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    <TD><IMG height=3D34 src=3D"" width=3D34><B><FONT size=3D+2>Triumph =
Prophetic=20
      Ministries (Church of =
God)</FONT></B></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER>
<P><A href=3D"http://www.hope-of-israel.org/p0002710.htm"><IMG =
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<CENTER>
<P><B><FONT size=3D+4>What Year Was Jesus Nailed to the=20
"Stake"?</FONT></B></P></CENTER>
<CENTER>
<TABLE>
  <TBODY>
  <TR>
    <TD>When was Jesus Christ nailed to the "stake" outside Jerusalem? =
What=20
      was<BR>the YEAR of the crucifixion of Christ? Was it 33 A.D. as =
Catholics=20
      claim?<BR>Was it 31 A.D.? Or was it in 30 A.D.? What is the truth? =
And=20
      what differ-<BR>ence does it make? Here is vital information and=20
      historical proof that Jesus<BR>the Nazarene was indeed the =
promised=20
      Messiah!</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER>
<CENTER>
<P><B>William F. Dankenbring</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>Jesus' ministry began in 27 A.D., about the time of the Passover. =
Therefore,=20
to know what year He died, it would help if we could determine the =
length of His=20
ministry. How long did He preach, before He was killed? This, too, is a =
matter=20
of great controversy! Some say three and one half years; others claim He =

preached one year, and others, like Ernest Martin, say His ministry =
lasted only=20
two years. But what is the truth? </P>
<P>Jesus' ministry began from the very moment of His baptism, by John =
the=20
Baptist, when the Holy Spirit came upon Him in a special way. We read in =
Luke,=20
chapter 3: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus =
also=20
  being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy =
Spirit=20
  descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came =
from `=20
  heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well =
pleased. And=20
  Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age . . ." (Luke=20
3:21-23).</P></UL>
<P>Jesus, of course, was literally begotten of the Holy Spirit at His =
conception=20
(Matt.20-21; Luke 1:35). As He grew up as a boy, He "waxed strong in =
spirit,=20
filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him" (Luke 2:40). What =
then is=20
meant by the Holy Spirit coming upon Him at His baptism? This can only =
refer to=20
the Holy Spirit anointing Him to begin His ministry, and to begin =
preaching the=20
gospel, the purpose for which He was sent! </P>
<P>Since Christ was born about September, in 4 B.C., He would have been =
"about=20
thirty years of age" in spring of A.D. 27. Thus He was baptized before =
Passover=20
in A.D. 27, and "anointed" for His ministry at that time. At this point, =
Jesus=20
went up to the wilderness, and fasted forty days, and was tempted of the =
devil=20
(Luke 4:1-13, Matt.4:1-11). This was special preparation for His =
ministry. After=20
this, he departed into Galilee, and dwelt in Capernaum (Matt.4:12-13), =
and began=20
to preach the gospel. </P>
<UL>
  <P>"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the =
kingdom=20
  of heaven is at hand" (Matt.4:17).</P></UL>
<P>This was after John was put into prison (Mark 1:14-15). Luke tells us =

further: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and =
there went=20
  out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in =
their=20
  synagogues, being glorified of all" (Luke 4:14).</P></UL>
<CENTER>
<P><B>The First Passover of Jesus' Ministry</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>Jesus had already begun healing the sick miraculously, and casting =
out=20
demons. He established a reputation with His preaching and miracles =
throughout=20
the region of Galilee. At the Passover, that year, 27 A.D., He went up =
to=20
Jerusalem. John records: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to =
Jerusalem" (John=20
  2:13).</P></UL>
<P>At Jerusalem, Jesus found the temple of God polluted by those who =
sold doves=20
and oxen and sheep for sacrifices, and a host of moneychangers. Angered, =
He made=20
a scourge of small cords, and drove out all the animals and their =
sellers, and=20
overthrew the tables of the moneychangers (John 2:14-17). This first =
Passover=20
would have been in the spring of 27 A.D., shortly after His ministry got =

