Dating the New Testament

Randy Broberg, 2004 Our Objectives • Understand historical context for NT • Know when NT documents were written • Know WHY Roman Empire In First Century

Establishing the Last Dates: Church Fathers

Dates Church Father Quotes AD 70-163 Papias all four gospels

AD 69-155 Polycarp 3 John, James, Hebrews, Jude

AD 111 Ignatius quoting Gospels and other NT letters.

AD 130-200 Iranaeus Philemon, James, 2 Peter, and 3 John AD 150-215 Clement of Alexandria 2 Timothy, and 2 John, 2 Peter and James AD 100-165 Justin Martyr 2 Peter, 1,2,3 John, James, Hebrews, Jude Establishing the Last Dates: Manuscripts

Papyri Name Date NT Books Covered Ì45 Chester Beatty 3rd century AD Gospels, Acts 4-17 papyrus

Ì46 Chester Beatty ca. AD 200 10 Pauline Epistles (all but papyrus Pastorals) and Hebrews

Ì47 Chester Beatty 3rd century AD Revelation 9:10-17:2 papyrus

Ì66 Bodmer ca. AD 200 John Papyrus Ì75 Bodmer early 3rd Luke and John papyrus century Manuscripts

• Magdalen papyrus - fragment (dated around 150 A.D., but a more recent dating place it possible around 50 A.D. !)

• Chester Beatty papyrus P45 - fragment (dated 200-250 A.D.)

Last Dates: Ryland Papyri, John 100-130 AD Last Dates Dead Sea Scrolls’ Mark Fragments Pre-70 AD Qumran cave 7 (7q5 is Mark 6:52-53) – (dated around 50 A.D. !) Establishing the Last Dates 98 - 130 A.D. Dead Sea Scrolls John Ryland fragment

125 - 150 A.D. Mark Chester Beatty fragment 4 B.C. Jesus born 30 A.D. Jesus crucified John B.C. A.D. 50 0 50 60 70 80 90 100 120 140 150

120 A.D. Polycarp 95 A.D. Clement 110 - 115 A.D. Ignatius Establishing the First Dates

Conversion of Saul

4 - 1 B.C. Jesus born 30 A.D. Jesus B.C. crucified A.D. 50 0 50 60 70 80 90 100 120 140 150 30-50 AD Period of Oral Tradition

• Jewish culture stressed memorizations of the law. – Deuteronomy 6:4-9 – In a culture where this was practiced, their memorization skills were far advanced from ours today. – New Testament scholar Darrell Bock states that the Jewish culture was “a culture of memory.” • the church preserved the teachings of Christ in the forms of hymns which were easy to memorize. – E.g., Paul’s summary of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15 Early vs. Late Dates

Destruction of Temple

4 - 1 B.C. Jesus born 30 A.D. Jesus crucified B.C. A.D. 50 0 50 60 70 80 90 100 120 140 150

Deaths of Paul & Peter Triumphal Arch of Celebrating Destruction of , 70 AD.

The Spoils of Jerusalem

Triumph of Titus Dating the Gospels: 3 Views

Early Middle Late

Matthew 40-60 70 80-85

Mark 45-60 55 65-70

Luke 57-60 59-63 85-90

John 40-65 85-93 90-100 Importance of Temple Destruction, 70 AD • The gospels prophesy the • Only Gospels Do mention Destruction of destruction of the Temple Temple! (occurred in AD 70) but – Acts never mention its – Hebrews fulfillment. – Revelation – Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21. John 2

70 AD Matthew Mark and Luke Destroy Temple The Temple in Matthew

• Matthew 26:61 and said, "This man stated, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.'" • Matthew 27:40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

Emp. Titus Destroyed Temple in 70 AD The Temple in Mark

• Mark 13:1-2 • As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down." • Mark 14:58 "We heard Him say, “I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.'" • Mark 15:29 Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, The Temple in Luke

• Luke 21:5-6 And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said, "As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down." The Temple in John

• John 2:19-21 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It took forty- six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" But He was speaking of the temple of His body. The Temple in 1 Corinthians

• 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. Hebrews and the Temple

• Hebrews 9:25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own.

