Again, modern science has corroborated that not only is the Persian Gulf was a seismically-active area, but that a major earthquake did hit the region between 26-36AD: source :http://www.deadseaquake.info/was-there-really-an-earthquake-on-the-day-that-jesus-died/. In 70 A.D., just forty years after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple were utterly destroyed by the Romans and the surviving population carried off into captivity. It has only been referenced in Christian apologist books hundreds of years later. What Was Achieved By Jesus At The Crucifixion? An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nica. TheActs of the Apostlesrecounts Peters words on Pentecost. An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nica. Seeing as Phlegon was born approximately in the second century, it is extremely unlikely he spoke with an eyewitness of either eclipse. The diagram below will help to clarify this. Solar eclipses during this time frame that were visible to that part of the world were rare, which puts obvious delimiters on when they occurred. The onah concept applies to part "days" and whole "days" so that they counted the same. Read more . There is a silence of historical sources with regard to this Crucifixion darkness. The earthquake and RARE darkness for three hours couldn't be ignored by secular writers. "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." Martinus Nijhoff. Therefore, he relied on transcribed information; either written or oral. Therefore, it is possible Phlegons source witnessed the Crucifixion darkness from there at the same hoursuggesting the darkness and earthquakes reached far beyond the region around Jerusalem. (Mark 15: 33), And it was almost the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Archeological study of artifacts or buried structures is helpful but archeologists would often consider an ancient written source to be more important than an artifact because you need to know something to give the artifact a context. It also gives a link to download Lightfoot's entire New Testament commentaries in four volumes as free PDF files. Thus, if the quote is accurate, and Phlegon's eclipse has . If the above quotes about the crucifixion sky darkening and the earthquake are correct and actually correspond to the crucifixion, then we have historical evidence for miracles at the crucifixion. The first quote below is unique to Origen. He was smartly dressed, flamboyant and gregarious. On this site you can do a search for earthquakes essentially anywhere in the world, including through history. (Sextus Julius Africanus,Fragment 18. AD 33 is too early for his crucifixion, surely. However, this is scientifically impossible. Those issues do not change the conclusion for various reasons. !, The audience was rowdy now. The astronomical science tells us there was no solar eclipse over Bithynia in that year. Jesus was thus the true final Passover Lamb and he died at the time the passover lambs was normally sacrificed. This year would be AD 29 from Roman historical sources. As several of the early Fathers quoted Phlegon, there seems no reason to doubt his word. Christ still changes lives like he did in the first century. I speak of the midday or Crucifixion darkness which the gospel accounts assert fell over the earth between noon and 3 pm. Those who heard Peter preach in Rome would have previously known about this darkness in several ways, including: (1) having witnessed it firsthand in Rome if it had been a universal darkness; (2) hearing of it from travelers to Rome; and or (3) through letters or official reports received from the provinces, the latter of which were kept in the Roman archives. So a 24 hour daily cycle was from sunset to sunset. There were Jewish, Christian, and Roman writers from the first and second centuries that refer to Christ and the crucifixion. Bugnolan Conclave in surprise move, elects Bergoglio! Thank you, Ive just been looking for information about this The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. And just for fun, who could possibly falsely place this earthquake during the time of Tiberius Caesar and roughly the time period of the 202nd Olympiad (and I fully grasp the weight of the word roughly)? 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. . Other works ascribed to Phlegon in the Suda are a description of Sicily, a work on the Roman festivals in three books, and a topography of Rome: Origen of Alexandria (182-254 AD), in Against Celsus (Book II, Chap. That is a nearly impossible standard to meet. The Romans and Jews could have falsified Peters claimhad it been false. Unfortunately for the skepticand a sign of his desperation as wellthe argument from silence is, perhaps, one of the most difficult types of arguments to make. The crucifixion darkness, even if a natural phenomena, would still be miraculous for its timing, ordained by God. What about all the other earthquakes that have hit California in the first part of the 20th century? Eusebius' records of the Olympics were considered authoritative but were lost, though they are translated and preserved some in the writings of others. An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nicaea" First, there are differences between the synoptic gospels in the New Testament and the gospel of John that have puzzled Bible scholars. However, the sixth hour in Bithynia is also at the same time as the sixth hour in Jerusalem. Pontius Pilate (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1968), p. 366. "In the 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was a great eclipse [Greek EKLEIPSIS] 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. https://creation.com/darkness-at-the-crucifixion-metaphor-or-real-history, http://www.icr.org/article/greatest-earthquakes-bible/, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/47555983/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/quake-reveals-day-jesus-crucifixion-researchers-believe/#.Wiu9sUqWaUk, http://www.wall.org/~aron/blog/darkness-at-noon/. 27:63, Mark 8:31, Mark 9:31, Mark 10:33-34, and John 2:19. I would say there are a couple oflines of argument that can be used to date the crucifixion. Thus, if the quote is accurate, and Phlegons eclipse has not been conflated with one which occurred in 29 A.D., then Phlegon is another source who supports the Crucifixion darkness. (The Olympics began in 776 B.C., and by counting every fourth year you come to the 202 nd Olympiad, and the fourth year of same is 33 A.D.) Most Be that as it may, and even if the dating of Phlegon is not correct, this does not diminish the case made thus far for the historicity of the Crucifixion darkness. Africanus refutes the attempt of Thallus to explain away this darkness as being a regular solar eclipse. It was recorded by a Pagan author who had no desire to promote Christianity yet he confirmed the Bible record! Why would the Apostles allude to a darkness their hearers and readersknewdid not happen? Thank You Father :). Steven OReilly is a graduate of the University of Dallas and the Georgia Institute of Technology. 