The 16th episode of Mark Goodacre’s NT Pod shows that there is no evidence within the Gospels themselves (or the New Testament itself) that Jesus’ ministry was three years (or 3 1/2 years), as is often assumed in devotional or traditional literature, movies, etc.
Goodacre points to Origen (3rd Century) and Eusebius (4th Century) as the earliest sources for the idea that Jesus’ ministry was three and a half years, each of whom take their cues from Daniel to determine the length of Jesus’ ministry, but he doesn’t get into the details of the passage that governs their timetables.
From Origen and Eusebius, it’s clear that the notion of a 3 1/2 year ministry stems from an early Christological interpretation of Daniel 9:26–27, which talks about an “anointed one” being cut off “after the sixty two sevens” (the 62 sevens follow seven earlier sevens, making it after the 69th seven overall; these “sevens” seem to have been identified as groups of seven years, though it’s not clear whether Jubilee years are factored in as well) and putting an end to sacrifice and offering “in the middle of the final seven.” This “being cut off” and putting the end of sacrifice and offering were identified as the crucifixion, which would have happened in the middle of the final (70th) “seven,” or three and a half years after an “anointed one” shows up at the end of the 69th seven. Thus, reasoned Origen and Eusebius, Jesus’ ministry must have commenced at the beginning of the 70th “seven,” and the crucifixion must have been 3.5 years into that ministry.
I’ve long thought that the “70 sevens” passage in Daniel 9 was a major factor in the messianic fervor of the first century BCE through the early second century CE, as the Jews of that period expected the prophecy to be fulfilled in their time. That Origen and Eusebius continue to use Daniel 9 as a source for the ministry of Jesus in the third and fourth centuries only underscores my conviction on this point.
It’s also worth pointing out the somewhat amusing reversal this terse passage in Daniel 9 has undergone in popular theology over the last century. These verses went from being understood as a prophesy of the ministry of Jesus (as in Origen and Eusebius) to being interpreted as prophecies of the antichrist in modern dispensational theology. In that theological scheme, the “70th seven” is still to be fulfilled in the future by the antichrist, who will be the one to “put an end to sacrifice and offering,” etc., during the “Great Tribulation” (i.e. the “70th seven,” which oddly has no temporal link to the other 69 “sevens). You’d probably have to have been in a coma the last few years not to have seen or heard about the “Left Behind” series, which is based on this popular theology, all of which rests on this understanding of the “70th seven” as a future seven-year “Great Tribulation.”
So the same passage has been alternately interpreted as prophesying Jesus’ ministry (in the earliest Christian interpretation) or as predicting the reign of the antichrist. Amazing how flexible such obscure and difficult prophetic passages can be, no?
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I tend to take the Origen/Eusebius position (sorta). I do think that the “70th week” started in Jesus’ ministry. what do you think?
I think a fairly strong case can be made that Jesus himself thought his ministry was the start of Daniel’s 70th week, so you’re in pretty good company.
Right on! So sick of hearing bad eschatology on this. Well worded!
If Jesus’ ministry was 3 1/2 years to start Daniel’s 70th week, what happened to fulfill the remaining 3 1/2 years? I’m sure you are busy with your studies, but if you have any information, I would really appreciate it!
Good question. The Gospels don’t really address this, though Luke-Acts seems to equate this with the early growth of the church and then the gospel going to the nations.
Jesus does tells and warns his disciples of the coming apostasy or falling away from the truth (His teachings) that would take place in Matthew 24. He tells his disciples that they would see all this even the desolation that causes abomination spoken of in Daniel chapter 9. The end of Daniel 9 is the key verse which states that He (Messiah) would make a covenant with the people for one week (7 years) and in the middle of the week He world put and end to sacrifice and offerings. Jesus did this when He did for us on the cross.
The last sentence is key when it states that one will come later who will cause the desolation of the wing of the temple. A little earlier in chapter 9 it states that the ruler will burn the the city (Jerusalem) and destroy the temple. This is exactly what Nero did in 70AD.
Nero did not cause any abomination, but there was an individual that Jesus says His disciples would see commit the Daniel’s abomination and He warns his disciples to not be deceived. Did the disciples know this individual and should we be trying to know this person or we to might be deceived by him.
