OF THE NATIVITY WAS 8 B.C. 



209 



the only one which has all the evidence in its favour." Since 

 he wrote tiiese last words the line of investigation connected 

 with the course of Abijah has been added. This strongly 

 confirms the autumn of 8 B.C. and most probably the initial day 

 of the Feast of Tabernacles as the date of the Nativity. 



It is not unlikely that other lines of investigation may be 

 found by other seekers to attest this date for the Nativity : on 

 the other hand, it is possible that flaws may be found in some 

 •of the deductions in the preceding pages. At any rate it is 

 hoped that this article may help to direct general attention to 

 this subject now that so much data is at our disposal. 



If this date is received as true, the reader of the Scriptures 

 may perhaps find a practically fresh system of Bible study 

 •opening before him ; because it will establish the trustworthiness 

 of other methods by which the dates 8 B.C. for the Nativity and 

 A.D. 29 for the Crucifixion were found without the aid of 

 historical data other than those of a most general kind to which 

 all agree. 



The new methods depend upon a sound principle laid down 

 long ago by Sir Isaac Newton that our Lord constantly alluded 

 to things actually present in His teaching. 



There are (it is believed) several allusions in the gospels to 

 the actual periods of the shining of the Morning Star, during 

 the time of Christ's life on earth ; these cyclical periods are 

 readily known from ordinary astronomical calculations, hence 

 various gospel events can be dated, chief among them being the 

 Nativity and the Crucifixion. There are also many allusions in 

 the gospels to contemporary events connected with the Sabbath 

 years a.d. 26-27, and one or two to the Sabbath year 10-9 B.C., 

 hence another independent chronology is obtained. 



These new methods both indicated 8 B.C. for the Nativity and 

 A.D. 29 for the Crucifixion. Although this latter date agrees 

 with tliat which is now generally thought to be probable, the 

 •date 8 B.C. found by the new methods for the Nativity was a 

 good deal earlier than the date 6 B.C., which, until lately, had 

 found most general acceptance. At first considerable disappoint- 

 ment was felt, and endeavours were made to see if the new 

 methods would give results in accord with general opinion, but 

 this they refused to do. Canon Sanday was then asked if any 

 known historical data gave a positive denial to this early date. 

 He most kindly replied, that he did not know of any, but he 

 wrote that there are two historical points in favour of the date 

 ■8 B.C. :"(1) That it would probably suit the cycles of census 