started. </P>
<P>At this Passover, Jesus was asked, "What sign shewest thou unto us, =
seeing=20
that thou doest these things?" (John 2:18). Jesus answered: "Destroy =
this=20
temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (v.19). What did Jesus =
mean?=20
First, we know He was literally in the grave for three days. However, =
using a=20
"day" for a "year" principle, He also implied that three years from that =
time,=20
or three Passovers hence, He would be killed, and resurrected! "Three =
years"! In=20
other words, this statement is further proof that Jesus' ministry lasted =
exactly=20
three years! </P>
<P>Notice what follows: "Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was =
this temple=20
in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the =
temple=20
of his body" (John 2:20-21). </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>The Temple of Herod</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>When did Herod begin construction on the Temple? This statement was =
made at=20
Passover 27 A.D. If we subtract the 46 years the Temple was in building, =
46-27 =3D=20
19 B.C.; but since there is no year zero, we must add "1" year, bringing =
us to=20
20 B.C. Did Herod begin his massive reconstruction project on the Temple =
in 20=20
B.C.? Does this fit in with history? </P>
<P>Says <B><I>The NIV Harmony of the Gospels</I></B>, "According to =
secular=20
history, Herod initiated the work sometime in 20 B.C. or 19 B.C. This =
statement=20
was addressed to Jesus at the first passover after he begins his public=20
ministry. The 'forty six years' therefore furnishes another means for=20
identifying the year when his ministry began" (p.317). The authors =
continue,=20
"Hence the first passover of Jesus' ministry must have been in the =
spring of=20
A.D. 27" (<B><I>ibid</I></B>.). Schurer in <B><I>A History of the Jewish =
People=20
in the Time of Christ</I></B> adds, "The rebuilding was begun in the =
eighteenth=20
year of Herod, corresponding to B.C. 20-19 . . ." (vol.1, p.438). </P>
<P>The <B><I>Unger's Bible Dictionary</I></B> concurs, saying, ". . . =
though=20
Herod began the rebuilding B.C. 20, as a whole it was literally true =
that the=20
temple was 'built in forty and six years,' when the Jews so asserted to =
Jesus=20
(John 2:20). But the end was not yet, for the work was really continued =
until=20
A.D. 64, just six years before the final destruction of the temple by =
the Roman=20
soldiers of Titus" ("Herod," p.471). <B><I>Peloubet's Bible =
Dictionary</I></B>=20
adds, "The restoration was begun B.C. 20, and the temple itself was =
completed in=20
a year and a half" ("Herod," p.252). </P>
<P>Counting 46 years, then, from 20 B.C., brings us to 26 A.D. by simple =

subtraction. But, since there was no year zero, we again must add a year =
--=20
bringing us to A.D. 27 -- the very year Jesus Christ began His ministry, =
and=20
celebrated the first Passover of His ministry! </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>Public Announcement at Pentecost</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>Luke tells us further: "And He came to Nazareth, where he had been =
brought=20
up: and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the SABBATH =
DAY, and=20
stood up for to read" (Luke 4:14-16). </P>
<P>The Greek word for "sabbath" here is actually the plural sabbaton, =
and=20
literally means "sabbaths" or "weeks." This was the "day of weeks," or =
most=20
likely the Feast of Shavuot, or Pentecost! Thus we see that Christ began =
His=20
ministry in the spring of the year, in 27 A.D. As He addressed the =
worshippers=20
in the synagogue, we read in Luke's account: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. =
And when=20
  he had opened the book, he found the place where it is written, The =
Spirit of=20
  the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel =
to the=20
  poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance =
to the=20
  captives, and recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty them =
that are=20
  bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the =
book,=20
  and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of =
all them=20
  that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say =
unto=20
  them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bear =
him=20
  witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his =
mouth.=20
  And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?" (Luke 4:17-22).</P></UL>
<P>His own hometown folks didn't believe in Him. He replied to them, "Ye =
will=20
surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we =
have=20
heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country . . . No prophet is =

