Jesus Christ was born on 05-23

10. Circumcision of Jesus and the New Man

Presently, we celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, 12-25 in Western Christian churches, and sometime in January in the Eastern Orthodox churches. The spirit of Ama said that Jesus was born on 05-23, and from 2004 to 2006, more that 20 years since I first heard it, I was able to prove that the date is correct, the results of which is in http://aristean.org/birthmay23.htm .

According to Ama, there should be no mass on Christm...as Day because the mass is about the death of Jesus . He was just born and then we talk about His death already. What He recommends is we talk about the birth of Jesus and reminisces about happy times. What I suggest is Christmas Day be called Nativity Day.

Luke 2:21 states, "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcision of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb." This eighth day is in Genesis 17:12, 21:4; and Leviticus 12:3. Pasiong Mahal, on page 22, states that this circumcision is the first blood of the Messiah who bore the sins and delivered the people whom He loved.

According to Ama, by being baptized, a person is registered in Heaven. Jesus said in John 3:5, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

On the eighth day is also the New Man ("Bagong Tao"). Presently, it falls on 05-31. When the Aristean calendar is adopted, it will be 06-01, Saturday.

11. The Three Kings

Three Kings is celebrated as Epiphany, now, on the Sunday between 01-02 and 01-08 inclusive. It used to be on 01-06.

Oftentimes, what is depicted in the nativity scene are Jesus, Joseph, Mary, some shepherds, and the Three Kings. But when Jesus was born, that was the only time when the Star of Bethlehem appeared to the Three Kings. It took them fourteen days, on 33 BC 06-06 to be exact, when they reached Jesus. Two weeks and not two years after His birth.

They were really kings, not magi, which the spirit of Ama revealed to us (plural), confirming what is stated on pages 23-25 of Pasiong Mahal. Their names were Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar from three different kingdoms east of Jerusalem, namely: Saba or Sheba (I think, now is Yemen), Arabia (now Saudi Arabia), and Persia (now Iran).

They met along the way as they neared Jerusalem. When they arrived at where Jesus was, they kissed His feet and offered their gifts. They also laid their scepters and crowns at the feet of Jesus.

King Melchor offered bitter myrrh "because He is true man who will save mankind from sins." King Gaspar offered frankincense "because He is true God, merciful and savior to a praying person." King Baltazar offered gold "because He is truly king, owner and holder of gold and this world." (Quotation from Pasiong Mahal which I hope I have translated properly.)

The Three Kings are in Matthew 2:1-18 and Pasiong Mahal, pages 23-25

12. Departure of the Three Kings

Pasiong Mahal on page 25 says that after a few days of their visit, they bid adieu to Joseph and Mary. The spirit of Ama said that the Three Kings stayed at Bethlehem for one week. Their stay in Bethlehem, therefore, would be from 33 BC 06-06 to 06-13 or from 3728 Sivan 24 to Tammuz 1.

Matthew 2:12 states: "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way." Pasiong Mahal ...says that on the night before they finally departed, an angel of the Lord told them not to show up to King Herod the Great anymore.

Pasiong Mahal.says that on the night before they finally departed, an angel of the Lord told them not to show up to King Herod the Great anymore.

They heeded what the angel told them. They passed in another way to avoid Jerusalem. Since they were from the east of Palestine, namely, Persia, Arabia, and Sheba or Saba, their kingdoms must be beyond the Dead Sea.

They might have travelled to Ein Feshcha (Ein Feshkha) which was due east of Bethlehem and south of Qumran, and then to the northern shores of the Dead Sea. Since it was June, there was no rain. The wadi of Kidron was dry and not dangerous to cross or traverse. The Kidron passes south of Jerusalem and east of Bethlehem, and empties into the Dead Sea.

For a picture of the brook of Kidron, please search for "Kidron" or "Kedron", and "Ein Feshcha" or "Ein Feshkha".