I will tell you the only person this can be and it will totally shock you. You can read about him in Acts 21 where Paul is arrested in the Temple. He is that person and it clearly states that He defiled the temple and was even the person who influenced Trophimus the Ephesian (Paul’s disciple at Ephesus) to enter and defile the temple. Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24 of an individual who would defile the temple and his followers would see this happen and it came true. In fact if Jesus is a true prophet it had to of happened or Jesus should be stoned a prophet who prophesied a lie.
The only person who defiled the temple from the time of Jesus to the destruction of the temple in 70AD is the false apostle Paul who is deceiving the whole religious system of protestants and catholics. Beware of his letters the appear to be sound but are very different to our Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching.
I’m afraid that your interpretation doesn’t really have a strong foundation. For one thing, Acts 21 does not indicate that Paul actually had Trophimus enter the temple but rather suggests the opposite. Secondly, Nero was already dead by 70 CE. Titus is the one who destroyed the temple. Moreover, you’re mistaken in saying that the temple had not been defiled in any way, as Caligula (Gaius) attempted to do just that, and many devout Jews believed the temple had in fact been defiled through those events.
Moreover, you seem to be presuming that Paul’s teaching was significantly different from other earliest Christians, but the theological differences between Paul and Mark/Matthew/Luke/John, etc. are minimal.
Hi John Mark,
Yes, Jesus’ ministry started at the beginning of the 70th week when He was anointed as He is the MOST HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. Acts 10:38, baptism in the river jordan and toher verses back this up.
He died int he midst of the 70th week between the end of the 3rd year of the final 7 years and the beginning of the 4th year. John’s gospel tells us that Jesus’ ministry went through 3 passovers with him being the 3rd passover. So we know that puts us at least into the 486th year of the 490 year timeline in Daniel 9.
Last 3 to 4 years fulfilled. watch my videos on Youtube. Working ont he 2nd one now. Shoudl be 3 to 5 videos concerning this portion of scritpure.
Robert
Also, when people read Daniel 9:24-27 they assume that Jesus’ ministry had to be exactly 3 1/2 years long but the aramiac says in the MIDST. Midst doesn’t necessarily have to be smack dab in the middle. Also, in their mind because of being pre-programmed into dispensatonal theology, they are thinking “time, times, and half a time” but that doesn’t exist in Daniel 9. It is elsewhere in scripture but not in that passage. Abominatons is also plural in verse 27 not singular.
Could the parable of the barren fig tree in Luke 13 be construed to be evidence of Jesus’ ministry being that long? ‘Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?’ Could he have been referring to his own passover visits to Jerusalem? Obviously I am speculating here, but that question hits me almost every time I read that passage. Is this parable considered to be an authentic Jesus saying by those who are into determining such things?
That’s an interesting question; one I haven’t thought of before. I’ll have to definitely give it some thought, as you may be onto something here.
That reference relates to a parable Jesus told, not to the length of His ministry. The fig tree was representative of the nation of Israel being unfruitful and grace being extended during the year of the Lord’s ministry. Luke 4:18-19 The acceptable or favourable year of the Lord.
It seems to me that the celebration of the Passover by Jesus on Thursday of Holy Week and by the Israelites on Sabbath of Holy Week helps to narrow the issue. The Passover was celebrated 14 days after the first new moon on or after the vernal equinox. The Jews had adopted the Babylonian calendar, which celebrated the new moon on the day of the first sighting of the first crescent, and God dictated the new moon to be two days after the last crescent sighting (invariably two days before the next crescent sighting), this places the true Passover actually two days before when the Jews were celebrating it. Why so important? Because there was only one year between AD 27 and AD 33 on which the celebrated Passover dates fell on Thursday and Sabbath… and that was AD 30 (http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/SpringPhenom.php). Check my math, but 490 years prior to that year was 457BC, the date of Artaxerxes ‘ decree to rebuild the temple. Seems to line up with the 70 weeks prophecy to me.
For what it’s worth, it is more likely that Jesus’ last meal was on a Wednesday and that he was crucified on a Thursday. That is the chronology of the Gospel of John, and there are subtle indications in Mark as well that this chronology is most likely correct.
