Luke and that census

[judge]

March 7, 2009

A scholarly and thorough study by Harold W. Hoehner seems to have covered all the issues and relevant references and citations concerning the ???Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ??? [Academic Books, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids., Michigan, 1977].

Possibly. Dr Ernest L Martins book, The Star that Astonished the World is also very good, though he would not agree with the above author. The problems here have vexed scholars for many many years. Having Herods death in 4 BC seems to throw every thing out. For example the data you presented would make Jesus around 33 or 34 at the time Luke says he was around 30.
Now I will grant that 33 or 34 could be argued to be "around 30", but there may be a better explanation that makes Jesus 30 years old.

Scholars believe Herod died in 4 BC because of two references from Josephus (who wrote many years afterwards)

However, AJ 18.4.6 tells us that "Philip... died in the twentieth year of Tiberius's reign and after 37 years of his own rule over Trachonitis and Gaulonitis..."

Again, BJ 1.33.8, "So Herod, having survived the slaughter of his son five days, died, having reigned thirty-four years since he had caused Antigonus to be slain, and obtained his kingdom; but thirty-seven years since he had been made king by the Romans." Antigonus died in 37 BCE.

These references seem to nail his death down to 4BC.

However it is possible that Josephus got these dates wrong, and there is another internal piece of evidence within Josepus's own writings which seem to show this is the case.
There was an eclipse , just before the eeath of Herod, and Dr Martin argues quite convincingly IMHO that this eclipse could not have been in either 4 or 5 BC, but could only have been in 1BC.

When the 1BC date is used, all the other pieces of the jigsaw fit together.
Josephus, ewriting 70 or 80 myears later, just got some dates wrong, and ever since there has been confusion when one tries to compare them to Luke and Matthews timelines.

IOW Luqa is very accurate when he says Jesus was about 30 years old at the start of John ministry and rather it is Josephus, who wrote later than Luqa, who got the dates slightly wrong.