Mark 9.I1-I3. 53 17.I0-I3. 54 i6.i6.

65 John IO.40; II.7.

I92

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

Gospel accordingto Markrelates, "And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them... And as they followed they were afraid." 56Jesus said to his twelve disciples, "Behold we go up to Jerusalem; and the son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes and they shall condemnhim (to death) and shall deliver him to the gentiles." 57 These were not the exact words of Jesus, no one there took down his words. Mark wrote the Gospel long after Jesus was crucified. He based his gospel on a tradition held by the early Christiansthat Jesus knew that he would be put to death in Jerusalem. In reality Jesus and his twelve apostles hesitated over going to Jerusalem. They were fearful that Jesus would be put to death because his followers in Galilee wanted to declare him king of Israel and this would have been sufficient grounds for the Roman authorities to kill him. Jesus went to Jerusalem by way of Jericho. 58 That he took this road instead of the usual way through Samaria and Judaea may indicate that Jesus and his disciples wanted to avoid the populated country where most of the inhabitants were hostile and the Roman authorities had many spies to supervise any manifestation that might lead to disturbance. Jesus reached Jerusalem shortly before Passover in the year 34. Upon his arrival he was greeted by his followers who chanted, "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest." 59 John states that when Jesus came to Jerusalem his followers, "took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him and cried Hosanna, blessed be the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." 60 ProclaimingJesus king of Israel, thus making him take the place of King David, was sufficient to condemn Jesus a rebel against the Roman authorities.
56

57 Ibid., 33. 58 Ibid., 46. 59 Ibid., II.IO.

60 I2.I3.

IO.32-33.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

I93

Indeed when he was crucified the words "Jesus the king of the Judaeans", were inscribed on the cross. It is well known that there is a discrepancy between the synoptic gospels and the Gospel accordingto John. According to the former, Jesus was arrested on the first night of the festival of unleavened bread and was crucifiedon the following day, the first day of the festival. 61 Thus the last supper was the paschal meal, after the slaughtering of the paschal lamb -known as the Seder.According to the Fourth Gospel, Jesus was arrested on the night of the thirteenth of Nisan and was crucified on the following day when the paschal lamb was slaughtered,i.e. on the fourteenth of Nisan. 62This discrepancy led to a schism in the early days of Christianity regarding the fixing of the day of pascha, (called Easter in English speaking countries)-the Quartodecimans and the antiQuartodecimans.Some churches held that Jesus ate the paschal lamb on the fourteenth day of Nisan was crucified on the first day of the festival of unleavenedbread, and celebrated pascha on the fifteenth day of Nisan. They were the antiquartodecimans following the date given in the synoptic gospels. Other churches followed the date given in the Gospel according to John, that Jesus was crucified on the eve of the festival (passover)of unleavened breadwhen the paschallamb was slaughtered and hence celebrate pascha on the fourteenth 63 Many New day of Nisan. They were the quartodecimans. Testament scholars have tried in variousways to reconcilethis contradiction. All critical objective scholars of the New Testament hold that this contradiction is irreconcilable64 While there is a contradiction between the Gospels as to the date of the crucifixion, all of them wrote that Jesus was
61

Cf. Mark I4.12-72,

I5.I;

Matt. 26.17-75,

27.1-2;

Luke 22.7-71;

23.1.

to the Fourth Gospel" JBL, vol. 2; C. Guignebert,

62 John 18.28. Cf. S. Zeitlin, "The date of the Crucifixion according

I932, pp. 263-271.

63 Cf. Eusebius, The Ecclesiastical History, 5. 23. 64 C. S. Davidson, An Introduction to the Study of the New Testament,
Jesus, pp. 429-43I.

I94

THE JEWISH QARTERLY REVIEW

crucified on Friday. Thus, according to the synoptic Gospels, the year when Jesus was crucified was Friday, the first day of the festival of unleavened bread. According to John, Jesus was crucified on Friday the eve of the festival of unleavened bread. Thus the first day of the festival of unleavened bread was Saturday. In our view that Jesus was crucified in the year 34,-that year the festival of unleavened bread did not
fall on Friday nor on Saturday. Elsewhere I pointed out that the discrepancy between the synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel was not a historical discrepancy but was based on different theological views on Jesus. According to the synoptic Gospels Jesus was the Savior, personifying the festival of unleavened bread when the Israelites were saved from slavery. On the first night of the festival when God smote all the first born of the Egyptians and saved the first born of the Israelites. 65

On the other hand the Fourth Gospel presented the theological view on Jesus, the Messiah, as the Redeemer, personifying the paschal lamb. As the paschal lamb was sacrificed on the fourteenth day of Nisan, on the eve of the festival of unleavened bread, so Jesus the Redeemer was crucified on the fourteenth day of Nisan to redeem the world from the Original Sin. As the evangelist said, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." 66Justin Martyr wrote, "Christ was the Passover who was sacrificed afterwards." 67 John, in narratinghis account of the crucifixion of Jesus, said that "When they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they break not his legs," 68 alluding to the paschal lamb, of which the Pentateuch said, "a bone of him shall not be broken." 69 While there is a distinct discrepancy between the synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel as to the date when Jesus was crucified they agree as to the day. According to the synoptic Gospels and the Gospel
65 "Origine de la Divergence 66 John 1.29.

etc." REJ,

I926,

pp. I99-209.