Secondly, Daniel doesn’t say anything about Artaxerxes’ decree to build the temple, only of “a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem,” which is fairly significantly different.
I believe all 70 weeks have been fulfilled . The 70th week fulfilled by Christ, either 27-31 ad or 28-32 ad. The last 3.5 years, seemed to have been fulfilled by the conversion of Paul (apostle to the gentiles), thus, the gospel going out to the rest of the world, and Jews rejection of the gospel after a 3.5 year post crucifixion time…. speculative, but more accurate than the left behind delusion.
As for the dates of the 70 weeks, Ezra7 tells in the 7th year of artaxerxes is when the decree went out, estimated at 457bc or close to that year, which makes a 27ad baptism and 31ad crucifixion, but many signs pointing to 28ad. We may give ourselves a year or two margin of error.
As for crucifixion day, would be a wednesday, since Matt 28:1 says it wasn’t even sabbath yet (sat night) at the rez. Days start and end at sunset. 3 days 3 nights from a thursday, would have been a Sunday night rez.
Hi Bill , I think you are right on the the point ! I believe the end of the 70 would have been with Stephens death…or the beginning Of Paul`s ministry as you say .
Yes, I agree mostly with slight changes.
458 BC The Decree goes out starting the 490 years.
26 AD Jesus is Baptized starting the 70th Week.
30 AD Jesus is Crucified (Cut Off) ending the Sacrificial System and the first 3.5 Years
The Final 3.5 Years may either be the time it took for Vespasian and Titus to destroy Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple (66 – 70 AD) ending 40 years or one generation after Jesus spoke the Olivet Discourse thus fulfilling the 70th Week OR it is still future as mentioned in the prophecies in the Book of Revelation in which there are three mentions of a 3.5 Year Period, thus completing the ‘Day of Vengeance of our God’ and of Jacob’s Trouble which will occur after the Rapture when the ‘full number of Gentiles comes in’.
I agree that the first 3.5 years were fulfilled by Christ and the remaining 3.5 years are the future tribulation.
Those who put the entire 7 years to a future tribulation are ignoring the first ministry of Christ. Daniel 7 points to the messiah, His ministry, not to His death. Jesus was recognized as the Messiah who had come at His baptism. He didn’t just arrive at palm Sunday before His death as some claim.
There is no record of a 7 year tribulation period. Seven passages in Daniel 7 and 12 and Revelation 11 and 12 refer to a 3.5 year period. (1260 days, 42 months, time, times and half a time)
There are several interesting connections between His first and second coming. His ministry began with 40 days in the wilderness in a battle of words with Satan. His second coming begins with 40 days of wrath battling with (and defeating) Satan with the sword from His mouth. I come up with 40 days because He returns 1290 days after the abomination (Daniel 12), the tribulation last 1260 days, the two witnesses rise 4 days after they are slain (after their 1260 day ministry), and Daniel tells us a blessing comes after 1335 days (the kingdom).
The math: 1290 + 4 + 40 = 1334 days ends the tribulation and wrath. The blessing is the next day, 1335!
40 days is very meaningful and symbolic for the wrath of God. Think 40 years wondering in the wilderness etc.
Also, When Jesus was crucified the sun was darkened, there was an earthquake and there was a resurrection of many of the saints. When Jesus returns at the sixth seal (Matt 24 and Rev 6) the sun will be darkened, an earthquake and a resurrection.
Without the 2000 year gap, the middle of the week includes the cutting off of the messiah, the end of the acceptance of sacrifices, the antichrist sets up the abomination and puts an end to the practice of sacrifices.
The Jews rejected the Messiah in the first half of the week and so they get the false messiah for the second half of the week.
As far as the gap, yes it is possible that the time was put on pause when He was cut off. During this time, blindness has come upon the Jews till the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. There was nothing remarkable seven years after the baptism of Christ. The conditions of the prophecy must be met, and they will be when Jesus returns to establish His kingdom.
To accept that all was fulfilled in 70 AD is to ignore hundreds of direct prophecies concerning the second coming. He said Immediately after the tribulation the sun would be darkened and they will see Him coming in the clouds. His coming will be like lighting and every eye will see Him. Revelation describes His coming at the battle of Armageddon. Too many more to list.
