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Was Jesus Born at Christmastime?Awake!—1975 | December 22
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Since Jesus also entered his special work when “about thirty years old,” John would have been preaching about six months before Jesus approached him for baptism.—Luke 3:23.
John began his work “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,” the Roman emperor. (Luke 3:1, 2) Historical records show that Tiberius began to rule on August 17, 14 C.E. (Gregorian calendar). By Roman reckoning Tiberius’ first year ran from the date he took power, August 17, 14 C.E., to August 17, 15 C.E.a His fifteenth year would run from August 17, 28 C.E., to August 17, 29 C.E. Therefore, even if John began his work on August 17, 28 C.E., Jesus, coming to John about six months later, did not approach him until, at the very earliest, sometime in February of 29 C.E. Accordingly, Jesus’ birth thirty years earlier would fall in the year 2 B.C.E. not 4 or 6 B.C.E., as some calculate.
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Was Jesus Born at Christmastime?Awake!—1975 | December 22
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a Although Tiberius was associated with Augustus in rulership, not until his sole rule did he begin to reign as caesar. Logically, therefore, the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar was the actual fifteenth year of his reign.
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