The problem with the above calculations is, as I've come to believe from my studies, that it is wrong in it's determination of when the priestly division of Abijah actually served in the temple. I believe that the Biblical evidence --supported by Josephus-- is that the eighth course of Abijah --the division in which Zachariah served-- performed it's duties in the second week of the month of Sivan, which is analogous to our late May/early June period. Rather than unpacking the reasoning from scratch, I'm going to take a shortcut and use an excellent article really available online. It's written by a Bible teacher and older Christian brother who lives in the Blue Mountains of eastern Pennsylvania. His name is Eddie Bromfield and his article is here:
The Course of Abijah.
As I believe that I will show, and as Eddie demonstrates, Zachariah would have finished his duties and returned to his wife Elizabeth around the middle or so of June. This is when the Bible says she got pregnant. Count 6 months from that date and you get the middle or so of December, which is when the Holy Spirit, speaking through Luke, says Mary got pregnant. Now count 9 months from that date and where do you wind up? September. So, based on Bible timings, Jesus was born in mid to late September. Which lines up with the timing of when the temple shepherds would have been with their flocks in the fields near Bethlehem.
Jesus began his ministry on his 30th birthday. Now, count 3 and a half years from September. Well clearly the three years takes us to the same time 3 years later. But the half year (six months) takes us from late September up to late March which is the time of Passover, when the Bible tells us Jesus was crucified.
As I said, this timing lines up with what the Bible says. So, for me, I'm satisfied that He was born in September and died 33 and a half years later in late March.
All that said, this is not a matter of critical importance; it's merely of interest. Therefore I'm not going to argue with anybody about it. Others can come to their own conclusions based on known facts drawn from Scripture and supporting historical knowledge. But when I saw the OP question and some of the ideas shared in responses, I thought I'd step in and share what I believe and why I believe it. The evidence is there for each person to decide for themselves, if they think it's time well spent.
Anyway, as always I enjoy the discussion. I love it when people dig into God's Word. In the hands of the Holy Spirit, Scripture is the greatest source of true knowledge we will ever have in this life. And we can never have a better teacher than Him.
That is what I understand. Dr Ken Johnson and others who have examined these things in detail agree with the Josephus account. This would have Jesus conceived during Hanukkah (the light of the world) and born during the great Fall Feasts (tabernacling among us).
And as you say, it's a fun topic that gets people digging into the Bible, into historical data. It's like the year of the Cross. Depends on the sources used.
Same for the Star of Bethlehem. I think that was a manifestation of the Shekinah Glory, and not a conjunction of stars or planetary alignments that provided a bright but stationary object.
Not saying a particular star or planetary conjunction didn't happen to start the Wise Men on their journey, but that Star LED them, and rested over the place where Jesus was.
It's in Matthew's gospel, chapter 2 and it has some interesting details - Matthew presents Jesus as the King of the Jews. The Magi were a very powerful group of "kingmakers". Daniel the prophet became their leader and these Magi according to early Church Fathers, were in possession of wealth from Daniel to bring to the coming king, and they knew what signs to look for. They were terrifying to Herod because they did have great power, not the least of which was their confirmation on kings and leaders.
Notice that the Magi ask where the King is right away. They followed his star- and assumed he'd be born into royal circles. Herod is horrified, and checks with the Jewish religious authorities. The Magi are interested to hear where to find the King, so they listen.
After that they are called to a secret meeting with Herod to find out WHEN the star arrived. Assuming rightly that this would indicate WHEN the baby had been born. Herod knew (and Satan too) that this child MUST be eliminated. Which is why all the children under the age of 2 are killed. This tells us, the star arrived a while back, and the child is 2 or under.
That tells us this star has been shining for 2 years straight as we learn from verse 16 of chapter 2 which reads: 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Not too many of these conjunctions last that long, so the star appears in a particular constellation, but keeps burning brightly for 2 years, and then to top it off, when they get to Bethlehem the Star does something strange. It goes ahead of them, and stops over the place where the child (no longer a baby) was.
Notice also that Herod and the religious leaders didn't seem to be aware of the star because Herod has to ASK the MAGI when that star first appeared. Herod was no fool, he was a sly and manipulative man. He would have had people adept in the Roman ways of looking at the stars, and determining things. He was a very Roman connected guy. But this caught him by surprise, nor could his people tell him when this star arrived, he had to ask the Magi!
This is why I think while the Star might have started out with a bright conjunction of planets or a super nova or something in a particular constellation to announce to the Magi, it's happened, time to go give those gifts to the King that Daniel foretold, but at some point this became a manifestation of the Shekinah Glory of God or an angelic light to lead and guide them
--- in the same way that God was a pillar of cloud by day and a fire by night to lead and protect the children of Israel leaving Egypt.
If we believe God did that (and we do) then it shouldn't be a stretch to believe that He would do that for the Magi too. It doesn't have to be a known planetary conjunction or super nova.
I personally believe it was the Shekinah Glory of God all along, that God didn't need to use an alignment of stars or planets or a super nova. I believe that the Glory (or an angel) shone in that particular part of the sky to catch their attention, and lead them to Christ.
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way,
and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
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