fourth year of the 202nd olympiad
The ancient Olympic Games were held every four years for almost 1,100 years. Thus, upon closer examination, theforce of the skeptics objection inevitably dissolves away into nothingness as we examine the works of other ancient writers who the skeptic would cite as asilentwitness for their case. Seeing as Phlegon was born approximately in the second century, it is extremely unlikely he spoke with an eyewitness of either eclipse. 27:63, Mark 8:31, Mark 9:31, Mark 10:33-34, and John 2:19. But what has an eclipse in common with an earthquake, the rending rocks, and the resurrection of the dead, and so great a perturbation throughout the universe? 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. Luke clearly goes out of his way to be specific about when this year was, by relating it to six different important officials. Bugnolan Conclave in surprise move, elects Bergoglio! This comes from how Jewish scholars would interpret passages such as in Jonah where Jonah was in the belly of the fish for 3 days and also in Esther where Esther prayed and fasted for 3 days when she went to speak with King Xerxes. On this basis the Fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad would commence in July A.D.32 and finish in June A.D.33. Phlegon Darkness occurred when Christ was crucified, an eclipse of the sun cannot occur during a full moon since the moon would be on the opposite side of the earth. Next, we consider the Gospel of Matthew. 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. Some events regarding the life of Christ and the life of Paul the Apostle, which are mentioned in the New Testament can be dated. Well, for starters, it places a high degree of scientific precision for a writing that could considered to be hearsay or speculative because of its inference from another source. (LogOut/ Donations to this ministry aretax-deductible. 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. Otto Keller, Rerum Naturalium Scriptores Graeci Minores, 1 (Leipzig Teurber, 1877), p. 101., 2 Julius Africanus, Extant Writings, XVIII in The AnteNicene Fathers, ed. A solar eclipse can occur only at new moon, but we know that Jesus was crucified at the time of Passover (Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:12,12; Luke 22:12, 7; John 13:1), and that the Passover is at the time of full moon (Exodus 12:111; Leviticus 23:5). Z's Blog - What Does The Prayer Really Say. The Bible is indeed confirmed by science, archaeology and history. There is more historical evidence to support the three hour period of darkness, and therefore of the Crucifixion, in 33 AD than almost any other ancient event in history! Now you may be asking yourself, why is this even relevant? Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth, until the ninth hour. (Matthew 27: 45), And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. 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. Jerusalem is another place where we might have expected there to be records of the events of Matthew 27, and to hope that individual residents of Jerusalemcontemporaneous to the eventsmight have commented on these wondrous happenings in personal records, etc. Moon phase and solar year events are shown on the day in Athens. Gary R. Habermas. Of all these verses, only Matt. We also know from the New Testament that at that time Caiaphas was the Jewish High Priest (Caiaphas is mentioned in Jewish writings) and Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea. AD 33 is too early for his crucifixion, surely. Between 3 PM and sunset the Jews had to prepare the body and get it into the tomb, because the Sabbath started Friday evening around sunset. So, these historical extrabiblical sources are also consistent with the AD 33 date. Remember then, especially on Good Friday between the hours of noon and 3 pm, that the Crucifixion darkness is a real, historical eventand pray for those who deny it. The terms "day" and "night" sort of overlapped in their way of thinking. But what has an eclipse in common with an earthquake, the rending rocks, and the resurrection of the dead, and so great a perturbation throughout the universe? In October, I will perform a miracle here so that all may believe. Unfortunately, Africanus does not quote Phlegon directly. this objectionis something of a fallacious argument. Among these is a very interesting quote below from a Christian scholar quoting an earlier Roman historian named Phlegon (first and second century). Another historian, Philipon (with Origen), confirms the historicity of Phlegon's statement by writing, "And about this darkness - Phlegon recalls it in the OlympiadsPhlegon mentioned the eclipse which took place during the crucifixion of the Lord Christ, and no other (eclipse), it is clear that he did not know from his sources about any (similar) eclipse in previous times and this is shown by the historical account of Tiberius Caesar.". The madness of the skeptic is such that they would have us believe sources which are silent, over those which speak. 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. Is it accurate? Retrieved November 30, 2006 from [2]. So a 24 hour daily cycle was from sunset to sunset. Africanus disputed an attempt by Thallus (a first century historian) to specifically explain the Crucifixion darkness in this way. The second quote is recorded by Philopon. Why would the Apostles allude to a darkness their hearers and readersknewdid not happen? On Marvels consists of "anecdotes culled from sources as diverse as the Greek poet Hesiod and the Roman natural historian Pliny the Elder. Volume 2 contains the quotes on this webpage. This information would be every unlikely to have been added at a later time due to its specificity in time. The fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad was in 33 A.D.!!! Emma Southon: "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". 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. Two short works by him are extant. So how should we understand the statement about Jesus being dead three days and three nights? He was smartly dressed, flamboyant and gregarious. This research again confirms Phlegons writing. Rome had a Jewish community, and it is probable that word of the darkness would have reached and been known within it. On the Circumstances Connected with Our Saviours Passion and His Life-Giving Resurrection, The Wheels of the Formal Correction turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine. [3]. You can use a text widget to display text, links, images, HTML, or a combination of these. Phlegon of Tralles was a first century secular Greek historian born not long after the Crucifixion. 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad. For the Hebrews celebrate the passover on the 14th day according to the moon, and the passion of our Saviour fails on the day before the passover; but an eclipse of the sun takes place only when the moon comes under the sun. In fact, it is also quite impossible for a solar eclipse to last for 3 hours. Peter reminds his hearers these things were done in the midst of you, as you also know. Clearly, Peter referenced an eventthe three hour darkening of the sunwhich waspreviouslywitnessed by all hearing him that day. It is improbable that he would have created such an event from his own imagination. I will go into more detail about this process below. Yes, to God, nothing is impossible. The answer is a resounding yes.Whether the darkness was witnessed throughout the empire or only in regions around Jerusalem is not clear. 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. They were not myths or literary devicesas skeptics or modernist biblical scholars might now suggest. It cannot be denied that Pliny the Elder wrote on topics like eclipses of the sun. /*
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