 |
Gramps,
I’ve always been told that Jesus was born on April 6th. Is this
true and is there any historical evidence to support that? And when was he
actually resurrected? I understand that Easter is based on the moon changes
and not on the actual date. Thank you again for all the hard work you put
into this wonderful column. RI, from New Jersey |
Dear
RI,
The
only definite information that we have on the birth date of the Savior is his
own statement in a revelation given to Joseph Smith, as follows:
Which
church was organized and established in the year of your Lord eighteen hundred
and thirty, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is
called April (D&C 21:3).
President
Joseph F. Smith made the following comment about the above scripture.
“Strictly
speaking, if this Church was organized ‘one thousand eight hundred and thirty
years since the coming of our Lord and Savior in the flesh,’ then the sixth of
April must have been the anniversary of the Savior’s birthday. If the
organization of the Church had been before or subsequent to that date, if only
by one or any number of days, the great event would have been more or less than
one thousand eight hundred and thirty years by just so many days. (This argument
also holds good as to the year of Christ’s birth.) Opinions formed by the
study of chronological events may or may not be accurate. But we would scarcely
think the Lord would make any mistake about dates. Least of all he who was born
on that day, and on that day thirty-three years later was crucified” (B. H.
Roberts, Outlines of Ecclesiastical History, p.17).
Gramps