Chapter 1  

Guidelines 

Sound Premises 

    A conclusion is only as sound as the premises on which it is based. Logical arguments proceed from various 

premises to one or more conclusions. A conclusion that Jesus was born in a particular year, or that He was 

crucified in a particular year, is based on a set of premises. Each premise must be examined and supported, in 

one way or another. This chapter examines some of the most basic premises upon which the chronological 

arguments in this book rest. 

1.  Sacred Scripture is the inspired Word of God and is entirely without error. 

2.  The writings of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich contain reliable chronological information 

from God about the lives of Jesus and Mary, but may also contain some human errors and 

misunderstandings. 

3.  The writings of ancient historians, such as Josephus, Dio, Tacitus, and others, contain reliable 

chronological information, but may also contain some human errors and misunderstandings. 

4.  The generally accepted dates for events in the first century 

B.C.

 and first century 

A.D.

 cannot be 

assumed to be correct. Each date for any event must be examined and supported. 

5.  Modern astronomy can provide reliable information about the moon's phases and other celestial 

events, such as solar and lunar eclipses. 

6.  Ancient records of comet observations provide reliable information which can be helpful in 

dating certain historical events. 

Sacred Scripture 

    The most important premise relied upon for the chronology in this book is that Sacred Scripture was written 

by God and so must be entirely without error. This premise is also an article of faith. It is an essential and 

indisputable teaching of the Christian faith that the Bible was written by God. All faithful Christians believe 

that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. God chose to write the books of the Bible through many different 

human persons, who were both fallible and sinful, yet by God's Providence and Grace, God is the sole True 

Author of the Bible. The Bible contains all those things and only those things which God wills. God is 

infallible, therefore the Bible must also be infallible. God's Sacred Scripture is accurate and true, completely 

free from imperfection and error, including errors of omission. 

    Many commentators speak as if the Bible were merely a human book, as if, for example, Luke's Gospel 

could contain only Luke's imperfect understanding of events; this idea is contrary to the Christian 

understanding of Sacred Scripture. The Bible is inspired by God, and therefore must contain more than its 

human authors' imperfect understanding of events. The Bible is fundamentally different from other books and 

must not be treated as if it were one of many fallible historical documents. 

    Some theologians have even developed interpretations of the Bible which have as their premise or 

conclusion that the Bible contains some kind of error. Such ideas must be rejected because they are contrary to 

the Christian faith. We must follow our faith to be able to arrive at the whole truth. God wrote the Bible, and 

since God is infallible, there cannot possibly be any errors in the Bible. This book, Important Dates in the Lives of 

Jesus and Mary, begins with the belief that the Bible was written by God and is entirely without flaw, omission, 

or imperfection. 

    Some theologians and scholars claim to find errors in the Bible. And where are those supposed errors? 

wherever Sacred Scripture conflicts with their own ideas and theories. If the theory of any theologian or 

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