Regarding divine prophecy, Christ said: “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44).
If the Law, the prophets, and the Psalms foreshadowed what would come to pass, then where do we look find the answers to the above questions?
The Old Testament…
The Old Testament is our standard not only for behavior but prophecy.
The New Testament expounds upon what was already given to us by the prophets. Herein, the apostles become witnesses who are in agreement with the prophets. In essence, the Old Testament is the foundation on which New Testament prophecy is built. Christ said:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. (Matt. 5:17, 18)
Just what exactly is in the Law that applies to the first coming of Christ?
What Old Testament Laws—that speak of time—did Jesus have to fulfill?
Why else would God mark time unless he wanted us to know his exact timing?
Why is it important for us to know the precision of Heaven’s timetable?
This opening presentation addresses pivotal moments in human history: the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
PART ONE
THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION Was Jesus crucified on Friday?
Was he resurrected on Sunday morning?
How does the Mosaic Law speak to these questions?
What did Jesus himself prophesy regarding time?
How does the Mosaic Law help us to mark the exact year of Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection?
What follows are the prophecies given by Christ, Moses, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
THE MOSAIC LAW How did the Old Testament Law foreshadow what would ultimately came to pass for the Lamb of God?
Hundreds of years prior to the first coming of Christ, God marked the timing of the following, dramatic events: Christ’s Crucifixion, burial, and Resurrection. God marked the very month, and the dates of the month that these events would occur by way of Moses.
Exactly how did God do this?
God did so by way of the holy days.
Two thousand years ago, the Son of God fulfilled the Mosaic Law: Jesus, as God’s Passover Lamb, was crucified on the Feast of Passover (on the 14th day of the Hebrew month called Nisan); he was in the burial tomb on the Feast of Unleavened Bread (on the 15th day of Nisan), and Jesus, who was the firstfruits from the dead, was resurrected on the Feast of Firstfruits (on the 18th day of Nisan). The 15th day to the 18th day is three days and three nights, or 72 hours.
How is the New Testament in agreement with the Mosaic Law?
THE SON OF GOD
How is Christ’s own prophecy in harmony with Moses?
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matt. 12:38-40)
“[T]hree days and three nights in the heart of the earth” is the divine sign spoken of by Christ.
Tradition tells us that Christ’s Crucifixion took place on Friday afternoon and that the Resurrection took place on Sunday morning.
Is it possible to fit three days and three nights into the Friday afternoon/Sunday morning story?
No…
If Christ died Friday afternoon and rose Sunday morning, then he failed to fulfill the Law, and he failed to fulfill his own prophecy—which is impossible. Therefore, the tradition that Christ died Friday afternoon and rose Sunday morning is impossible.
The Friday afternoon/Sunday morning story is fiction.
For those of us in Christ’s church who hold to the supreme authority of Scripture, “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth,” means “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Christ and Moses are in agreement and no one in the Bible disagrees with them.
What about the Gospel writers?
What did they tell us about time?
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Matt. 16:21)
Exactly how much time is Matthew referring to when he states, “on the third day”?
How many of us have heard the explanation that a “day” in the Bible can mean a partial “day,” and therefore, Matthew is telling us Friday to Sunday is really the third “day”?
Is this what we are supposed to accept?
No…
There is no need to be in subjection to this confused nonsense; that explanation contradicts the very words of Christ and it contradicts the Law.
Exactly how much time is Matthew referring to when he states, “on the third day”?
Moses already defined it for us: “And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day” (Gen. 1:13). According to Moses, “the third day” is composed of three mornings and three evenings—which does not fit into the Friday afternoon/Sunday morning story.
On what day was Christ crucified? On what day was he resurrected? During what year did these events occur?
Scripture reveals that Christ gave up his Spirit at about 3 p.m., which was the 9th hour of the day (Matt. 27:46-50). Scripture also reveals that he was buried around sunset.
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN Now it was the day of Preparation [the day the Passover lamb was slain], and the next day was to be a special Sabbath [the Feast of Unleavened Bread]. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. [Jesus had to be in the burial tomb by sundown]. (John 19:31)
The time of Christ’s death is clear: it was the day of Preparation, the Feast of Passover, on the 14th day of Nisan, at 3 p.m.
The time of Christ’s burial is clear: he was buried by sunset, or just prior to 6 p.m.
On the next day (the 15th of Nisan, which began at 6 p.m.), Christ was in the sealed tomb—which was the day of a special Sabbath: the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
The time of Christ’s Resurrection is clear: God raised him three days and three nights after he was buried in the heart of the Earth.
On what day of the week was the Resurrection?
If Christ was buried in the Earth late afternoon, and rose three full days later, then that would place his Resurrection near sunset—not sunrise.
Scripture reveals that on the morning of the first day of the week (Sunday), Christ was already up from the dead.
What afternoon precedes Sunday morning? Saturday afternoon.
When the disciples arrived the next morning (which was Sunday), Christ was already up from the dead.
