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Was Jesus Crucified In 30 Ad Or 33 Ad? A Detailed Examination

Was Jesus Crucified In 30 Ad Or 33 Ad? A Detailed Examination
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Author: Anonymous
Published on: 2025-02-21 09:27:24
Last updated on: 2025-02-24 19:27:39

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is one of the most significant events in world history, yet scholars continue to debate its exact date. Two primary dates emerge as the most probable: April 7, 30 AD, and April 3, 33 AD. Determining which is correct requires analyzing Biblical, historical, and astronomical evidence. We recently went over this subject in this recent post, but now as we research it, we want to address the 30 AD date.


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The Great Tribulation 2033

While the Bible does not explicitly specify the precise day, historical and astronomical data provide compelling evidence for the date of Friday, April 3, AD 33. This conclusion aligns with Biblical chronology, Roman and Jewish historical records, and ast

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1. Biblical Evidence and the 15th Year of Tiberius Caesar

Luke 3:1 states that John the Baptist began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. The timing of this year is crucial in calculating the start of Jesus' ministry.

When Did Tiberius’ Reign Begin?

There are two possible ways to count his reign, which we did not allow for in the previous post we did on this subject:

  1. From his official reign after Augustus died (14 AD) – The 15th year would be 28-29 AD.
  2. From his co-regency with Augustus (11-12 AD) – The 15th year would be 26-27 AD.

Most Roman historians counted emperors’ reigns from when they took sole power. Therefore, the 15th year of Tiberius would likely be 28-29 AD, meaning Jesus' ministry would begin around 29 AD. Given that His ministry lasted approximately 3 to 3.5 years, this places His crucifixion in 33 AD.

2. The Passover and the Day of the Crucifixion

The Gospels record that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, during Passover week:

  • The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) suggest the Last Supper was a Passover meal (Nisan 15), implying the crucifixion occurred on Nisan 15.
  • The Gospel of John suggests Jesus was crucified on the day of preparation (Nisan 14), before the Passover meal.

To align these accounts, we must find a Friday that falls on either Nisan 14 or 15 in a possible crucifixion year. Using astronomical calculations:

  • April 7, 30 AD (Friday, Nisan 14) fits John’s account.
  • April 3, 33 AD (Friday, Nisan 14) also fits John’s account and aligns with Luke’s timeline of Tiberius' 15th year.

Given that Jesus likely began His ministry around 29 AD, a 3-3.5 year ministry fits 33 AD better than 30 AD.

3. Pontius Pilate’s Governorship (26–36 AD)

All sources agree that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, who governed Judea from 26 to 36 AD. This timeframe supports both 30 AD and 33 AD, but we need additional evidence to determine which is more likely.

4. The 70 Weeks Prophecy of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27)

Many scholars believe Daniel’s prophecy about the Messiah being “cut off” after 69 weeks (interpreted as 69 sets of 7 years = 483 years) provides insight into Jesus’ crucifixion date. If we count 483 years from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Artaxerxes' decree in 457 BC or 444 BC), the prophecy leads to:

  • 27 AD (if using 457 BC), a possible baptism year.
  • 33 AD (if using 444 BC), aligning with the crucifixion.

This further supports 33 AD as the probable date.

5. Astronomical Evidence and the Darkness at the Crucifixion

The Gospels record that darkness covered the land for three hours during Jesus’ crucifixion. While some suggest this was a supernatural event, others propose it could have been a lunar eclipse. NASA’s historical records confirm that a partial lunar eclipse occurred on April 3, 33 AD, visible from Jerusalem.

This provides an additional reason to favor 33 AD over 30 AD.

6. Early Christian Testimony

Early Christian historians like Irenaeus and Tertullian provide indirect support for a later crucifixion date. While they do not specify an exact year, their writings suggest a timeframe consistent with 33 AD.

Conclusion: 33 AD is the More Probable Date

Based on Biblical accounts, historical records, and astronomical data, April 3, 33 AD appears to be the best-supported date for the crucifixion of Jesus. The key factors leading to this conclusion are:

  1. The 15th year of Tiberius (28-29 AD) places Jesus’ ministry starting in 29 AD, making a 30 AD crucifixion too early.
  2. Astronomical data aligns Passover and Friday on April 3, 33 AD.
  3. Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks supports a 33 AD crucifixion.
  4. A lunar eclipse occurred on April 3, 33 AD, which could match the “darkness” recorded in the Gospels.

While 30 AD remains a possible alternative, the evidence weighs more heavily in favor of 33 AD.

Further Study

For those interested in a deeper dive, consider reading:

  • Harold W. Hoehner’s “Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ”
  • Jack Finegan’s “Handbook of Biblical Chronology”
  • NASA’s historical lunar eclipse records

Understanding the precise date of Jesus’ crucifixion is important, not just for historical accuracy, but for confirming biblical prophecy and strengthening faith in the reliability of Scripture.


Here is an alternative dating method to 33ad for Jesus Crucifixion. 


#prophecy #theElect #theGreatTribulation



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