Let’s not throw out hundreds of passages because we have come to our own personal conclusions.
God Bless
487 years prior to AD 30 was 457 BC. He died “in the middle of the 70th week.” Therefore, the prophecy actually completes itself in AD 33, even though He died three years prior.
It is Daniel 9 that prophecies about the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Ezra 7 and 9 both discuss of Artaxerxes’ decree to rebuild both civil and religious parts of the city, whereas previous decrees by Cyrus for example only focused on the temple. The timing seems to fit remarkably. Your remaining argument in regards to the chronology of John and places in Mark seems disputable at best. Maybe you can help me understand, I may just be young and naive.
The only 7 year period mentioned in the New Testament is in the gospels and has nothing to do with end-times. When I asked somebody where they get this 7 year period in Revelation I was told that they join two of the 3-1/2 periods together. If we were consistent with that theory we’d wind up with 18-1/2 years of tribulation. For my part, I view these 3-1/2 year periods as overlay of the same period, highlighting different aspects.
I have a .pdf file you may or may not be interested in titled “What I Think I Understand About Revelation.” Help yourself technosmith.com/books. It’s the last one on that page
Daniel’s 70 weeks refer to the Protestant era that we are now in. The 7 weeks are preliminary reformation weeks of years and do not count among the 70. The 62 weeks are the first of the 70 weeks, which leaves 8 weeks for end time events. As for the ‘cut off’ of the Messiah, please read Genesis 3:16.. God has commanded that all women must accept being ruled over by their husbands, thus they can not effectively function as priests, regardless of what we may decide. A woman priest is what will cut off the Messiah.
Concerning Jesus’ ministry. Once the passover lamb is chosen it must be kept up till the fourteenth of Nisan and then killed. In Jesus’ case he was in the wilderness and had to wait one year before being crucified. This is the key to determining the length of his ministry.
With all due respect, nothing you said in this comment is anything close to correct.
I would like to hear you response to what I said about Paul being the great deceiver. I have been a christian for many years but the last 2 years I have been reading through a book called the “life of Jesus” which fairly puts the gospels of Matthew, Mark Luke and John in chronological order. I have been reading the gospels continuously now over and over and I see such a big difference on Jesus’s teachings and Paul’s teaching. When I came to Christ about 50 years ago I was introduced to our Lord through the gospels, I was 10 years old then. Through my years in the church I now notice that all the churches I attended were predominantly Pauline theology and really not centered on the teachings of Christ.
I love reading the second letter of John which clearly states by the Apostle John that we should hold dearly to the teachings of Jesus and absolutely do not accept any other teachings. This includes Paul who claims to be an Apostle but has no witnesses to back his experience up. Peter says in his second letter to not hold to cleverly devised tales concerning the coming of our Lord and His Majesty on the mountain witnessed by Peter, John and James.
Paul had the same amount of witnesses that Joseph Smith the founder of the Mormon church had when he claimed to have a revelation from Jesus Christ. Why do we give Paul a pass, but we correctly label Joseph Smith a false prophet . Paul is every bit if not more of a deceiver than Joseph Smith and he has gotten his letters into the new testament writings on an equal par with the teaching of Jesus. Beware Beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course there is a difference between the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of Paul. Jesus taught under the Old Covenant. Jesus was born under the Law in order to redeem those under the Law. The Death and Resurrection of Jesus instituted a New Covenant, one of grace. . Pauline theology is the true Gospel, a righteousness that is by faith. It was introduced in the Garden when God said that the Seed of the Woman would crush the head of the serpent. It was announced to Abraham when he was told that in his Seed, Jesus Christ, all nations would be blessed. It was also taught to the Israelites in the Wilderness, but it did not profit them because they did not have faith. The Law was introduced as a temporary measure, until the Seed that should come. During His ministry, He fulfilled the Law, which had condemned all others and through His death and resurrection put it away, bringing in a new covenant, not based on a righteousness that could never be obtained through the Law, but a righteousness that comes by faith. If Paul is a false prophet, then so are the other apostles who affirmed that Paul was a true apostle. The reason we believe the witness of Paul and not those of Joseph Smith, is because the witnesses of Paul wrote the rest of the New Testament. Paul did not defile the Temple, the religious leadership defiled the Temple because of their abomination, and Jesus declared to them that their Temple would be made desolate. The coming apostasy or falling away that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 24 is the same apostasy and falling away that Paul mentions, the one in which the man of sin will be revealed. Paul is not talking about himself. The problem here is that you have been reading a book which purports to tell you what the Bible says. You are listening to the words of men.
