The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ 

surrounding events, occurred sometime before 4 p.m.  All these events took place near the Cross, at a little 

before four o'clock, during the time that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were gathering together the 

articles necessary for burial of Jesus. 

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The Year of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ 

    The Catholic Church has no official teaching telling us in which year Christ died and rose from the dead. 

And, as far as I know, no Christian denomination has an official teaching on the year of the Crucifixion. I 

believe that the year can be determined, based on information given in Sacred Scripture, along with additional 

information from other, non canonical sources. The conclusion as to which year saw the Crucifixion and 

Resurrection of Christ is not a part of essential Christian teaching, and so, does not have the same certitude as 

the articles of faith. I am absolutely certain that Jesus Christ died for our salvation, but I am less certain as to 

when He died for us. Even so, as far as the certainty of mere human knowledge (as opposed to Divine 

Revelation) can go, I am convinced of my conclusion as to the year of the Crucifixion of Jesus, and the years 

of other important events. 

    Below you will find two separate lines of reasoning, each of which can stand on its own without the other, 

and each of which arrives at the same conclusion as to the year of the Crucifixion. Both depend, in part, on the 

words of God's Sacred Infallible Scripture. One line of reasoning also depends on the words of Blessed Anne 

Catherine Emmerich. The other argument depends  on a new chronology for the reigns of various Roman 

emperors and rulers (presented in detail in chapters 12, 13, and 14). Either line of reasoning can stand on its 

own, without any reference to the other, except of course that both make use of Sacred Scripture. 

The Length of the Ministry of Jesus Christ 

    There is no plain statement in the Gospels as to the length of Jesus' Ministry. However, there are some clear 

indications in Sacred Scripture that His Ministry lasted about 3  years. 

     And he said, `Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there 

were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, 

when there came a great famine over all the land; and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, 

in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.'   (Lk 4:24 26; cf. James 5:17 18; 1 Kings 17). 

    Jesus was teaching in a synagogue in his own country, in Nazareth, when He said these words (Lk 4:16). He 

was not only comparing Himself to the prophet Elijah, but was also comparing His Ministry to the time of 3  

years of famine during Elijah's ministry. Jesus came to Israel in a time of spiritual famine, when the people 

were in great need of true spiritual food; and He fed them with His teaching and His life. Elijah's ministry 

during the time of drought and famine was a foreshadowing of Jesus' Ministry. 

    In this passage from the Old Testament, Elijah refers to the drought as lasting three years (1 Kings 17:1). 

Jesus did not have to mention any length of time when comparing His Ministry to the ministry of Elijah 

during the drought. But Jesus mentions the length of time and gives us the more specific information that the 

full length of the drought was 3  years for a reason, because the length of this drought matches the length of 

His Ministry, which was about 3  years.

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     He told them another parable. `The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three 

measures of meal, till it was all leavened.'   (Mt 13:33). 

    The leaven represents the teaching of Christ Jesus (cf. Mt 16:12), and the three measures of meal represents 

the three years of the Ministry of Jesus. These three years were the beginning of the establishment of the 

kingdom of heaven on earth, the beginning of the Christian Church. This parable reflects the understanding of 

Jesus that His Ministry would last about 3 years. 

     And he told this parable: `A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and 

found none. And he said to the vinedresser,  Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, 

and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?  And he answered him,  Let it alone, sir, this 

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