Which brings me to one of my hobby horses:
We already agree that our calendar is wrong, off by anywhere from 2 to 16 years, depending on who’s doing the reckoning, and further in error because of the absence of a year zero.
The more fundamental point is that God did not intend us to mark His years by the birth of Jesus.
If He had intended this we would have a Biblical fixing of the date.
Further, the day of Jesus’ birth is unremarkable as all men are born.
However, very few return from the dead, that event is remarkable, and it is the defining moment of Christianity, the very moment of proof that his sacrifice was not in vain. And the Bible gives a precise reference for when this happened!
Clearly this was the date the calendar was supposed to start!
For extra points, this makes our calendar off by anywhere from 17 to 30 years. That makes this something like Holy Year 1978 to Holy Year 1991, giving us anywhere from 9 to 22 years to get our affairs in order before the real end of the millennium...
The more fundamental point is that God did not intend us to mark His years by the birth of Jesus.
If He had intended this we would have a Biblical fixing of the date.
Clearly this was the date the calendar was supposed to start!
I'll let the above statements speak for themselves.
Further, the day of Jesus’ birth is unremarkable as all men are born.
True all men are born, but not to virgins through immaculate conception and are the Son of God.
However, very few return from the dead, that event is remarkable, and it is the defining moment of Christianity, the very moment of proof that his sacrifice was not in vain. And the Bible gives a precise reference for when this happened!
Christ resurrected Lazarus from the dead and indeed Christ's assention is the defining moment in Christianity. Another defining moment is when Christ said that "No one come to the Father but through me" Probably the most definitive as well as divisive words ever spoken. I realize that has nothing to do with the date but thought I'd mention it.
The Bible references the Ascension based on the day of his death (3 days later) therefore dates are based on his death, A.D.
For extra points, this makes our calendar off by anywhere from 17 to 30 years. That makes this something like Holy Year 1978 to Holy Year 1991, giving us anywhere from 9 to 22 years to get our affairs in order before the real end of the millennium...
Mere speculation. No one knows the time and date, not even Christ himself. Only the Father knows.