QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT

THE STORY OF JESUS

Significant Locations in the Roman, Jewish and Christian Worlds During the Life of Jesus of Nazareth

BEFORE THE BIRTH OF JESUS

1. From 63BC TO THE BIRTH OF JESUS c 6BC

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD in black .....

JEWISH EVENTS ....... in blue

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ...... in red

Before Christ

63BC - Rome begins rule of Palestine and adjacent territories

47-37BC - Herod, later "the Great", governor of Galilee

37-4BC - Herod the Great, "king of the Jews". In addition to Galilee, he rules in time over Samaria and Judea, Iturea and Trachonitis, and Perea. He built the port city of Caesarea, the royal palace in Jerusalem, and the fortress-palace of Masada

30BC - Suicide of Antony and Cleopatra; Egypt becomes a Roman province

27BC-AD14 - Caesar Augustus, emperor of Rome

20BC - Herod the Great starts to re-build the Jewish Temple of Jerusalem

c 7BC - Herod the Great murders his son Aristobulus, the father of Agrippa I and Herodias

c 6BC (ranging from 8-4BC) - BIRTH OF JESUS:

"in Judea, in the days when Herod was king of the province" (Matthew 2:1b);

"when Herod was king of Judea ..... " (Luke 1:5a)

"At that time a proclamation was made by Caesar Augustus that all the inhabited world should be registered. This was the first census, undertaken while Cyrenius was governor of Syria" (Luke 2:1-2)

DURING THE EARTHLY LIFE OF JESUS

2. BIRTH OF JESUS TO THE START OF HIS MINISTRY c 6BC-AD27

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ....

to AD14 - Augustus, emperor of Rome

c 6BC - The Birth of Jesus at Bethlehem (Luke 2:4-7) ; Jesus is taken as a baby to Jerusalem for presentation at the Temple (Luke 2:22)

c 4BC - Joseph and Mary journey with Jesus from Bethlehem to Egypt to escape the "massacre of the infants" by Herod the Great (Matthew 2:13-18)

4BC - Death of Herod the Great. Three of his surviving sons succeed him - Archelaus, Antipas and Philip:

4BC-AD6 - Archelaus, ethnarch of Samaria and Judea;

4BC-AD39 - Antipas, later Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. He built Tiberius on the western bank of the Sea of Galilee as a new capital city, and married Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip. This Philip was not Philip, the tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis;

4BC-34AD - Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis. He rebuilt Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mount Hermon and Bethsaida near the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

c 3BC - Joseph returns to Israel from Egypt, but discovers Archelaus (a brutal man, later deposed) is now ruler of Samaria and Judea. The family settles in Nazareth in Galilee (Matthew 2:19-23)

Anno Domini or Christian Era

c AD6-15 - Annas, son of Seth appointed High Priest in Jerusalem. Several of Annas' sons and his son-in-law Caiaphas later succeed him

c AD6 - The 12 year old Jesus travels from Nazareth to Jerusalem with his family, and stays behind in the Temple (Luke 2:41-46)

AD6 - Archelaus deposed as ethnarch of Samaria and Judea by emperor Augustus. He is exiled to Gaul, modern France

AD6-41 - With Archelaus' removal, Samaria and Judea become a Roman procuratorial province, ruled by a series of governors or procurators, including Pontius Pilate, headquartered on the Mediterranean coast at Caesarea

c AD6-27 - On his return to Nazareth (Luke 2:51) according to tradition, Jesus stays for the next 20 or so years, and follows in his father's footsteps as a carpenter

AD9 - The Romans lose three entire Legions in the Battle of Teutoburg Forest in Germany. This ends attempts to conquer the Germanic tribes

AD14-37 - Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome on the death of Augustus

AD15 - Annas deposed as High Priest. He still exerts considerable influence up to and including the trial of Jesus. Three new High Priests follow over the next three years to AD18

c AD18-36? - Joseph Caiaphas, son-in-law of Annas, appointed High Priest

AD26-36 - Pontius Pilate is the fifth procurator of Judea to be appointed

c AD27 - Herodias leaves her first husband Philip. Their daughter is Salome who asked for the head of John the Baptist

c AD27 (range AD26-29) - John the Baptist starts his preaching and baptising mission

c AD27 - Jesus travels from Nazareth to the River Jordan to be baptised by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13). Jesus goes into the Judean wilderness where he is tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). He then starts his three year ministry, and calls some of his disciples for the first time (John 1:35-51)

3. MINISTRY OF JESUS c AD27-30

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ....

c AD27-30 (range, 2 or 3 years between AD27-33) - the ministry of Jesus:

