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"It may be of interest to add the following remarks respecting the origin of the Vulgar Christian Era:--
"It was not until the year A.D. 532 that the Christian Era was invented by Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian by birth, and a Roman Abbot. He flourished in the reign of Justinian (A.D. 527-565). He was unwilling to connect his cycles of dates with the era of the impious tyrant and persecutor Diocletian, which began with the year A.D. 284, but chose rather to date the times of the years from the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 'to the end that the commencement of our hope might be better known to us and that the cause of man's restoration, namely, our Redeemer's passion, might appear with clearer evidence.' The year following that in which Dionysius Exiguus wrote these words to Bishop Petronius was the year 248 of the Diocletian Era. Hence the new Era of the Incarnation as it was then reckoned was 284+248=A.D. 532. Dionysius abhorred the memory of Diocletian with good reasons, for in the 1st year of his reign, from which the Diocletian Era begins, he caused a number of Christians who were celebrating Holy Communion in a cave to be buried alive there. The Diocletian Era was, from this fact, sometimes called the Era of the Martyrs.
"Dionysius reckoned the year of our Lord's birth to be the year A.U.C. 753, according to Varro's computation, i.e., the year 45 of the Julian Era. Dionysius obtained this date from Luke's statements that 'John the Baptist began his ministry in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius,' and that 'Jesus was beginning to be about 30 years of age' (Luke 3:1-23). Tiberius succeeded Augustus, August 19th, A.U.C. 767. Therefore his 15th year was A.U.C. 782. Subtract the assumed year of the Nativity, 753, and the remainder is 29 years complete or 30 current.
"But according to Matthew, Christ was born before the death of Herod, that is, according to the computation of the Chronologers, before 749. Hence the year of the Incarnation, the year A.D. 1, was fixed four years too late, and to remedy this we have to express the true date of our Lord's birth by saying that He was born B.C. 4. It was subsequently discovered that the source of the error lay, not with the Evangelists, Matthew or Luke, but in the fact that Tiberius began to reign as colleague or partner with Augustus some years before Augustus died, and that the length of his reign after Augustus' death was not 26 years, but 22. In this way the difficulties were cleared up. The Era of the Incarnation was allowed to remain and the birth of Christ was set down as having occurred in the year B.C. 4."
The accepted chronology contradicts many of the outstanding facts which are clearly set forth in various writers during the period 480-340 B.C.E. It creates more problems than it solves; in fact, it unravels none but makes many difficulties which otherwise would never appear. It necessitates the forcing upon the record strained and unnatural meanings. We must, therefore, reject it and take our stand upon the chronology which is afforded by the correct interpretation of Daniel's inspired prophecy, and which was shown in the preceding chapter.
CONCLUSION
The evidence which has been presented in this chapter shows conclusively that a most serious error has been made in the received chronology with reference to the length of the Persian period. Insurmountable difficulties have been discovered which prevent one's accepting this system, that, as we have seen, is based upon speculation and assumption. It is utterly impossible to square the known facts, presented in the Scriptures, with this system of reckoning time.
The decree for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, announced by Gabriel, was issued by Cyrus. He did this in 3589 A.H. Zerubbabel with his principal associate, Joshua the High Priest, began the long trek homeward and the work of rehabilitation.
Since the history of the Persian period is in such hopeless confusion, one cannot rely upon it for material out of which to construct a chronological system.
The time from 3589 A.H. must be reckoned by the seventy weeks of Daniel's prophecy. From that year to the cutting off of King Messiah were to be 483 years (inclusive reckoning). We take our stand upon the infallible Word of God and are convinced that He came on scheduled time.
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