Chronology of the Life of Jesus Christ
In the following paragraphs we shall endeavour to establish the absolute and
relative chronology of our Lord's life, i.e. we shall show first how certain facts
connected with the history of Jesus Christ fit in with the course of universal
history, and secondly how the rest of the life of Jesus must be arranged
according to the inter-relation of its single elements.
I. ABSOLUTE CHRONOLOGY
The incidents whose absolute chronology may be determined with more or less
probability are the year of Christ's nativity, of the beginning of His public life, and
of His death. As we cannot fully examine the data entering into these several
problems, the reader ought to compare what has been said on these points in
the article BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGY.
A. The Nativity
St. Matthew (ii, 1) tells us that Jesus was born "in the days of king Herod".
Josephus (Ant., XVII, viii, 1) informs us that Herod died after ruling thirty four
years de facto, thirty seven years de jure. Now Herod was made rightful King of
Judea A.U.C. 714, while he began his actual rule after taking Jerusalem A.U.C. 717.
As the Jews reckoned their years from Nisan to Nisan, and counted fractional
parts as an entire year, the above data will place the death of Herod in A.U.C. 749,
750, 751. Again, Josephus tells us from that an eclipse of the moon occurred not
long before Herod's death; such an eclipse occurred from 12 to 13 March, A.U.C.
750, so that Herod must have died before the Passover of that year which fell on
12 April (Josephus, "Ant"., iv, 4; viii, 4). As Herod killed the children up to two
years old, in order to destroy the new born King of the Jews, we are led to believe
that Jesus may have been born A.U.C. 747, 748, 749. The enrollment under
Cyrinus mentioned by St. Luke in connection with the nativity of Jesus Christ,
and the remarkable astronomical conjunction of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in
Pisces, in the spring of A.U.C. 748, will not lead us to any more definite result.
B. Beginning of the Public Ministry
The date of the beginning of Christ's ministry may be calculated from three
different data found respectively in Luke, iii, 23; Josephus, "Bel. Jud." I, xxi, 1; or
"Ant.", XV, ii, 1; and Luke, iii, 1.
The first of these passages reads: "And Jesus himself was beginning about the
age of thirty years". The phrase "was beginning" does not qualify the following
expression "about the age of thirty years", but rather indicates the
commencement of the public life. As we have found that the birth of Jesus falls
within the period 747-749 A.U.C., His public life must begin about 777-779 A.U.C.
Second, when, shortly before the first Pasch of His public life, Jesus had cast
the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, the Jews said: "Six and forty years was
this temple in building" (John 2:20). Now, according to the testimony of Josephus
(loc. cit.), the building of the Temple began in the fifteenth year of Herod's actual
reign or in the eighteenth of his reign de jure, i.e. 732 A.U.C.; hence, adding the
forty six years of actual building, the Pasch of Christ's first year of public life
must have fallen in 778 A.U.C.
Third, the Gospel of St. Luke (3:1) assigns the beginning of St. John the Baptist's
mission to the "fifteenth year of the Tiberius Caesar". Augustus, the predecessor
of Tiberius, died 19 August, 767 A.U.C., so that the fifteenth year of Tiberius's
independent reign is 782 A.U.C.; but then Tiberius began to be associate of
Augustus in A.U.C. 764, so that the fifteenth year reckoned from this date falls in
A.U.C. 778. Jesus Christ's public life began a few months later, i.e. about A.U.C.
779.
C. The Year of the Death of Christ
According to the Evangelists, Jesus suffered under the high priest Caiphas (A.U.C.
772-90, or A.D. 18-36), during the governorship of Pontius Pilate A.U.C. 780-90).
But this leaves the time rather indefinite. Tradition, the patristic testimonies for
which have been collected by Patrizi (De Evangeliis), places the death of Jesus
in the fifteenth (or sixteenth) year of Tiberius, in the consulship of the Gemini,
forty-two years before the destruction of Jerusalem, and twelve years before the
preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles. We have already seen that the fifteenth
year of Tiberius is either 778 or 782, according to its computation from the
beginning of Tiberius's associate or sole reign; the consulship of the Gemini
(Fufius and Rubellius) fell in A.U.C. 782; the forty second year before the
destruction of Jerusalem is A.D. 29, or A.U.C. 782, twelve years before the
preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles brings us to the same year, A.D. 29 or
A.U.C. 782, since the conversion of Cornelius, which marks the opening of the
Gentile missions, fell probably in A.D. 40 or 41.