67 1)iologue
68 I9.33. 69 Num.

with Trypho, III.

9.12.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

I95

according to John, Jesus was crucified on Friday. Friday, the day Jesus was crucified, may not be a historical fact but it was based on a tradition which had a theological meaning. Adam was created on Friday, committed the sin on that day, i.e. the original sin, he was tried, condemned to death by God and died on the same day. 70 Jesus, who personified the paschal lamb, the redeemer of the Original Sin, had to be tried and put to death on Friday. The ChurchFather Irenaeus (c. 120-200) wrote, "It is clear that the Lord suffered death, in obedience to His Father, upon that day on which Adam died while he disobeyed God. Now he died on the same day in which he did eat. For God said, 'In that day on which ye shall eat of it, ye shall die by death.' The Lord, therefore capitulating in himself this day, underwent his suffering upon the day preceding the Sabbath, that is the sixth day of the creation, on which day man was created; thus granting him a second creation by means of his passion, which is that [creation] out of death." 71 The dates and the day when Jesus was crucified have the accent on theology rather than on history. Many New Testament scholars have tried to reconcile the discrepancy between the synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel as to the date when Jesus was crucified. This has been done by means of quibbles and equivocations. It has been maintained that Jesus ate of the paschal lamb on Thursday evening. That year Saturday was the first day of the festival of unleavened bread and the paschal lamb had to be slaughtered on the eve, Friday. The Sadducees maintained that the paschal lamb was an individual sacrifice and therefore could
70 71

mortem sustinuit Dominus obediens Patri, it qua mortuus est Adam inobediens Deo. In qua autem mortuus est in ipsa et manducavit. Dixit enim Deus: 'In qua die manducabitis ex eo, morte moriemini' Hunc itaque diem recapitulans in semetipsum Dominus venit ad passionem pridie ante sabbatum, quae est sexta conditionis dies in qua homo plasmatus est.

Cf. II Baruch, 23.4-7. Contra Haereses, 5.23. Manifestum est itaque, quoniam in illa die

I96

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

not be slaughtered late on Friday. Hence they held that the paschal lamb was slaughtered on Thursday. Jesus ate of the paschal lamb on Thursday evening. 72 This hypothesis is false. The paschal lamb was not an individual sacrifice. It was on a par with the daily sacrifices which took precedence over the Sabbath. From the story of Hillel in connection with the Bene Bathyra we know definitely that when the I4th of Nisan fell on the Sabbath the Judaeans slaughtered the paschal lamb. 73 There is a pentateuchal injunction that the paschal lamb had to be slaughtered on the fourteenth day. Jesus could not have eaten the paschal
lamb on the I3th.

Since certain Hebrew scrolls were recently discovered, some scholars by verbal incongruities and equivocations have maintained that they are of the pre-Christianperiod. In some of the scrolls some references are made to a solar calendar. Some scholars jumped to the conclusion that two systems of calendars prevailed in Judaea during the Second Commonwealth. The view that the scrolls are of great antiquity is in itself a deception. As we have proven, it was not based on internal evidence but on equivocations. There were no different calendars during the Second Commonwealth.In the early days after the Restoration, when the calendar was changed from a solar to a lunar-solarit became the calendar of the people, and the Sadducees and Essenes followed it. The entire Jewry of the worldfollowedthe establishedcalendar regardlessof where they lived-in Judaea or in the Diaspora. The new moons and the festivals were followed by the entire Jewry as they were in Jerusalem. Some Judaeans may not have observed the festivals in accordancewith the strict law but there were no other festivals. As today many Jews do not observe the festivals in accordancewith the law but the
72

Cf. J. Klausner, The History of the Second Temple (in Hebrew), v. 4.

pp. 243-245. 73 Cf. JQR, Oct. I963, pp. I6I-I73.

Maurice Goguel, The Life of Jesus, New York, 1933, pp. 432-433.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

I97

festivals are in existence in accordance with the established calendar. During the eighth century there were many false messiahs, some of whom were illiterate. A change in the calendar from a lunar-solarto a solar was proposed by some, namely-that the Day of Atonement should always fall on the Sabbath. Hence the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread was to be on Thursday.74 The fact that in order that the Day of Atonement should be on the Sabbath the first day of Passover had to be on Thursday indicates that the calendar was a solar. The year consisted of three hundred and sixty days, each month had thirty days, an additional day being added to every third month. In a lunar-solar calendar if the first day of Passover fell on Thursday the Day of Atonement would be on Monday. There was a group, a splintered one of the Karaites,who either proposeda change of the calendar or introduced a solar calendar. The Hebrew Scrolls in which allusion is made to a solar calendar were most probably composed by men of this group. Professor Yadin proclaimed that he found a scroll in Masada in which allusion was made to a solar calendar. This scroll also was probably composed by a member of this group. At the beginning of the seventh century during the persecutions many Jews found refuge in Masada. The history of the beginnings of Christianity is shrouded in confusion. The archaeologists and the theologians have made confusion worse confounded. It may be said that they distorted the history of the beginnings of Christianity. They may have had a temporary success in assigning the Scrolls to the period of the Second Jewish Commonwealth thus making them have a value for the history of the Judaeans of that time. No serious historian will accept their view. Some theologians claim that the Scrolls shed light on the Bible. By no stretch of the imagination can any historian
74