Jesus was resurrected on the Feast of Firstfruits, around sunset, on Sunday, the 18th day of Nisan, which marks the first day of the week.
On what day of the week was the Crucifixion? Counting back three days and three nights from the Resurrection, leaves the afternoon of Wednesday, the 14th of Nisan: Passover.
In what year was Christ crucified?
We know that Christ was “about” 30 years of age when he started his ministry.
Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. (Luke 3:23)
How does the Mosaic Law relate to this statement?
Firstly, Jesus is a priest “in the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 7:17).
The Law required that a man be at least 30 years of age before he could enter priestly service. Where can this be seen in the Torah? God told Moses and Aaron to take a census and count the men from “thirty to fifty years of age” who could “serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting [the tabernacle]” (Num. 4:3).
Note: When Joseph rose to his position of power in Egypt, he was 30 years old (Gen. 41:46). When David ascended to his throne in Jerusalem, he was 30 years old (2 Sam. 5:4), and he reigned for 40 years.
According to the Law, Jesus had to be, at minimum, 30 years old when he began his priestly ministry. Herein, the year of the Crucifixion had to be in the vicinity of A.D. 30.
How does the Mosaic Law help us to mark the exact year of the Crucifixion?
The year of the Crucifixion had to be a year that saw the Feast of Passover fall on a Wednesday, and the Feast of First Fruits fall on a Sunday.
In what year was Christ crucified? A.D. 30.
Exactly 40 years later, the Romans destroyed the temple and massacred the Israelites.
How significant is the number “40” in the Bible?
How many years did the Israelites wander in the wilderness? 40.
The parallel between Moses and Jesus is unmistakable: Just as God gave the Israelites exactly 40 years to take him seriously after sending the first deliverer, Moses, God again gave the Israelites exactly 40 years to take him seriously after sending the second deliverer, Jesus the Christ.
Time marked in Old Testament times foreshadowed time marked in New Testament times. The first coming of Christ witnessed the fulfillment of numerous prophecies—all of which came to pass on time, exactly as God foretold in the Old Testament. Yet, if we rely on our traditions, we would never know it. We would never understand the connection between the Old and New Testaments, and would never understand how time was marked for the first coming of Christ. Satan wants this knowledge lost to history and buried in the lies of religious tradition.
At some point in the past, Satan outwitted our religious ancestors, causing them to neglect Christ’s own prophecy and the Mosaic Law, and thereby, our ancestors were deceived into believing the Good Friday/Easter Sunday lie—and the deception continues to this day.
Where are these words, “Good Friday” and “Easter Sunday” found in the Bible?
Nowhere…
Was Jesus the “Good Friday” Lamb?
Or was he the “Passover” Lamb?
The word “Easter” has no biblical basis whatsoever. According to Nelson’s Bible dictionary, “Easter was originally a pagan festival honoring Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of light and spring.”1
Not only did Satan deceive our ancestors about the time frame, he added a pagan goddess to the story.
So what did our ancestors give us?
The wrong time frame…
A pagan goddess…
And our very own mascot: the Easter Bunny.
Our Lord was crucified on the Feast of Passover—not Good Friday.
Our Lord was resurrected on the Feast of Firstfruits—not Easter Sunday.
Why do we in the body of Christ have to teach the greatest story ever told on Satan’s terms: “Good Friday” and “Easter Sunday”?
Why can’t we in the body of Christ be allowed to teach the greatest story ever told on God’s terms: “Passover” and “Firstfruits”?
Why can’t we as Christ’s church use the same terminology as spoken by Moses, Christ, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul?
What will be our testimony to the flock of Christ?
What will be our individual testimonies when we stand before the Lamb of God?
How is it that our religious ancestors were so thoroughly fooled?
Firstly, neglecting the Mosaic Law allows man’s imagination to interpret New Testament prophecies without the standard God set forth by the first deliverer of God’s people: Moses.
Secondly, Scripture states that Christ was crucified the day before a “special Sabbath.” The weekly Jewish Sabbath is Saturday. The long-standing assumption has been that Christ was crucified the day before Saturday—which is Friday. However, the Scriptures state that the next day was a “special Sabbath,” which meant it was not just the weekly Sabbath, but was a unique holy day of celebration.
What unique holy day followed the slaying of the Passover lamb on the 14th of Nisan? The holy day that followed is on the 15th of Nisan: the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Christ was crucified the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread—not the day before Saturday.
Why is it that modern-day theologians engage in an endless debate about the year of the Crucifixion?
How can we as Christ’s church get the year of the Crucifixion straight, if we can’t get the day of the Crucifixion straight?
Any rendering of time other than “three days and three nights” is a lie.
Why not help break the strength of religious tradition by telling the truth?
THE GOOD FRIDAY/EASTER SUNDAY DECEPTION Why is the Good Friday/Easter Sunday deception so important to Satan?
1. Satan seeks to hide the harmony between the Old and New Testaments and blind us to the reality that New Testament prophecies are founded upon the Mosaic Law, the prophets, and the Psalms.