D. The Day of the Death of Christ
Jesus died on Friday, the fifteenth day of Nisan. That He died on Friday is clearly
stated by Mark (xv, 42), Luke (xxiii, 54), and John (xix, 31). The few writers who
assign another day for Christ's death are practically lost in the multitude of
authorities who place it on Friday. What is more, they do not even agree among
themselves: Epiphanius, e.g., places the Crucifixion on Tuesday; Lactantius, on
Saturday; Westcott, on Thursday; Cassiodorus and Gregory of Tours, not on
Friday. The first three Evangelists are equally clear about the date of the
Crucifixion. They place the Last Supper on the fourteenth day of Nisan, as may
be seen from Matt., xxvi, 17, 20; Mark, xiv, 12 17; Luke, xxii, 7 14. Nor can there
be any doubt about St. John's agreement with the Synoptic Evangelists on the
question of the Last Supper and the Crucifixion. The supper was held "before the
festival day of the Pasch" (John, xiii, 1), i. e. on 14 Nisan, as may be seen from
Matt., xxii, 7-14. Nor can there be any doubt about St. John's agreement with the
Synoptic Evangelists on the question of the Last Supper and the Crucifixion. The
Supper was held "before the festival day of the pasch" (John, xiii, 1), i.e. on 14
Nisan, since the sacrificial day was computed according to the Roman method
(Jovino, 123 sqq., 139 sqq.). Again, some disciples thought that Judas left the
supper table because Jesus had said to him: "Buy those things which we have
need of for the festival day: or that he should give something to the poor" (John,
xiii, 29). If the Supper had been held on 13 Nisan this belief of the disciples can
hardly be understood, since Judas might have made his purchases and
distributed his alms on 14 Nisan; there would have been no need for his rushing
into the city in the middle of the night. On the day of Christ's Crucifixion the Jews
"went not into the hall, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the
pasch" (John, xviii, 28). The pasch which the Jews wished to eat could not have
been the paschal lamb, which was eaten on 14 Nisan, for the pollution
contracted by entering the hall would have ceased at sundown, so that it would
not have prevented them from sharing in the paschal supper. The pasch which
the Jews had in view must have been the sacrificial offerings (Chagighah), which
were called also pasch and were eaten on 15 Nisan. Hence this passage places
the death of Jesus Christ on the fifteenth day of Nisan. Again, Jesus is said to
have suffered and died on the "parasceve of the pasch", or simply on the
"parasceve" (John, xix, 14, 31); as "parasceve" meant Friday, the expression
"parasceve" denotes Friday on which the pasch happened to fall, not the before
the pasch. Finally, the day following the parasceve on which Jesus died is called
"a great sabbath day" (John, xix, 31), either to denote its occurrence in the
paschal week or to distinguish it from the preceding pasch, or day of minor rest.
II. RELATIVE CHRONOLOGY
No student of the life of Jesus will question the chronological order of its principal
divisions: infancy, hidden life, public life, passion, glory. But the order of events in
the single divisions is not always clear beyond dispute.
A. The Infancy of Jesus
The history of the infancy, for instance, is recorded only in the First Gospel and
in the Third. Each Evangelist contents himself with five pictures:
St. Matthew describes the birth of Jesus, the adoration of the Magi, the
flight into Egypt, the slaughter of the Holy Innocents, and the return to
Nazareth.
St. Luke gives a sketch of the birth, of the adoration of the shepherds, of
the circumcision, of the purification of the Virgin, and of the return to
Nazareth.
The two Evangelists agree in the first and the last of these two series of incidents
(moreover, all scholars place the birth, adoration of the shepherds, and the
circumcision before the Magi), but how are we to arrange the intervening three
events related by St. Matthew with the order of St. Luke? We indicate a few of
the many ways in which the chronogical sequence of these facts has been
arranged.
1. The birth, the adoration of the shepherds, the circumcision, the adoration of
the Magi, the flight into Egypt, the slaughter of the Innocents, the purification,
the return to Nazareth. This order implies that either the purification was delayed
beyond the fortieth day, which seems to contradict Luke, ii, 22 sqq., or that
Jesus was born shortly before Herod's death. so that the Holy Family could
return from Egypt within forty days after the birth of Jesus. Tradition does not
seem to favour this speedy return.
2. The birth, the adoration of the shepherds, the circumcision, the adoration of
the Magi, the purification, the flight into Egypt, the slaughter of the Innocents,
the return to Nazareth. According to this order the Magi either arrived a few days
before the purification or they came on 6 January; but in neither case can we
understand why the Holy Family should have offered the sacrifice of the poor,
after receiving the offeings of the Magi. Moreover, the firsr Evangelist intimates
that the angel appeared to St. Joseph soon after the departure of the Magi, and it
is not at all probable that Herod should have waited long before inquiring
concerning the whereabouts of the new born king. The difficulties are not
overcome by placing the adoration of the Magi on the day before the purification;
it would be more unlikely in that case that the Holy Family should offer the
sacrifice of the poor.