Hebrews 10:1 For the Law, since it has only] a shadow of [the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

Hebrews 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. The Temple in Revelation

• Revelation 11:2 "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will] tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. • Revelation 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. • Revelation 21:22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Year By Year NT & First Century Overview Reign Emperor New Testament

27 BC to 14 Augustus (Octavian) Life of Christ Oral Tradition 14 to 37 Tiberius

37 to 41 Caligula Oral Tradition + Mark?, James? 41 to 54 Claudius Paul’s Letters 54 to 68 Luke/Acts 68 to 69 ; ; Peter’s Letters?, 69 to 79 Hebrews? Matthew? 79 to 81 Titus John? John’s Letters? Revelation? 81 to 96 Domitian 96 to 98 Nerva Luke 2:1

• Now in those days a decree went out from Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 01 Seneca born BC 01 Ovid publishes The Art of Love 02 Tiberius summoned back to Rome, named Augustus' heir 03 04 05 FIRST DECADE

06 Annexation of Judaea 07 08 09 SECOND DECADE

10

11

12 13 14 Augustus dies, Tiberius named Emperor. 15 16 17 Ovid dies 18 19 Luke 3:1

• Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,

Luke 3:23

• When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,

TWENTIES

20 21 22 23 Sejanus begins treason trials 24 25 Tiberius retires to the island of Capri, 26 never to return to Rome. Pilate Governor of Judea 27 28 Earthly Ministry of Jesus 29 John 19:12

• As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, " If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar." Mark Predates Luke Does Matthew Too?

• By the time Luke writes, many people have already written (1:1): – Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us Estimated date of the crucifixion 30 of Jesus Christ. THIRTIES Tiberius orders Senate to execute Sejanus for 31 treason. 32 33 Estimated date of conversion of 34 Saul/Paul

35

36 Pilate ends governorship of Judea

Death of Tiberius on the island of Capri. Paul returns to Jerusalem to Caligula ascends to the throne. 37 meet with leaders of Jesus movement. Stays 15 days. Agrippa I installed as king

38

39 Emperor Caligula gives an order that a statue of himself is to be erected in the temple at Jerusalem, and that it is compulsory to worship this statue. Herod Paul summoned to Antioch by Antipas soon dissuades him from this potentially catastrophic decision. Barnabas. 40 Jewish Revolt in Alexandria

Philo visits Caligula

Caligula is murdered by a tribune of the Praetorian Guards. Claudius, found hiding 41 in the curtains of the palace is hailed the new Caesar by the . Herod Agrippa I takes thrown.

42

Paul and Barnabas undertake 1st 43 missionary journey: Cyprus, coastal FORTIES and central Turkey (Galatia).

Herod Agrippa I: imprisoned Peter, Judaea is annexed as a Roman province after the death of Herod Agrippa I. executed James. Acts 9:1-2; 44

45 46

From Antioch Paul, Barnabas and John Claudius celebrates the Secular Games, as Rome celebrates the 800th (surnamed Mark) travel to Cypress celebration of the founding of the city. 47 (Cyprus) and Perga.

Internal debates on circumcision and dietary Murder of Messalina, wife of Claudius. 48 restrictions. Emperor Claudius passes an edict expelling all Jews from Rome. Claudius Paul breaks with Barnabas. Separate missions marries Agrippina the Younger, mother of Nero. Seneca brought back from exile to 49 to Jews and Gentiles. Paul 2nd missionary journey. tutor the young Nero.

Acts 11:28

• One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.

Acts 18:2

• And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, Acts 18:11-15

• And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, saying, "This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law." But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters." 50 Jewish Revolt in Jerusalem FIFTIES suppressed Gallio proconsul of Achaia. An Paul in Corinth with Priscilla and Aquilla Mention is inscription found in 1905 allows made in Acts 18:12 of Paul being in Corinth when 51 us to confirm this date as A.D. Gallio was proconsul 51 or 52. Paul returns to Antioch, leaves Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus Felix becomes governor of Judea 52 Paul writes First Thessalonians and Second Thessalonians. 53 Death and deification of Claudius. C. Epistle of James circulates. 54 Nero ascends to the throne. Paul in Ephesus. Judaizers active in Paul's churches. 55 Paul writes Galatians to counter their influence. Paul in Ephesus. Paul hears of disorder and conflict 56 in Corinth, writes First Corinthians and Second Corinthians. Paul writes Romans, goes to Passover in 57 Jerusalem, is assaulted by mob in the Temple, arrested by Romans, held in custody at Caesarea. 58 Nero his mother killed in A.D. 59. 59 Acts 19:10

• This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Dating The Letters of Paul 48-64 circa AD

ca AD49 ca AD51 ca AD56 ca. AD60-62 ca. Early 60’s 1st Miss. Jer. 2nd Miss. 3rd Miss. Roman Release from Journey Council Journey Journey Imprisonment Prison?

Acts 15:36- Acts 13:1- Acts 15: Acts 18:23-21:26 Not Recorded 14:28 1-35 18:22 Acts 28:17-31 in Acts Acts 24:27

• But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

Acts 25:13

• Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.