Jesus travels around Palestine and surrounding territories preaching the Gospel. Accounts of his disciples and followers, his parables and miracles, the opposition to his teaching, and his prophecies about his own fate, are collected by his disciples according to the oral tradition of the time

Tiberius Caesar is emperor of Rome

Pontius Pilate is procurator of Judea and Samaria

Herod Antipas is tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, and married to Herodias; Philip is tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis

Joseph Caiaphas, son-in-law of Annas, is High Priest in Jerusalem

c AD29 (range AD28-32) - John the Baptist is beheaded on the orders of Herod Antipas, probably in Herod's fortress of Machaerus in Perea

In the Spring of c AD30, Jesus travels to Jerusalem where he is arrested by the Jewish authorities, tried, sentenced to death by the ruling Romans and crucified. He later appears to the apostles and others

4. LAST WEEK OF JESUS ON EARTH and HIS RESURRECTION c AD30

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS .......

The final entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, his arrest, and Jewish and Roman trials

Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome

Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea and Samaria

Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea; Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis.

Joseph Caiaphas, High Priest in Jerusalem. His father-in-law, Annas, High Priest AD6-15, still exerts considerable influence

c AD30 (range AD29-33) - Jesus is sentenced to death and crucified

Jesus is buried, but his tomb is found empty. He appears over 40 days to many of his followers. After warning his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit, he returns to God in heaven

 

THE PERIOD OF THE APOSTLES

Map - Significant Locations in the Roman, Jewish and Christian Worlds During the Period of the Apostles, c AD30-100

THE EARLY CHURCH

5. JEWISH PERIOD OF THE CHURCH from c AD30

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

c AD30 - Pentecost, the Church is born

to AD37 - Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome

to AD36 - Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea and Samaria

Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea,

to AD34 - Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis

AD34 - Philip the tetrarch dies without leaving an heir. Emperor Tiberius annexes Iturea and Trachonitis to the Roman province of Syria

c AD32 (range AD30-37) - Stephen the "deacon" is martyred; the Church scatters

AD36(?)-37 - Jonathon, a son of Annas (High Priest from AD6-15), replaces Annas' son-in-law Caiaphas as High Priest in Jerusalem.

6. EARLIEST MISSIONARY JOURNEYS C AD32-46

The starting events of the Church are the hardest to date. Hence the overlaps with the dates of the Jewish Period of the Church above

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

c AD34 (range AD30-38) - The conversion of Saul (later Paul) on the road to Damascus

to AD37 - Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome

to AD36 - Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea and Samaria;

to AD37 - Iturea and Trachonitis remain annexed to the Roman province of Syria following the death of ethnarch Philip in AD34

to AD39 - Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea,

AD37-41 - Caligula (Gaius Caesar), emperor of Rome

AD37-44 - Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great and son of the murdered Aristobulus is made king and granted Iturea and Trachonitis by his friend, the emperor Caligula. The territories were previously ruled by his deceased uncle, Philip. He is also granted Abilene, once ruled by Lysanias

c AD37 - Paul makes his first visit as a Christian to Jerusalem. This follows his journey to Arabia and return to Damascus to preach (Galatians 1:17). Paul is forced to leave Jerusalem and goes to his home town of Tarsus (Acts 9:30)

AD39 - Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, and his wife Herodias, are forced into exile in Gaul (France) by Caligula. Galilee and Perea are granted to King Herod Agrippa I to add to the territories already held since AD37

AD41-54 - Claudius I, emperor of Rome

AD41 - King Herod Agrippa I is now granted Judea and Samaria by Claudius. The line of Roman procurators temporarily comes to an end. After just four years, Agrippa I's kingdom equals that of his grandfather, Herod the Great (37-4BC).

AD43 - Under Claudius, the Roman conquest of Britannia (Britain) begins

c AD42 - Paul joins Barnabas to work with the established church in Syrian Antioch

c AD44 - The apostle James, brother of John and son of Zebedee, is beheaded, and Peter imprisoned on the orders of King Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-3)

AD44 - King Herod Agrippa I dies suddenly in Caesarea (Acts 12:23). His son, Agrippa II, is too young to rule, and all the Jewish provinces return to direct Roman control. Roman procurators are again appointed over Judea.