3. As Luke 2:39 appears to exclude the possibility of placing the adoration of the
Magi between the presentation and return to Nazareth, there are interpreters who
have located the advent of the wise men, the flight to Egypt, the slaughter of the
Innocents, and the return from Egypt after the events as told in St. Luke. They
agree in the opinion that the Holy Family returned to Nazareth after the
purification, and then left Nazareth in order to make their home in Bethlehem.
Eusebius, Epiphanius, and some other ancient writers are willing to place the
adoration of the Magi about two years after Christ's birth; Paperbroch and his
followers allow about a year and thirteen days between the birth and the advent of
the Magi; while Patrizi agrees with those who fix the advent of the Magi at about
two weeks after the purification . The text of Matt., ii, 1, 2, hardly permits an
interval of more than a year between the purification and the coming of the wise
men; Patrizi's opinion appears to satisfy all the data furnished by the gospels,
while it does not contradict the particulars added by tradition.
B. The Hidden Life of Jesus
It was in the seclusion of Nazareth that Jesus spent the greatest part of His
earthly life. The inspired records are very reticent about this period: Luke,
2:40-52; Mark 6:3; John 6:42; 7:15, are about the only passages which refer to
the hidden life. Some of them give us a general view of Christ's life: "The child
grew, and grew in strength and wisdom; and the grace of God was in him" is the
brief summary of the years following the return of the Holy Family after the
ceremonial purification in the Temple. "Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and
grace with God and men", and He "was subject to them" form the inspired outline
of Christ's life in Nazareth after He had attained the age of twelve. "When he was
twelve years old" Jesus accompanied His parents to Jerusalem, 'according to the
custom of the feast'; When they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem;
and his parents knew it not." After three days, they found him in the Temple,
sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions." It
was on this occasion that Jesus spoke the only words that have come down from
the period of His hidden life: "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know,
that I must be about my Father's business [or, "in my father's house"]?" The
Jews tell us that Jesus had not passed through the training of he Rabbinic
schools: "How doth this man know letters, having never learned?". The same
question is asked by the people of Nazareth, who add, "Is not this the
carpenter?" St. Justin is authority for the statement that Jesus specially made
"ploughs and yokes' (Contra Tryph., 88). Though it is not certain that at the time
of Jesus elementary schools existed in the Jewish villlages, it may be inferred
from the Gospels that Jesus knew how to read (Luke 4:16) and write (John 8:6).
At an early age He must have learned the so called Shema (Deut. 6:4), and the
Hallel, or Psalms 113-118 (Hebr.); He must have been familiar with the other
parts of the Scriptures too, especially the Psalms and the Prophetic Books, as
He constantly refers to them in His public life. It is also asserted that Palestine
at the time of Jesus Christ was practically bilingual, so that Christ must have
spoken Aramaic and Greek; the indications that He was acquainted with Hebrew
and Latin are rather slight. The public teaching of Jesus shows that He was a
close observer of the sights and sounds of nature, and of the habits of all classes
of men. For these are the usual sources of His illustrations. To conclude the
hidden life of Jesus extending through thirty years is far different from what one
should have expected in the case of a Person Who is adored by His followers as
their God and revered as their Saviour; this is an indirect proof for the credibility of
the Gospel story.
C. The Public Life of Jesus: Its Duration
The chronology of the public life offers a number of problems to the interpreter;
we shall touch upon only two, the duration of the public life, and the successive
journeys it contains.
There are two extreme views as to the length of the ministry of Jesus: St.
Irenaeus (Contra Haer., II, xxii, 3-6) appears to suggest a period of fifteen years;
the prophetic phrases, "the year of recompenses", "the year of my redemption"
(Is., xxxiv, 8; lxiii, 4), appear to have induced Clement of Alexandria, Julius
Africanus, Philastrius, Hilarion, and two or three other patristic writers to allow
only one year for the public life. This latter opinion has found advocates among
certain recent students: von Soden, for instance, defends it in Cheyne's
"Encyclopaedia Biblica". But the text of the Gospels demands a more extensive
duration. St. John's Gospel distinctly mentions three distinct paschs in the
history of Christ's ministry (ii, 13; vi, 4; xi, 55). The first of the three occurs
shortly after the baptism of Jesus, the last coincides with His Passion, so that at
least two years must have intervened between the two events to give us the
necessary room for the passover mentioned in vi, 4. Westcott and Hort omit the
expression "the pasch" in vi, 4 to compress the ministry of Jesus within the
space of one year; but all the manuscripts, the versions, and nearly all the
Fathers testify for the reading "En de eggysto pascha heeorteton Ioudaion": "Now
the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand". Thus far then
everything tends to favour the view of those writers and more recent
commentators who extend the period of Christ's ministry a little over two years.
