How long was Jesus's ministry?

[Shilohsfoal]

1 hour ago, JoeCanada said:

I don't see this as being relevant.

You do?

You said

"Maybe it does to a person's interpretation of other scriptures and their whole end-time theory..... and they have to have exactly 3 1/2 years to make everything fit.............................. "

 

 

The verse I quoted shows everything fits in a 3.5 year period.That is how relevant the verse is to your remark about the 3.5 year end time period.

 

 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time.^[b] When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.”

 

 

That's 3.5 years.

Edited March 17 by Shilohsfoal

[Mr. M]

9 hours ago, JoeCanada said:

Here are the three Passovers mentioned by John:

Passover #1 - John 2:13 - at the beginning of Jesus's ministry

Passover #2 - John 6:4

Passover #3 - John 11:55 - at the crucifixion.

John carefully and clearly identifies each of them as Passovers, so there is no doubt that they are specifically Passovers.

Luke 4:

 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.

And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

John 6:4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 

In John 6, he is purposely pairing the account of multiplying

loaves, with Jesus later teaching "I am the bread of life".

There is no necessity to assume another Passover is occurring,

unless he stated, "the following year, when the Passover was once

again upon them". He is simply stating as he recalls that miracle,

that the time of occurrence was as the Passover approached.

In chapter two, He is in Jerusalem for the feast. The miracle took

place in the wilderness in route.

In chapter 11, the time of the Passover "was near". 

He was crucified before the feast.

Here is why I accept that the "acceptable year of the Lord"

was one year. He went to Jerusalem 3 times as required by Law

during times of feasts. Each time He confronted the citizens 

and the leaders. They rejected Him. Are we really to believe

that He said "No? Okay, I will be back next year for the 

"acceptable year of the Lord" round two? I do not.

I won't debate scholarly interpretation, but "a time, times

and half" in Daniel does not convince me that what He

said in Luke 4 should taken in any way but literally.

[NConly]

3 hours ago, JoeCanada said:

So Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in Matt 3.... then He was led into the desert for 40 days, after which Satan tempted Him. 

For how long was the temptation we aren't told, but I would surmise it was for a few days maybe.

Then Jesus went back to Galillee from where He came. 

This is just a small narrative that could easily fit into the 2 or so years that John records as to the length of Jesus' ministry.

But I have a feeling this is not what you were looking for is it?

Correct this does not address my question.

My quoted verses starts after the Devil left Jesus verse 11. And yes Jesus went to John and was baptized and the went to  live near Galilee of the Gentiles. Soon after reaching Galilee of Gentiles Jesus heard John was in Prison.   Matt 4:17 is the start of Jesus Preaching the Gospel as ( he did this in public in Galilee ) he started while John was in prison. Not sure how long John was in prison.

 

Edited March 17 by NConly
edit

[JoeCanada]

7 minutes ago, NConly said:

Correct this does not address my question.

My quoted verses starts after the Devil left Jesus verse 11. And yes Jesus went to John and was baptized and the went to  live near Galilee of the Gentiles. Soon after reach Galilee of Gentiles he heard John was in Prison which I read John was in prison less than a year. It is my opinion Matt 4:17 is the start of Jesus Preaching the Gospel as ( he did this in public in Galilee ) he started while John was in prison and john being in prison less than a year before being beheaded imo John would have died within the first year Jesus started Preaching the Gospel.

 

Ok.

So what are you saying about the length of time of Jesus' ministry? Is it less than 2 years....more than 2 years?

I'm still not sure of the point you are making. Sorry.

[NConly]

Just now, JoeCanada said:

Ok.

So what are you saying about the length of time of Jesus' ministry? Is it less than 2 years....more than 2 years?

I'm still not sure of the point you are making. Sorry.

Sorry I edited my other post maybe as you read it. I was just saying when Jesus preached in Galilee of Gentiles was when he started Preaching the Gospel for first time as said in Matt 4.

[JoeCanada]

1 hour ago, Mr. M said:

Luke 4:

 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.

