Establishment of Date of Death in Christian Eschatology

Establishing the Date of Death in Christian Eschatology

The date of Jesus Christ's death is a pivotal event in Christian eschatology, influencing various theological interpretations and traditions. The exact date remains a subject of scholarly debate, with different Christian traditions offering distinct perspectives on its significance.

The biblical account of Jesus' death is foretold in several Old Testament passages, including Isaiah 53:8, Daniel 9:26, and Zechariah 13:7 ^[2]. These prophecies are seen as fulfilled in the New Testament accounts of Jesus' crucifixion. The significance of Jesus' death is multifaceted, encompassing its necessity for human redemption, its voluntary nature, and its ignominious character ^[2].

In Christian theology, the date of Jesus' death is closely tied to the chronology of his life and ministry. The writers of the Bible employed various methods to date events, including reckoning from the Exodus, the accession of kings, and the return from Exile ^[1]. The technical and historical aspects of Hebrew chronology present significant challenges, with the present state of numerical data making absolute certainty difficult ^[4].

The Reformed tradition, as represented by Charles Hodge, emphasizes the historical and theological significance of Jesus' death. According to Hodge, Jesus' death was a real event, not a mere appearance or unconscious state, and its reality has never been disputed among Christians ^[8]. The necessity of Jesus' death for human redemption is underscored by its fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and types ^[3].

The Catholic tradition, as exemplified by Thomas Aquinas, also affirms the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection. Aquinas argues that Jesus' resurrection on the third day was fitting for the instruction of faith, confirming the truth of his Godhead and humanity ^[6].

The Baptist/Reformed tradition, represented by John Gill, emphasizes the appointed nature of human death, citing Hebrews 9:27. According to Gill, death is a corporeal reality appointed by God, with its timing and circumstances predetermined ^[10].

The Patristic tradition, as seen in the writings of Augustine, also grapples with the significance of Jesus' death. Augustine addresses the Manichaean critique that God's assumption of mortality implies his susceptibility to misery, arguing that Jesus' three days of death were for the eternal life of humanity ^[9].

The various Christian traditions converge on the significance of Jesus' death, despite differences in their eschatological perspectives. The date of Jesus' death remains a subject of scholarly inquiry, with ongoing debates about the precise chronology of his life and ministry.