But a comparison of St. John's Gospel with the Synoptic Evangelists seems to
introduce another pasch, indicated in the Fourth Gospel, into Christ's public life.
John, iv, 45, relates the return of Jesus into Galilee after the first pasch of His
public life in Jerusalem, and the same event is told by Mark, i, 14, and Luke iv,
14. Again the pasch mentioned in John, vi, 4 has its parallel in the "green grass"
of Mark, vi, 39, and in the multiplication of loaves as told in Luke, ix, 12 sqq. But
the plucking of ears mentioned in Mark, ii, 23, and Luke, vi, 1, implies another
paschal season intervening between those expressly mentioned in John, ii, 13,
and vi, 4. This shows that the public life of Jesus must have extended over four
paschs, so that it must have lasted three years and a few months. Though the
Fourth Gospel does not indicate this fourth pasch as clearly as the other three, it
is not wholly silent on the question. The "festival day of the Jews" mentioned in
John, v, 1, has been identified with the Feast of Pentecost, the Feast of
Tabernacles, the Feast of Expiation, the Feast of the New Moon, the Feast of
Purim, the Feast of Dedication, by various commentators; others openly confess
that they cannot determine to which of the Jewish feasts this festival day refers.
Nearly all difficulties will disappear if the festival day be regarded as the pasch,
as both the text (heorte) and John, iv, 35 seem to demand (cf. Dublin Review,
XXIII, 351 sqq.).
D. The Public Life of Jesus: His Journeys
The journeys made during His public life may be grouped under nine heads: the
first six were mainly performed in Galilee and had Capharnaum for their central
point; the last three bring Jesus into Judea without any pronounced central point.
We cannot enter into the disputed questions connected with the single incidents
of the various groups.
1. First Journey.
December, A.U.C. 778 - Spring, 779. (Cf. John, i, ii; Matthew, iii, iv; Mark, i; Luke,
iii, iv.)
Jesus abandons His hidden life in Nazareth, and goes to Bethania across the
Jordan, where He is baptized by John and receives the Baptist's first testimony
to His Divine mission. He then withdraws into the desert of Judea, where He fasts
for forty days and is tempted by the devil. After this He dwells in the
neighbourhood of the Baptist's ministry, and receives the latter's second and third
testimony; here too He wins His first disciples, with whom He journeys to the
wedding feast at Cana in Galilee, where He performs His first miracle. Finally He
transfers His residence, so far as there can be question of a residence in His
public life, to Capharnaum, one of the principal thoroughfares of commerce and
travel in Galilee.
2. Second Journey.
Passover, A.U.C. 779 - about Pentecost, 780. (Cf. John, ii-v; Mark, i-iii; Luke, iv-vii;
Matt., iv-ix.)
Jesus goes from Capharnaum to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover; here
he expels the buyers and sellers from the Temple, and is questioned by the
Jewish authorities. Many believed in Jesus, and Nicodemus came to converse
with Him during the night. After the festival days He remained in Judea till about
the following December, during which period He received the fourth testimony
from John who was baptizing at Ennon (A.V. Aenon). When the Baptist had been
imprisoned in Machaerus, Jesus returned to Galilee by way of Samaria where He
met the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well near Sichar; He delayed two days in
this place, and many believed in Him. Soon after His return into Galilee we find
Jesus again in Cana, where He heard the prayer who pleaded for the recovery of
his dying son in Capharnaum. The rejection of Jesus by the people of Nazareth,
whether at this time as, St. Luke intimates, or at a later period, as St. Mark
seems to demand, or again both now and about eight months later, is an
exegetical problem we cannot solve here. At any rate, shortly afterwards Jesus is
mostly actively engaged in Capharnaum in teaching and healing the sick,
restoring among others Peter's mother-in-law and a demoniac. On this occasion
He called Peter and Andrew, James and John. Then followed a missionary tour
through Galilee during which Jesus cured a leper; soon he again taught in
Capharnaum, and was surrounded by such a multitude that a man sick of the
palsy had to be let down through the roof in order to reach the Sacred Presence.