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. In either case, many would have witnessed it. . (below) says it took place in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, which was 33 A.D. - which can be verified by clicking on the link following Phlegon's quote in red below. It would be absurd to think that Peter would have asserted that his hearers had witnessed the darkening of the sun if they in fact had not. 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. The placement in time within the text is just too precise. Another writer, a Christian historian named Sextus Julius Africanus, also commented about Phlegon's writings which connect the above event to the the crucifixion: "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. One such quotation is as follows, "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 sixth hour the day was changed into night, and the stars were seen in the heavens. 27:39-40, Matt. He inadvertently dated the darkness at noon on the day of Crucifixion in his work, The Olympiades. For example the first Olympiad happened in 776 and the second occurred in 772 BC. This is especially significant I think because no other significant earthquakes turned up in Israel for the entire range of years from 25 to 35 AD. At New Moon, the Moon is positioned between the Sun and the Earth with the dark side of the Moon facing the Earth. Required fields are marked *. 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. The gospel of Luke mentions that John the Baptist began his ministry in the 15th year of Ceasar Tiberius (Luke 3:1-3). Phlegon of Tralles was a first century secular Greek historian born not long after the Crucifixion. Have you ever heard of Phlegon of Karia? Even if there is speculation on whether this is the correct eclipse referenced, there is only one more that would have been visible by the Persian Gulf and Rome during the Olympiad: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCSEmap/0001-0100/29-11-24.gif. It was calculated in four-year intervals. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. (Luke 23:44-45 ). One day it occurred to me that there were physical events that were extraordinary that WOULD most likely be preserved in historyand here are some very awesome references. In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., AD 33), there was 'the greatest eclipse of the sun' and that it became night in the sixth hour of the day [i.e., noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. Indeed Phlegon, who is an excellent calculator of olympiads, also writes about this, in his 13th book writing thus: "However in the fourth year of the 202nd olympiad [32 CE], an eclipse of the sun happened, greater and more excellent than any that had happened before it; at the sixth hour [around noon] day turned into dark night, so that the . ? someone heckled from the back row. The Date by Deduction Elsewhere in this same work, Origen wrote in relation to the Crucifixion darkness: And with regard to the eclipse in the time ofTiberius Csar, in whose reign Jesus appears to have been crucified, and the great earthquakes which then took place, Phlegon too, I think, has written in the thirteenth or fourteenth book of his Chronicles (Contra Celsus II, 33). This firmly connects Jesus and the gospels to Roman history. 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. There was a great earthquake in Bithynia, and many things were overturned in Nicaea." Edit them in the Widget section of the, Repost: The Historicity of the Crucifixion Darkness. The Olympiades can be used as a useful means of establishing a time-line. The difficulty in this is that it mentions three nights as well as three days. Earthquake and rocks split open Z's Blog - What Does The Prayer Really Say. The year given by Phlegon for this eclipse is the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., 33 A.D.), which is consistent with one of the possible dates of the Crucifixion (i.e., April 3, 33 A.D.). He stated that in the 19th year of Tiberius and the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., AD 33), a large eclipse occurred which turned day to night around the sixth hour (noon), and an earthquake destroyed many houses in the city of Nicaea. Even if there was an issue of corruption or inaccuratetranslation of the Phlegon writing, how could the science possibly have been faked when there would have been no way of faking it hundreds of years later without it being obviously exposed? Part II: The Role of the Church, Roma Locuta Est Considers: Benepapism and the Munus vs. Ministerium (EpisodeV), Is the Culture of Death creating the Remnant: Part 1 Declining births and life expectancy, Roma Locuta Est Considers: Benepapism and the Munus vs. Ministerium (EpisodeIV), Roma Locuta Est Considers: Benepapism and the Munus vs. Ministerium (EpisodeIII), 10th Anniversary of Benedict XVIs Renunciation of the Papacy, A Rebuttal of Dr. Mazzas book on Pope Benedicts Resignation, Valid? Many authors have suggested various means of resolving all the mysteries about the date of the crucifixion. Africanus does this by noting that the eve of Passover falls on a date of a near full moon, i.e., when the moon is opposite the sun in relation to the earth. 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." I am not convinced by this even though I believe in the darkness over the land when Jesus was crucified. Conservative Christian speakers were a rarity on their campus and they wanted to make it rarer. 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. Pliny then proceeds and gives only two examples. And it cannot happen at any other time but in the interval between the first day of the new moon and the last of the old, that is, at their junction: how then should an eclipse be supposed to happen when the moon is almost diametrically opposite the sun? So, we have evidence as strong for these miracles at the crucifixion and resurrection as we have for many other events in history that no one ever questions. Even more fascinating is the mention of an earthquake. Updated May 2013 The sedimentation rate puts this second earthquake about 65 years after the 31 B.C. It was recorded by a Pagan author who had no desire to promote Christianity yet he confirmed the Bible record! Little is known about Phlegon, but he made reference to Christ. In reply. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. And calculation makes out that the period of 70 weeks, as noted in Daniel, is completed at this time. Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18.1. 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