Herod was from the building of the City (Rome) 750. of Auguftus 41. before the Vulgar Æra 4. The chief ground of this Opinion is taken out of Jofephus, who having the Hiftory of this King written by his Friend Nicholas of Damafcus, might very well be accurate in the Chronology of this King's Life. Now Jofephus fpeaks thus of the Year in which he was declared King of Judea at Rome, Ant. Jud. lib. 14. c. 29. So he took the Kingdom, which be obtain'd in the 184th Olympiad, during the Confulate of C. Afinius Pollio, and C. Domitius Calvinus, who was this year the 2d time Conful. Which Confuls exercis'd their Office in the year from the building of the City 714. In the 27th Chapter of the fame Book he tells us of Herod's befieging Jerufalem in the third year after his being declar'd King at Rome. This (lays he) was the third year after he was declar'd King at Rome: and in the Chapter following, fpeaking of the time when Jerufalem was taken, This Calamity befel the City of Jerufalem in the 185th Olympiad, M. Agrippa and Canidius Gallus being Confuls at Rome. Now 'tis certain that between thofe Confuls, during whofe Magiftracy Herod was declared King, and thofe he here mentions, there were but two pair of Confuls; fo that if Herod began his Reign in the Summer of the year 714. V. C. as I fhall afterwards prove, he must have taken Jerufalem before the third Year was quite expir'd, or at least at the end of it: for he took the City in the third month, that is, in the beginning of the Summer, as fephus himself tells us in the words immediatly following; In the third month (from the ver nal Equinox) on a Faft-day, as it were by a -periodical return of the Calamity the Jews had formerly fuffered under Pompey for on the fame day of the year, 27 years before, Jerufalem was taken by him; that is, in the year U.C. 691. C. Antonius and M. Tullius being Confuls, as Jofephus informs us in the 8th Chapter of the fame Book, herein agreeing with the Roman Annals. As for the Faft he mentions, I take it to be that which was celebrated on the 23d day of the third Month called Sivan, upon the account of Jeroboam's Idolatry. See the Calendar of the Jews publish'd by Selden in his Book de anno civili Judæorum, cap. 7.. Having thus fettled the beginning of Herod's Reign beyond all doubt, let us now fee in what year of his Reign he died, which the fame Hiftorian tells us in the following words, Ant. Jud. lib. 17. c. 10. He died in the 34th year of his Reign, after he had cut off Antigonus; but the 37th after his being declared King at Rome. And left any one thould fufpect fome mistake in the numbers, he repeats the fame in his first Book, cap. 21. of the Wars of the Jews. Now, if to the Year from the building of the City 713, you add 37, taking in the Year 714, in which Herod began to reign, you will fall upon the Year 750, which arifes alfo from the addition of 34 to 716, at the conclufion of which Antigonus was cut off in favour of Herod, who alone from that time could be called the King of the Jews. But there is another most certain way of finding out the Year in which Herod died, and is fet down by Jofephus, viz. In that fame Year in which he died, there was an Eclipfe of the Moon, as appears from the Jewish Antiquities, lib. 17. c. 8. which Eclipfe happen'd at Jerufalem, according to the calculation of Aftronomers, the 13th day of March, at 3 a clock in the morning, in the year 750 V. C. Other Arguments might be produc'd to prove that Herod died this very year, neither fooner nor later, which have been made ufe of lately by fome learned men in France; but what has been faid may fuffice, fince we are wont to cftimate the force of Arguments by the weight of each, and not from the number of them. Let us now inquire at what time of the year Herod began his Reign. This may easily be made out by remembring that Jofephus places the first year of his Reign in the 184th Olympiad, from which it appears that Herod was declared King at Rome before the Summer Solstice of the year 714, from the building of the City; for the 185th Olympiad begins immediatly from the Summer Solstice of that year, and was celebrated, according to the calculation of Sethus Calvifius, the 17th of Auguft. Hence we may collect by the by, that thofe are in a great mistake who put off the regal Dignity of Herod to the Autumn of that Year, whofe