accepted in his own country" (v.24). </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>The Second, Third and Fourth Passovers of Jesus' Ministry</B>=20
</P></CENTER>
<P>The second Passover of Jesus' ministry is mentioned at the end of the =
second=20
chapter of John's gospel. By this Passover Feast, Jesus had already =
developed a=20
well-established reputation as a doer of miracles and wondrous deeds. =
The brief=20
account is as follows: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, =
many=20
  believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But =
Jesus did=20
  not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not =
that any=20
  should testify of man: for he knew what was in man" (John =
2:23-25).</P></UL>
<P>The third Passover of Jesus' ministry is mentioned several chapters =
later in=20
the gospel account of John. This would be the Passover of 29 A.D.. John=20
declares: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh" (John =
6:4).</P></UL>
<P>The final and fourth Passover was the Passover of 30 A.D., at which =
Jesus was=20
crucified. This is the Passover which culminated Christ's ministry, =
showing that=20
His ministry lasted a period of three years. We read of the events of =
this=20
Passover, beginning in chapter 11 of the book of John: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the =
country=20
  up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves" (John =
11:55). </P>
  <P>"Then Jesus six days before passover came to Bethany . . ." (John =
12:1).=20
  "Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour =
was come=20
  that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved =
his own=20
  which were in the world, he loved them unto the end" (John 13:1). </P>
  <P>"And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth =
hour: and=20
  he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!" (John 19:14).</P></UL>
<P>Jesus' ministry began about Passover time, in 27 A.D., and ended, =
then, at=20
Passover, 30 A.D., with His being slain and killed as our Passover lamb, =
as the=20
apostle Paul wrote: "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be =
a new=20
lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed =
for us:=20
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the =
leaven of=20
malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and =
truth" (I=20
Cor.5:7-8). </P>
<P>This evidence proves that Jesus' ministry was not just one and one =
half=20
years, or two and one half years, or three and one half years, in =
length. All=20
the evidence shows that Christ's ministry was THREE YEARS IN LENGTH!=20
Interestingly, "three" is God's number of "decision," the number of =
"finality."=20
It is "God's number." Time and time again, the number "3" appears in =
Scripture,=20
and is connected with "God" in a very special way. </P>
<P>The number "three" is the number of finality, and of decision. Peter =
denied=20
Christ three times (Luke 22:34, 61). Later Jesus asked him three times, =
"Do you=20
love me?" (John 21:15-17), and told him three times, "Feed my sheep." =
Paul=20
besought God three times to heal him of a thorn in the flesh (II =
Cor.12:8-9).=20
Jesus was three days and three nights in the grave (Matt.12:40). His =
ministry=20
lasted three years, and He spent three years "teaching" the disciples. =
Later,=20
Paul, as an apostle, said he also saw Christ and was taught by him: "And =
last of=20
all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time" (I =
Cor.15:8). He=20
also was taught of Christ "three years" -- in the wilderness of Arabia =
(see=20
Gal.1:15-18). Thus the number "three" is very significant with God. It =
is=20
clearly the correct length of Christ's ministry. Jesus began preaching =
in spring=20
of 27 A.D. and was crucified in spring of 30 A.D. -- three years later. =
</P>
<P>It is only fitting, therefore, that Christ's ministry would be =
"three" years=20
long! This fits perfectly like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle, into the =
Biblical=20
picture. </P>
<P>Some say He was crucified in 31 A.D. However, this would make His =
ministry=20
four years in length. Furthermore, it would destroy the relationship =
between the=20
year of His crucifixion and the year of the destruction of the Temple, =
in 70=20
A.D. </P>
<P>It is significant that there were exactly forty years from the death =
of=20
Christ in A.D. 30 till the conquest and overthrow of Jerusalem by the =
Romans=20
under Titus and Vespacian in 70 A.D.! "Forty" is God's perfect number =
denoting=20
"trials" and "trouble" and "tribulation." Jesus was tried and tested of =
the=20
devil while fasting 40 days (Matt.4:1-2; Luke 4:1-2). Israel wandered in =
the=20
wilderness for forty years (Num.14:34). And there were 40 years from the =
death=20
of Christ till the fall of Jerusalem, which He Himself prophesied=20
(Matt.23:36-38; Luke 23:28-31). "Forty" is the number of divine =
JUDGEMENT! </P>
<P>Therefore, when all the evidence is pieced together carefully, we =
come up=20
with the following picture. Notice! </P>
<UL>
  <P>Born -- 4 B.C. </P>
  <P>Ministry -- began A.D. 27, when 30 years old </P>
  <P>Ministry lasted 3 years </P>
  <P>Crucified -- 30 A.D. </P>
  <P>Destruction of Temple -- A.D. 70, 40 years later</P></UL>
<CENTER>
<P><B>The Incredible Events of A.D. 30</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>The year 30 A.D. was truly a significant year. It was the year the =
Son of God=20
died, paying the price for our sins! Is there evidence, outside of the =
Bible,=20
that indeed A.D. 30 was the year the Christ, the Son of the Most High =
God,=20
literally DIED and was PUT TO DEATH by wicked, conspiring men? </P>
<P>The astounding answer is, yes indeed -- there is shocking, incredible =

