The Bible is Gods book of love and redemption. It should then not come as a surprise to us that Pliny, who scorned the idea of God and religion (cfNatural HistoryI, 5), would pass over in silence this world-portent now claimed by and associated with the Christian religion, which wasat that time he wrotea portent of a persecuted, criminal and maligned sect. Steven OReilly is a graduate of the University of Dallas and the Georgia Institute of Technology. The former says: "In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was an extraordinary eclipse of the sun: at the sixth hour, the day was turned into dark night, so that the stars in heaven were seen; and there was an earthquake in Bithynia, which overthrew many houses in the city of Nice." 12:40 mention three nights. The Text Widget allows you to add text or HTML to your sidebar. Pliny then proceeds and gives only two examples. He has written apologetic articles and is working on a historical-adventure trilogy, set during the time of the Arian crisis. . He was smartly dressed, flamboyant and gregarious. "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." II 21 [2], 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. A non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. Therefore I think we can compare it to another impressive unnatural phenomenon that happened 100 years ago in Fatima, when the sun danced on oct. 13th 1917 at the exact time Our Lady foretold months beforehand, before a huge crowd. March 25, 2018: With the arrival of Holy Week, I am reposting this article on the historicity of the Crucifixion darkness, originally posted April 13, 2017. The audience began to show its disdain. It was recorded by a Pagan author who had no desire to promote Christianity yet he confirmed the Bible record! . Origen, Against Celsus, Book 2.33, Phlegon mentioned the eclipse which took place during the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, and no other (eclipse); it is clear that he did not know from his sources about any (similar) eclipse in previous times . This is done carefully in Humphreys book [1]. GO TO Mobile Home, http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/b-greek/2000-May/011873.html, http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/newton.html, http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/lds/meridian/2004/daniel.html, http://www.neverthirsty.org/pp/historical-secular-quotes-about-jesus/phlegon.html, http://www.ichthus.info/CaseForChrist/Archeology/intro.html. Now you may be asking yourself, why is this even relevant? The reader should note that Phlegons comment that an eclipse of the sun occurred during Jesus death was impossible (see Thallus) since the Jewish Passover occurs during a full moon. 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad, in the 18th year of Tiberius. 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. You yourselves have the account of the world-portent still in your archives. (Tertullian, Apologia 21) (Emphasis added). The Cancellation Of The Curse Of Death, And The Free Gift Of Eternal Life, The Cancellation Of The Curse Of Sickness, And The Availability Of Supernatural Health, The Cancellation Of The Curse Of Poverty, And The Availability Of Gods Supernatural Abundance, Victory Over Satan Won At The Crucifixion, Accreditation, Acknowledgements and Legal notices for Crucifixion, Contact Dr Richard Kent and Recommendation. Little is known about Phlegon, but he made reference to Christ. The terms "day" and "night" sort of overlapped in their way of thinking. 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. This earthquake did not center near Jerusalem exactly but it was strong enough to be very noticable in effects at Jerusalem if it did damage in Nicea. All Rights Reserved. 1996. p. 217. The New Testament records the three-hour darkness during Christs crucifixion (Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:4445). These events of that day, and others surrounding them, such as the Crucifixion darkness described in the gospels, were real. Therefore the year of the crucifixion is A.D 33. Some events regarding the life of Christ and the life of Paul the Apostle, which are mentioned in the New Testament can be dated. View groups/803359606485066s profile on Facebook, View wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter, Fragment 18. Phlegon, born about A.D. 80, was a secular historian who lived in the second century. Julius Africanus quoted from the Olympiades a section no longer in existence which said this darkening if the sun happened at the time of the full moon. The first of the two speakers stepped forward again. The dramatic story recorded above is fictional but the facts presented, namely Bible prophecy, Phlegon and Thallius writings, etc., are very true. 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. (Sextus Julius Africanus,Fragment 18. He inadvertently dated the darkness at noon on the day of Crucifixion in his work, The Olympiades. This historical puzzle shows the historical accuracy of the New Testament in a number of ways. Your email address will not be published. Im fairly confident of the historical source, Your email address will not be published. Phlegon had specifically stated in his Olympiades: "In the 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was a great eclipse 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.". Some Christian scholars argue Jesus was crucified on Thursday and some even hold to a Wednesday crucifixion. Yet there has not been a good consensus among scholars about the exact date of the crucifixion. 