2. If Satan can cause us to neglect prophecies that speak to the time Jesus would be in the Earth, then he can cause us to neglect prophecies that speak to the time Christ will return to the Earth. (The prophetic Hebrew holy days mark time on the Hebrew calendar.)
PART TWO
THE MINISTRY OF JESUS: THE LAMB OF GOD: THE LENGTH OF CHIRST’S EARTHLY MINISTRY What was the length of Christ’s earthly ministry?
What is the foundation of God’s prophetic truth?
The Old Testament is the foundation. Christ said, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44).
What was written in the Law of Moses about the Lamb of God that had to be fulfilled?
How would Moses answer this question?
THE MOSAIC LAW When God gave Moses the Law regarding the Passover lamb, he said the lamb would be a “year old”: “The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect” (Exod. 12:5).
Hundreds of years after God gave this Law, he gave his only Son, his Lamb, to be slain for the sins of the world.
Paul stated that Jesus was our Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7). Without question, Jesus had to fulfill the Law—exactly as given—regarding the Passover lamb. If Jesus didn’t fulfill the Law, then he wasn’t the Messiah. There is no doubt that Jesus would fulfill the Mosaic Law, because he was the Messiah.
If Jesus was not a “year-old” lamb on the Cross, then God broke his own Law—which is impossible. Therefore, the belief that Jesus had a multi-year ministry is impossible.
How can any theologian, any minister, any Christian successfully overturn or explain away the Mosaic Law—and the divine requirement that it be fulfilled as given?
How is the prophet Isaiah in agreement with the Law?
How are the apostles in agreement with the Law?
How is Christ in agreement with the Law?
THE SON OF GOD What was the prophetic statement given to us by our Lord?
He [Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:16–19)
To all in the synagogue, Christ proclaimed the amount of time he would preach the good news: “the year [not years] of the Lord’s favor.”
What is the time line given to us in the Gospel of Luke about the Lamb of God?
First, Jesus came to John and was baptized by him (Luke 3:21, 22), and then Jesus was tempted 40 days in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13), and then he heralded his mission, “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:19), and then one year later, he was crucified on Passover (Luke 22 and 23). This is the testimony of Luke’s Gospel—and this is the truth.
Today, we as the body of Christ have a deeply divided perspective on the matter of Christ’s ministry.
Why?
There are modern-day theologians who acknowledge Christ’s prophetic statement about the “year” of the Lord’s favor, but their position is as follows: they believe that Jesus wasn’t referring to the time of his ministry, but was referring to a particular year—perhaps a Jubilee Year—of his multi-year ministry.
Is this correct?
Is this the “explanation” that we are supposed to accept?
Which prophet did Christ quote when he proclaimed “the year of the Lord’s favor”?
Isaiah.
Did Isaiah prophesy that the Messiah would one day proclaim the “Jubilee Year within his multi-year ministry”?
No…
Isaiah is in agreement with Moses.
THE PROPHET ISAIAH When Christ spoke of “the year of the Lord’s favor,” he quoted Isaiah verbatim, who prophesied that the coming Messiah would “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”(Isa. 61:2).
If the ministry of Jesus lasted two or three years, then he failed to fulfill the prophecies given by Isaiah and Moses—and he failed to fulfill his own prophecy given in the synagogue.
Moses, Isaiah, and Christ have given us a definitive statement about time: The year of the Lord’s favor is the year of our Lord’s ministry.
Christ said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5:17).
How many exceptions are there to this prophetic statement?
Zero.
Where was Christ born?
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. (Micah 5:2)
Jesus was not born in Jerusalem or Capernaum, but Bethlehem—in fulfillment of the prophecy. No exceptions here.
What about this prophetic statement?
The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect. (Exod. 12:6)
Why would this prophetic statement be an exception?
When was Jesus declared to be the “Lamb of God”?
Why did John the Baptist refer to Jesus as the “Lamb of God”?
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:35, 36)
A lamb can also be referred to as a yearling. Jesus was declared to be the “Lamb of God” by John at the time of the baptism, and one year later at the time of the Crucifixion, the lamb, the yearling, was selected. It’s the Law—fulfilled.
MATHEW AND MARK What about Matthew and Mark?
What did they tell us about time?
Matthew and Mark are in agreement with each other, and with Luke, and with the Law.
All three Gospels cite the baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21), and then the one holy day of Passover, which witnessed the Crucifixion: (Matt. 26:2; Mark 14:1; Luke 22:1, 2). (Of course, Luke makes reference to a Passover when Jesus was 12 (Luke 2:41, 42).)
What have we been told to believe about Matthew, Mark, and Luke?
We have been told to believe that God simply omitted the extra Passovers, and that God is “silent” about the time of Christ’s ministry in these three Gospels.
Is this what we are supposed to accept?
I ask that we as the body of Christ consider what we are being told to believe. Is God really going to be “silent” about time, and omit multiple Passovers, in three… separate… Gospels?