13. King Herod sought cure for his ailments

After meeting the Three Kings in Jerusalem, he waited for their return and he was frustrated. About the last week of June, he went to Callirrhoe by the eastern shores of the Dead Sea to cure his ailments. He had to cross the Kidron Valley. Since it was summer, there was no problem crossing it, but during the rainy months of October to May, one may be swept away by the torrent of the river (1 Kings 2:37).

King Herod the Great sought cure for his ailments. He bathed himself in the hot baths at Callirrhoe. Josephus described his ailments in Antiquities, Book XVII, Chapter 6, Section 5, "His entrails were also ex-ulcerated, and the chief violence of his pain lay on his colons; an aqueous and transparent liquor also had settled itself about his feet, and a like matter afflicted him at the bottom of his belly. Nay, further, his privy-member was putrefied, and produced worms; and when he sat upright, he had a difficulty of breathing, which was very loathsome, on account of the stench of his breath, and the quickness of its returns; he had also convulsions in all parts of his body, which increased his strength to an insufferable degree."

From Callirrhoe, he was to return to Jerusalem which is 57 km (36 mi) away, or about at a day's travel. But since he was very ill, he did not proceed anymore. He took residence at the Royal Palace at Jericho. He was nearer Herodium where he commanded to be buried. He might have preferred to stay here and die instead of dying in Jerusalem. He might not have been that popular especially among the Jewish populace of Jerusalem even though he was a practicing Jew (he was of Arab origin from both parents).

This is the reason why King Herod the Great was in Jericho when he died.

14. Mary's uncleanliness and presentation of Jesus

Jesus was a male and the first born. The fortieth day of Mary's uncleanliness was on 33 BC 07-01 or 3728 Tammuz 19, Monday. As unclean, "she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purifying be fulfilled" (Leviticus 12:4). After registering for the census, the Holy Family did not return to Nazareth after Jesus was born, but stayed in Bethlehem because Nazareth was far to go back and forth to Jerusalem. They have to present Him to the LORD in Jerusalem since He was the firstborn. The firstborn belongs to the LORD (Luke 2:22-24; Exodus 13:1-2).

On 33 BC 07-02 or 3728 Tammuz 20, Tuesday, Mary had completed the 40-day uncleanliness period and could now enter the Temple. The Holy Family left for presentation of Jesus at the Temple (Luke 2:22).

Since Joseph and Mary were poor, they could not afford a lamb. They just brought two young pigeons--one for burnt offering and the other as a sin offering (Luke 2:24). The priest made an atonement for Mary and made her clean (Leviticus 12:8).

What happened in the presentation of Jesus in the Temple are in Luke 2:25-39 and on page 27 of Pasiong Mahal.

The people in Jerusalem became troubled since that presentation of Jesus in the Temple. They heard about Jesus from the shepherds from Bethlehem who visited Jesus when He was born. They became more troubled when the Three Kings came to Jerusalem looking for the newly King of the Jews a few weeks earlier (Pasiong Mahal, page 28).

15. Plight to Egypt

After the presentation of Jesus on 33 BC 07-02 or 3728 Tammuz 20, Tuesday, at the temple in Jerusalem, the Holy Family returned to their home in Nazareth in the north. On the first night, an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt for King Herod the Great sought Jesus to destroy Him (Matthew 2:13). That night, 33 BC 07-03 or 3728 Tammuz 21, Wednesday, the Holy Family fled south to Egypt. There was still moonshine since it was the 21st of the month though the moon was waning. And the night was warm and no rain since it was summer.

On page 29 of Pasiong Mahal, when Mary became tired of carrying Jesus, He was given to Joseph. Along the way, angels sang worshipping without end. The trees that they passed bowed to give respect.

(part 2 of 3)

King Herod the Great in Jericho learned of the trouble that was brewing in Jerusalem because of the birth of the new King of he Jews who he perceived was his competitor for power. Herod realized that the Three Kings tricked him by not reporting back to him after they found the young child. He ordered his soldiers to go to Bethlehem and arrest the Three Kings who visited him in his palace in Jerusalem a few weeks earlier. If they did not find the Three Kings, he wanted them to bring over the child. His soldiers followed his orders but returned empty-handed. The Three Kings were long gone. The Holy Family had already left Jerusalem for Nazareth after the rites at the Temple.