evidence that 30 A.D. was a year of astounding infamy and miraculous=20
occurrences! According to Jewish history, preserved in the =
<B><I>Talmud</I></B>,=20
there were four miraculous signs which all occurred in 30 A.D. These =
signs did=20
not occur in 31 A.D., or in 33 A.D., or 29 A.D. or any other year. These =
signs=20
also point to something very unusual occurring in A.D. 30 which earned =
the wrath=20
and anger of God upon the Jewish nation of that time. </P>
<P>In the gospel accounts dealing with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, =
we find=20
that some weird, bizarre, and strange events occurred, connected with =
the event=20
of the crucifixion. </P>
<P>In the book of Matthew we read: "Now from the sixth hour there was =
darkness=20
over all the land unto the ninth hour. . . . Jesus, when he had cried =
again with=20
a loud voice, yielded up the spirit. And, behold, the veil of the temple =
was=20
torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the =
rocks=20
were split; and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints =
that slept=20
were raised, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and into =
the=20
holy city, and appeared unto many. Now, when the centurion, and they =
that were=20
with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were =
done,=20
they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God" (Matthew =
27:45-54).=20
</P>
<P>Let me interject here that the "bodies of the saints that slept" that =
arose,=20
following this earthquake which accompanied the death of Christ were the =
bodies=20
of believers or saints who had recently died. This is not talking about =
Old=20
Testament saints, patriarchs and prophets, but simply men and women who =
had=20
recently died, and who were resurrected back to normal, physical life. =
</P>
<P>Alfred Edersheim describes the events which occurred when Christ died =
on the=20
cross. Writes Edersheim in <B><I>The Life and Times of Jesus the=20
Messiah</I></B>, </P>
<UL>
  <P>"And now a shudder ran through Nature, as its Sun had set. We dare =
not do=20
  more than follow the rapid outlines of the Evangelistic narrative. As =
the=20
  first token, it records the rending of the Temple-Veil in two from the =
top=20
  downward to the bottom; as the second, the quaking of the earth, the =
rending=20
  of the rocks and the opening of the graves. . . while the rending of =
the Veil=20
  is recorded first, as being the most significant token to Israel, it =
may have=20
  been connected with the earthquake, although this alone might scarcely =
account=20
  for the tearing of so heavy a Veil from the top to the bottom. Even =
the latter=20
  circumstance has its significance. That some great catastrophe, =
betokening the=20
  impending destruction of the Temple, had occurred in the Sanctuary =
about this=20
  very time, is confirmed by not less than four mutually independent=20
  testimonies: those of Tacitus, of Josephus, of the Talmud, and of =
earliest=20
  Christian tradition. The most important of these are, of course, the =
Talmud=20
  and Josephus. The latter speaks of the mysterious extinction of the =
middle and=20
  chief light in the Golden Candlestick, forty years before the =
destruction of=20
  the Temple; and both he and the Talmud refer to a supernatural opening =
by=20
  themselves of the great Temple-gates that had been previously closed, =
which=20
  was regarded as a portent of the coming destruction of the Temple"=20
(p.610).</P></UL>
<P>The Temple was destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D. Forty years before that =
date=20
would be 30 A.D. -- the year of the crucifixion! But that is not all: =
Says=20
Josephus, in his <B><I>Wars of the Jews</I></B>: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Thus also, before the Jews' rebellion, and before those commotions =
which=20
  preceded the war, when the people were come in great crowds to the =
feast of=20
  unleavened bread, on the eighth day of the month Xanthicus [Nisan,] =
and at the=20
  ninth hour of the night, so great a light shone round the altar and =
the holy=20
  house, that it appeared to be bright day-time; which light lasted for =
half and=20
  hour. This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskillful, but was =
so=20
  interpreted by the sacred scribes as to portend those events that =
followed=20
  immediately upon it. At the same festival also, a heifer, as she was =
being led=20
  by the high priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst =
of the=20
  temple. Moreover, the eastern gate of the inner, [court of the =
temple,] which=20
  was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by =
twenty=20
  men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened =
very deep=20
  into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire stone, was =
seen to be=20
  opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night. Now, those =
that=20
  kept watch in the temple came thereupon running to the captain of the =
temple,=20
  and told him of it; who then came up thither, and not without great =
difficulty=20
  was able to shut the gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar to =
be a very=20
  happy prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the gate of happiness. =
But the=20
  men of learning understood it, that the security of their holy house =
was=20
  dissolved of its own accord, and that the gate was opened for the =
advantage of=20
  their enemies. So these publicly declared, that this signal foreshewed =
the=20
  DESOLATION that was coming upon them " (IV, 5, 3).</P></UL>
<P>In early writings of the church fathers, Jerome in a <B><I>letter to=20
Hedibia</I></B> relates that the huge lintel of the Temple was broken =
and=20
splintered and fell. He connects this with the rending of the Veil. Says =

