Knowra Chronology of Jesus Chronology of Jesus Chronology of Jesus is the proposed sequence and dating of events in Jesus’s life, especially his birth, public ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. Its dates are reconstructed from ancient sources and remain partly disputed.
Herod the Great : Herod the Great was a Roman client king of Judea whose reign ended around 4 BCE. Matthew places Jesus’s birth during Herod’s reign, creating a major chronological constraint.
Pontius Pilate : Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect of Judaea from about 26 to 36 CE. His tenure bounds the likely period of Jesus’s public activity and execution.
Synoptic Gospels : The Synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which share substantial narrative material and structure. Their shared sequence can be compared with John’s distinct festival-based chronology.
Star of Bethlehem : The Star of Bethlehem is the celestial sign in Matthew’s nativity story that guides the Magi to Jesus. Astronomical interpretations have been used to propose dates for the birth narrative.
Quirinius census : The census of Quirinius was a Roman provincial registration associated with Judea around 6 CE. Luke connects Jesus’s birth to this census, which falls about a decade after Herod’s death.
Tiberius Caesar : Tiberius Caesar was Roman emperor from 14 to 37 CE. Luke dates the beginning of John the Baptist’s activity to Tiberius’s fifteenth year.
Gospel of John : The Gospel of John is a canonical account of Jesus that differs in structure and emphasis from the Synoptic Gospels. Its references to multiple Passovers suggest a ministry longer than a simple one-year reading of the Synoptics.
Quirinius : Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was a Roman official who governed Syria and conducted a census in Judea around 6 CE. His documented census creates a tension with Matthew’s setting under Herod.
Gospel of Matthew : The Gospel of Matthew is a canonical Christian account of Jesus’s life, teaching, death, and resurrection. Its nativity narrative places Jesus’s birth before Herod’s death.
Passover : Passover is a Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus, observed in the spring month of Nisan. The Gospels place Jesus’s final days at Passover, but differ on how the meal aligns with the festival.
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