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? There is a silence of historical sources with regard to this Crucifixion darkness. His boyish face was flush and confident now. In the Jewish calendar, the first month of a new year was called Nisan. The fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad was in 33 A.D.!!! If you were to cross-reference that to every fourth year of an Olympiad, only 3 more would have been visible from Rome; 4AD, 17AD, and 20AD. With these things in mind, I would like to provide some thoughts on the historicity of one particular event that is said to have occurred on the afternoon Our Lord was crucified. Many Christian scholars have come to question either the synoptic gospels or the gospel of John because of the difficulties of resolving questions about exactly when Jesus was crucified. Change). We do however have important sections of Phelgon's work, which are critical in dating the Crucifixion. This firmly connects Jesus and the gospels to Roman history. Being written within a dozen years of the Crucifixion, many of Matthews readers would have been witnesses to the three hour darkness which had fallen over the earth (cf Matthew 27: 45) years before. Your email address will not be published. From the work of Phlegon we can work out the date of the Crucifixion. The fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad I believe would include some of the same year as the 203rd Olympiad but the new Olympiad did not start till the Olympics event took place in the Summer. Roman historical sources confirm that Jesus Christ lived on Earth and died by crucifixion. . Africanus disputed an attempt by Thallus (a first century historian) to specifically explain the Crucifixion darkness in this way. The astronomical science tells us there was no solar eclipse over Bithynia in that year. . An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nica." [4] 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad. Dont believe me? "[4], Phlegon may have been recording an eclipse that happened in November, 29 AD, the 1st year of the 202nd Olympiad.[5]. Copyright Like The Master Ministries. subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now. So that means there has been at least some investigation of it by geologists though I do not know how much. Only one earthquake in this span of years came up in the results, in 33 AD The database showed two published geological sources regarding this earthquake. We only have fragments left to us of this monumental work and quotations of it from other writers. Or will you go to the place of separation from God in the afterlife? Contact Dr Richard Kent and recommendations, Bible Prophecy Concerning The Crucifixion, The Blood Covenant In Relation To The Crucifixion, Recording of The Crucifixion by Contemporary Historians, The Three Hour Period Of Darkness Is Confirmed By Many Historians, The Ad 33 Date Of The Crucifixion According To Phlegon, A Secular Greek Historian, The Ad 33 Date Of The Crucifixion From Bible Prophecy, Caiaphas Prophesied About The Crucifixion, In Gethsemane Jesus Sweated Blood, The Disciples Slept, And Judas Betrayed Jesus Christ, Judas Iscariot Betrayed Jesus Christ For Thirty Pieces Of Silver, The Timing Of The Night Before The Crucifixion, Jesus Christ Stood In Our Place At The Six Trials, Jesus Was Condemned To Death For "blasphemy", The Crowd Choose Barabbas Rather Than Jesus. We have no need to be dogmatic about precise numbers regarding His age at the time of His crucifixion. He takes the Bible at face value rather than questioning the details in Scripture in some way, which I believe is the right approach. It would be interesting to model the varying sizes, speeds, and distances required from the earth to account for the period of darkness on that hypothesis. Moon phase and solar year events are shown on the day in Athens. Followon Twitter:@S_OReilly_USA. There are some uncertainties in the Olympiad numbering system but it seems from various sources the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad would be either AD 32 or AD 33. 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?. On this basis the Fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad would commence in July A.D.32 and finish in June A.D.33. 1 Maier, Paul. Unfortunately, Africanus does not quote Phlegon directly. Jesus Christ's crucifixion is one of the most important events in the history of the world. This one too is during the 202ndOlympiad, although in the first year, not the fourth. From this brief statement, the skeptic wants to declare victory and go home. The ancient Olympic Games were held every four years for almost 1,100 years. It is impossible to have the Moon block the Sun at Full Moon, which is when Passover took place. 3: 32-07-28/29: Athene : 4: 32- . Historical source, your email address will not be published Gods book of and... Of Technology, http: //lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/b-greek/2000-May/011873.html, http: //www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/newton.html, http: //www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/newton.html, http: //www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/lds/meridian/2004/daniel.html http! Html to your sidebar the Olympiades on a historical-adventure trilogy, set the... A secular historian who lived in the gospels to Roman history have the block... 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Overlapped in their way of thinking, view wordpressdotcoms profile on Facebook, view wordpressdotcoms profile on,! Of historical sources with regard to this crucifixion darkness a good consensus among scholars about exact! This historical puzzle shows the historical source, your email address will not be published the Olympiad... The terms `` day '' and `` night '' sort of overlapped in their way thinking... At noon on the day of crucifixion in His work, which are critical in dating crucifixion. Passover took place of Phlegon we can work out the date of the darkness. Described in the Jewish calendar, the Olympiades of Phlegon we can work out the date of the world-portent in. Which are critical in dating the crucifixion the place of separation from God in the year... Had no desire to promote Christianity yet he confirmed the Bible record phase and solar year events are on. 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