Arguments nevertheless I will not now confute. Dddd 2 'Tis 'Tis certain Jofephus has not any thing that can perfuade one Herod was proclaimed King of the Jews later than this: for in his 14th Book, cap. 26. of his Jew. Antiq. he tells us, that he failed from Alexandria in the Winter, Xev övт; and in the 1ft Book, cap. 11. that he was not at all afraid of vanunvxev, the heighth of Winter, which is fierceft in the month of January; that he was in danger of being fhipwrack'd about Pamphilia, and with much difficulty got to Rhodes, from whence, having refitted his Veffel, he fet fail for Italy, whither he might probably arrive in the month of April, and in the Summer following obtain the Regal Dignity. From hence 'tis evident, if we ftate the Death of Herod about the end of the Summer of the Year from the building of the City 750. that he died in the beginning of the 37th Year of his Reign, if we begin from the Summer of the Year from the building of the City 714. And certainly he must have reign'd fo long, if he reign'd 37 Years, for the laft Year could not be reckoned unless it had been begun, and no one is ignorant that the current Year is frequently by Writers added to the intire ones, and therefore does not stand in need of any confirmation. matter I chufe wholly to omit them rather than to heap up one Conjecture upon another. Every one knows that it was the general Opinion of the Western Churches, that Chrift was born on the 8 Cal. Jan. or the 25th of December; whereas the Churches of the East contended for the 8th Id. Jan. or 6th of Jan. alledging that they must needs have a better infight into this Affair than the Western Churches, who were at fo much a greater diftance from the place of his Birth than themfelves. 7. Ger. Voffius, in his Differtation concerning the time of Chrift's Nativity, hath collected a great many Teftimonies of the Antients to this purpofe; but whoever will diligently examin this matter, and confiders, that in the most primitive times of Chriftianity this particular Day was not confecrated as the day of his Nativity, will readily be convinc'd that neither of them had any certain grounds for their determination in this particular. There is no man of Letters that will make any doubt of this, and fo I urge it no farther. I will not affirm or deny that Chrift was born in this or that month of the Year Jul. 41. because the matter is doubtful: But I think this one thing certain, That he was born this year, altho we know not the particular Month. For which reafon I have entitled the following Year 41. the first after Chrift's Birth, without taking notice of the Months and Days preceding it, as is ufual alfo in the Dionyfian Ara. My chief Reasons for referring the Year of Chrift's Birth to the 41 Julian, are in short thefe, for they have been already fet forth at large, and illuftrated by others. St. Luke, in chap. 3. v. 1. of his Gofpel, tells us that John began to baptize in the 15th Year of the Reign of Tiberius; and that many flocking to him from all parts, Jefus himself came thither alfo to be baptiz'd by him: He then adds, Καὶ αὐτὸς ὑὗ ὁ Ιησᾶς ὡσεὶ ἐτῶν τειάκοντα II. Having thus fettled the Year of Herod's Death, our next inquiry is by how many Months the Nativity of Chrift preceded the Death of Herod? For my part, I don't think there can be any thing certainly concluded concerning the number of Months; but this however we may lay down, that Chrift was born in the year 749 V. C. or Julian 41. the latter half of which is to be accounted into the 33d year of Herod's Reign, reckoning from the taking of Jerufalem. It appears indeed from St. Luke's Golpel, that Jefus was born fix months after John the Bap tift; but fince 'tis uncertain in what month he was conceived and born, nothing of any certainty can be inferred from it. I am not iger, And Jefus himself was about 30 norant what fome learned men have conjectured concerning the Week in which the Clafs of Abia (to which Zecharia the Father of John belonged) executed the Pricft's Office in the Temple, but what they fay is built upon fuch weak Foundations, that in fo ferious a years, beginning, viz. to enter upon his Miniftry. For I think there is no obfcurity in those words, neither could any one have ever found any, but by ftraining the Text, for reafons which do not at all relate to my prefent purpofe. This one thing