Edersheim, "it would seem an obvious inference to connect again this =
breaking of=20
the lintel with an earthquake" (p.610, <B><I>op. cit</I></B>.). The =
lintel was=20
an enormous stone, being at least 30 feet long and weighing some 30 =
tons! </P>
<P>The Temple Veils were 60 feet long, 30 feet wide, and the thickness =
of the=20
palm of a man's hand, wrought in 72 squares. They were so heavy that we =
are told=20
300 priests were needed to manipulate each one. The Veil being rent from =
top to=20
bottom was such a terrible portent because it indicated that God's Own =
Hand had=20
torn it in two, His Presence thus deserting and leaving that Holy Place. =
</P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>Sanhedrin Judged and Banished</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>This same year, 30 A.D., the Sanhedrin had to abandon the Chamber of =
Hewn=20
Stones, near the Holy Place in the Temple, which was its official seat =
or=20
location. This was about 40 yards southeast of the entrance to the Holy =
Place.=20
In 30 A.D. the Sanhedrin had to move to another location, called "The =
Trading=20
Place," farther to the east and a much less significant spot. To be =
forced to=20
move from a beautiful, gorgeous, awesome location in the Temple to a =
spot much=20
less beautiful, esteemed, and reverential, must have seemed a terrible =
"put=20
down." Says the <B><I>Talmud</I></B>: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the Sanhedrin =
was=20
  BANISHED (from the Chamber of Hewn Stone) and sat in the =
trading-station (on=20
  the Temple Mount)" (Shabbat 15a).</P></UL>
<P>Forty years before the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. is 30 =
A.D. -- the=20
very year of the crucifixion of the Messiah! Why was the Sanhedrin moved =
in the=20
very year Jesus was crucified? Could it have been forced to do so =
because of=20
damage caused by the earthquake associated with the crucifixion of =
Jesus? Was it=20
direct punishment for their complicity in handing Jesus over to the =
Romans and=20
condemning Him to death? Was this evidence of God's official displeasure =
with=20
their actions? </P>
<P>Prior to the War with Rome, Josephus tells us, the Sanhedrin had to =
move once=20
again. This time they moved to an area outside the Temple complex, in an =

ordinary part of Jerusalem -- actually a place west of the Temple near a =

building called the Xystus (see Josephus' <B><I>Wars of the =
Jews</I></B>, V,4,=20
2). What a demotion and humbling! </P>
<P>The smug, self-righteous members of the Sanhedrin of that time would =
not have=20
made such a humiliating move -- voluntarily! It had to be forced upon =
them by=20
circumstance. There is no record of the Roman government compelling such =
a move=20
-- they stayed out of Jewish religious life. Nor would Herod the king =
have been=20
responsible -- to offend the entire Sanhedrin would have been a =
disastrous=20
political mistake. Only a "natural cause" or "Supernatural" cause which =
men=20
could not remedy would cause such a humiliating and abhorrent move on =
the part=20
of the Sanhedrin members. </P>
<P>Was the Sanhedrin rebuked by God in 30 A.D., and forced to "relocate" =
to a=20
much lesser station and position than that which they had previously =
held at the=20
Temple itself? Was this due to the vicious, unprecedented "kangaroo" =
trial and=20
phony "judgment" they had perpetrated upon Yeshua the Son of God? </P>
<P>Writes Rabbi Leibel Reznick of this traumatic event, in <B><I>The =
Holy Temple=20
Revisited</I></B>: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Although this was the largest structure on top of the entire =
Temple Mount,=20
  the purpose and function of the Basilica is not recorded anywhere. The =
TALMUD=20
  tells us that when the Sanhedrin (Supreme Court) CEASED TO JUDGE =
CAPITAL=20
  OFFENSES, they MOVED from the Supreme Court chambers to the 'shopping =
mall'=20
  (Rosh HaShana 31a). This shopping mall was located on the Temple Mount =
(Rashi)=20
  . . . Perhaps this shopping mall was located within the Royal =
Basilica.=20
  Because this area was built on Herod's extension, it did not have the =
sanctity=20
  of the Temple itself, and commerce would have been permitted" (Jason =
Aronson,=20
  Inc., Northvale, New Jersey, 1993, p.69).</P></UL>
<P>Notice! The year the Sanhedrin was moved, 30 A.D., the year Christ =
was=20
crucified, was also the year they CEASED to judge capital offenses! To =
humble=20
them, they were reduced to meeting at a "shopping mall" where regular =
"commerce"=20
and business of "trade" was conducted! Their authority was no more =
important,=20
now, than mere buying and selling merchandise! Surely this constituted a =

withering and scathing rebuke from God Himself who was displeased with =
their=20
treatment of and jealous rage against His own Son! </P>
<P>Writes Craig Blomberg of this event: </P>
<UL>
  <P>". . . the claim that the Romans retained the sole right of capital =