After calling Matthew to the Apostleship, He went to Jerusalem for the second
pasch occurring during His public life, it was on this occasion that He healed the
man who been sick for thirty-eight years near the pool at Jerusalem. The charge
of violating the Sabbath and Christ's answer were the natural effects of the
miracle. The same charge is repeated shortly after the pasch; Jesus had
returned to Galilee, and the disciples plucked some ripe ears in the corn fields.
The question became more acute in the immediate future; Jesus had returned to
Capharnaum, and there healed on the Sabbath day a man who had a withered
hand. The Pharisees now make common cause with the Herodians in order to
"destroy him". Jesus withdraws first to the Sea of Galilee, where He teaches and
performs numerous miracles; then retires to the Mountain of Beatitudes, where
He prays during the night, chooses His Twelve Apostles in the morning, and
preaches the Sermon on the Mount. He is brought back to Capharnaum by the
prayers of the centurion who asks and obtains the of his servant.
3. Third Journey.
About Pentecost, A.U.C. 780- Autumn, 780. (Cf. Luke, vii, viii; Mark, iii, iv; Matt.,
iv, viii, ix, xii, xiii.)
Jesus makes another missionary tour through Galilee; He resuscitates the son of
the widow at Naim, and shortly afterwards receives the messengers sent by John
from his prison in Machaerus. Then follows the scene of the merciful reception of
the sinful woman who anoints the feet of the Lord while He rests at table in
Magdala or perhaps in Capharnaum; for the rest of His missionary tour Jesus is
followed by a band of pious women who minister to the wants of the Apostles.
After returning to Capharnaum, Jesus expels the mute devil, is charged by the
Pharisees with casting out devils by the prince of devils, and encounters the
remonstrances of His kinsmen. Withdrawing to the sea, He preaches what may
be called the "Lake Sermon", consisting of seven parables.
4. Fourth Journey.
Autumn, A.U.C. 780- about Passover, 781. (Cf. Luke, viii, ix; Mark, iv-vi; Matt., viii,
ix, x, xiii, xiv.)
After a laborious day of ministry in the city of Capharnaum and on the lake,
Jesus with His Apostles crosses the waters. As a great storm overtakes them,
the frightened Apostles awaken their sleeping Master, Who commands the winds
and the waves. Towards morning they meet in the country of the Gerasens, on
the east of the lake, two demoniacs. Jesus expels the evil spirits, but allows
them to enter into a herd of swine. The beasts destroy themselves in the waters
of the lake, and frightened inhabitants beg Jesus not to remain among them.
After returning to Capharnaum he heals the woman who had touched the hem of
His garment, resuscitates the daughter of Jairus, and gives sight to two blind
men. The second Gospel places here Christ's last visit to and rejection by the
people of Nazareth. Then follows the ministry of the Apostles who are sent two
by two, while Jesus Himself makes another missionary tour through Galilee. It
seems to have been the martyrdom of John the Baptist that occasioned the
return of the Apostles and their gathering around the Master in Capharnaum. But,
however depressing this event may have been, it did not damp the enthusiasm of
the Apostles over their success.
5. Fifth Journey.
Spring, A.U.C. 781. (Cf. John, vi; Luke, ix; Mark, vi; and Matt., xiv.)
Jesus invites the Apostles, tired out from their missionary labours, to rest awhile.
They cross the northern part of the Sea of Galilee, but, instead of finding the
desired solitude, they are met by multitudes of people who had preceded them
by land or by boat, and who were eager for instruction. Jesus taught them
throughout the day, and towards evening did not wish to dismiss them hungry.
On the other hand, there were only five loaves and two fishes at the disposal of
Jesus; after His blessing, these scanty supplies satisfied the hunger of five
thousand men, besides women and children, and remnants filled twelve baskets
of fragments. Jesus sent the Apostles back to their boats, and escaped from the
enthusiastic multitudes, who wished to make Him king, into the mountain where
He prayed till far into the night. Meanwhile the Apostles were facing a contrary
wind till the fourth watch in the morning, when they saw Jesus walking upon the
waters. The Apostles first fear, and then recognize Jesus; Peter walks upon the
water as long as his confidence lasts; the storm ceases when Jesus has entered
the boat. The next day brings Jesus and His Apostles to Capharnaum, where He
speaks to the assembly about the Bread of Life and promises the Holy
Eucharist, with the result that some of His followers leave Him, while the faith of
His true disciples is strenghened.
6. Sixth Journey.
About May, A.U.C. 781- Sept., 781. (Cf. Lk., ix; Mk., vii-ix; Matt., xiv- xviii; John,
vii.)