Are we as Christ’s church supposed to believe that it is just a coincidence that time marked in Matthew, Mark, and Luke is in harmony with time marked in the Mosaic Law?
Is it possible we are looking at the divine harmony of divine revelation regarding the Old and New Testaments?
Is it possible that Matthew, Mark, and Luke revealed the truth about the one-year ministry—and nothing is omitted?
Is it possible that the Gospel of John is in agreement with Matthew, Mark, and Luke?
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: THE HOLY DAYS What is unique about the Gospel of John?
John documented the holy days that mark the one-year ministry of the Lamb of God.
1. Spring: John 2:13: the first Passover Feast.
“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (John 5:1)”
Sometime after this spring Passover, Christ himself marked time:
Do you not say, “Four months more and then the harvest”? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. (John 4:35)
In order to teach the spiritual perspective on the “harvest,” Christ made reference to the physical harvest, and spoke of the time that would elapse until the physical harvest: four months.
What is the next major feast that would occur in the midst of the four months that follow Passover?
2. Late Spring: John 5:1: the Feast of Weeks.
“Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.”
What is a major feast that occurs after the Feast of Weeks, after the fall harvest?
3. Fall: John 7:2: the Feast of Tabernacles.
But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do.” (John 7:2, 3)
What feast is cited next?
4. Winter: John 10:22: the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah).
Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. (John 10:22, 23)
What feast is cited next?
5. Spring: John 11:55: the second and final Passover Feast. Jesus, as the Lamb of God, chosen as a “year-old male without defect,” would be God’s Lamb slain on the Cross.
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?” But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him. Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. (John 11:55-57; 12:1)
All additional verses that speak of Passover in the later chapters of John’s Gospel refer to this same, final Passover feast:
It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. (John 13:1)
Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” (John 18:28, 29)
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion. (John 18:38-40)
It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” (John 19:14, 15)
The Gospel of John speaks of the holy days that mark the one-year ministry of the Lamb of God.
Yet, as we know, it is the Gospel of John that is used to justify a multi-year ministry. So, where does the multi-year ministry belief originate in the Gospel of John? This misunderstanding comes from one verse: chapter 6, verse 4. Here is what it says: “The Jewish Passover Feast was near” (John 6:4).
If the Gospel of John is believed as it stands, it appears that Christ’s ministry is two years in length, for there are three distinct Passover Feasts that are marked: 2:13, 6:4, and 11:55. The first year would be from 2:13 to 6:4, and the next year would be from 6:4 (the mid-point) to the final Passover, 11:55. However, this two-year assessment of time is in direct contradiction with the Old Testament Law.
If the Gospel of John appears to say something else, then is it our place to dismiss Christ, Isaiah, Moses, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Paul?
Can the Gospel of John contradict the Mosaic Law and stand in the sight of God?
If the Gospel of John appears to say something else, then is it our place to declare the Mosaic Law invalid?
Or is there something invalid in the Gospel of John?
There is not a problem with the Law, nor with Christ’s prophecy, nor with Isaiah’s prophecy, but with one verse—one sentence—in the Gospel of John. The reality is that there is no mid-point Passover for a Passover lamb, because the lamb is selected from among first-year males—not second-year males. Therefore, the mid-point Passover in the Gospel of John—chapter 6, verse 4—is not original, divine revelation.
Why can we in the body of Christ in clear conscience before Heaven dismiss John 6:4?
It fails the test of the Mosaic Law—and nothing that contradicts the Law can be held as valid in the sight of God. As it stands, John 6:4 can only be held as valid in the sight of men.
Not only is John 6:4 in disharmony with the Law, it is in disharmony with the Gospel itself.
How?
What is the common theme in the five records of the numbered holy days cited above?
Whenever a holy day is cited, what else is cited?
1. “When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.”
2. “Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.”
3. “But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘You ought to leave here and go to Judea.’”
4. “Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.”
5. “When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover.”
Each time a holy day is referenced, John made reference to a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Even though Jesus did not go to the Feast of Tabernacles, the fact remains that John always spoke of the Jewish custom to travel to the holy city when he spoke of a holy day.
The exception is 6:4:
Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” “Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. (John 6:1-17) How is John 6:4 in disharmony with the entirety of the Gospel?
Where is the record of anyone going to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast?
Where were the disciples going?
When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. (John 6:16, 17)
Where were the Israelites going?
The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. (John 6:22-24)
Capernaum is a long way from Jerusalem.
There is no record of Jerusalem, or the temple because John 6:4—as it reads today—is not original, divine revelation.
So, how is John 6:4 to be understood?
Why is a pilgrimage to Jerusalem not described?
Because “the feast” was “near,” not immediate, and this “feast” that was “near” is the same feast described, and expounded upon by John in the very next chapter, chapter 7, verse 2: “the Feast of Tabernacles”—not “Passover.” John 6:4 must be understood as, “The Jewish feast was near,” or, “A Jewish feast was near” (which was Tabernacles).
Are there theologians who acknowledge that John 6:4, as it reads today, is suspect?