In the soldiers' pursuit of the Holy Family, a tree opened its trunk and let the Holy Family in. They heard the farmers said to the soldiers that when they passed by, they were planting. Now, they were already harvesting. So six months had already gone. Also, the farmers were pointing to a different direction where they had gone.

(part 3 of 3)

It was in the plight to Egypt that Jesus first met Dimas and Hestas, the two thieves crucified with Him at Calvary. In a meeting, Hestas proposed that the family be killed. He said that if they released them, they might report to town authorities their whereabouts. Dimas was the head of the band of thieves, and before he joined in, it was agreed that women, children, and old persons would be respected. Since there was disagreement, they settled it in a fight. If Hestas won, the family would be killed. Dimas won, and released the family. But he resigned as head of the band. Hestas robbed them of the gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh of the Three Kings. (This was related by the late Marcial Aguila, a listener of the spirit of Ama.)

The Holy Family stayed in Egypt until advised to go back to the land of Israel (Matthew 2:19-23),

These are in Matthew chapter 2, pages 29-30 of Pasiong Mahal, and stories related by Marcial Aguila, and by Ama.

16. Slaughter of the innocents

The next day, 33 BC 07-04 or 3728 Tammuz 22, Thursday, King Herod the Great ordered the killing of children in Bethlehem and surrounding villages. The spirit of Ama said that the children were three years old and below. The soldiers entered every house and every room in their search, decapitating the children, and draining the blood from their bodies which almost muddied the streets of the city. Ama said that 15,000 children were killed, excluding the fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters of these children who might have resisted.

Jeremiah 31:15 states: "Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not," This is what Matthew 2:17-18 is referring to.

Because of his action, King Herod had constant fever. His body had sores that people avoided being near him. He sweat maggots. Only three people in this world, according to Ama, were eaten by maggots while still alive (about 1970s or 1980s): King Herod the Great, Adolf Hitler, and Rafael Chico of Baliwag, Bulacan, Philippines.

These came from Matthew 2:16-18, pages 30-31 of Pasiong Mahal, and stories related by Ama.

17. Flavius Josephus

The slaughter of innocent children is reported in the Holy Bible but not in the account of the life of King Herod the Great by the first century AD historian Flavius Josephus. It is in Antiquities of the Jews or Antiquities, for short, Book XVII, Chapter 7, Section 1; Chapter 8. Section 1; and History of the Jewish War or Wars, for short, Book 1, Chapter 33, Sections 5-7. Please google them. I have included them in my study (http://aristean.org/birthmay23.htm) because it was towards the end of the life of King Herod. Josephus was a Jew.

The instruction of King Herod to his sister Salome and her husband Alexas to slaughter those in the Hippodrome, his attempted suicide, and his order of the slaying of his son Antipater, happened on 33 BC 07-09 or 3728 Tammuz 27, Tuesday (calculated, five days before his death).

King Herod was giving instructions to Salome and Alexas when letters from his ambassadors to Rome came that said upon Caesar's order, Acme was to be put to death, and with regards to Antipater, Caesar left the decision to Herod, his father and king, to either have him banished (exiled) or killed. King Herod ordered the killing of his son Antipater and made Archelaus, his eldest son, to be his successor. He made Antipas, the brother of Archelaus, a tetrarch.

King Herod had continuous fever and his sweat turned to maggots. No one wanted to be near him. He was overborne by pain, had a convulsive cough, and distemper. These may have been the reasons why he tried to commit suicide.

18. First day of the first month

After the Jewish month of Tammuz is the month of Av. Av is the eleventh month of the civil lunar calendar which starts in the month of Tishri. In 33 BC, the first month of the religious purely lunar calendar fell in the month of Av. 3728 Av 1 was equal to 33 BC 07-12.

