Just trying to use logic. We see that Herod found out exactly when the star had appeared...the scripture is pretty clear here. When the Magi arrived, Jesus of course, was not in the stable manger any longer....but now living in a house. So, this was evidently some time later.
The fact that Herod included all boys under the age of two in his murderous scheme is significant... don't you think so? And again, I think the key words here are "the exact time he had learned from the Magi".
However, you seem to be taking the statement that "Jesus was about thirty years old" and translating it to "Jesus was exactly thirty years old."
When Luke wrote these words do you think he allowed for a seven year swing?
Logic and reason leaves no other choice. Since Luke used the words ‘about thirty’ and not ‘thirty’ nor ‘exactly thirty’, one should assume that Jesus was not thirty when he began his ministry. If he was 29 or 31, that’s a three year swing – completely plausible and logical. If he was 28 or 32, that’s a five year swing – again, completely plausible and logical.
The seven year swing comes from my use of 27 and 33 to be considered “about” thirty.
So how do your calculations work if you use an age other than ‘exactly 30?’ About doesn’t mean exactly.
Just curious.
I think this is very significant, but my logic takes me to a different conclusion on the age of the Christ child.
Herod knows exactly the time the star appeared, so he knows the age of the child. The range of appearance of a newborn and a two year old is huge. No one could mistake a two year old with a two week old. However, both were ordered killed. Why?
Understand that birth records and identity documentation are a recent thing. The orders had to be carried out on the appearance of the child. But since newborns were included in the death orders, it is most plausible that the child was very young at the time the orders were given. Having raised five children, I know that a child of 18 months could look like a child of two. My children were large, and my 18 month old (10 lbs at birth) was larger than many 2 year olds, and some 3 yr olds. The 2 year cutoff is based on the fact that Herod did not want to make a mistake and wanted to be certain he killed the Christ child. Why kill all the children and not be certain? It makes no sense that the child was older than a year or nine months. I would suggest the child was less than a year old, probably much less. One would have to kill all 3 yr olds if you wanted to be certain to get the 18 month olds.
So tell me again the logic you used to fix the age of the Child.