Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

FROM THE GOSPELS TO JESUS §9.9
9.9. An Outline of the Life and Mission of Jesus
It will be convenient to sketch an outline of Jesus' life and mission in the light of
what we have learnt in chapter 9 before trying to fill in the outline in subsequent
chapters.
a. The Chronological Framework
References in the Gospels to Herod the Great (37-4 BCE), to Herod Antipas (4 BCE-
39 CE) and to the Roman prefect of Judea, Pilate (26-37 CE), enable us to locate Jesus
and his mission with a fair degree of accuracy. Precision is not possible, but neither
is it necessary. The key references are few, but consistent.
Jesus himself is generally reckoned to have been born some time before the
death of Herod the Great in 4 BCE. A date between 6 BCE and 4 BCE would accord
with such historical information as Matthew's birth narrative assumes (Matt.
2.16) and with the tradition of Luke 3.23 that Jesus was 'about thirty years of
age' in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3.1), reckoned as 27 or 28 CE.
The date of his crucifixion is debated, with 14th Nisan 30 or 33 the chief alternatives,
and the former gaining more support. 269 The former would also fit with the
general impression that Jesus' mission must have extended over two or three
years, given particularly the Fourth Gospel's mention of three Passovers (John
2.13; 6.4; 11.55). 270 Beyond that, the discussion quickly becomes bogged down,
with the data affording no firm ground on which to advance. 271 We will have to
be content with some degree of uncertainty, while recognizing that the range of
uncertainty is unusually small for a historical figure from such a distant period.
b. Upbringing and Education
In the absence of firm evidence we can nevertheless make a number of valid generalisations.
269. The fullest summary review is by R. Riesner, Paul's Early Period: Chronology,
Mission Strategy, Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998) 3-10; add Meier, Marginal Jew
1.372-433; K. P. Donfried, 'Chronology, New Testament', ABD 1.1015-16; Theissen and Merz,
Historical Jesus 151-61.
270. Chilton envisages a much longer period running in all to about fifteen years (Rabbi
Jesus).
271. The issue largely depends on whether we follow the Synoptic chronology for Jesus'
death (the day after Passover) or the Johannine chronology (the day of Passover). But theological
factors seem to be so much involved in both cases that it is difficult to make a clear choice.
For a full discussion see Brown, Death of the Messiah 1350-78. See also below §9.9g; §17.lc.
312