Yes…
A reference to the authenticity problem of John 6:4 is found in the following publication: Westcott and Hort’s New Testament in Greek. In the appendix, Westcott and Hort cite early church leaders, such as Origen, who omitted the John 6:4 “Passover” when speaking of Christ’s ministry.
The conclusion of the matter is this: The “Passover” Feast of John 6:4 is in disharmony with the following: the chronological presentation in the Gospel of John, time marked in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the prophecies of Isaiah and Christ, and the Mosaic Law.
THE VOICE OF OUR OWN PAST It is common knowledge among theological circles that our own, early church leaders from the first and second centuries embraced the one-year ministry of our Lord.
Were our early church leaders deceived?
Or is it possible that they recognized the truth about the one-year ministry—which was later lost to history and corruption?
THE MOSAIC LAW
What does the Law reveal to us?
Jesus, as our Passover Lamb, was crucified on the holy day of Passover.
Jesus, who was the firstfruits from the dead, was resurrected on the holy day of Firstfruits.
Jesus, who was our Passover Lamb, was a lamb of the first year slain on the Cross.
It’s the Law.
Heaven has given us multiple witnesses who testify to the validity of the Mosaic Law; it is the Law that enables us to separate man’s imagination from sound doctrine. Why? Who is above the Law?
With Moses as our witness, we can state that our religious tradition of a multi-year ministry is the product of man’s imagination—not divine revelation.
Finally, take a look at what Philip said: “Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph’” (John 1:45).
Moses and the Old Testament prophets gave us the foundational truth about our Lord and Savior. Why should we in the twenty-first century allow ourselves to be in subjection to the imagination of anyone who seeks to “explain away” the Law and/or the prophets?
Shouldn’t we believe the Law and the prophecies that are in agreement with the Law?
If we do this, dogma will fall.
Let it be so.
Let Moses speak plainly and clearly to us.
Shouldn’t we just let the words of Moses stand as given?
Christ did.
PART THREE
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD AND THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS CAESAR During his earthly ministry, Jesus spoke of Israel in the context of a parable: the barren fig tree in the vineyard. How has this parable been misused to support the multi-year ministry belief?
Heaven not only gave us multiple witnesses who testify to the validity of the Mosaic Law and the one-year ministry of Jesus, Heaven gave us a landmark in history: the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar.
First, Christ’s parable of the vineyard is addressed.
THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD In Christ’s parable of the barren fig tree in the vineyard, Christ identified the state of affairs in the Jewish nation at the time of the first century.
Then he [Christ] told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6–9)
The symbolism is as follows: the vineyard is Palestine (the location of Israel), God is the owner of the vineyard and its fig tree (the Jewish nation), and Christ is the one declaring the lack of fruit. Because the tree of the Jewish nation bore no fruit, Christ declared it should be cut down.
However, the story of the man who planted a fig tree in the vineyard is a parable; it is not literal. There was no “man” who actually planted a literal “fig tree” who sought its “fruit” for literally “three years.”
This is a parable; it is not a literal account of Christ’s life as the Lamb of God. A parable contains symbols. The “man” is symbolic, the “vineyard” is symbolic, the “fig tree” is symbolic, the “fruit” is symbolic and the number “three” is symbolic.
Who in the body of Christ has the authority contradict the Mosaic Law, and declare that Christ’s ministry was three years in length based on a symbolic story?
THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS CAESAR Our God didn’t stop with multiple witnesses in both the Old and New Testaments who testify to the one-year ministry of Jesus, for God has given us a historical landmark: “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar . . . the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:1-3).
When did Tiberius Caesar begin his reign?
Reputable historians mark the commencement of his reign to August 19, A.D. 14. On this very day, Tiberius’ predecessor, Augustus, died; then Tiberius, unopposed, ascended to the throne. The reign of Tiberius is marked from the death of Augustus (August 19, A.D. 14) to the death of Tiberius (March 16, A.D. 37).
How did the Romans mark the reign of an emperor?
Ancient empires, like the Roman Empire, marked the reign of a sovereign (sole ruler) by regnal years. (Note: The regnal year was also used to mark time for important documents.)
The first regnal year began on the date the sovereign ascended to the throne, and the second year began on the anniversary of the accession. This modern-day understanding of the regnal year is supported by a voice from the past: the Roman government.
Roman coins have been unearthed that reveal the following: the Romans acknowledged their emperors on coins and marked regnal years on those coins. Of the coins recovered, one such coin depicts Tiberius Caesar and the second regnal year of his reign: A.D. 15/16 (as converted to our modern calendar).
What is the significance of this Roman artifact?
Roman regnal years do not follow the 12-month cycle of January to December, but follow their own 12-month cycle (which would begin during one calendar year and end during the following calendar year).
In light of this, the first regnal year of Tiberius’ reign commenced on the day he ascended to the throne, August 19, A.D. 14, and one year later, the regnal year ended on August 18, A.D. 15.
