Thursday, February 22, 2007

A Hypothesis on the Birth of Jesus Christ

A Hypothesis on the Birth of Jesus Christ


According to a recent astronomical study, a great eclipse of Jupiter by the new moon or the crescent occurred, in a manner that captured great attention of then astrologers, that is, on the horizon, on March 20 and April 17, 6 B.C.

(In 6 B.C., a Roman Governor in Syria is said to have held a census count.)

There is also a description that the parents of Child Jesus traveled due to a census count, and gave His birth in a not so cold environment.

Therefore, Jesus Christ might have been born in April 17, 6 B.C.
* * *

The Roman Emperor Octavius (Imperator Caesar Divi Filius Augustus) held a census count three times during his reign, which is believed to have been also carried out in Judea:
1) 28 B.C.
2) 8 A.D.
3) 14 A.D.

There is an interesting description in the Bible that the family of Child Jesus left for Egypt to avoid calamity King Herod had inflicted.

Even before Cleopatra committed a suicide in 30 B.C., there were many Israelites making business in Alexandria, the then capital of Egypt, along with Greeks. Also, King Herod must have his subjects stationed in Alexandria to watch moves of Cleopatra and Antonius. But, those Israelites must have returned home in 28 B.C. due to the census count conducted under the name of the Roman Emperor.

My assumption is that the future parents of Holy Mother returned from Alexandria to Judea in 28 B.C.; then Holy Mother was born in Jerusalem in a respectable family.

And, 22 years later, Jesus Christ was born; but the family left for Alexandria for the above described reason, following the old family tradition, as described in the Bible.

They might have returned to Jerusalem when Jesus Christ became 12 years old, two years prior to the next census. And, Child Jesus dropped by the Temple in Jerusalem as recorded in the Bible. Then, the family moved to Nazareth for a certain reason.

When the third census was held by Roman Emperor Octavius, Jesus Christ became 20 years old; He could travel to anywhere in order to avoid the census, this time alone.

In this way, we do not have much information about His family and Himself in those early days.
* * *

If Jesus Christ had not been engaged with that era, something very negative and decisive should have happened to Israelites and the Roman Empire, a cradle of the contemporary American/European Civilization. That is why He was born at the time when especially ethics were truly going to deteriorate even through acts of Roman Emperors.

(There must be a reason for the timing of your birth, too, just like mine.)



"GET UP, PICK UP YOUR MAT, AND WALK"