It may be owing to the enmity stirred up against Jesus by His Eucharistic
discourse in Capharnaum that He began now a more extensive missionary tour
than He had made in the preceding years of His life. Passing through the country
of Genesar, He expressed His disapproval of the Pharisaic practices of legal
purity. Within the boarders of Tyre and Sidon He exorcized the daughter of the
Syrophenician woman. From here Jesus travelled first towards the north, then
towards the east, then south-eastward through the northern part of Decapolis,
probably along the foot of the Labanon, till He came to the eastern part of
Galilee. While in Decapolis Jesus healed a deaf-mute, employing a ceremonial
more elaborate than He had used at any of His previous miracles; in the eastern
part of Galilee, probably not far from Dalmanutha and Magedan, He fed four
thousand men, besides children and women, with seven loaves and a few little
fishes, the remaining fragments filling seven baskets. The multitudes had listened
for three days to the teaching of Jesus, previously to the miracle. In spite of the
many cures performed by Jesus, during this journey, on the blind, the dumb, the
lame, the maimed, and on many others, the Pharisees and Sadduces asked Him
for a sign from heaven, tempting Him. He promised them the sign of Jonas the
Prophet. After Jesus and the Apostles had crossed the lake, He warned them to
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees; then they passed through Bethsaida
Julias where Jesus gave sight to a blind man. Next we find Jesus in the confines
of Caesarea Philippi, where Peter professes his faith in Christ, the Son of the
living God, and in his turn receives from Jesus the promise of the power of the
keys. Jesus here predicts His passion, and about a week later is transfigured
before Peter, James, and John, probably on the top of Mt. Thabor. On
descending from the mountain, Jesus exorcizes the mute devil whom His
disciples had not been able to expel. Bending his way towards Capharnaum,
Jesus predicts His Passion for the second time, and in the city pays the
tribute-money for Himself and Peter. This occasions the discussion as to the
greater in the kingdom of heaven, and the allied discourses. Finally, Jesus
refuses His brethren's invitation to go publicly to the Feast of Tabernacles in
Jerusalem.
7. Seventh Journey.
Sept., A.U.C. 781- December, 781. (Cf. Luke, ix-xiii; Mark, x; Matt., vi, vii, viii, x,
xi, xii, xxiv; John, vii-x.)
Jesus now "steadfastly set His face to go Jerusalem", and as the Samaritans
refused Him hospitality, He had to take the east of the Jordan. While still in
Galilee, He refused the discipleship of several half-hearted candidates, and about
the same time He sent other seventy-two, two by two, before His face into every
city and place whither He Himself was to come. Probably in the lower part of
Peraea, the seventy-two returned with joy, rejoicing in the miraculous power that
had been exercised by them. It must have been in the vicinity of Jericho that
Jesus answered the lawer's question, "Who is my neighbour?" by the parable of
the Good Samaritan. Next Jesus was received in the hospitable home of Mary
and Martha, where He declares Mary to have chosen the better part. From
Bethania went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, where he became
involved in discussions with the Jews. The Scribes and Pharisees endeavoured to
catch Him in the sentence which they asked Him to pronounce in the case of the
woman taken in adultary. When Jesus had avoided this snare, He continued His
discussions with the hostile Jews. Their enmity was intensified because Jesus
restored sight to a blind man on the Sabbath day. Jesus appears to have His
stay in Jerusalem with the beautiful discourse on the Good Shepherd. A little
later He teaches His Apostles the Our Father, probably somewhere on Mt.
Olivet. On a subsequent missionary tour through Judea and Peraea He defends
Himself against the charges of Pharisees, and reproves their hypocrisy. On the
same journey Jesus warned against hypocrisy, covetousness, worldly care; He
exhorted to watchfulness, patience under contradictions, and to penance. About
this time, too, He healed the woman who had the spirit of infirmity
8. Eighth Journey.
December, A.U.C. 781-February, 782. (Cf. Luke, xiii-xvii; John, x, xi.)
The Feast of Dedication brought Jesus again to Jerusalem, and occasioned
another discussion with the Jews. This is followed by another missionary tour
through Peraea, during which Jesus explained a number of important points of
doctrine: the number of the elect, the choice of one's place at table, the guests
to be invited, the parable of the great supper, resoluteness in the service of God,
the parables of the hundred sheep, the lost groat, and the prodigal son, of the
unjust steward, of Dives and Lazarus, of the unmerciful servant, besides the duty
of fraternal correction, and the efficacy of faith. During this period, too, the
Pharisees attempted to frighten Jesus with the menance of Herod's persecution;
on his part, Jesus healed a man who had drospy, on a Sabbath day, while at
table in the house of a certain prince of the Pharisees. Finally Mary and Martha
send messengers to Jesus, asking Him to come and cure their brother Lazarus;
Jesus went after two days, and resuscitated His friend who had been several
days in the grave. The Jews are exasperated over this miracle, and they decree
Jesus must die for the people. Hence He withdrew "into a country near the
desert, unto a city that is called Ephrem".
