I propose that John follows a chronological arrangement in his Gospel. The specific dates listed below are predicated upon a A.D. 33 date for Jesus’ crucifixion. As is well known, the two major possibilities for the crucifixion are A.D. 30 (the traditional date) and A.D. 33. Harold Hohner, among others, in Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ and in his Dictionary of Jesus & the Gospels entry on chronology, has set forth (in my view) highly persuasive arguments for the latter, A.D. 33, date, including the fact that Luke’s reference to the 15th year of Tiberius (A.D. 14–37) in Luke 3:1 most likely refers to A.D. 29 as the start date of Jesus’ ministry.
|
Time |
Location/Event |
John |
Origin (1:1–18)
|
Eternity past |
The Word was with God |
1:1–18 |
Initial ministry (1:19–2:12; A.D. 29–30)
|
Summer/fall 29 |
John the Baptist near the Jordan |
1:19–34 |
|
Subsequently |
Jesus’ calling of his first disciples |
1:35–51 |
|
Winter/spring 30 |
The wedding at Cana of Galilee |
2:1–12 |
First Passover and first full year of ministry (2:13–4:54; A.D. 30–31)
|
April 7, 30 |
Jesus’ first Passover (Jerusalem), temple clearing |
2:13–3:21 |
|
Spring/summer 30 |
John the Baptist near the Jordan |
3:22–36 |
|
Dec./Jan./Feb. 30/31? |
Jesus’ ministry in Samaria |
4:1–45 |
|
Subsequently |
The healing at Cana of Galilee |
4:46–54 |
Second year of ministry (ch. 5; A.D. 31–32)
|
March 27, 31 |
Passover not recorded in John |
Matt. 12:1 par.? |
|
Oct. 21–28, 31? |
The Sabbath controversy (Jerusalem) |
5:1–47 |
Second Passover recorded in John and third year of ministry (6:1–11:54; A.D. 32–33)
|
April 13 or 14, 32 |
Jesus’ second Passover recorded in John (Galilee) |
6:1–21 |
|
Subsequently |
Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum |
6:22–71 |
|
Sept. 10–17, 32 |
Jesus at the feast of Tabernacles (Jerusalem) |
7:1–52; 8:12–59 |
|
Oct./Nov. 32? |
Healing of blind man, good shepherd discourse |
9:1–10:21 |
|
Dec. 18–25, 32 |
Jesus at the feast of Dedication (Jerusalem) |
10:22–39 |
|
Jan./Feb. 33? |
Jesus’ withdrawal to the area near the Jordan |
10:40–42 |
|
March 33? |
The raising of Lazarus (Bethany near Jerusalem) |
11:1–53 |
|
March 33? |
Jesus’ withdrawal to Ephraim |
11:54 |
Third Passover in John, passion week, resurrection appearances (11:55–21:25; A.D. 33)
|
Friday, March 27, 33 |
Jesus arrives at Bethany |
11:55–12:1 |
|
Saturday, March 28, 33 |
Dinner with Lazarus and his sisters |
12:2–11 |
|
Sunday, March 29, 33 |
“Triumphal entry” into Jerusalem |
12:12–50 |
|
Monday–Wednesday, March 30–April 1, 33 |
Cursing of fig tree, temple clearing, temple controversy, Olivet discourse |
Synoptics |
|
Thursday, April 2, 33 |
Jesus’ third Passover recorded in John (Jerusalem); betrayal, arrest |
13:1–18:11 |
|
Friday, April 3, 33 |
Jewish and Roman trials, crucifixion, burial |
18:12–19:42 |
|
Sunday, April 5, 33 |
The empty tomb, first resurrection appearance |
20:1–25 |
|
Sunday, April 12, 33 |
Second resurrection appearance recorded in John |
20:26–31 |
|
Prior to May 14, 33 |
Third resurrection appearance recorded in John |
21 |
To my knowledge, no similar detailed Johannine chronology has previously been proposed. Together with Craig Blomberg’s work The Historical Reliability of John’s Gospel and my contribution, “John,” to the Zondervan Illustrated Backgrounds Commentary, I believe this proposal continues to make a strong case for the historical reliability of John’s Gospel. Richard Bauckham’s volume Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Eerdmans, 2006) on the Gospels as eyewitness testimony furthers add to this trend. The time has come for scholars to take John’s Gospel seriously, not only with regard to theology, but also with regard to history. If John’s Gospel is untrue historically, how can it be true theologically?