is uncertain, in what Month Month of the 15th Year of the Reign of Tiberius, Chrift refolv'd to be baptized by John. Now the 15th Year of Tiberius begins the 28th day of the Month Sextilis, in the Year 779 V. C. But it is not much matter whether we refer this Baptifm to the last month of this Year, or the beginning of the following; for indeed nothing can be certainly ftated about it. I have therefore referr'd it to the beginning of the Year following, rather to comply herein with the Custom of the Churches of the Weft, than as having any thing certain concerning this Affair. But fince Chrift was not born later than the laft Year of Herod's Reign, which happen'd, as I faid, on the 750th V. C. Jefus muft needs have been about 30 years old in the year 779. or else he must have been above 30, if we fuppofe him born in the year 479 U. C. I am not ignorant that this Word woei, about, may be taken in a larger fenfe, but no one will deny that it has a more proper fignification in this place, if Jefus was actually at that time in the 30th Year of his Age. Upon which account there is no reafon why we fhould not understand it in this fenfe; for the Objection which they urge from the 15th year of Tiberius's Reign is of no force, as I fhall thow hereafter.. It appears therefore that I have rightly fix'd the Year of Chrift's Birth, and agreeably to the Holy Scriptures. There is alfo another mark of the time taken from St. John's Gofpel, c. 2. v. 20. where in the first Year of Chrift's Ministry, according to my Harmony, the Jews are introduc'd, faying, Forty and fix years was this Temple in building. By which words they mean, that the Temple began to be built 46 years before, and afterwards received continually till that time fome additional Ornament; for the main Body of that Edifice was finished by Herod the Great within the fpace of 9 years and a half, as appears from Jofephas's Antiquities, 1. 15. c. 14. And thus a fo I think Pliny is to be understood, when speaking of the Temple of Diana at Ephefus, 1. 35. c.14.. he fays, it was ducentis viginti Annis factum a totâ Afiâ, two hundred and twenty years in building by all Afia. Now Jofephus tells us Herod began that Work in the 18th Year of his Reign, dating the beginning of it from the Conqueft of Jerufalem, as is plain from Petavius's Annals. From which time Herod was without all difpute King of Judea, for which reafon Jofephus made ufe of this account, which I have alfo followed. But this 18th Year of Herod falls partly upon the 26th, and partly upon the 27th julian: So that reckoning from the 26th Julian, the Year of the Foundation of the Temple, unto the 71, or of the Vulgar Account 26, which is the first of Chrift's Mini-ftry, there will be juft 46 years, counting the first and last for whole ones, as is ufual in lefs accurate Calculations. Now according to this Calculation we can-not fix the time of Chrift's entring upon his Miniftry fooner or later; for if he began. it fooner, the Jews could not have faid that it was the 45th Year from the building of the Temple: If later, it would have been. above 46 years. 'Tis true, this account might be adapted to the Year enfuing by omitting a few months in the Calculation; but certainly it could not be later: befides, this Opinion is inconfiftent with the number of Paffovers that happened during our Saviour's Miniftry, of which we thall treat hereafter. From hence it may be infer'd that Chrift was born in the laft Year but one of Herod's Reign, fince he was about 30 years of age 46 years after the Foundation of the Temple.. And this alfo confirms what Jofephus tells us of the twofold beginning of Herod's Reign, and of the year of his Death. For the more a-greement there is in matters of this nature,, the greater is the probability of the confequen-ces deduced from it. III. But here 'tis ask'd how it is poffible: Chrift should be but 30 years old when he entred upon his Miniftry, which he did in the 15th year of Tiberius, as appears from St. Luke's Gospel, this Year of Tiberius falling upon. the 73 Julian, and beginning the 20th of Auguft, whereas the Year in which our Saviour was born was the 41 Julian? They seem to give the most fatisfactory Answer to this Query, who attribute a twofold beginning to Tiberius's Reign, the one when he was made Collegue of the Empire by Au guftus, the other when after