And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

John 6:4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 

In John 6, he is purposely pairing the account of multiplying

loaves, with Jesus later teaching "I am the bread of life".

There is no necessity to assume another Passover is occurring,

unless he stated, "the following year, when the Passover was once

again upon them". He is simply stating as he recalls that miracle,

that the time of occurrence was as the Passover approached.

In chapter two, He is in Jerusalem for the feast. The miracle took

place in the wilderness in route.

In chapter 11, the time of the Passover "was near". 

He was crucified before the feast.

Here is why I accept that the "acceptable year of the Lord"

was one year. He went to Jerusalem 3 times as required by Law

during times of feasts. Each time He confronted the citizens 

and the leaders. They rejected Him. Are we really to believe

that He said "No? Okay, I will be back next year for the 

"acceptable year of the Lord" round two? I do not.

I won't debate scholarly interpretation, but "a time, times

and half" in Daniel does not convince me that what He

said in Luke 4 should taken in any way but literally.

Yes I have read many commentaries about Jesus' ministry being only about a year long.

Could very well be.

The thing is that we aren't told how long Jesus ministered for.

John's gospel seems to be the closest chronology.

I just don't buy the 3-4 year ministry.

[Neighbor]

Interesting subject in that it calls for definitions of ministry to start with. Plus it is helpful perhaps to know that culturally a Rabbi had to have been at least thirty years old.

Perhaps the acknowledgement by John the Baptist that his own ministry  is at an ending and Jesus' ministry is at a beginning provides an event point of beginung, if not an exact date.  John 3 :22-36

 If culturally anyone called Rabbi would have to have been at least 30 years old ( as age was then counted) would Jesus have been at least 30 (29 as age is more commonly counted now) at that moment of time that Jesus  was baptizing? Is that not the beginning point for calculating His earthly ministry with the acceptance of title Rabbi?

He may have spoken  and amazed by speaking among the people and rabbi's before that time doing so as one of authority rather than one asking questions, doing so even at an earlier age of 12; but a formal acknowledgement of a ministry would have required he had reached age 30, would it not?

 

[Neighbor]

1 minute ago, Neighbor said:

Interesting subject in that it calls for definitions of ministry to start with. Plus it is helpful perhaps to know that culturally a Rabbi had to have been at least thirty years old.

Perhaps the acknowledgement by John the Baptist that his own ministry  is at an ending and Jesus' ministry is at a beginning provides an event point of beginung, if not an exact date.  John 3 :22-36

 If culturally anyone called Rabbi would have to have been at least 30 years old ( as age was then counted) would Jesus have been at least 30 (29 as age is more commonly counted now) at that moment of time that Jesus  was baptizing? Is that not the beginning point for calculating His earthly ministry with the acceptance of title Rabbi?

He may have spoken  and amazed by speaking among the people and Rabbi's before that time doing so as one of authority rather than one asking questions, doing so even at an earlier age of 12; but a formal acknowledgement of a ministry would have required he had reached age 30, would it not?

 

 

[Charlie744]

This may not be as difficult as it may seem. During my study of the book of Daniel this was something that needed to be addressed. 
 

So, please consider:

1) In verse 9:27 Daniel tells us that the Messiah will be “cut off” (crucified) in the midst (middle) of the week. 
 
2) The Messiah was baptized in the Jordan on the first day of the 70th week of the 70 weeks of years prophecy. 
 

3) Within these (or any) 7 year period there must be no less than 7 Passover Feasts. It doesn’t matter when the first one begins within that 7 year period, there can be no less than 7.

4) Although some may argue that the term “midst” does NOT have to mean exactly right in the middle of the 7 year period, we can confirm that this term “midst” DOES EQUATE TO THE DAY OF THE PASSOVER IN THAT PERIOD / YEAR (can not have more than one Passover Feast in any one year).

5) Thus, if the Passover Feast (time of His crucifixion) is in the “midst of the week,” then there must be 3 Passover Feasts BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE ONE HE WAS CRUCIFIED. 
 