9. Ninth Journey.
February, A.U.C. 782- Passover, 782. (Cf. Luke, xvii-xxii; Mark., x, xiv; Matt.,
xix-xxvi; John, xi, xii.)
This last journey took Jesus from Ephrem northward through Samaria, then
eastward along the border of Galilee into Peraea, then southward through
Peraea, westward across the Jordan, through Jericho, Bethania on Mt. Olivet,
Bethphage, and finally to Jerusalem. While in the most northern part of the
journey, He cured ten lepers; a little later, He answered the questions raised by
the Pharisees concerning the kingdom of God. Then He urged the need of
incessant prayer by proposing the parable of the unjust judge; here too belong
the parable of the Pharisee and Publican, the discourse on marriage, on the
attitude of the Church towards the children, on the right use of riches as
illustrated by the story of the rich young ruler, and the parable of the labourers in
the vineyard. After beginning His route towards Jerusalem, He predicted His
Passion for the third time; James and John betray their ambition, but they are
taught the true standard of greatness in the Church. At Jericho Jesus heals two
blind men, and receives the repentance of Zacheus the publican; here He
proposed also the parable of the pounds entrusted to the servants by the master.
Six days before the pasch we find Jesus at Bethania on Mt. Olivet, as the guest
of Simon the leper; Mary anoints His feet, and the disciples at the instigation of
Judas are indignant at this seeming waste of ointment. A great multitude
assembles at Bethania, not to see Jesus only but also Lazarus; hence the chief
priests think of killing Lazarus too. On the following day Jesus solemnly entered
Jerusalem and was received by the Hosanna cries of all classes of people. In the
afternoon He met a delegation of Gentiles in the court of the Temple. On Monday
Jesus curses the barren fig tree, and during the morning He drives the buyers
and sellers from the Temple. On Tuesday the wonder of the disciples at the
sudden withering of the fig tree provokes their Master's instruction on the efficacy
of faith. Jesus answers the enemies' questions as to His authority; then He
proposes the parable of the two sons, of the wicked husbandmen, and of the
marriage feast. Next follows a triple snare: the politicians ask whether it is lawful
to pay tribute to Caesar; the scoffers inquire whose wife a woman, who has had
several husbands, will be after ressurection; the Jewish theologians propose the
question: Which is the first commandment, the great commandment of the law?
Then Jesus proposes His last question to the Jews: "What think you of Christ?
whose son is he?" This is followed by the eightfold woe against the Scribes and
Pharisees, and by the denunciation of Jerusalem. The last words of Christ in the
Temple were expressions of praise for the poor widow who had made an offering
of two mites in spite of her poverty. Jesus ended this day by uttering the
prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, His second coming, and the
future judgement; these predictions are interrupted by the parable of the ten
virgins and the talents. On Wednesday Jesus again predicted His Passion;
probably it was on the same day that Judas made his agreement with the Jews
to betray Jesus.
E. The Passion of Jesus: Its Preparation
Jesus prepares His disciples for the Passion, He prepares Himself for the ordeal
and His enemies prepare themselves for the destruction of Jesus.
1. Preparation of the Apostles. Jesus prepares His Apostles for the Passion by
the eating of the paschal lamb, the institution of the Holy Eucharist, the
concomitant ceremonies, and His lengthy discourses held during and after the
Last Supper. Special mention should be made of the prediction of the Passion,
and of the betrayal one of the Apostles and the denial by another. Peter, james,
and John are prepared in a more particular manner by witnessing the sorrow of
Jesus on Mt. Olivet.
2. Preparation of Jesus. Jesus must have found an indirect preparation in all He
did and said to strengthen His Apostles. But the preparation that was pecularly
His own consisted in His prayer in the grotto of His Agony where the angel came
to strengthen Him. The sleep of His favoured Apostles during the hours of His
bitter struggle must have prepared Him too for the complete abandonment He
was soon to experience.
3. Preparation of the Enemies. Judas leaves the Master during the Last Supper.
The chief priests and Pharisees hastily collect a detachment of the Roman
cohort stationed in the castle of Antonia, of the Jewish temple-watch, and of the
officials of the Temple. To these are added a number of the servants and
dependents of the high-priest, and a miscellaneous multitude of fanatics with
lanterns and torches, with swords and clubs, who were to follow the leadership of
Judas. They took Christ, bound Him, and led Him to the high-priest's house.