the Death of Augufins Augustus he had the fole management of the Empire; to the former of which they refer this Paffage of St. Luke. Now Tiberius was declar'd Collegue of the Empire in the 11th Year of the Vulgar Ara, and on the 28th of Auguft; from whence it follows that in the 25th Year of the fame Ara, on the fame day of the month, began the 15th Year of Tiberius, at which time John the Baptift feems to have entred upon his Oflice. I would not however be fo understood, as if I laid it down for a certainty that John the Baptift did not begin to baptize till toward the end of the 25th Year of the Vulgar Ara; for nothing hinders but that he might begin fome months fooner, which are not taken notice of by St. Luke, as is very ufual. the Diffenfions of the Inhabitants of Vienne, rather by prudently guarding against the ill Con fequences than exercifing Severity against them; and the Senate and People of Rome, at the request of Auguftus his Father, had decreed that he should have an equal Power with Auguftus himself over all the Provinces and Armies ;- be returned into the City, and triumph'd for his Victory over the Pannonians and Dalmatians, an Honour that long before was due to him, but deferred upon the account of the continuance of the War. This Triumph was in the 12th Year of the Vulgar Æra. Our Learned Author has collected a twofold beginning of Tiberius's Authority from a Paffage in Clemens Alexandrinus Stromat. L. 1. P. 330. where we have the Chronology of the Roman Emperors down to Commodus, in which having, according to the Vulgar Account, allotted 22 years to the Reign of Tiberius, he adds, according to the Sentiments of others, Tra Tib'égiC &τn x 5', μñrass', I might here refer my Reader to that Lear ned Person who has undertaken to correct the Annals of Baronius, and who at the 11th Year of Chrift has at large demonftrated that Tiberius was made Collegue of the Empire in that very Year, and has fully anfwer'd cas' (where this Learned Perfon all Objections to the contrary; and indeed he feems fo to have exhausted that matter, as not to leave room for others to lay any thing about it. However, it will not perhaps be amifs briefly to fhew after what manner this time of Tiberius's Proconfular Authority may be found out. 1 reads Tn xe, not xs'; that is, 25, not 26) Afterwards Tiberius 26 Years, 6 Months, 19 Days. From which words arifes this Calcu lation: Tiberius died March 16th, in the year 37 Æ. Vulg. From the 28th Aug. in this year, to the fame day of the year 11. Vulg. are included 25 years compleat: From which Dion Caffius, in his 55th Book of the Ro- day to the 25th Feb. are fix months, and from man Hiftory, having defcrib'd what happen'd the 25th Feb. to the 16th March, in which during the Confulate of P. Sulpicius Cameri- Tiberius died, are 19 days. From whence it nus, and C. Poppaus Sabinus, Anno Are Vulg. 9. appears that fome Writers plac'd the beginfubjoins p. 40c. Ed. Rab. Steph. Teening of the first year of Tiberius in the 11th T, &c. The following Year the Temple of Concord was confecrated by Tiberius. Immediatly after follow the Tranfactions of the 11th year, M. Æmilius Lepidus and T. Statilius Taurus being Confuls: When the Confuls M. Æmilius and Statilius Taurus entred upon that Office, Tiberius and Germanicus the Proconful went into Gaul. Then follows a Defcription of the Affairs in Germany. Whilft Tiberius was abfent in this Expedition, he was created by Auguftus Collegue of the Empire, and Confort of the Tribunitian Power, as Tacitus tells us, Annal. lib. 1. c. 1. And Velleius Paterculus gives this account of it, Lib. 11. c. 120. The Enemies Forces being routed both by Sea and Land, after he had jettled the Affairs of Gaul, and appeas'd year . V. and therefore that according to their opinion the beginning of the 15th year of Tiberius must refer to 25 Æ.Vulg. which agrees with our Account. There are alfo other Arguments to convince us that Auguftus pitch'd upon the 28th Aug. to chufe him Collegue, in that Learned Author, to whom I refer my Readers, who will there alfo find a great deal more to the fame purpose. Now that a twofold beginning fhould be attributed to Tiberius, is no more to be wondred at than that a threefold one fhould be given to Auguftus: for fome there are who date his Authority from the year in which 7. Cafar was killed; and others from his first Confulate in the year following; and a third · fort fort do not begin it till after his Victory off of Allium, as Petavius tells us at large in his 1oth Book, c. 64. De dot. Temp. which it is not neceffary to transcribe. There can be then no reafon given why Luke might not follow their Opinion who date Tiberius's Principality from the time that he was made Collegue of the Empire with Auguftus, especially confidering that in the Roman Provinces he was accounted of equal Dignity with Augustus himself. 