See Hadasi,

n n 1n 73 15 trt ^m *aiS?1Y rt yI r;pr' ynn*M 1n2Va13I atl3"'1id r317sn r1"' f15f1 IV n

13

I98

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

assume that the Scrolls which were written by semi-literate people during the Middle Ages could shed light on the Bible. During the period when Christianity arose the people were vexed with the problems of reward and punishment, immortality, resurrection,providence, the approachof the Kingdom of God and ransom, i.e. that a righteous person with his blood could expiate the sin of others or the sin of the community. All of these matters occupied the minds of the authors of the apocryphal books which were composed during the Second Commonwealth. None of these problems is referred to in the Scrolls, which alone militates against their antiquity. Furthermore the fact that terms and expressions of the Middle Ages are employed in the Scrolls establishesthe fact that the Scrolls were composed during the Middle Ages. In summing up-Jesus began his ministry in the year 29 which lasted until the Spring of 34. In the year 34 the festival of unleavened bread did not fall on Friday nor on Saturday. Mark states, "After two days was the Passover and the unleavened bread; and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him and put to death. But they said not on the feast lest there be an uproar of the people." 75 According to the further account of the same evangelist, Jesus was arrestedon the festival. There seems to be a contradiction. Most likely the early Christianshad two traditions as to the time when Jesus was crucified. However if the year 34 was intercalated, that is that there were two months of Adar, the first day of the festival of passoverfell on Saturday.This would be in accordance with the synoptic Gospels that Jesus was crucified on the first day of the festival of unleavened bread. It is true that the year 33-34 was a sabbatical year in which additional month was not intercalated 76 since the Judaeans were allowed to eat of the new harvest after the I6th day of Nisan when the Omer was brought. To have intercalated another month of Adar
75 14.1-2. 76 Sanh. 12.

JESUS' MINISTRY-ZEITLIN

I99

would have caused hardship to the people. However at the time of a drought when the crops had not ripened a month was intercalated and the people were gladdened 77being able to bring the Omer at the proper time and harvest the first fruit for the festival of Pentecost. The activities of Jesus, his visits to many cities and his many disputations with the Pharisees, as set forth in Mark and the other synoptic Gospels also indicate that the ministry of Jesus lasted longer than a few months. A New Testament scholar wrote, "It must be confessed that an examination of the movements of Jesus recorded by Mark is rarely in favor of their veracity, and that in all too many cases Mark is legitimately suspected of having taken Jesus to this place or that merely because he needed to have him go there, and not because he knew that he had actually gone." 78It is true that the statements in the Gospels about Jesus being in certain cities cannot be taken as facts. To cite an example. Matthew said that when Jesus came to Capernaum, "They who received half a drachma came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay half a drachma? He saith Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children or of strangers? Peter said unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him Then are the children free." 79Jesus could not have said this. Half a drachma80 for the Temple had to be paid by the Judaeans, the children. No stranger could give half a drachma to the Temple. Jesus could not have made this error. It is noteworthy that this is found only in the Gospel accordingto Matthew. Many of the disputations between Jesus and the Pharisees as recordedin the Gospels could not have taken place during
77 Ibid. 11. 78 Ch. Guignebert, 79 I7.24-27. Jesus, New York, I956, p.
227.

8o ,pt)n nrvns.

200

THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

the time of Jesus, as I have pointed out elsewhere.81 Neither could the statement in the Gospel of Matthew made by Jesus, "Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte." 82The term ger, proselyte, came into usage either a few years before the destruction or after the destruction of the Temple. During the time of Jesus a convert to Judaism was called mumar, c[p? oX?s, changer, 83 a person who changed his religion, mode of life, and embraced Judaism. Neither was the expression rabbi in vogue during the Second Commonwealth. It came into usage after the destruction of the Temple. 84 We may harmonizethe durationof Jesus's ministry between the synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel. The synoptic Gospels give the duration of the ministry of Jesus from the time of the death of John the Baptist which was at the end of 33 or the beginning of 34 to his crucifixion, thus lasting several months. The Fourth Gospel, on the other hand, gives Jesus' ministry from the time he came to John in the year 29 until he was crucified in the spring of 34, thus lasting over three years. Hence there is no contradiction between the synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel as to the duration of the ministry of Jesus.
81

82
83

The Pharisees and the Gospels. 1938.

23.15.

JQR, I963, pp. 84-86; S. Zeitlin, "Proselytes and Proselytism Harry Wolfson Jubilee Volume during the Second Commonwealth", 84 Cf. S. Zeitlin, JQR, Oct. I961; ibid. I963, pp. 345-349.