Subtle but compelling proof
But that's not all. We have an even more compelling proof that shows what month Jesus was born.
Let's start with Luke 1:5-9:
Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Luke mentioned something seemingly insignificant and usually glossed over by Bible readers. Notice verse 5 again, where Luke said that Zacharias was of the division of Abijah. What's the significance of the division or course of Abijah?
There are 24 divisions of priests chosen by lot to serve in the Temple. As it says in First Chronicles 24:10, the division of Abijah happened to be the 8th:
1 Chr 24:7 Now the first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
Each division would take turn serving in the Temple each week, except during the pilgrimage feast week. So the first division would serve during the first week of Nissan, Sabbath to Sabbath (2 Chronicles 23:8)
2 Chr 23:8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions.
During the pilgrimage feast week of Passover, Feast of Weeks or now called Pentecost, and Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, all the divisions would serve together in the Temple. Notice 2 Chronicles 5:11:
2 Chr 5:11 And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions),
In this particular instance, it happened during the Feast of Tabernacles in the month of Tishri, the seventh month as indicated in 2 Chronicles 5:3:
2 Chr 5:3 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month.
After the Babylonian captivity, Ezra restored this practice, even retaining the original names of the divisions during the time of David.
Since we have learned that Jesus was born during the early fall of 3 BC, it means that He was conceived during the latter part of the Roman year 4 BC, around early winter time.
Luke also mentioned that John the Baptist was conceived earlier that year, 6 months before Jesus was conceived. Read Luke 1:24 through 36 and notice verses 26 and 36 particularly:
Luke 1:24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 “And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
So what month was John conceived? From the above account of Luke, it was very shortly after Zacharias served in the Temple when it was the division of Abijah's turn that week. So what week was that?