Page:The chronology of ancient nations (IA chronologyofanci00biru).djvu/43

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ON THE NATURE OF THE ERAS.
21

Therefore the Jews have not the slightest reason to commence (in their calculations as to the coming of the Messiah) with that date with which they have commenced (viz., the epoch of the Æra Alexandri).

These are doubts and difficulties which beset the assertions of the Jews. Those, however, which attach to the schemes of the Christians are even more numerous and conspicuous. For even if the Jews granted to them that the coming of Messiah was to take place 70 Septennia after the vision of Daniel, we must remark that the appearance of Jesus the son of Mary did not take place at that time. The reason is this:—The Jews have agreed to fix the interval between the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and the Æra Alexandri at 1,000 complete years. From passages in the books of the Prophets they have inferred that the interval between the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and the building of Jerusalem is 450 years; and the interval between the building and the destruction by Nebucadnezar 410 years; and that it remained in a ruined state 70 years. Now this gives the sum of 960 years (after the exodus from Egypt) as the date for the vision of Daniel, and as a remainder of the above-mentioned millennium (from the exodus till Æra Alexandri) 40 years. Further, Jews and Christians unanimously suppose that the birth of Jesus the son of Mary took place Anno Alexandri 304. Therefore, if we use their own chronology, the birth of Jesus the son of Mary took place 344 years after the vision of Daniel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, i.e about 49 Septennia. From his birth till the time when he began preaching in public are ⁠4+1/2⁠ Septennia more. Hence it is evident that the birth (of Jesus) precedes the date which they have assumed (as the time of the birth of the Messiah).

For the Jews there follow no such consequences from their chronological system; and if the Christians should accuse the Jews of telling lies regarding the length of the period between the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the epoch of the Æra Alexandri, the Jews would meet them with similar accusations, and more than that.

If we leave aside the arguments of the two parties, and consider the table of the Chaldean kings, which we shall hereafter explain, we find the interval between the beginning of the reign of Cyrus and that of the reign of Alexander to be 222 years, and from the latter date till the birth of Jesus 304 years; so that the sum total is 526 years. If we now deduct therefrom 3 years, for the rebuilding (of Jerusalem) commenced in the third year of the reign of Cyrus, and if we reduce the remainder to Septennia, we get nearly 75 Septennia for the interval between the vision (of Daniel) and the birth of Messiah. Therefore the birth of Messiah is later than the date which they (the Christians) have assumed.

If the Christians compute the Syriac words ((Symbol missingSyriac characters)), and believe that because of the identity of their numerical value with the number (1,335, mentioned by Daniel), these words were meant

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