Priestly Courses for the years A.D. 70-B.C. 23 Tending to Prove the December 25th Birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Revised 2019 © 2010, 2013, 2019 Kurt Simmons www.dec25th.info Charts may be freely reproduced for noncommercial purposes, with credit to the author The following charts recreate the weeks of the Hebrew calendar and priestly courses for the years B.C. 23- A.D. 70. known to be in error or conflict with the testimony of history. Specifically, Jewish tradition dating 80 years from the The Hebrew calendar was reformed in the fourth century by Hillel II and contains elements not present in Jesus’ day. event tells us that the 9th of Ab the week the temple was destroyed the second time fell on a Sunday. However, Hillel Hillel’s reforms include various postponements of Rosh Hashanah (Tishri 1, the Jewish New Year) to prevent it falling II’s calendar causes this day to fall on a Saturday, one day off. Scripture tells us Jesus died on Good Friday, Nisan 15, adjacent to the Sabbath, and the seventh day of Tabernacles from falling on the Sabbath, in both cases to prevent two A.D. 33, but Hillel II’s calendar places Nisan 15 on a Saturday. In these instances, we have corrected the present charts consecutive days of fasting by forced cessation of labor. To accomplish this, the length of the year is adjusted between to conform with scripture and the testimony of history. However, as Hillel II’s calendar typically varies by only one or 353, 354, and 355 in regular years, and 383, 384, and 385 in leap years. Because these postponements did not exist in two days from the witness of scripture, for purposes of showing Christ could have been born Dec. 25th, variations in Jesus’ day, the present-day Hebrew calendar is not a reliable guide to ancient dates, and offers at best only an the calendar will not affect the overall result. approximation. However, because it is widely employed, we have used it here except where the dates produced are Priestly Courses for the Years A.D. 50-70 AD 50 AD 51 AD 52 AD 53 AD 54 AD 55 AD 56 AD 57 AD 58 AD 59 AD 60 AD 61 AD 62 AD 63 AD 64 AD 65 AD 66 AD 67 AD 68 AD 69 AD 70 1. Jehoiarib 27-4 1-7 Tishri 1-7 Tishri 25-2 28-5 1-7 Tishri 25-2 28-5 1-7 Tishri 25-2 25-2 28-5 25-2 25-2 28-5 1-7 Tishri 25-2 28-5 28-5 25-2 27-4 Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri Tishri 2. Jedaiah 5-11 8-14 8-14 3-9 6-12 8-14 3-9 6-12 8-14 3-9 3-9 6-12 3-9 3-9 6-12 8-14 3-9 6-12 6-12 3-9 5-11 3. Harim 12-18 15-21 The15-21re were10 -1624 courses13-19 of priests15-21 that10-16 served13- 19twice annually,15-21 10 plus-16 10-16 13-19 10-16 10-16 13-19 15-21 10-16 13-19 13-19 10-16 12-18 4. Seorim 19-25 22-28 such22-28 additional17-23 weeks20-26 as were22-28 needed17-23 to fill20- 26out the22 -28year (117 -Chr23 17-23 20-26 17-23 17-23 20-26 22-28 17-23 20-26 20-26 17-23 19-25 5. Malchijah 26-2 29-5 29-5 24-30 27-3 29-5 24-30 27-3 29-5 24-30 24-30 27-3 24-30 24-30 27-3 29-5 24-30 27-3 27-3 24-30 26-2 Heshvan Heshvan 24:7Heshvan-18). Each courseHeshvan would Heshvan advance annuallyHeshvan to the nextHeshvan station to Heshvan Heshvan Heshvan Heshvan Heshvan Heshvan 6. Jijamin 3-9 6-12 fulfill6-12 twenty1-7 -four 4years-10 , then6-12 the 1cycle-7 would4-10 begin6-12 anew.1 -7The 1-7 4-10 1-7 1-7 4-10 6-12 1-7 4-10 4-10 1-7 3-9 annual coursesHeshvan began on the SabbathHeshvan on or next preceding TishriHeshvan 1. Heshvan Heshvan Heshvan Heshvan Heshvan 7. Hakkoz 10-16 13-19 13-19 8-14 11-17 13-19 8-14 11-17 st 13-19 8-14 th 8-14 11-17 8-14 8-14 11-17 13-19 8-14 11-17 11-17 8-14 10-16 8. Abijah 17-23 20-26 Of20 -26the 24 15courses,-21 18 two-24 concern20-26 us: 15J-ehoiarib21 18 -(124 ), and20- 26Abijah 15 (8-21 ), 15-21 18-24 15-21 15-21 18-24 20-26 15-21 18-24 18-24 15-21 17-23 9. Jeshua 24-1 27-3 the27-3 latter 22of-28 which25- 2 Zechariah,27-3 the22 -28father 25of-2 John27 -the3 Baptist22-28 , 22-28 25-2 22-28 22-28 25-1 27-4 22-28 25-1 25-2 22-28 24-30 Casleu Casleu belongedCasleu to (Luke 1:5)Casleu. Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu 10. Shecaniah 2-8 4-10 4-10 29-6 3-9 4-10 29-6 3-9 4-10 29-5 29-6 3-9 29-5 29-6 2-8 5-11 29-6 2-8 3-9 29-5 1-7 Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu Casleu 11. Eliashib 9-15 11-17 11-17 7-13 10-16 11-17 7-13 10-16 11-17 6-12 7-13 10-16 6-12 7-13 9-15 12-18 7-13 9-15 10-16 6-12 8-14 12. Jakim 16-22 18-24 18-24 14-20 17-23 18-24 14-20 17-23 18-24 13-19 14-20 17-23 13-19 14-20 16-22 19-25 14-20 16-22 17-23 13-19 15-21 13. Huppah 23-29 25-1 Tebet 25-1 Tebet 21-27 24-1 Tebet 25-1 Tebet 21-27 24-1 Tebet 25-1 Tebet 20-26 The21-27 Talmudic24-1 Tebet Tract 20 -26Taanith 21, -27on Fasting23-29 and26 Fast-3 -days21-,27 states 2 3that-29 the24 course-1 Tebet 20of-26 Jehoiarib 22-28 Tabeth 14. Jeshebeab 30Josephus-6 Tebet 2-8 says that2-8 the courses28-4 Tebet served2-8 eight2-8 days, from28-4 Tebet Sabbath 2-8 to 2-8 27-3 Tebet was28-4 Tebet serving 2-8 when2 7the-3 Tebet temple 28-4 Tebetwas destroyed30-6 Tebet 4- 10by Nebuchadnezzar28-4 Tebet 30-6 Tebet in 5862-8 B.C. and27-3 Tebetagain 29 by-5 Tebet 15. Bilgah 7Sabbath-13 9 -(A15 nt. 7.14.9-15 7). The5-11 weeks 9-are15 thus9- 15laid out5- 11to begin9-15 with 9-15 4-10 Titus5-11 A.D.9 -70,15 both4 occurring-10 5-11 the 8-107-13th of Ab 11(Jer-17 52:12;5-11 J. W. 6.4.7-135) . 9-15 4-10 6-12 16. Immer 14-20 16-22 16-22 12-18 16-22 16-22 12-18 16-22 16-22 11-17 12-18 16-22 11-17 12-18 14-20 18-24 12-18 14-20 16-22 11-17 13-19 17. Hezir 21Saturday-27 23 and-29 end2 3with-29 Friday.19-25 23-29 23-29 19-25 23-29 23-29 18-24 19-25 23-29 18-24 19-25 21-27 25-2 19-25 21-27 23-29 18-24 20-26 “Whence do we know that the second Temple wasShebat also destroyed on the 9th of Ab? We have learned 18. Happizzez 28-5 1-7 Shebat 1-7 Shebat 26-3 1-7 Shebat 1-7 Shebat 26-3 1-7 Shebat 1-7 Shebat 25-2 in26 -a3 Boraitha:1-7 She "Abat happy 25-2 event 26is-3 credited 28 -to5 the day3-9 on which26-3 another28 -happy5 event1-7 Shebat happened, 25-2 while27- 4a Shebat Shebat Shebat Shebat calamityShebat is ascribedShebat to the dayShebat when anotherShebat calamity occuShebatrred; andShebat it was said that whenShebat the firstShebat 19. Pethahiah 6-12 8-14 8-14 4-10 8-14 8-14 4-10 8-14 8-14 3-9 Temple4-10 was8-14 destroyed 3-9 it was4 -on10 the eve6-12 preceding10-16 the 9th4-10 of Ab, 6which-12 was8- 14also the3 -9night at 5the-11 20. Jehezkel 13-19 15-21 15-21 11-17 15-21 15-21 11-17 15-21 15-21 10-16 close11-17 of the15- 21Sabbath 10 -16and also11 -17the close13- 19of the 17Sabbatical-23 11 -year.17 The13 -19watch at15 -21the time10 -was16 that12 -of18 21. Jachin 20-26 22-28 22-28 18-24 22-28 22-28 18-24 22-28 22-28 17-23 18-24 22-28 17-23 18-24 20-26 24-30 18-24 20-26 22-28 17-23 19-25 22. Gamul 27-3 Adar 29-5 / 6-12 29-5 Adar 25-1 Adar 29-5 / 6-12 29-5 Adar 25-1 Adar 29-5 / 6-12 29-5 Adar 24-30 Jehoiareb,25-1 Adar 29 and-5 Adar the L24evites-30 were25-1 chanting Adar 27- 3in Adar their 1 proper-7 / 8-14 places,25-1 Adar at that27-3 /moment 4-10 29- 5reciting Adar 2 4the-30 pass26age-2 / 3-9 Adar Adar Adar [Ps 94:23]: "And he will bring back upon them theirAdar own injustice, andAdar in their own wickedness willA darhe 23.