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For reasons explained in the previous part of this series, the events of Nisan 14, 33 C.E. and Elul 25, 455 B.C.E. appear to be related. Using the "70 weeks" prophecy, each of these dates leads us to Elul 26, 29 C.E. as the date of the Messiah's arrival, but from two different directions. A closer look at the events associated with these dates reveals another interesting connection that can be drawn. Nehemiah 6:15 states that the construction of the wall was completed in 52 days. Like a resonant echo revealing an unseen structure, the same number of days reappears centuries later in connection with the events of Jesus' death. On the one hand, we have the 52 days leading up to Elul 26, 455 B.C.E., when the word was given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem after the completion of the city walls. On the other hand, we have the death of Jesus on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., followed by the outpouring of God's holy spirit 52 days later at Pentecost. Here we see a congruence in the number of days, but an incongruence in the direction of the 52 days relative to each event ("leading up to" vs. "followed by").

The incongruity can be reconciled by recognizing that Daniel's prophecy never states that the Messiah was "cut off" at the middle of the week. No specific time is assigned to the cutting off of the Messiah. The prophecy simply says that this event would occur sometime after the Messiah's appearance. On the other hand, the cessation of sacrifice is clearly tied to the half of the week in which the Messiah keeps the covenant. The wording of the prophecy does not require that the Messiah's cutting off be simultaneous with the cessation of sacrifice at the "half of the week" in which the Messiah keeps the covenant.

So consider this: Perhaps Daniel 9 is describing two different events. The "cutting off" of Jesus on the 14th of Nisan, followed 52 days later by his act causing sacrifice to cease at Pentecost on Sivan 6, 33 C.E. In this light, the two threads find harmony. In both cases, the 52-day intervals lead to pivotal moments, and their sequences mirror each other in time.

This new perspective shifts our calculation slightly. Instead of placing Nisan 14, 33 C.E. at the midpoint of the seven-year period we must now place Sivan 6, 33 C.E. at the midpoint. We can then retrace our steps, counting back a prescribed "half" week of 1,288 days from this new date. Our journey takes us to Heshvan/Bul 18, 29 C.E. - the date we propose as the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. This would be 52 days after his baptism on Elul 26, 29 C.E. From that moment, he steps onto the stage of history and begins to keep the covenant as stated in Daniel's prophecy.

Calendar month of Sivan 6, 33 C.E.

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=33&month=5&country=34

Result of subtracting 1,288 days from Sivan 6, 33 C.E. to Heshvan/Bul 18, 29 C.E.

https://www.timeanddate.com/date/dateadded.html?m1=05&d1=24&y1=33&type=sub&ad=1288&country=34

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