6) The only way this can work is that the Messiah was baptized on Day 1 of the last week (7 year period), and here would be the Passover schedule for this last week:

a) Day 1 - baptized in Jordan,

        1) next main event would be His 40 days in the desert being tempted,

b) Day 180 - attend 1st  Passover (it is now 1/2 years into His ministry, 

c) Day 540 (180 + 360). This is one year later and is His second Passover (it is now 1 1/2 years into His ministry),

d) Day 900 (540 + 360). This is another year later and is His third Passover (it is now 2 1/2 years into His ministry),

e) Day 1260 (900 + 360). This is another year later and is His fourth and final Passover while on earth. This is the day of His crucifixion (it is now 3 1/2 years into His ministry.

f) There would be 3 more Passover Feasts to honor within the remaining 3.5 years of the last week or 7 year period of the prophecy. And this would have meant the 7th Passover would take place exactly 1/2 years BEFORE the end of the 7 years. 

This also symbolizes the Messiah would fulfill the first 4 Holy Festivals during His earthly ministry- Passover to Pentecost. The last 3 will be fulfilled at His second coming. He will arrive on the Day of Trumpets. 

 

 

[JoeCanada]

33 minutes ago, Charlie744 said:

This may not be as difficult as it may seem. During my study of the book of Daniel this was something that needed to be addressed. 
 

So, please consider:

1) In verse 9:27 Daniel tells us that the Messiah will be “cut off” (crucified) in the midst (middle) of the week. 
 
2) The Messiah was baptized in the Jordan on the first day of the 70th week of the 70 weeks of years prophecy. 
 

3) Within these (or any) 7 year period there must be no less than 7 Passover Feasts. It doesn’t matter when the first one begins within that 7 year period, there can be no less than 7.

4) Although some may argue that the term “midst” does NOT have to mean exactly right in the middle of the 7 year period, we can confirm that this term “midst” DOES EQUATE TO THE DAY OF THE PASSOVER IN THAT PERIOD / YEAR (can not have more than one Passover Feast in any one year).

5) Thus, if the Passover Feast (time of His crucifixion) is in the “midst of the week,” then there must be 3 Passover Feasts BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE ONE HE WAS CRUCIFIED. 
 

6) The only way this can work is that the Messiah was baptized on Day 1 of the last week (7 year period), and here would be the Passover schedule for this last week:

a) Day 1 - baptized in Jordan,

        1) next main event would be His 40 days in the desert being tempted,

b) Day 180 - attend 1st  Passover (it is now 1/2 years into His ministry, 

c) Day 540 (180 + 360). This is one year later and is His second Passover (it is now 1 1/2 years into His ministry),

d) Day 900 (540 + 360). This is another year later and is His third Passover (it is now 2 1/2 years into His ministry),

e) Day 1260 (900 + 360). This is another year later and is His fourth and final Passover while on earth. This is the day of His crucifixion (it is now 3 1/2 years into His ministry.

f) There would be 3 more Passover Feasts to honor within the remaining 3.5 years of the last week or 7 year period of the prophecy. And this would have meant the 7th Passover would take place exactly 1/2 years BEFORE the end of the 7 years. 

This also symbolizes the Messiah would fulfill the first 4 Holy Festivals during His earthly ministry- Passover to Pentecost. The last 3 will be fulfilled at His second coming. He will arrive on the Day of Trumpets. 

 

 

Charlie....

John records Jesus' ministry..... from His baptism to His crucifixion.

John records Jesus attending only 3 Passovers.... and 3 other Feasts.

Where are the scriptures to support Jesus attending 4 Passovers?

What about scripture to support Jesus' baptism to His first Passover being 6 months?

With all due respect brother, I see your explanation  as conjecture,  without scriptural evidence, trying to support a theory.

And as Mr. M stated.... there is also support for a one year (+-) ministry.

But a 3 1/2 year ministry is what is generally held by the vast majority (99%) of people, and I reckon you don't buy into what the vast majority of people believe.