The Righteous One
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The First 90 Years of Evidence After the Cross
The First 90 Years of Evidence After the Cross
Chronological Timeline of Early Christian Sources and Historical References
The documentary record summarized below, from the earliest creeds to Roman historians, fits within roughly a single human lifetime; in other words, a person born the year Jesus died could have lived long enough to see nearly all of these sources written.
What would it mean for you if these dates are even approximately correct? Before reacting to any one line in the chart, stop and take in the larger historical picture. If the crucifixion is placed at 33 AD (or 30 if you prefer), and within the next ninety years we already possess resurrection creeds, apostolic letters, Gospel accounts, martyrdom traditions, early church writings, and Roman and Jewish references to Jesus and His followers, then the surviving evidence is far denser and earlier than many people assume. And this chart includes only the documentary record; it does not even attempt to list the numerous archaeological discoveries from the same first-century window that intersect with and illuminate much of the New Testament world and text. At the very least, that should force a serious reconsideration of any theory that depends on long, gradual theological development.
And before anyone replies, “But scholar X dates this later,” or “Your chart disagrees with the consensus,” or “we don’t have the originals” that is not yet a historical argument. The only question that matters is this:
What historical evidence do you have for the dates you are proposing?
Not what theory is fashionable, not what reconstruction is familiar, not which conclusion was posited in the last hundred years, not what conclusion feels safer; but what evidence best explains the data we actually possess? How did you arrive at that evidentially? Historical plausibility and explanatory power must be the governing principles of historical inquiry. If a later date is proposed, it must account for the evidence and present the superior historical argument beginning with primary sources, followed by near-contemporary sources, and only then by secondary literature. There is nothing methodological about repeating an academic preference. Investigate the material.
Stop the hand-waving. Stop repeating what an academic, a podcast, a platform, or even I claim. Roll up your sleeves and dig into the historical evidence yourself. I am happy to help, but at some point every serious reader has to stop outsourcing judgment and start weighing the data directly. Once you do, you must also wrestle with the implications.
So look over this chart slowly. If you are encountering this material for the first time, ask yourself whether this movement and its claims left behind surviving evidence within a lifetime of its founding events. If you are more theologically informed, ask what follows if Matthew is early and Revelation is pre-70. And if you are already deep in the weeds, examine documents like 1 Clement and the Didache: their date, the density of their New Testament citations and instruction, and the implications of those citations appearing so early. Whatever conclusion one reaches, the burden is not to dismiss this evidence, but to explain it.
Year (AD)
Writing / Event
Type
33
Crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus
Historical event
33–36
Resurrection Creed (1 Corinthians 15:3–7)
Creed
33–40
Christological Creed (Philippians 2:6–11)
Creed
33–40
Messianic Sonship Creed (Romans 1:3–4)
Creed
33–40
Eucharistic Creedal Tradition (1 Corinthians 11:23–26)
Creed
33–40
Baptismal Confession Creed (Romans 10:9)
Creed
Early 30s
Maranatha Liturgical Creed (1 Corinthians 16:22)
Creed
34–36
Conversion of Paul (Acts 9)
Historical event
34–36
Martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7)
Historical event
36–38
Paul meets Peter and James in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:18–19)
Historical event
40–45
Epistle of James
New Testament book
40–45
Gospel of Matthew (early Matthean priority proposal)
New Testament book
40–60
Christological Hymn Creed (1 Timothy 3:16)
Creed
40–60
Salvation Formula Creed (Titus 3:4–7)
Creed
44
Martyrdom of James son of Zebedee under Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:2)
Historical event
48–49
Galatians
New Testament book
49–51
1 Thessalonians
New Testament book
50–52
2 Thessalonians
New Testament book
50–60
Gospel of Mark
New Testament book
50–70
Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)
Early Christian writing
53–55
1 Corinthians
New Testament book
55–56
2 Corinthians
New Testament book
55–62
Gospel of Luke
New Testament book
56–58
Romans
New Testament book
60–62
Acts
New Testament book
60–62
Colossians
New Testament book
60–62
Philemon
New Testament book
60–62
Ephesians
New Testament book
60–62
Philippians
New Testament book
60–67
Jude
New Testament book
60–68
Hebrews
New Testament book
62
Martyrdom of James the brother of Jesus (Josephus later records the event)
Historical event
62–64
1 Timothy
New Testament book
62–64
Titus
New Testament book
62–65
1 Peter
New Testament book
64–67
Martyrdom of Peter in Rome (attested by Clement of Rome, 1st century)
Historical event
64–67
Martyrdom of Paul in Rome (attested by Clement of Rome, 1st century)
Historical event
64–67
2 Timothy
New Testament book
64–67
2 Peter
New Testament book
65–68
Revelation (pre-70 dating argument)
New Testament book
65–85
Gospel of John
New Testament book
65–90
1 John
New Testament book
65–90
2 John
New Testament book
65–90
3 John
New Testament book
65–95
1 Clement (Letter of Clement of Rome to Corinth)
Apostolic Father writing
70
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Historical event
70–90
Epistle of Barnabas
Early Christian writing
73–100
Mara bar-Serapion letter referencing execution of the “wise king of the Jews”
Non-Christian reference to Jesus
80–100
Shepherd of Hermas (earliest layer)
Early Christian writing
90–110
Papias, Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord
Apostolic Father writing
93
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews referencing Jesus called Christ and James his brother
Non-Christian reference to Jesus
107–110
Letters of Ignatius of Antioch
Apostolic Father writings
110–140
Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians
Apostolic Father writing
111–113
Pliny the Younger letters to Trajan describing Christians singing hymns to Christ as to a god
Non-Christian reference to Christians
116
Tacitus, Annals describing execution of Christus under Pontius Pilate
Non-Christian reference to Jesus
120
Suetonius referencing disturbances among Jews connected with “Chrestus” and punishment of Christians
Non-Christian reference to Christians