This is completely mistaken. Paul himself would have completely disagreed with everything you said here. I find it remarkable that a person would actually argue that Jesus’ teachings ultimately aren’t relevant to Christianity and don’t apply to Christians.
Exactly. It’s about rightly dividing The Word of God and understanding the separation between Jews & Gentiles.
Could it be that the 70th week is exactly that. Seven years of teaching by Jesus.
In Dan 9:27 we are told it’s seven years, but what if it was 7 days?
As you said Jesus’ last meal was on a Wednesday and that he was crucified on a Thursday. This happened on the feast of unleavan bread.
We are clearly told that Jesus would be in the grave 3 days and nights.
Thursday being the 15th and Jesus was raised on the start of the evening of the first day of the week the 18th.
This makes it exactly 3.5 days into the feast of unleavan bread and confirming the fulfilment of the feasts.
Jesus ministry started the 70th week and He was “cut off but not for Himself” was fulfilled on the Cross. The remaining 3.5 years will be fulfilled according to the will and timing of the Father, thus “no one knows the Day or Hour except My Father in Heaven” – Matt 24:36 -37
This is how the Father works, He is not bound by time or the will of man. This is how He brings in “the fullness of the Gentiles” and the completion of Israels temporary “casting away”.
The beginning of the remaining 3.5 years will start, again only by the will of God, when the Father directs His Holy Spirit to step aside and permit the “revealing of the Son of Perdition” II Thessalonians 2:3
The Rapture will not come before the Man of Sin – II Thess Ch 2. The Rapture occurs “at the Last Trump”. The Rapture cannot and will not precede the First Resurrection. The false, demonic teaching of pre-trib rapture has many deceived because it pleases the carnal minded. Christians use it as a ‘Get out of Tribulation Card’.
Pre-Trib is the easiest false teaching to clearly be exposed by anyone who submits to the Word of God in Truth, versus having knowledge of scripture that is directed by religion, pride and respect of persons. Are you able to grasp that? It is by choosing to see and believe what you desire from scripture, spurned on by religious popularity, pride and the making of money from it. It is the Dogma of the Laodecian Church Christians who absolutely give themselves over to it, it is their Idol. They will defend it against overwhelming scriptural evidence against it – it is their Idol and they love it more then loving the Truth and more than loving their Brethren. It is like to a Catholic who will not let go of worshiping Mary so they can be saved or to a Jew that cries day and night for their Temple to be restored unto them. That is what an idol does to the hearts and minds of people – Christian or other.
When the Holy Spirit steps aside it is not His removal from earth. The Holy Spirit is the Bouncer/ Strong Man that holds back Satan until the time the Father has appointed for him. The Holy Spirit remains in the Believer on earth who will testify against the World, Satan and his followers just as it says in Revelations 12:10-12 and John 17 which is Our Lord’s Prayer for Us.
Christians will have to make a choice of receiving the Mark or rejecting it – remember Lot’s wife, also the parable of the Ten Virgins.
Also the Four Horsemen of Revelation were released a very long time ago – just as John said “for the time is at hand”. They will continue doing laps until the final lap comes into view.
God is not subject to time, creation or the will of man.
Hi Jason, thank you so much for this post ! ….I feel like like I have been completely lied to by those who support the futurist doctrine, not intentionally. I think what people are missing when they come to the debate is the actual source of Futurism and Preterism….the Jesuits !…and how the papacy actually mandated them to switch the narrative from them being the antichrist to a future antichrist. Thanks again !