Of Agrippa I's daughters, Drusilla later marries Felix, a Roman procurator of Judea (Acts 24:24), and Bernice becomes a close companion of her brother Agrippa II (Acts 25:13)

c AD45-50 - The LETTER OF JAMES is written, probably by James, brother of Jesus, sometime before the Council held at Jerusalem in c AD49

THE APOSTLE PAUL'S MISSIONARY JOURNEYS

7. PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY c AD46-48

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD ....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

c AD40-50 - According to tradition, Matthew wrote the GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, originally in Aramaic, possibly around this time

c AD46-48 (range, 2 to 4 years between AD45-51) - Barnabas and Paul leave Syrian Antioch on the FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY and sail to Cyprus, where they convert the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus. After crossing to Asia Minor (Turkey) and working there, they return to Syrian Antioch by sea

Claudius I, emperor of Rome

Following the death of King Herod Agrippa I in c AD44, the territories of Palestine remain under direct Roman rule

AD47-60 - Ananias is appointed High Priest in Jerusalem

c AD48 or 49 - Paul may have written his LETTER TO THE GALATIANS around this time from Syrian Antioch, or on the way to the Council of Jerusalem; otherwise c AD56 or 57

8. PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY c AD49-52

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD ....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

Claudius I, emperor of Rome

Ananias, High Priest in Jerusalem

c AD49-52 (range, 2 to 4 years between AD48-54) - Paul and Silas leave Syrian Antioch for the SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY. They travel through Asia Minor (present day Turkey), before crossing to Macedonia (northern Greece). Paul then sails south to Corinth in Achaia (southern Greece) and stays for 18 months. Here he appears before the proconsul Gallio, and writes his FIRST and SECOND LETTERS TO THE THESSALONIANS. Sailing for Palestine, he calls in at Ephesus (western Turkey), before returning to Syrian Antioch via Jerusalem

c AD50 - Emperor Claudius expels the Jews from Rome

AD50 - Herod Agrippa II is old enough to be appointed king of Chalcis by emperor Claudius

c AD50-60 - Oral traditions about the life and ministry of Jesus continue to be committed to writing, and collections assembled

AD51 or 52 - Gallio is appointed proconsul of Achaia (southern Greece)

c AD53-60 - Antonius Felix is appointed procurator of Judea

from AD53, King Herod Agrippa II, exchanges Chalcis for parts of Iturea and Trachonitis, Galilee and Perea.

9. PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY C AD53-58

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

Collections of writings about the life and ministry of Jesus continue to be assembled

cAD53-58 (range, 3 to 5 years between AD50-58) - Paul's THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY from Syrian Antioch, crossing Asia Minor (Turkey) to Ephesus and staying there for nearly three years. Then over to Macedonia (northern Greece), and down to Achaia (southern Greece) and Corinth for three months. During this period Paul wrote his FIRST and SECOND LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS, possibly his LETTER TO THE GALATIANS (unless written earlier in c AD48 or 49), and his LETTER TO THE ROMANS. He returned to Macedonia and sailed for Palestine calling at Asia Minor ports on the way. On arrival he travelled to Jerusalem for the last time

to AD54 - Claudius I, emperor of Rome

AD54-68 - Nero succeeds Claudius as emperor of Rome

Antonius Felix, procurator of Judea and Samaria

Herod Agrippa II, ruler of various parts of Iturea and Trachonitis, Galilee and Perea.

Ananias, High Priest in Jerusalem

10. PAUL'S ARREST IN JERUSALEM and IMPRISONMENT IN CAESAREA c AD58-60

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

Collections of writings about the life and ministry of Jesus probably now exist. They will be used as important sources when the Gospels are written

cAD58-60 (range, 2 years between AD56-60) - Paul arrives in Jerusalem, is arrested, and transferred to Caesarea for trial before the procurator Felix. He is also seen by Drusilla, Felix's wife. Paul is kept in prison for two years

Nero, emperor of Rome

to AD60 - Antonius Felix, procurator of Judea

Herod Agrippa II continues as ruler of various parts of Iturea and Trachonitis, Galilee and Perea

to AD60 - Ananias is High Priest in Jerusalem

c AD60 - In Britannia, Boadicea, queen of the Iceni, revolts against Roman rule

c AD60-62 - Porcius Festus succeeds Felix as procurator of Judea

cAD60 - Paul is re-tried by the new procurator Festus, appears before Herod Agrippa II and his sister Bernice, and "appeals to Caesar" - that is to emperor Nero

11. PAUL'S JOURNEY TO ROME and CONTINUED IMPRISONMENT c AD60-63

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .......

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

cAD60-61 (range, one year between AD58-61) - Paul sails for Rome, is shipwrecked on Malta where he stays for three months and meets Publius, the chief official. He continues on to Rome via Sicily.