F. The Passion of Jesus: The Trial
Jesus was tried first before an ecclesiastical and then before a civil tribunal.
1. Before Ecclesiastical Court. The ecclesiastical trial includes Christ's
appearance before Annas, before Caiphas, and again before Caiphas, who
appears to have acted in each case as head of the Sanhedrin. The Jewish court
found Jesus guilty of blasphemy, and condemned Him to death, though its
proceedings were illegal from more than one point of view. During the trial took
place Peter's triple denial of Jesus; Jesus is insulted and mocked, especially
between the second and third session; and after His final condemnation Judas
despaired and met his tragic death.
2. Before the Civil Court. The civil trial, too, comprised three sessions, the first
before Pilate, the second before Herod, the third again before Pilate. Jesus is not
charged with blasphemy before the court of Pilate, but with stirring up the people,
forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ the king. Pilate
ignores the first two charges; the third he finds harmless when he sees that
Jesus does not claim royalty in the Roman sense of the word. But in order not to
incur the odium of the Jewish leaders, the Roman governor sends his prisoner to
Herod. As Jesus did not humour the curiosity of Herod, He was mocked and set
at naught by Tetrach of Galilee and his court, and sent back to Pilate. The
Roman procurator declares the prisoner innocent for the second time, but,
instead of setting Him free, gives the people the alternative to choose either
Jesus or Barabbas for their paschal freedman. Pilate pronounced Jesus innocent
for the third time with the more solemn ceremony of washing his hands; he had
recourse to a third scheme of ridding himself of the burden of pronouncing an
unjust sentence against his prisoner. He had the prisoner scourged, thus
annihilating, as far as human means could do so, any hope that Jesus could ever
attain to the royal dignity. But even this device miscarried, and Pilate allowed his
political ambition to prevail over his sense of evident justice; he condemned
Jesus to be crucified.
G. The Passion of Jesus: His Death
Jesus carried His Cross to the place of execution. Simon of Cyrene is forced to
assist Him in bearing the heavy burden. On the way Jesus addresses his last
words to the weeping women who sympathized with His suffering. He is nailed to
the Cross, his garments are divided, and an inscription is placed over His head.
While His enemies mock Him, He pronounces the well-known "Seven Words". Of
the two robbers crucified with Jesus, one was converted, and the other died
impenitent. The sun was darkened, and Jesus surrendered His soul into the
hands of His Father. The veil of the Temple was rent into two, the earth quaked,
the rocks were riven, and many bodies of the saints that had slept arose and
appeared to many. The Roman centurion testified that Jesus was indeed the Son
of God. The Heart of Jesus was pierced so as to make sure of His death. The
Sacred Body was taken from the Cross by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus,
and was buried in the new sepulchre of Joseph, and the Sabbath drew near.
H. The Glory of Jesus
After the burial of Jesus, the Holy women returned and prepared spices and
ointments. The next day, the chief priests and Pharisees made the sepulchre
secure with guards, sealing the stone. When the Sabbath was passed, the Holy
women brought sweet spices that they might anoint Jesus. But Jesus rose early
the first day of the week, and there was a great earthquake, and an angel
descended from heaven, and rolled back the stone. The guards were struck with
terror, and became as dead men. On arriving at the sepulchre the holy women
found the grave empty; Mary Magdalen ran to tell the Apostles Peter and John,
while the other women were told by an angel that the Lord had arisen from the
dead. Peter and John hasten to the sepulchre, and find everything as Magdalen
has reported. Magdalen too returns, and, while weeping at the sepulchre, is
approached by the arisen Saviour Who appears to her and speaks with her. On
the same day Jesus appeared to the other Holy Women, to Peter, to the two
disciples on their way to Emmaus, and to all the Apostles excepting Thomas. A
week later He appeared to all the Apostles, Thomas included; later still He
appeared in Galilee near the Lake of Genesareth to seven disciples, on a
mountain in Galilee to a multitude of disciples, to James, and finally to His
disciples on the Mount Olivet whence He ascended into heaven. But these
apparitions do not exhaust the record of the Gospels, according to which Jesus
showed Himself alive after His Passion by many proofs, for forty days appearing
to the disciples and speaking of the kingdom of God.
A.J. MAAS
Transcribed by Joseph P. Thomas
In Memory of Archbishop Mathew Kavukatt
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII
Copyright © 1910 by Robert Appleton Company
Online Edition Copyright © 1999 by Kevin Knight
Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor
Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York