Your information is wrong. The 3.5 year ministry was not based on Dan 9. It is based on information from the Gospels. John mentions three springs (Passovers):
1. John 2:13, 23
2. John 6:4
3. John 11:55
Plus: there was a feast (most likely Tabernacles, between #1 and #2; John 5:1). There were two feasts between ##2 and 3: Tabernacles (John 7:2) and Dedication/Hannukah (John 10:22). In addition, there was another spring when the disciples plucked grain in a field in Galilee (Matt 12:1; Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1). Almost every scholar who has closely studied the matter believes that this was an additional spring between ##1 and 2 above, since there is too much activity mentioned in the Gospels before and after it to identify it as either 1 or 2. Thus, there are four springs with some activity before the first one (John 1:1-2:12). This makes about 3.5 years. This has NOTHING to do with Dan 9, and going back to antiquity, this is the main driver for the view that Jesus’s ministry lasted 3.5 years.
Hi Andrew, I’m afraid you’re mistaken about the origin of the idea that Jesus had a 3.5 year ministry. Yes, many have used the Gospel of John as evidence of the 3.5 year ministry, but that link came only after early interpreters concluded it must have been 3.5 years based on Daniel 9. They then searched the Gospels for evidence of that, finding something that could work for it in John.
If the last week Jesus was alive was a Passover week and the jubilee then all 70 seven were weeks so the first 7 was John the Baptist ministry the 62 weeks was Jesus ministry and the last week he die in the mist of. It is finished, all in a little over a year.
Is it possible that the last seven year period was the Roman campaign from 67-73AD?, Vespasian having invaded Israel in 67, and Masada being captured in 73. The Dan 9 prophecy was, amongst other things, about “thy people and thy holy city”. In the “midst” of this period, the year 70, Titus’ destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple brought an end to “sacrifice and offerings”, and “confirmed” that the Old Covenant was done and dusted.
What is clear from this discussion is that Jesus seems to have taught not to do exactly what you are all doing: Trying to bash each other over the head with the Biblical “trivia” demanding you are righteous, instead of focusing on the underlying meaning of the teachings. What could it POSSIBLY matter if Jesus ministry were 1 year or 100 years, especially if you don’t get any of His teaching? How many times did Jesus say something to the effect of “God gave you two good eyes and you STILL don’t see. God gave you two good ears and you STILL don’t hear.”…and you still don’t?
An easy example from denominational infighting: some demand simply stating (believing) that Jesus died for one’s sins brings Salvation. Others demand “good works” are necessary. I thought Jesus’ message was pretty clear in His parable of the good Samaritan. Some passed by the poor soul, doing nothing but praying as they left the man to die. Jesus CLEARLY stated the right thing was to take action to help others, even (or perhaps especially) if you don’t like them. The idea is right in the parable name: why was the man who helped called the GOOD Samaritan? That he was good is obvious from the story. It is because there are sects of Judaism, and Samaritans and Davidians loathed each other as apostates. And yet Jesus says this Samaritan is righteous. Many of Jesus’ parables were a slap in the face to those around Him. Also, be careful of what you think is a “good deed”; it is not, if it is self-serving or done for attention. It is “normal” for humans to think we are good, even when we are CLEARLY not. This is part of original sin.
Instead of analyzing the Bible with a fuzzy microscope, it seems it would be better to focus on understanding Jesus and His teachings as a way of life. I can’t think of a single time he uttered “you should spend a lot of time arguing with one another and nitpicking each syllable of the Bible.”. His teaching, vastly boiled down, was “Love (and obey) God above ANYTHING else.” and then “everyone is your brother, treat them as you would treat me (Jesus). Think about the past week: did you say or do something that you wouldn’t DARE have done if Jesus were present? Every word Jesus said was meant to HELP you (just as He taught God’s commandments are here to HELP, not hurt you.) live correctly.
Best Wishes and Prayers.
I suggest first looking in a mirror before criticizing others’ appearances.
Very interesting article and even more interesting comments.
Your last sentence is something that I have shared from the pulpit. The early church read Daniel 9:27 and saw the Messiah, and the modern church saw the enemy. Somebody is really really wrong.
If someone already asked this and I missed it, I’m sorry, but could it be that the final 3.5 years are referenced in Daniel and Revelation marked by “Time times and half a time” “42 months” and “1260 days”?
Yes, I do think Revelation is riffing on that final 3.5 years with its statements.