The second regnal year of Tiberius’ reign began on the anniversary of his accession, August 19, A.D. 15, and ended one year later on August 18, A.D. 16. Herein, the 15th year of Tiberius’ reign commenced on August 19, A.D. 28 and ended on August 18, A.D. 29.
If the 15th year of Tiberius’ reign began on August 19, A.D. 28, then John’s ministry commenced sometime on or after this date. Recall that John was six months older than Jesus.
When did John baptize Jesus?
When exactly did Christ’s ministry begin?
Peter revealed to us that Christ’s ministry began with his baptism:
You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. (Acts 10:37, 38)
Knowing that Jesus was crucified on Passover in A.D. 30, then John had to baptize Jesus one year earlier—prior to Passover in A.D. 29.
Knowing that John’s ministry began prior to the baptism of Jesus, John’s ministry had to begin well prior to the A.D. 29 Passover.
What is the first year that precedes the spring of A.D. 29? A.D. 28.
If we are to believe the Roman government, and if we are to believe that Luke used the Roman regnal year to mark the reign of a Roman Caesar, then we have a historical landmark that is in perfect harmony with the Mosaic Law: the ministry of the Lamb of God had to be one year—not two or three.
Why?
It is impossible to fit two or three full years between August, A.D. 28 and Passover A.D. 30 (which was during the month of April (Hebrew: Nisan)).
How do modern-day theologians—who profess the multi-year ministry belief—deal with this time line?
There are theologians who accept the fact that Christ was crucified in A.D. 30, but if they believe that the 15th year of Tiberius’ reign began in A.D. 28, then the multi-year ministry belief cannot work.
How do modern-day theologians handle this apparent dilemma?
They “explain away” history itself. Some theologians have suggested the start of Tiberius’ reign should shift back to A.D. 13 or A.D. 12. If Tiberius’ reign shifts back two years to A.D. 12, then the 15th year of Tiberius’ reign also shifts back two years, from A.D. 28 to A.D. 26. Herein, the religious tradition of a multi-year ministry is maintained.
How do theologians justify “explaining away” the A.D. 14 commencement date of the reign of Tiberius?
They point to the fact that Tiberius was granted constitutional powers prior to his sole possession of the throne—which is true. However, the possession of constitutional powers has no relevance to marking the reign of a Roman Caesar. The regnal year corresponds to the accession of the sovereign—when an individual assumes absolute rule.
Finally, if the Roman regnal year was marked on Roman money, then the people of the Roman Empire would be familiar with the practice of marking the reign of an emperor with regnal years. Thereby, those in the Roman Empire (and eventually beyond the empire) could readily understand Luke’s statement about Tiberius and time.
PART FOUR
THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST: THE DAY, MONTH, AND YEAR OF HIS BIRTH
THE VOICE OF GOD: THE HEAVENS AND DIVINE REVELATION The Creator set the heavens in motion, and he set the plan of salvation in motion—and they are in perfect synchrony with one another. The heavens display God's celestial clock, and divine revelation reveals God's plan of salvation. In essence, God has given us two witnesses who are in agreement; the celestial clock and divine revelation, together, mark the day, month, and year that Jesus was born. Armed with this knowledge, it becomes evident that there is an unmistakable parallel between the birth of Christ and the descent of Christ from Heaven—for us.
It is by way of the celestial clock, the Hebrew calendar, the Mosaic Law, the Gospels, and the Book of Revelation that we as Christ’s church can construct the irrefutable time line that marks the first coming of Christ.
THE HEAVENS: THE CELESTIAL CLOCK The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. (Ps. 19:1-3)
What was the knowledge written in the heavens when Jesus was born in Bethlehem?
Where in the heavens is this knowledge found?
As revealed in Revelation, the constellation Virgo, the virgin, provided the celestial signs that portrayed the birth of the Son of God (Rev. 12:1, 2), and, as revealed in the Torah, the constellation Leo announced the arrival of the King, who would come out of the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:9, 10). Leo and Virgo are God’s two celestial witnesses who declared the birth of the Christ Child.
LEO: THE LION The prophecy that Leo would proclaim the arrival of the Messianic King came from Jacob:
Judah is a lion's whelp. . . . The sceptre shall not depart from [the tribe of] Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh [Christ] come [into the world]; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Gen. 49:9, 10 KJV)
Why did Jacob refer to Judah as a "lion's whelp"?
It is a symbolic statement—and it is a prophetic statement.
The symbolism is that the tribe of Judah—and the story of Judah—is represented in the heavens by the constellation Leo, the lion. The most famous descendant of the tribe of Judah is Jesus the Christ. In Revelation, the Messiah is referred to as the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev. 5:5). The celestial representation of Judah—Leo—would ultimately tell the story of the coming King.
Leo is uniquely significant, for within its cluster of stars is the king star of the Zodiac: Regulus. "Regulus" is derived from the Latin word for "king," and is referred to as the "royal star." It is the brightest star in the lion, and is located "between his feet." (Note: Regulus shines about 350 times brighter than our sun.)
In this prophecy about the coming King, Jacob also referred to the sceptre: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah."
