Christ lived during approximately the first 30 years of the present era. However, the exact dating of the events of His life is difficult, sometimes impossible. Even the date of His birth is not certain. When, in the sixth century of our era, historical time was divided into the era before Christ (BC) and the era after Christ (AD), the putative date of His birth was chosen as the year one. But later investigation has shown that the date of Christ’s birth was earlier than supposed in the sixth century. As a result we now have to say that Christ was born between the year four and eight BC. None of the Gospels is an adequate chronological account of His life. Only by building on the multiple, but sketchy, indications in all four Gospels can complete chronology be established. And dispute even about the number of years of Our Lord’s public life. For the purposes of this information, the following is outlined.
8 B.C. The Angel’s annunciation to Zachary.
7 B.C. The annunciation to Mary.
7 B.C. Birth of Christ.
6 B.C. Presentation in the Temple.
5 B.C. Visit of the Magi. The Flight into Egypt.
4 B.C. The Holy Family settles in Nazareth.
7 A.D. Finding of Jesus in the Temple.
27 A.D. October. John the Baptist begins his preaching.
28 A.D.
- January. Jesus is baptized by John.
- January-February. The forty days in the desert.
- March. Jesus chooses His first disciples. He attends a wedding at Cana in Galilee. He goes to Jerusalem for the Passover and there drives the moneychangers from the Temple.
- April. Preaching in Judea. He is secretly interviewed by Nicodemus, a Pharisee leader.
- May. John the Baptist imprisoned by Herod. Jesus returns to Galilee. He converts the Samaritans of Sichar. Preaching in Capernaum and Nazareth.
- June. Enmity of the Pharisees. Jesus chooses twelve apostles. The Sermon on the Mount.
- July. At Nairn He restores life to a widow’s son.
- November. The “Day of Parables.”
- December. He calms a storm on Lake Genesareth. The exorcism in Gerasa. The resurrection of Jairus’ daughter. Jesus is rejected at Nazareth.
29 A.D.
- February. He sends out His apostles on a mission.
- March. Martyrdom of John the Baptist.
- April. At Bethsaida-Julias in Galilee, He miraculously feeds five thousand people. Discourse on the Bread of Life. He goes to Jerusalem for the Passover and cures a paralytic at the Pool of Bethsaida.
- June. Preaching and wonderworking in Phoenicia and Decapolis. The Syrophoenician woman.
- July. Again He miraculously feeds a multitude. He promises the primacy to Peter.
- August. The Transfiguration.
- September. Jesus leaves Galilee to attend the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. He sends out seventy-two disciples on a trial mission.
- October. The Feast of Tabernacles. The cure of the man born blind.
- December. The Feast of the Dedication. Preaching in Jerusalem.
30 A.D.
- January. Preaching in Perea. Cure of a man with dropsy.
- February. He heals ten lepers in Samaria.
- March. Resurrection of Lazarus in Bethany. Jesus retires for a time to Ephrem, then approaches Jerusalem via Jericho.
- April. Jesus stops at Bethany, where He dines with the family of Lazarus. He is anointed by Mary.
- April 2 (Sunday). He enters Jerusalem triumphantly.
- April 3 (Monday). Cursing of the Fig Tree. Jesus preaches in the Temple.
- April 4 (Tuesday). Jesus condemns the Pharisees. The Sermon on the Last Things.
- April 5 (Wednesday). Judas plots with the Jewish leaders to betray Jesus.
- April 6 (Thursday). The Last Supper. After a farewell discourse, Jesus goes with the Apostles to Gethsemani, where He is seized by the Jews and brought back to Jerusalem.
- April 7 (Friday). In the early morning Jesus is interrogated by Annas, then is heard by Caiphas and again by the full Jewish Council. Towards noon He is sentenced to death by Pilate. He is crucified on Golgotha, just west of the city, and dies on the cross at about three o’clock in the afternoon. Before sunset He is taken down from the cross and buried.
- April 8 (Saturday). Roman guards are posted to watch His tomb.
- April 9 (Sunday). The Resurrection. Jesus’ followers discover the empty tomb. In the morning He appears to the Holy Women, in the afternoon to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and in the evening to His followers gathered in the Cenacle.
- April 16. He again appears in the Cenacle and convinces Thomas, who had been absent the week before.
- April-May. Jesus rejoins His Apostles in Galilee. He appears to seven of His followers on the shore of Lake Genesareth and meets with the Eleven on a mount in Galilee.
- May 18. He appears to the disciples again in Jerusalem, where they have assembled for the Feast of Pentecost. After a farewell instruction, He takes them out to Mount Olivet, blesses them, and ascends to heaven.
Information from The Life of Christ “Our Lord’s Life with Lesson in His Own Words for Our Life Today” The Catholic Press, Inc. 1959. xi-xiii. © 1954 edited by Reverend John P. O’Connell, MASTD and Jex Martin, MA NIHIL OBSTAT John A McMahon; IMPRIMATUR Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago August 1, 1953. Print.
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The Beginning of Christ’s Public Life