Tradition!

In a Discovery News report, geologists claim they have pinpointed the exact date of the Crucifixion—April 3rd 33 AD! Wow how incredible is that?

One of the geologists, Jefferson Williams quoted a Nature paper authored by Colin Humphreys and Graeme Waddington. Williams summarized their work as follows:

• All four gospels and Tacitus in Annals (XV,44) agree that the crucifixion occurred when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea from 26-36 AD.
• All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday.
• All four gospels agree that Jesus died a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath (nightfall on a Friday).
• The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 15th day of Nisan; right before the start of the Passover meal.
• John’s gospel differs from the synoptics; apparently indicating that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan.

I wonder why these researchers chose this obscure quote from some Nature paper, which is obviously flawed, to get clues.  I wonder why the author, Jennifer Viegas, who wrote the story in Discovery News, seems to just be accepting this quote as factual, re-stating everything she’s told, as a given, and didn’t do any fact finding on her own? I originally read about this story in an editorial by Joseph Farah. He made some very simple but interesting observations.

None of the Gospels say the Crucifixion was on a Friday–and, despite the tradition of “Good Friday,” there is no way that’s possible if Jesus was three days and three nights in the tomb. Jesus was crucified during Passover week – a week with more than one Sabbath, a factor often overlooked by Christians and non-Christians devoid of understanding of the biblical feast days. Lastly, they wrongly claim that the synoptic Gospels disagree with John’s Gospel.

Like Farah I’d like to know about the earthquake and the darkness that occurred when Jesus was crucified. But not by twisting the Word of God and relying on the traditions of man—

I think we as Christians, want people to believe that God is real—that everyone can know and be assured of that knowledge. We fall into the trap of religion versus science—but that is not the controversy. The real issue is the science of one religion (God’s) and the science of another religion (humanism). And unfortunately every time some scientific fact comes down from the humanism gods, we all incorporate part or all of what these people tell us as fact.

After 2,000 years, it’s time to put away the tradition and get back to the biblically established facts.

Amen and Amen!