Why?
What is the significance of the "sceptre"?
"The insignia of the king were the throne, the crown, the royal bracelet and the sceptre."2
The sceptre speaks of royal power. This prophecy of the sceptre is repeated in the Torah: "there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel" (Num. 24:17 KJV).
Thus, a star, a sceptre, and Leo the lion speak of the coming Messiah.
CELESTIAL SIGNS And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years.” (Gen. 1:14)
The Hebrew word for “signs” means, “a signal. . . evidence. . . [or] omen.”3
How did the “lights in the expanse of the sky” serve as signals in Leo?
All we know for sure is what God revealed to us: the Magi saw "his star" and followed it. Was "his star" the king star, Regulus? Did something supernatural take place relative to Regulus? We don't know. However, we do know that Christ revealed to John the signs in the sky that came through the virgin, Virgo. The sun, the moon, and Virgo came together at a unique moment in time, and God declared the actual birth of the Christ Child—through the virgin.
VIRGO: THE VIRGIN Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign [a signal]: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isa. 7:14)
Virgo is the celestial symbol of the virgin, and within this constellation, God gave a divine sign with the sun and the moon:
A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman [the constellation Virgo] clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth [to the Christ Child]. (Rev. 12:1, 2)
When did this celestial show take place?
Astronomical calculations reveal that this celestial sign—of the sun shining through Virgo with the moon at her feet—appeared in the sky over the Holy Land on September 11, 3 B.C.
September 11, 3 B.C. is the divine threshold: this is the day that marks the birth of Christ the King!
THE CELESTIAL SIGNS AND THE HEBREW CALENDAR
What day does September 11, 3 B.C. correspond to on the Hebrew calendar?
New Year’s Day, Tishri one, Rosh HaShanah: the Feast of Trumpets!
On September 11, 3 B.C., it was the New Moon that appeared at the feet of Virgo, announcing the commencement of the holy day—and as Jerusalem thundered with trumpets, Christ the King was born!
THE BIRTH OF THE KING AND THE RETURN OF THE KING
The divine parallel between the birth and descent of our Lord is also unmistakable: Just as celestial signs lined up with the Hebrew calendar on the holy day of Trumpets to mark the birth of Christ the King, so shall celestial signs again line up with the holy day of Trumpets to mark the descent of Christ the King!
THE HEBREW CALENDAR: THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS
The Feast of Trumpets has direct relevance to a king: "According to the rabbis, Rosh Ha-Shanah [The Feast of Trumpets] commemorates the creation of the universe.". . . “Since Rosh Ha-Shanah is the anniversary of the creation, the shofar-tones [trumpet sounds] are equivalent to the sounds of jubilation attendant on the proclamation of God as King of the Universe."4Hebrew prayers that celebrate God as King span ten days, and they commence on Rosh HaShanah. King David himself proclaimed the sound of a trumpet celebrated the appointing of a Hebrew king:
King David said, "Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When they came before the king, he said to them: "Take your lord's servants with you and set Solomon my son on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!' Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah." (1 Kings 1:32-35)
The sound of a trumpet proclaimed throughout the Holy Land that a new Hebrew king had arrived.
What is Jesus Christ? A King.
"The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a KING who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness." (Jer. 23:5, 6)
THE HEBREW CALENDAR OR THE ROMAN CALENDAR? For how many centuries have we listened to the lie of a December 25 birth?
As many of us know, December 25 is the Roman holiday of Saturnalia—which celebrates the birth of the unconquered sun.
How can any modern-day religious "authority" honestly believe that the Creator would have his Son born on a pagan holiday?
Hebrew holy days are prophetic in nature—not Roman holidays.
THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST: THE TIME LINE The Gospel of Luke provides the chronology of events for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.
NAZARETH TO BETHLEHEM So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. (Luke 2:4-7)
3 B.C., September 11: Jesus is born.
BETHLEHEM TO JERUSALEM When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." (Luke 2:22-24)
Moses wrote of this matter in the following Scriptures: Exodus 13:2 and Leviticus 12:1-8.
JERUSALEM TO NAZARETH When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord [after Jesus was born], they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth [back to their house]. (Luke 2:39)
Joseph and Mary reside back in Nazareth.
2 B.C., September 11: Jesus is 1.
THE WISE MEN: THE MAGI
It is Matthew who gives us the chronology of events for the Magi: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him’” (Matt. 2:1, 2).
After seeing Herod, the Magi continue their journey and find not a “babe” in a “manger,” but “the young child” in “the house” (Matt. 2:11 KJV).
Where?
Bethlehem?
Or Nazareth?
Is there any record of Joseph and Mary buying a house in Bethlehem?
No…
If the house of Joseph and Mary was in Nazareth, and the testimony of Luke is that they returned to Nazareth, and the testimony of Matthew is that the Magi saw the “young child” in “the house,” then in what town did the Magi see Jesus?
Nazareth.
The Magi followed “his star” to Nazareth.
