When Did Jesus Come to Earth?

The exact year of Jesus' birth remains a subject of scholarly debate. However, based on available historical and biblical evidence, scholars generally estimate that Jesus was born between 6-4 BC and 1-2 BC.

Evidence from the Gospels

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke provide genealogies of Jesus, which can be used to estimate his birth year. By calculating the number of generations and assuming an average lifespan, scholars estimate that Jesus was born around 6-4 BC.

Additionally, the Gospel of Matthew mentions that Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great, who died in 4 BC. Therefore, Jesus' birth must have occurred before that year.

Evidence from Luke

The Gospel of Luke provides another clue by mentioning that Jesus was baptized in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar's reign. Tiberius became emperor in 14 AD, which suggests that Jesus was baptized around 29 AD. Assuming that Jesus was approximately 30 years old at the time of his baptism, this would place his birth around 1-2 BC.

Ongoing Debate

It's important to note that these estimates are not universally accepted, and there is still some debate among scholars regarding the exact year of Jesus' birth. Some believe that he was born a few years earlier, while others argue for a slightly later date.

However, the timeframe of 6-4 BC to 1-2 BC is widely accepted as the most likely period for Jesus' birth, based on the available historical and biblical evidence.