The Bible does not specify the exact day, month, or year when Jesus was baptized. Biblical scholars are divided when it comes to the year Jesus was baptized. Some estimate that He was baptized in AD 29, and others in AD 26 or 27. This leaves many Christians wondering, when was Jesus baptized?
The Bible does not specify when Jesus was baptized. However, knowing the year Jesus started His ministry and was crucified makes it possible to know when He was baptized. The first group argues that Jesus began His ministry at 30 in AD 29 and was therefore baptized in AD 29. He did not take long to start His ministry after His baptism. The other group argues that Jesus died in AD 30 and was therefore baptized in AD 26 or 27.
Does the Bible say when Jesus was baptized? What year was Jesus baptized? How do historians and religious scholars estimate when Jesus was baptized? How old was Jesus when he was baptized? Keep reading to find out.
Does the Bible say when Jesus was baptized?
The Bible does not say when Jesus was baptized. However, you can use the nativity events outlined in the Gospels to establish precisely the year when Jesus was baptized. For instance, Luke 3 provides you with many clues that you can use to pinpoint the year when Jesus was baptized. For instance, the book states, “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas, and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;” Luke 3:1-3.
“Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,” Luke 3:21.
The reign of Tiberius Caesar started in AD 14. The fifteen years of his reign fell in AD 29. This is the year when John the Baptist began his ministry and baptized those who we willing to repent for the forgiveness of their sins. Jesus was also baptized during the same year. Another clue is that Jesus started His ministry when He was about 30 years of age, Luke 3:23.
What year was Jesus baptized?
Using nativity events taking place at the time, Biblical scholars have established precisely the year when He was baptized. Some believe it was in AD 29, while others believe it was in AD 26 or 27. We will look at the arguments of both groups and come up with an appropriate answer to this question.
Both groups agree that to establish the year when Jesus was baptized, one must be able to establish when He died. The group arguing that Jesus was baptized in AD 27 argues that Jesus died during the year when the Seder meal and the eve of Passover occurred on a Thursday. From this point of view, they believe that Jesus died in AD 30 or 29. Given that the ministry of Jesus lasted for about three years and that He began His ministry no long after He was baptized, this group argues that Jesus was baptized in AD 26 or 27.
The other group bases their argument on a nativity event outlined in Luke 3:1-3. This passage states that John the Baptist started baptizing people during the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Therefore, given that his reign started in AD 14, the 15th year of his reign fell around AD 29. It was during the same period that Jesus was baptized. Soon after His baptism and the Holy Spirit descending upon Him, Jesus started His ministry here on earth as it was supposed to be; “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,” Luke 3:23. Therefore, Jesus was baptized in AD 29.
Although it was not mentioned earlier, it is worth stating that there is a group that remains in the middle by not choosing sides between these two groups. For instance, Minister Phil Johnson of Calvary Chapel Augusta states that Jesus was baptized between AD 27 and 29 and died between AD 30 and 36.
However, the more popular of the two arguments is the one stating that Jesus was baptized in AD 29. This is so because it aligns with the generally accepted belief that Jesus died on April 3, AD 33.
How do historians and religious scholars estimate when Jesus was baptized?
Historians and religious scholars estimated when Jesus was baptized by through several methods. The first is establishing when He was crucified and deducting three years (the time He ministered) to arrive at the time He started His ministry, which is the same as when He was baptized. The second method involves establishing the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, which is the time when John Baptist started baptizing people. It is also the time Jesus was baptized.
How old was Jesus when he was baptized?
The Bible does specify how old Jesus was when He was baptized. However, His age at the time of baptism can be established by knowing when He was born and when He was baptized. Jesus was born at the end of 5 BC and was baptized in AD 29. Therefore, He was about 33 years when He was baptized.
References
evidenceforchristianity.org. (2009). What year did Jesus get baptized? Retrieved January 7, 2023
ccaugusta.org. (2021). What year was Jesus baptized?Retrieved January 7, 2023
kingjamesbibleonline.org. (n.d.). Official king James Bible online. Retrieved January 7, 2023
bibleask.org. (2020). At what age did Jesus get baptized? Retrieved January 7, 2023
bibleask.org. (2023, January 3). When did Jesus get baptized? Retrieved January 7, 2023
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