Jesus therefore died on Friday, April 3, AD 33 at about 3 p.m., a few hours before the beginning of Passover day and the Sabbath. This is the date in the Julian calendar, which had been introduced in 45 BC, and follows the convention that historical dates adhere to the calendar in use at the time. If, instead, the current Gregorian calendar were retroactively extended to a date prior to its introduction in 1582 (or 1752, when it was adopted by the United States and United Kingdom), such a proleptic date (a date retroactively calculated using a later calendar) would be different.
The equivalent Jewish date for the death of Jesus is Nisan 14, 3793 anno mundi ("in the year of the world"), which is computed by adding 3761 to AD 33 and subtracting a year. In the Jewish calendar, AM 1 (or 3761 BC, its proleptic Julian date) is the traditional year of creation (a year before Adam and Eve themselves were created)—as determined by the sage Halafta, who used only the chronology of the Bible as his authority, and codified by the twelfth-century scholar Maimonides a millennium later.
Too, as Humphreys and Waddington have calculated, there was a partial lunar eclipse of the full moon as it rose above Jerusalem on Friday, April 3, AD 33, thus fulfilling the prophecy quoted by Peter that "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come" (Acts 2:20, cf. Joel 2:31). Certainly, it is fitting that the blood smeared on the door frames of the Israelites in Egypt as "a token upon the houses where ye are" (Exodus 12:13) should prefigure a sanguine moon rising above Jerusalem that night—especially since the eclipse occurred just at moonrise, when Jews on Passover Day would have been particularly observant as they waited to commence their evening meal. (Schaefer, however, has argued that the eclipse likely would not have been noticed and any subtle lunar coloration would have been due simply to scattered light in a denser atmosphere.)
But there was another incident, this one historical rather than astronomical, that supports the crucifixion of Jesus in AD 33: the death in Rome of the praetorian prefect Lucius Sejanus, commander of the imperial guard, two years before. In AD 26.
Food for thought.✨️✨️✨️
The crucifixion of Jesus is not merely a religious event; it holds profound historical and astronomical significance. Recorded on April 3, AD 33, this date corresponds to Nisan 14 in the Jewish calendar, a crucial time marking Passover. Interestingly, astrological phenomena, such as a partial lunar eclipse, coincided with this day, enriching its symbolic meaning in Christian theology. This eclipse aligns with biblical prophecies, particularly those articulated in the Book of Acts and the prophetic texts of Joel, which speak of celestial wonders accompanying significant spiritual events. Furthermore, the significance of this date is reinforced by historical events, including the execution of Lucius Sejanus, a key political figure of the time, who was executed in AD 26. This connection indicates the tumultuous political climate in Judea leading up to the crucifixion. Understanding the context of Jesus’ crucifixion requires examining both the calendar used at the time and the astronomical events marked by ancient scholars. The Julian and Gregorian calendars present challenges in aligning historical dates, yet through scholarly research, we see a vivid tapestry of events converging on this significant Friday in AD 33. This instance of synchronicity signifies a pivotal moment not only in religious history but also in the broader narrative of human civilization.