The reception history of Jesus' death is complex, with different traditions interpreting its significance in distinct ways. The Reformed tradition emphasizes the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, while the Catholic tradition highlights the sacramental significance of Jesus' death and resurrection. The Baptist/Reformed tradition stresses the appointed nature of human death, and the Patristic tradition engages with critiques of the Christian narrative ^{[5, 6, 7, 10]}.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Chronology — Is the arrangement of facts and events in the order of time. The writers of the Bible themselves do not adopt any standard era according to which they date events. Sometimes the years are reckoned, e.g., from the time of the Exodus (Num. 1:1; 33:38; 1 Kings 6:1), and sometimes from the accession of kings (1 Kings 15:1, 9, 25, 33, etc.), and sometimes again from the return from Exile (Ezra 3:8). Hence in constructing a system of Biblecal chronology, the plan has been adopted of reckoning the years from the ages of the patriarchs before the birth of their ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Death of Christ, The — Foretold -- Isa 53:8; Da 9:26; Zec 13:7. Appointed by God -- Isa 53:6,10; Ac 2:23. Necessary for the redemption of man -- Lu 24:46; Ac 17:3. Acceptable, as a sacrifice to God -- Mt 20:28; Eph 5:2; 1Th 5:10. Was voluntary -- Isa 53:12; Mt 26:53; Joh 10:17,18. Was undeserved -- Isa 53:9. Mode of Foretold by Christ. -- Mt 20:18,19; Joh 12:32,33. Prefigured. -- Nu 21:8; Joh 3:14. Ignominious. -- Heb 12:2. Accursed. -- Ga 3:13. Exhibited His humility. -- Php 2:8. A stumbling block to Jews. -- 1Co 1:23. Foolishness to Gentiles. -- 1Co 1:18,23. Demand”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Humiliation of Christ — (Phil. 2:8), seen in (1) his birth (Gal. 4:4; Luke 2:7; John 1:46; Heb. 2:9), (2) his circumstances, (3) his reputation (Isa. 53; Matt. 26:59, 67; Ps. 22:6; Matt. 26:68), (4) his soul (Ps. 22:1; Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 22:44; Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:15), (5) his death (Luke 23; John 19; Mark 15:24, 25), (6) and his burial (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:57, 58, 60). His humiliation was necessary (1) to execute the purpose of God (Acts 2:23, 24; Ps. 40:6-8), (2) fulfil the Old Testament types and prophecies, (3) satisfy the law in the room of the guilty (Isa. 53; Heb”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Chronology — By this term we understand the technical and historical chronology of the Jews and their ancestors from the earliest time to the close of the New Testament Canon. + TECHNICAL CHRONOLOGY.--The technical part of Hebrew chronology presents great difficulties. + HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY.--The historical part of Hebrew chronology is not less difficult than the technical. The information in the Bible is indeed direct rather than inferential although there is very important evidence of the latter kind, but the present state of the numbers make absolute certainty in”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 95: in the standards of any of the Churches of the Reformation; by several it is expressly repudiated. It is a modern novelty, suggested but one hundred and fifty years ago by Whitby, and avowedly as ‘a new hypothesis.’” According to this view, (1.) The nations are not to be converted, nor are the Jews to be restored to their standing in the Church, until the second coming of Christ. (2.) His advent is to be personal and glorious. (3.) He will establish Himself in Jerusalem as the head of a visible, external kingdom. (4.) When He comes, the m”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of Christ's Resurrection, Art. 2: Article: Whether it was fitting for Christ to rise again on the third day? I answer that, As stated above (Article [1]) Christ's Resurrection was necessary for the instruction of our faith. But our faith regards Christ's Godhead and humanity, for it is not enough to believe the one without the other, as is evident from what has been said (Question [36], Article [4]; cf. SS, Question [2], Articles [7],8). Consequently, in order that our faith in the truth of His Godhead might be confirmed it was necessary tha”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 103: this victim be my expiation.” The design of the imposition of hands was to signify, say these authorities, the removal of sin from the offender to the animal. 429 429 Lib. I. xv. 8, p. 166 ff. 3. It is no less certain that the whole Christian world has ever regarded the sacrifices for sin to be expiatory, designed to teach the necessity of expiation and to foreshadow the method by which it was to be accomplished. Such, as has been shown, is the faith of the Latin, of the Lutheran, and of the Reformed churches, all the great historical bo”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 130: § 5. His Death and Burial. Christ humbled Himself even unto death, and continued under the power of death for a time. The reality of Christ’s death has never been disputed among Christians. Some modern rationalists, unwilling to admit a miraculous resurrection, endeavoured to show that death was not in his case actually consummated, but that He was deposited in an unconscious state in the tomb. In answer to the arguments of rationalists, certain Christian writers have taken the trouble to demonstrate, from the facts stated in the account”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XXVI. (part 6): that if God can bestow eternal glory on man, He must also have the power of consigning Himself to eternal misery. Faustus will reply that his argument refers only to three days 323 of death for God, as compared with eternal life for man. Well, if you understood the three days of death in the sense of the death of the flesh which God took as a part of our mortal nature, you would be quite correct; for the truth of the gospel makes known that the death of Christ for three days was for the eternal life of men. But in a”
Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 9:27: And as it is appointed unto men once to die,.... Not a moral, or what is commonly called a spiritual death, nor an eternal one, but a corporeal one; which does not arise from the constitution of nature, but from the sin of man, and God's decree on account of it; by which it is fixed that men shall die, and how long they shall live, and when they shall die; so that they cannot die sooner nor later; all things antecedent to death, which lead on to it, and issue in it, are appointed by God, and so is death itself, with all its circumstances; men's days can neither be le”

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