In light of differing opinions as to what constitutes a new moon, I would be interested to know on what basis the new moons were determined at the time of Christ?
“The third [feast] is the new moon which follows the conjunction of the moon with the sun”. “Philo of Alexandria [tr. by F H Colson (Harvard University Press, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA, 1937); The Special Laws, II, XI,41]. And in II, XXVI,140: “This is the New Moon, or beginning of the lunar month, namely the period between one conjunction and the next, the length of which has been accurately calculated in the astronomical schools”. (See the paper The Calendar and the Moon: Postponements or Festivals? (No. 195). Other points to note: From a study of the Gospels we can see that Christ died on a Wednesday, and was resurrected at the end of Saturday going on Sunday. We know he died at the 9th hour (3 p.m.) and was dead for 3 days and 3 nights (Mat 12:40). We also know that Mary came to his tomb on Sunday early in the morning (Mat 28:1). So counting back the 3 days and 3 nights, it is clear that he could only have died on a Wednesday. Keeping in mind that Wednesday starts the f
“The third [feast] is the new moon which follows the conjunction of the moon with the sun”. “Philo of Alexandria [tr. by F H Colson (Harvard University Press, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA, 1937); The Special Laws, II, XI,41]. And in II, XXVI,140: “This is the New Moon, or beginning of the lunar month, namely the period between one conjunction and the next, the length of which has been accurately calculated in the astronomical schools”. (See the paper The Calendar and the Moon: Postponements or Festivals? (No. 195). Other points to note: From a study of the Gospels we can see that Christ died on a Wednesday, and was resurrected at the end of Saturday going on Sunday. We know he died at the 9th hour (3 p.m.) and was dead for 3 days and 3 nights (Mat 12:40). We also know that Mary came to his tomb on Sunday early in the morning (Mat 28:1). So counting back the 3 days and 3 nights, it is clear that he could only have died on a Wednesday. Keeping in mind that Wednesday starts the f
