Page:1902 Encyclopædia Britannica - Volume 27 - CHI-ELD.pdf/106

 80

CHRONOLOGY,

BIBLICAL

Chronological Table—Continued. Events in Contemporary History. Chronology Biblical Events. of Ussher. Babylonia. Assyria. Egypt. 423. Darius II. (Nothus) 404. Artaxerxes II. (Mnemon) 359. Artaxerxes III. (Ochus) c. 350. Many Jews carried away captive to Hyrcania and Babylonia, probably on account of a revolt against the Persians 338. Arses 336. Darius III. (Codomannus) 333. Persian Empire overthrown by Alexander the Great Palestine now becomes a province, first of the empire of Alexander, in Danielem, iv. ed. Bonwetsch, p. 242; [Tertullian], adv. and afterwards of that of one or other of Alexander's successors. Judoeos, 8). What may be called the received chronology 332. The Jews submit to Alexander the Great. during the last two centuries has pushed the date farther 323. Death of Alexander in Babylon. 322. Alexander’s general, Ptolemy Lagi, becomes Satrap of Egypt. back to 4 B.c. But the considerations now to be adduced 320. Ptolemy Lagi gains possession of Palestine, which, with make it probable that the true date is earlier still. short interruptions, continues in the hands of the (а) Evidence of St Matthew’s Gospel (i. 18-ii. 22).— Ptolemies till 198. The birth of Christ took place before the death of Herod, 312. Beginning of the era of the Seleucidse (reckoned from the and the evidence of Josephus fixes the death of Herod, time when Seleucus Mcator, Alexander’s former heavy cavalry officer, finally established himself in the satrapy of with some approach to certainty, in the early spring of Babylonia. He founded Antioch as his capital, 300 B.c.). 4 b.c. Josephus, indeed, while he tells us that Herod died 305. Ptolemy Lagi assumes the title of king. not long before Passover, nowhere names the exact year; 198. Antiochus the Great, king of Syria (223-187), defeats but he gives four calculations which serve to connect Ptolemy Epiphanes at Panias (Baniyas, near the sources Herod’s death with more or less known points, namely, of the Jordan), and obtains possession of Palestine. 175-164. Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria (Dan. xi. 21-45). the length of Herod’s own reign, both from his de jure and 168. Antiochus’s attempt to suppress the religion of the Jews (1 from his de facto accession, and the length of the reigns of Macc. i. 41-63 ; cf. Dan. vii. 8, 21, 24-26 ; viii. 9-14 ; xii. two of his successors, Archelaus and Herod Philip, to the 10-12). Public worship suspended in the Temple for date of their deposition and death respectively. The three years. 167. Rise of the Maccabees (1 Macc. ii.). various calculations are not quite easy to harmonize, but 166-165. Victories of Judas Maccabseus over the generals of the extent of choice for the year of Herod’s death is limited Antiochus (1 Macc. iii.-iv.). 165. Re-dedication of the Temple on 25th Chisleu (December), 1 to the years 4 and 3 B.c., with a very great preponderance of probability in favour of the former. How long before Macc. iv. 52-61. 160. Death of Judas Maccabseus (1 Macc. ix. 1-22). this the Nativity should be placed the Gospel does not 160-142. Jonathan, younger brother of Judas, leader of the loyal enable us to say precisely, but as Herod’s decree of Jews (1 Macc. ix. 23-xii. 53). extermination included all infants up to two years of age, 142-135. Simon, elder brother of Judas (1 Macc. xiii.-xvi.). and as a sojourn of the Holy Family in Egypt of unknown 135-105. John Hyrcanus, son of Simon. length intervened between the massacre and Herod’s death, 105-104. Aristobulus I. (son of Hyrcanus), king. 104-78. Alexander Jannseus (brother of Aristobulus), king. it is clear that it is at least possible, so far as the evidence 78-69. Salome (Alexandra), widow of Alexander Jannseus. of this Gospel goes, that the birth of Christ preceded 69. Aristobulus II. (son of Alexandra). 65. Capture of Jerusalem by Pompey. Palestine becomes a part Herod’s death by as much as two or three years. What is thus shown to be possible would, of course, be of the Roman province of Syria. See, for further information on the subject, the article Chrono- necessary if we went on, with the astronomer Kepler, to logy in the Encyclopaedia Biblica, cols. 773-799, with the litera- identify the star of the Magi with the conjunction of the ture referred to on col. 819 (especially the writings of Noldeke, planets Jupiter and Saturn which occurred, in the conWellhausen, and Kamphausen there mentioned). (s. R. d.) stellation Pisces, in May, October, and December of 7 B.c.1 (б) Evidence of St Luke’s Gospel (ii. 1-8).—The birth of II. New Testament. Christ took place at the time of a general census of the The subject of the chronology of the New Testament empire ordered by Augustus: “ it was the first census, falls naturally into two distinct sections — the chrono- and was made at the time when Quirinius was governor logy of the Gospels, that is, of the life of Christ; and the of Syria.” Against this account it has been urged that we chronology of the Acts, that is, of the apostolic age. know that the governorship of Syria from 10 or 9 B.c. down to and after Herod’s death was held successively by The Chronology of the Gospels. M. Titius, C. Sentius Saturninus, and P. Quintilius Yarns; The data group themselves round three definite points and further, that when Judaea became a Boman province and the intervals between them : the definite points are on the deposition of Archelaus in a.d. 6, Quirinius was the Nativity, the Baptism, and the Crucifixion; the age governor of Syria, and did carry out an elaborate census. of Christ at the time of the Baptism connects the first two The notice in the Gospel, it is suggested, grew out of a points, and the duration of His public ministry connects confused recollection of the later (and only historical) the second and third. The results obtained under the census, and is devoid of any value whatever. At the different heads serve mutually to test, and thereby to other extreme Prof. W. M. Bamsay ( Was Christ Born at correct or confirm, one another. Bethlehem 1 1898, p. 149yT.) defends the exact accuracy of 1. The date of the Nativity as fixed according to our St Luke’s “ first census ” as witnessing to the (otherwise common computation of Anni Domini (first put forward of course unknown) introduction into Syria of the periodic by Dionysius Exiguus at Borne early in the 6th century) 1 It is a curious coincidence that a mediaeval Jew, R. Abarbanel, has long been recognized to be too late. The fathers of records that the conjunction of these particular planets in this particular the primitive church had been nearer the truth with the constellation was to be a sign of Messiah’s coming. It is just conyears 3 or 2 B.c. (see Iremeus, liter. III. xxi. 3 [xxiv. 2]; ceivable that his statement may ultimately depend on some such Clement of Alexandria, Strom, i. 21, p. 147 ; Hippolytus, ancient tradition as may have been known to Chaldean magi.