'Tis true, he behaved himself in the City as inferior to him, and rather as his Legate and Administrator than Collegue, fo that he did not feem to act there as Soveraign till after the Death of Auguftus; but if we look narrowly into the matter, we fhall find this was a mere Artifice and trick of Diffimulation, and as fuch accurately defcribed by Tacitus in the 1ft Book of his Annals. But the plain meaning Provinces, as foon as they heard that he had gotten the Proconfular Authority, fuppos'd, and that truly, that he was now a fharer in the Supre macy, and had then entred upon his Princirality. With the fame fimplicity they call'd thofe Reges,who at Rome by a feigned Modefty were ftil'd only Principes and Imperatores. For which reafon Eufebius, in his Chronicon, calls the TRIBUNITIA POTESTAS, which is attributed in the Coins to Drufus the Son of Tiberius, agus nowvwvor πchaubá & ἀρχῆς κοινωνὸν προσλαμβά vedal, to be made partaker in the Soveraignty; and Jerom to the fame effect, Confortem Regni fieri. IV. I come now to fay fomething of the Paffovers by which the time of Chrift's Miniftry is diftinguifh'd. I fhall not here repeat what others have faid of this matter, fince the Collections of Ger. Joh. Voffius and others, are in every ones hands. Whoever peruses my Paraphrafe, will eafily perceive that I have truly reckoned 4 Paffovers during the time of our Saviour's Miniftry, agreeing herein with feveral learned men; however it will perhaps be convenient to give a short Scheme of it in this place. The firft Paffover then is that, which St. John mentions, chap. 2. 13. during which Jefus first drove the Traders out of the Temple. After which Jefus, with a few of his Diici ples, among whom was Philip, went into another part of Judea, where he abode until John the Baptift was caft into Prifon. Afterwards he went into Galilee thro Samaria, where he more openly declar'd his Gofpel.. Having published it at Nazareth without effect, he went on to Capernaum, where he began to tarry longer than at any other place. Here he got feveral Difciples, particularly Peter, Andrew, John and James. Thence he travel'd thro the Cities of Galilee, in which on the Sabbath-days he preach'd in their Sy-nagogues the Kingdom of Heaven: To accomplish all which a year's time is not too much; for to inftruct men who were difperfed thro the Fields and Villages, and bufied about their worldly Affairs, it was neceffary that Jefus fhould wait for the Sabbath Days, in which they met together in their Synagogues.. The fecond Paffover is that which we meet with in the 5th Chapter of St. John, v. 1. called og TH TV I'dziwy, emphatically, The Feast of the Jews; by which Phrafe, the Patiover,, the chiefeft of all the Jewish Fefti-vals, was wont to be denoted, as Grotius fhews in his Annotations upon that Paffage, altho the Particle be not prefix'd. During this Feast Jesus tarried at Jerufalem, and thence returned to Galilee, where he made choice of 12 Apoftles out of his Difciples, who were conftantly to attend on him, and be in a... readinefs to be difpatch'd by him whitherfoever he pleas'd. From which time he began more plainly and largely to divulge the Precepts of his Gofpel, as is manifeft from those Sermons of his which I have comprehended in the 21st and 22d Chapters of my Hiftory,, and from all thofe Difcourfes which are afterwards related. Here he taught the Multitude that flock'd to him from all parts, working many Miracles among them, particularly. at Capernaum, and about the Lake of Gennefareth. From thence he went to Nazareth, from whence paffing through Galilee, he fent away the Apofiles to preach the Gospel, whilft he himself went to other places. The Apoftles having difcharg'd their Commiffion, return'd to him, who was at that time ac Capernaum, or fome other Town near to › the Lake of Gennefareth. It can be no |