Philippians 4:22

• All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. Acts 28:30

• And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, Paul in imprisoned in Caesaria 60 Herod Agrippa II interrogated Paul. Felix becomes governor of Judea Acts 22:1-5; 26:8-12 Paul imprisoned in Rome ca. 61 Paul writes Philippians and Philemon SIXTIES Ephesians and Colossians; Paul writes 1Timothy and Titus. 2 Timothy. Nero had his wife killed so he could marry Luke/Acts Written another woman. He later killed a brother and his 62 Paul executed? teacher, Seneca. 63 Paul released?

64 Paul executed? The Great Fire. Nero blames the Christians

Nero kicks his wife to death. The philosopher 65 1 & 2 Peter written? Seneca and others forced to commit suicide. 66 Paul executed? Peter is crucified in the Jewish revolt begins. Vespasian leads legions 67 Circus of Nero (on Vatican Hill) ? against the Jews in Judaea. Nero commits suicide,. Galba named Emperor. Paul executed? 68 Civil wars ensue. Year of Four Emperors. Vespasian founds Matthew ?- Hebrews? 69 Flavian Dynasty Dating The Gospels: Arguing From Silence

• Later debates central to the church are missing in the Gospels – food laws (except Mk 7) – Gentiles (except Mk 7, Matt 8) – circumcision (anywhere) • If the Church were making things up about Jesus, wouldn’t they have been a little more relevant to their time? Importance of Silence

• Acts (Luke) Mentions Death of • 44, James martyred James • 61-68, Paul Martyred • Luke/Acts never mentions the • 62-68, Peter Martyred death of Paul and Peter or James the Just • 61 Death of James, • Peter Mentions Paul’s letters Brother of Jesus but Never Mentions Death of Paul • Paul Never Mentions Death of Peter • No NT Document mentions death of James, Brother of Jesus • John mentions Death of Peter! Remnant of Jewish church there falls Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian, finally captures into Ebionite heresy (in which Jesus is Jerusalem after four months siege. Rabbinic academy 70 merely a prophet), rejects all writings established at Jamnia. but corrupted Gospel of Matthew. 71 Hebrews? 72

SEVENTIES The final Jewish stronghold, Masada, is finally 73 captured after a long seige. 74 75 76

The Roman writer Pliny the Elder completes his work 77 Naturalis Historia (Natural History).

78

The volcano Mt. Vesuvius erupts burying the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. One casualty was Pliny 79 the Elder who suffocated trying to get to close to the activity. Death of Vespasian. Ascension of his son, Titus. EIGHTIES

The Flavian Ampitheatre (Colosseum), begun by Vespasian, 80 is completed by the Emperor Titus. Death of Titus, possibly by foul play on the part of his brother 81 Domitian. Domitian succeeds Titus as Emperor. Arch of Titus is constructed in Rome. 82 83 all oaths to include phrase "by the genius of the emperor“ 84

85 John - 85-93?

86 87

88

89 Council of Jewish rabbis at Jamnia 90 I, II, and III John - 90 ratifies Hebrew canon 91 Reign of terror of Domitian. 92 93 NINETIES 94 95 Revelation of John - 95 Domitian assassinated. Nerva named 96 Emperor. 97 Tacitus finishes two of his books, the 98 Agricola and the Germania.

99 Establishing the Dates 98 - 130 A.D. John Ryland fragment

The Gospels 125 - 150 A.D. Chester Beatty John fragment 4 - 1 B.C. Luke Jesus born 30 A.D. Jesus Mark crucified Matthew B.C. A.D. 50 0 50 60 70 80 90 100 120 140 150

48-50 A.D. Galatians 85-95 A.D. 120 A.D. 1 John Polycarp 50 A.D. 40-60 A.D. 95 A.D. 1&2 Thessalonians 60-68 A.D. James Clement 110 - 115 A.D. 1 Peter 54-56 A.D. Ignatius 1&2 Corinthians 65-80 A.D. 63-65 A.D. Jude 1&2 Timothy, Titus 57 A.D. Romans 60 A.D. Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon Comparing First and 20th Centuries

Decade First Century 20th Century

00-09 Augustus, JC Childhood Queen Victoria, Ted Roosevelt 10-19 Augustus, JC Teenager Woodrow Wilson, WW I 20-29 Tiberius, JC in 20s- Roaring 20s, Stock >Cross/Resurrection Crash 30-39 Tiberius, Caligula, Acts 1-12 FDR, Great Depression 40-49 Claudius, Paul’s Missions, Mark WW II 50-59 Claudius, Nero, Paul’s Letters. Eishenouer, “Happy Days” 60-69 Nero, Paul & Peter Martyred, Luke/Acts Kennedy, LBJ, Vietnam 70-79 Vespasian, Temple Destroyed, Titus Nixon, Ford, Carter 80-89 Domitian John, John’s Letters Reagan, Bush (1) 90-99 Domitian, Nerva Revelation Bush (1) Clinton Our Team: History