  punishment (John 18:31) has often been termed a Johanine error, =
especially in=20
  view of the counter-example in the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). But =
this=20
  right is strikingly confirmed by a passage in the Talmud, which says =
that=20
  capital punishment had been taken from the Jews FORTY YEARS before the =

  destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 (Sanh.1:1, 7:2). Stephen's =
stoning reads=20
  more like mob action which defied technical legalities" (<B><I>The =
Historical=20
  Reliability of the Gospels</I></B>, by Craig Blomberg, Inter-Varsity =
Press,=20
  1987, p.179).</P></UL>
<P>It was the very year of the crucifixion that the Jews were denied the =
right=20
to perform capital punishment by the Romans. It was this very year when =
the=20
Sanhedrin was forcibly removed from the Temple Mount! </P>
<P>When the members of the Jewish Supreme Court brought Jesus to Pilate, =
he told=20
them, "Take him and judge him according to your law." But they replied, =
"It is=20
not lawful for us to put any man to death" (John 18:31). Yet they =
connived and=20
pressured Pilate and stirred up the crowd to demand the crucifixion of =
Christ=20
the Messiah, the Anointed One of God (John 18:32-40; 19:1-16). God =
seriously=20
punished them for their disregard of His Son. But that punishment was =
only the=20
beginning of His warnings of further judgment to come! </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>Talmudic Evidence of Christ and A.D. 30</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>In the centuries following the destruction of the Temple in =
Jerusalem, the=20
Jewish people began writing two versions of Jewish thought, religious =
history=20
and commentary. One was written in Palestine and became known as the=20
<B><I>Jerusalem Talmud</I></B>. The other was written in Babylon and was =
known=20
as the <B><I>Babylonian Talmud</I></B>. </P>
<P>We read in the <B><I>Jerusalem Talmud</I></B>: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Forty years before the destruction of the Temple [i.e., 30 A.D.] =
the=20
  western light went out, the crimson thread remained crimson, and the =
lot for=20
  the Lord always came up in the left hand. They would close the gates =
of the=20
  Temple by night and get up in the morning and find them wide open" =
(Jacob=20
  Neusner, <B><I>The Yerushalmi</I></B>, p.156-157).</P></UL>
<P>A similar passage in the <B><I>Babylonian Talmud</I></B> states: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Our rabbis taught: During the last forty years before the =
destruction of=20
  the Temple the lot ['For the Lord'] did not come up in the right hand; =
nor did=20
  the crimson-coloured strap become white; nor did the western most =
light shine;=20
  and the doors of the Hekel [Temple] would open by themselves" (Soncino =

  version, Yoma 39b).</P></UL>
<P>What is this talking about? Since both Talmuds recount the same =
information,=20
this indicates the knowledge of these events was accepted by the =
widespread=20
Jewish community. </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>The Miracle of the "Lot"</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>The first of these miracles, the "lot" which was cast on the Day of =
Atonement=20
to determine which of two goats would be "for the Lord" and which goat =
would be=20
the "Azazel" or "scapegoat," has fascinating significance. During the =
two=20
hundred years before 30 A.D., when the High Priest picked one of the =
stones, the=20
random selection was governed by the laws of chance, and each year he =
would=20
select a black stone as often as a white stone. But for forty years in a =
row,=20
beginning in 30 A.D., the High Priest picked the black stone! The "odds" =
against=20
this happening are astronomical (2 to the 40th power). In other words, =
the=20
chances of this occurring are 1 in approximately 5,479,548,800 -- or =
about 5.48=20
billion to one! Your chances would be much better at winning the =
"Lottery"! </P>
<P>The lot for Azazel -- the black stone -- contrary to all the laws of =
chance,=20
came up 40 times in a row from 30 to 70 A.D.! This was considered a dire =
event.=20
This foreboded supernatural evil for the entire Jewish community. The =
"Azazel"=20
goat represented Satan the devil! (See my articles, <B><I>Who is =
Azazel?</I></B>=20
and <B><I>New Insight on the Day of Atonement</I></B>). </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>The Miracle of the Red Strip</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>The second miracle was of the crimson strip or cloth tied to the =
Azazel goat,=20
which up until 30 A.D. had always turned white, remaining crimson. This=20
undoubtedly caused much stir and consternation among the Jews, because =
it showed=20
the sins of the people which had been confessed over the Azazel goat,=20
represented by the red color of blood, were still crimson -- that is, =
they had=20
not been pardoned and "made white." As God told Israel through Isaiah =
the=20
prophet, "Come, let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins =
be as=20
scarlet [crimson], they shall be white as snow; though they be red like =
crimson,=20
they shall be as [white] wool" (Isaiah 1:18). </P>
<P>Beginning in 30 A.D., the red strip placed on the Azazel goat, =
symbolizing=20
the sins of the people, did not turn white, for forty years, till the=20
destruction of the Temple itself! The clear indication is that the whole =