The sighting of the new moon heralded the start of a Jewish month. God commanded the Israelites to celebrate the first day of the month as a joyful occasion in what is referred to as the New Moon Festival or Rosh Hodesh (Hebrew: Head of the month; Numbers 28:11-15). The festival was a major festival imposing abstention from business and work. The Jews visited the Temple of Jerusalem for a special sacrifice and held a family celebration.

During the time of Jesus. the Jews were using two types of calendars: a purely lunar calendar which has twelve months in a lunar year (354-355 days in a lunar year) for religious purposes, and a lunisolar calendar which has twelve or thirteen months in a lunar year (353-385 days in a lunar year) for civil purposes.

In the religious purely lunar calendar, there is no intercalation that is done. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, fasts, Feast of the Dedication, and Saturday Sabbath are in this calendar.

In the civil lunisolar calendar, a month called Adar Sheni (Second Adar or Adar II) is inserted on the third, sixth, eighth, eleventh, fourteenth, seventeenth, and nineteenth years in a 19-year Metonic Cycle to keep the months in line with the seasons. The High Holidays of New Year's Day (Rosh Hashanah), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Feast of Tabernacles/Ingathering/Shelters (Sukkoth) are in this calendar.

19. Death of King Herod the Great

King Herod the Great died on "the fifth day after he had caused Antipater to be slain" (Antipater was slain on 3728 Tammuz 27 or 33 BC 07-09, Tuesday) as noted by Josephus in Antiquities, Book XVII, Chapter 8, Section 1; and in Wars, Book 1, Chapter 33, Section 8. He was 70 years old when he died at the Royal Palace in Jericho.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, this is what it says about King Herod: "He was in great pain and in mental and physical disorder. He altered his will three times and finally disinherited and killed his firstborn, Antipater. The slaying, shortly before his death, of the infants of Bethlehem was wholly consistent with the disarray into which he had fallen. After an unsuccessful attempt at suicide, Herod died. His testament provided that, subject to Augustus' sanction, his realm would be divided among his sons: Archelaus should be king of Judaea and Samaria, with Philip and Antipas sharing the remainder as tetrarchs."

When King Herod died, the first month of the religious lunar calendar fell in the month of Av in the civil lunisolar calendar. Av is the eleventh month of the civil lunisolar calendar which starts in the month of Tishri. Av falls in the months of July and August. So King Herod died sometime in July or August. Using the second day of the month, he therefore died on 3728 Av 2 or 33 BC 07-13, Saturday. The traditional date of his death is Shevat 2. Presently, Shevat is the eleventh month of the religious calendar falling sometime in January or February, Shevat must have been chosen to agree with the account of Josephus that King Herod died before the Passover Festival (Pesach) and on the eleventh month. Since the Passover Festival was fixed in the month of Nisan when the Jewish calendar was reformed in 358 AD, the eleventh month must be Shevat. The Passover Festival was held on 3728 Av 14-21 or 33 BC 07-25 to 08-01, or twelve days after his death.

Part 2 of 2 (No. 19. Death of King Herod the Great)

When King Herod the Great died, the first month of the religious lunar calendar fell in the month of Av in the civil lunisolar calendar. Av is the eleventh month of the civil lunisolar calendar which starts in the month of Tishri. Av falls in the months of July and August. So King Herod died sometime in July or August. Using the second day of the month, he therefore died on 3728 Av 2 or 33 BC 07-13, Saturday.

The traditional date of his death is Shevat 2. Presently, Shevat is the eleventh month of the religious calendar falling sometime in January or February. Shevat must have been chosen to agree with the account of Josephus that King Herod died before the Passover Festival (Pesach) and on the eleventh month. Since the Passover Festival was fixed in the month of Nisan when the Jewish calendars were reformed in 358 AD, the eleventh month must be Shevat. The Passover Festival was held on 3728 Av 14-21 or 33 BC 07-25 to 08-01, 12 days after his death.