Although King Herod did give instructions to go to Bethlehem, the Magi followed “his star”—not Herod.
Where in the Scriptures does it say: “And the Magi diligently followed the direction of the blood-thirsty moron, Herod, and soon thereafter arrived in Bethlehem”?
Nowhere…
For those of us in the body of Christ who hold to the supreme authority of Scripture, we only need the testimony of Matthew and Luke—not the “word” of our religious ancestors who would have us believe the Magi showed up at the manger, or at some house, in Bethlehem.
After the Magi visit the young child in Nazareth, God intervenes, and the Magi return to their homeland. When Herod starts his killing spree, he is looking in the wrong place: Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary had already left Nazareth and were on their way to Egypt.
Why did Herod kill all male children two years and younger?
Jesus is a “young child.” Herod wanted to make sure the child King would not live to see the age of two. Instead, Herod died early in the year 1 B.C., and did not live to “see” Jesus turn two.
1 B.C.: King Herod dies.
According to Josephus (renowned historian), Herod died not long after a lunar eclipse and before a Passover. In the year 1 B.C., on January 9, there was a total eclipse of the moon (three months before Passover).
1 B.C., September 11: Jesus is 2.
There is no year “0.”
A.D. 1, September 11: Jesus is 3. A.D. 2, September 11: Jesus is 4. A.D. 3, September 11: Jesus is 5. A.D. 4, September 11: Jesus is 6. A.D. 5, September 11: Jesus is 7. A.D. 6, September 11: Jesus is 8. A.D. 7, September 11: Jesus is 9. A.D. 8, September 11: Jesus is 10. A.D. 9, September 11: Jesus is 11. A.D. 10, September 11: Jesus is 12. A.D. 11, September 11: Jesus is 13. A.D. 12, September 11: Jesus is 14. A.D. 13, September 11: Jesus is 15. A.D. 14, September 11: Jesus is 16. A.D. 15, September 11: Jesus is 17. A.D. 16, September 11: Jesus is 18. A.D. 17, September 11: Jesus is 19. A.D. 18, September 11: Jesus is 20. A.D. 19, September 11: Jesus is 21. A.D. 20, September 11: Jesus is 22. A.D. 21, September 11: Jesus is 23. A.D. 22, September 11: Jesus is 24. A.D. 23, September 11 Jesus is 25. A.D. 24, September 11: Jesus is 26. A.D. 25, September 11: Jesus is 27. A.D. 26, September 11: Jesus is 28. A.D. 27, September 11: Jesus is 29.
A.D. 28, August 19: Tiberius Caesar begins the 15th year of his reign (Luke 3:1-3). The ministry of John the Baptist begins on or after this date.
A.D. 28, September 11: Jesus turns 30.
Now in his 30th year, Jesus is able to enter priestly service (Num. 4:1–3). Now, he can be baptized. Herein, sometime between September 11, A.D. 28, and Passover in A.D. 29, John baptizes Jesus.
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”. . . “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”(John 1:28, 29, 34)
Following the baptism, there are distinct events that take place prior to the first spring Passover: Jesus is led into the wilderness for 40 days, he later calls out his apostles, and at the wedding in Cana, Jesus turns water into wine. In essence, in the weeks that precede the A.D. 29 Passover, Christ’s ministry begins.
The Gospel of John reveals the key holy days that mark the one-year ministry of the Lamb of God.
A.D. 29, Spring: Passover (John 2:13).
A.D. 29, Late Spring: “a feast of the Jews [Weeks/Pentecost]” (John 5:1).
A.D. 29, September 11: Jesus turns 31.
A.D. 29, Fall: Tabernacles (John 7:2, 3).
A.D. 29, Winter: Dedication (John 10:22, 23).
A.D. 30, Spring: Passover (John 11:55): The Crucifixion.
Jesus is (still) 31.
Verses 12:1, 13:1, 18:28, and 19:14 in John’s Gospel all refer to the same Passover introduced in verse 11:55; it is the Passover that witnesses the Crucifixion.
It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. (John 19:14, 15)
In fulfillment of the Mosaic Law, the Lamb of God is taken from the “first year” and slain on the holy day of Passover.
Christ’s ministry was one year in length. It’s the Law. No exceptions. Exceptions only exist in man’s imagination and in religious tradition—not in the Scriptures.
Why not help break the strength of the multi-year ministry “tradition” by telling the truth?
You have the Mosaic Law on your side.
GOD’S TESTIMONY
Our God determined that the motion of the heavens would be in perfect alignment with prophecy in the Torah. This harmony between the heavens and the Torah cannot be broken, and it is for us to understand. God spoke through the constellations’ Leo and Virgo—on the holy day of Trumpets—to announce the birth of a King… our Savior.
How can our response to our Creator be anything but awe and inspiration?
God bless.
Notes
1. New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), 373.
2. The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia (The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc., New York, 1942), vol. 9, 385.
3. James Strong, Abingdon’s Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 1981), 10 (Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary).
4. The International Jewish Encyclopedia (Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1973), 259.