community was guilty of some great "sin" in 30 A.D., for which they were =
not=20
pardoned, and their collective guilt remained for every year till 70 =
A.D. </P>
<P>Concerning the crimson strip, for the previous two hundred years, =
since the=20
time of Simon the Righteous, this ceremony, though not mentioned in the=20
Scriptures, was associated with the day of Atonement. During the 40 =
years he was=20
High Priest, a crimson thread which he had associated with his person =
always=20
turned white when he entered the Holy of Holies. The people noticed =
this. Also,=20
it was noticed that "the lot of the LORD" -- the white lot -- came up =
for 40=20
straight years during his priesthood. The Jews began to believe that =
these signs=20
showed God's pleasure or ill favour. They noticed that the "lot" picked =
by the=20
priests after Simon would sometimes be black, and sometimes white, and =
that the=20
crimson thread would sometimes turn white, and sometimes not. The Jews =
came to=20
believe that if the crimson thread turned white, that God approved of =
the Day of=20
Atonement rituals and that Israel could be assured that God forgave =
their sins.=20
But after 30 A.D., the crimson thread never turned white again for 40 =
years,=20
till the destruction of the Temple and the cessation of all Temple =
rituals! </P>
<P>What did the Jewish nation do in 30 A.D. to merit such guilt? On =
April 5, 30=20
A.D., Jesus Christ was crucified on the 14th of Nisan, the day of the =
Passover=20
sacrifice. A completely innocent man -- the Messiah -- was put to death =
by His=20
enemies, though no fault was found in Him! </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>The Miracle of the Temple Doors</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>The next miracle, which the Jewish authorities acknowledged, was that =
the=20
Temple doors swung open every night of their own accord for forty years, =

beginning in 30 A.D. The leading Jewish authority of that time, Yohanan =
ben=20
Zakkai, declared that this was a sign of impending doom, that the Temple =
itself=20
would be destroyed. Says the <B><I>Jerusalem Talmud</I></B>: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Said Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai to the Temple, 'O Temple, why do =
you=20
  frighten us? We know that you will end up destroyed. For it has been =
said,=20
  'Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars' =
(Zechariah=20
  11:1)' (Sota 6:3).</P></UL>
<P>Yohanan ben Zakkai was the leader of the Jewish community during the =
time=20
following the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., when the Jewish =
government=20
was transferred to Jamnia, some thirty miles west of Jerusalem. </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>The Miracle of the Temple Menorah</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>The fourth miracle was that the most important lamp of the seven =
candle-stick=20
Menorah in the Temple went out, and would not shine. Every night for 40 =
years --=20
or over 12,500 nights in a row -- the main lamp of the Temple lampstand =
went out=20
of its own accord -- no matter what attempts and precautions the priests =
took to=20
safeguard against this event! </P>
<P>Earnest Martin states in a recent research paper published by him: =
</P>
<UL>
  <P>"In fact, we are told in the Talmud that at dusk the lamps that =
were unlit=20
  in the daytime (the middle four lamps remained unlit, while the two =
eastern=20
  lamps normally stayed lit during the day) were to be relit from the =
flames of=20
  the western lamp (which was a lamp that was supposed to stay lit all =
the time=20
  -- it was like the 'eternal' flame that we see today in some national=20
  monuments) . . . </P>
  <P>"This 'western lamp' was to be kept lit at all times. For that =
reason, the=20
  priests kept extra reservoirs of olive oil and other implements in =
ready=20
  supply to make sure that the 'western lamp' (under all circumstances) =
would=20
  stay lit. But what happened in the forty years from the very year =
Christ said=20
  the physical Temple would be destroyed. . .? Every night for forty =
years the=20
  western lamp went out -- and this in spite of the priests each evening =