Nero, emperor of Rome

Herod Agrippa II, ruler of various parts of Iturea and Trachonitis, Galilee and Perea.

cAD61-63 (range, two years between AD59-63) - Paul under house arrest in Rome for two years. During these years, he writes his LETTERS TO THE COLOSSIANS, TO PHILEMON, TO THE EPHESIANS, and TO THE PHILIPPIANS.

to AD62 - Porcius Festus, procurator of Judea

cAD62 - James, the brother of Jesus and head of the church in Jerusalem, is killed on the orders of the High Priest Ananus. He may have been stoned, or thrown to his death in the Kidron valley outside Jerusalem

cAD62/63 - Luke may have written the GOSPEL OF LUKE and the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES by now. Acts finishes with Paul's imprisonment in Rome and makes no mention of his subsequent release or death

cAD63 - By now the GOSPEL OF MARK may have been written in Rome by John Mark, the "interpreter" of the apostle Peter

12. PAUL'S POSSIBLE RELEASE FROM IMPRISONMENT IN ROME c AD64-67

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .....

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

c AD64-67 (range, 3 or 4 years between AD60-67) - Paul may have been released from house arrest in Rome, and travelled to Spain?, Macedonia, Achaia, Crete, and Asia Minor (Turkey)

Nero, emperor of Rome

AD64 - Fire destroys most of Rome. Nero blames the Christians.

c AD64-67 - The apostle Peter wrote the FIRST LETTER OF PETER, and possibly the SECOND LETTER during this period

c AD64 - During the persecutions that follow the fire, the apostles Peter and Paul may have been martyred. According to tradition Peter was crucified head downwards, and Paul beheaded, both in Rome. Paul, however, may have been on his further travels at this time, following his earlier release from house arrest, and Peter executed later

c AD65 - The LETTER TO HEBREWS addressed to Jewish Christians may have been written about this time

perhaps c AD65-70 - THE GOSPEL OF MARK may have been written, traditionally in Rome, around the time of Peter's execution

c AD66 - If Paul was released, he would have written his FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY and his LETTER TO TITUS around now, perhaps from the Macedonia area

AD66-73 - Jewish war against Roman rule. The campaign in Judea is initially led by the Roman general Vespasian. Many Jews, and probably Christians leave Jerusalem

c AD67 (or AD68) - Paul is possibly re-arrested, taken to Rome, and sometime before execution, wrote his SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

c AD67 - The LETTER OF JUDE, brother of James and thus Jesus, may have been written around this time, possibly in Palestine

THE REMAINING PERIOD OF THE APOSTLES

13. THE LATTER PART OF THE "PERIOD OF THE APOSTLES" c AD64-100

NOTE - There is considerable uncertainty about the dates of the remaining letters of the New Testament. Hence the overlaps with the dates of Paul's possible release from prison in Rome above

ROMAN EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD .....

JEWISH EVENTS .....

CHRISTIAN EVENTS ......

c AD64-67 - The apostle Peter wrote the FIRST LETTER OF PETER, and possibly the SECOND LETTER during this period

c AD65 - The LETTER TO HEBREWS, or to Jewish Christians may have been written about this time

c AD67 - The LETTER OF JUDE, brother of James and thus Jesus, may have been written around this time, possibly in Palestine

c AD70 - If the GOSPEL OF MATTHEW was written originally in Aramaic, it might have been translated into Greek by now

to AD73 - The Jewish war against Roman rule continues. Roman forces are still commanded by general Vespasian.

AD68-69 - After Nero's suicide, Galba, Otho and Vitellius are emperors of Rome in quick succession

cAD68-70 - The BOOK OF REVELATION may have been written at this time, following the persecutions of Nero, but before the Fall of Jerusalem. Otherwise Revelation was written towards the end of the 1st century.

AD69-79 - Vespasian is recalled from Judea and appointed emperor of Rome

AD69 - Titus takes over command of Roman forces from his father in Judea

AD70 - Jerusalem is captured by Titus and the Temple destroyed

AD73 - Jewish resistance ends with the fall of the fortress of Masada

AD79-81 - Titus succeeds his father as emperor of Rome

AD79 - Eruption of Mount Vesuvius; the town of Pompeii is destroyed

AD81-96 - Domitian, emperor of Rome. There may have been some persecution of Christians towards the end of his reign

after cAD85, say AD90-100 - The GOSPEL OF JOHN is written by the apostle John in Ephesus

cAD90-95 - If the BOOK OF REVELATION was not written around AD68-70, it might be dated to this period, possibly during persecutions attributed to the Emperor Domitian

cAD90-100 - The FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD LETTERS OF JOHN are written by the apostle John from Ephesus

AD96-98 - Nerva, emperor of Rome

AD98-117 - Trajan, emperor of Rome and later conqueror of present-day Rumania and Iraq

cAD100 - The apostle John, according to tradition, dies a natural death at Ephesus

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