  preparing in a special way the western lamp so that it would remain =
constantly=20
  burning all night!" (<B><I>The Significance of the Year A.D. =
30</I></B>,=20
  Ernest Martin, Research Update, April 1994, p.4).</P></UL>
<P>Again, the odds against this happening are astronomical. Something=20
supernatural was going on. God had cursed the "light" Menorah, =
representing=20
contact with Him, and His Spirit, and removed His Presence in a special =
way=20
after the crucifixion of His only begotten Son, Yeshua the Messiah! </P>
<P>It should be clear to any reasonable mind that there is no natural =
way to=20
explain all these four signs connected with the year 30 A.D. The only =
possible=20
explanation has to be supernatural. </P>
<P>God Almighty intervened, to show the Jewish nation His utmost =
displeasure=20
with their actions and particularly with what they had done to His Son! =
</P>
<P>After 30 A.D., and the death of the Messiah, great trouble and =
awesome trials=20
began to come upon the Jewish nation. Jesus Himself foretold it. As He =
was led=20
away to be crucified, Jesus warned the women of Jerusalem, </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, =
and for=20
  your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they =
shall say,=20
  Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps =
which=20
  never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall =
on us;=20
  and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green =
tree, what=20
  shall be done in the dry?" (Luke 23:28-31).</P></UL>
<P>When we take an objective look at the events of 30 A.D., who can =
doubt that=20
it was indeed the true year of the crucifixion and resurrection of the =
true=20
Messiah God sent to Israel? Who can deny that Yeshua of Nazareth is the =
one and=20
only true Messiah? </P>
<P>Who else has fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament -- =
including=20
the amazing prophecy of Daniel 9 and the "70 weeks" -- coming at the =
very year=20
predicted for the Messiah to appear? </P>
<P>Isn't it about time, after denying He is the Messiah for the past =
2,000=20
years, that the Jewish people, and rabbis, in particular, as well as all =

"professing Christians," take another look at this prophesied "Messiah," =
and the=20
merits of His claim to the Messiahship? </P>
<CENTER>
<P><B>Like Pieces of a Divine Puzzle</B> </P></CENTER>
<P>All the evidence points to Christ's crucifixion as being on =
Wednesday, April=20
5, in A.D. 30. </P>
<P>All the Biblical evidence, and secular evidence from history, =
pinpoint the=20
beginning of His ministry, the length of His ministry, the day of the =
week of=20
His death, and the year of His death. </P>
<P>When all this evidence is weighed in the balances, who can seriously =
deny=20
that Jesus Christ -- Yeshua Ha Moshiach -- is the Messiah of Israel, the =

Redeemer and Saviour of mankind? </P>
<P>Isaiah the prophet, 800 years before His coming, perfectly and =
beautifully=20
prophesied: </P>
<UL>
  <P>"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD =
revealed?=20
  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out =
of a dry=20
  ground: he hath no form or comeliness; and when we shall see him, =
there is no=20
  beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, =
a man of=20
  sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces =
from him;=20
  he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our =
griefs, and=20
  carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, =
and=20
  afflicted. But he was wounded for OUR transgressions, he was bruised =
for OUR=20
  iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his =
stripes=20
  WE are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned =
every one to=20
  his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. =
</P>
  <P>"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his =
mouth: he is=20
  brought as a LAMB to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers =
is=20
  dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from =
judgment:=20
  and who shall declare his generation? for he was CUT OFF out of the =
land of=20
  the living: For the transgression of MY PEOPLE was he stricken. </P>
  <P>"And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his =
death;=20
  because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. =
Yet it=20
  pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou =
shalt MAKE=20
  HIS SOUL AN OFFERING FOR SIN, he shall see his seed, he shall PROLONG =
HIS=20
  DAYS, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. </P>
  <P>"He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by =
his=20
  knowledge shall `MY RIGHTEOUS SERVANT JUSTIFY MANY; for HE SHALL BEAR =
THEIR=20
  INIQUITIES. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and =
he shall=20
  divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul =
unto=20
  DEATH: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and HE BARE THE =
SINS OF=20
  MANY, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah =
53:1-12),.</P></UL>
<P>Isaiah could not have described Jesus Christ, and His life, mission =
and=20
purpose, more accurately, if he had been there himself, at Jesus' side, =
as an=20
eye-witness to His life and ministry! The apostle Peter, who was =
literally an=20
eye-witness of Christ's ministry, and sufferings, wrote of Him as well: =
</P>
<UL>
  <P>"Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should =
follow=20
  his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, =
when he=20
  was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; =
but=20
  committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self =
BARE OUR=20
  SINS IN HIS OWN BODY on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should =
live=20
  unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as =
sheep=20
  going astray; but now are returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of =
your souls"=20
  (I Peter 2:21-25).</P></UL>
<P>Isn't it about time we looked to Christ, studied His life, and His =
death, and=20
came to know, and appreciate the One who did so much for us? Truly, all =
mankind=20
has gone astray. All have turned to their own way. Isn't it about time =
we turn=20
back to God? </P>
<P>Isn't it about time we really "get to know" our Saviour and Redeemer, =
the=20
Messiah of Israel -- Jesus Christ of Nazareth? </P></BODY></HTML>

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