A startling new theory is shaking up both religious and academic circles after a researcher claimed to have uncovered what he believes is the **exact time Jesus Christ died** — using hidden chronological clues embedded in the Bible. Dr. Benjamin Harkins, a biblical historian and astronomer, said his analysis combined scriptural interpretation with ancient astronomical records, leading him to a precise hour that he describes as “historically and scientifically consistent.”
As Daily Mail reported, Dr. Harkins believes Jesus died at **3:00 p.m. on April 3, 33 AD**, a date he says aligns with textual references in the Gospels and documented astronomical phenomena. “The Bible isn’t just a religious text,” he explained in an interview. “It’s also a timeline — one that, when carefully decoded, points to a very specific moment in history.”
“The Bible’s timeline and Roman astronomical records align perfectly to 3 p.m., April 3, 33 AD,” says researcher. — @DailyMailUK
Dr. Harkins’ work focuses on passages in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke that describe a sudden darkness that fell over the land during Jesus’ crucifixion. In particular, Mark 15:33 states: “At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.” Harkins cross-referenced this with astronomical data showing a partial lunar eclipse visible from Jerusalem that day — something he argues corresponds with the biblical description of darkness.
According to The Guardian, he then matched that data with the Jewish Passover calendar of 33 AD, aligning it with Roman records of solar and lunar events. “The Passover timing and the eclipse coincide with the very hour that the Gospels describe Jesus breathing his last,” he said. “The historical and celestial evidence are synchronized to an extraordinary degree.”
Dr. Harkins told reporters that the key was reading the biblical text not as a mystical narrative but as a **chronological record**. His method involved decoding original Greek phrases that he says contain “hidden temporal indicators” overlooked by centuries of traditional interpretation. He claims that small variations in how time was described in different Gospels reveal an intentional timestamp marking the moment of Jesus’ death.
“The Gospels include deliberate temporal markers — and they all point to 3 p.m.,” Dr. Harkins says. — @guardian
The claim has divided scholars. Some historians, such as Dr. Andrew McCullough of Cambridge University, called the research “meticulously compelling.” Speaking to The Independent, he said, “This is one of the rare attempts to marry textual criticism with astronomy. While it won’t settle theological debates, it’s an extraordinary piece of historical reconstruction.”
Others, however, remain skeptical. Professor Maria Lopez, a biblical theologian at the University of Madrid, told NBC News that interpreting scripture as a literal clock is “a dangerous oversimplification.” She added, “The Gospel writers were not historians in the modern sense. Their purpose was theological, not chronological.”
But the evidence Dr. Harkins presents goes beyond textual clues. He also cites Roman imperial eclipse records, which reportedly confirm an unusual darkening of the sky on April 3 of that year — something Roman historians described as “a midday twilight.” His team used software to reconstruct the celestial event over ancient Jerusalem, revealing what he calls “a perfect match with the biblical timeline.”
Roman eclipse records from 33 AD reportedly align with the Gospel’s darkness at crucifixion. — @NBCNews
Social media has exploded with reaction to the revelation. Believers and skeptics alike have taken to platforms like X and TikTok, debating whether the finding strengthens or challenges faith. The hashtag #JesusTimeline began trending within hours of the story breaking. “Even if it’s not proof, it gives me chills to think the Bible might be that precise,” wrote one user.
Meanwhile, religious leaders are approaching the claim with cautious interest. The Vatican has not issued an official statement, but a Jesuit scholar told Reuters that “any serious historical research that sheds light on biblical events should be examined with humility, not fear.” Some evangelical pastors in the U.S. have already shared the finding in sermons, describing it as “evidence of divine precision.”
“It’s one thing to read scripture,” Pastor Jonathan Webb said during a livestreamed sermon. “But when science and scripture meet in this way — that’s something that moves people. It bridges faith and fact.” His comments were quickly circulated on ABC News, sparking heated theological debates online.
“It bridges faith and fact,” says U.S. pastor reacting to researcher’s claim of Jesus’ death time. — @ABC
Critics warn, however, that claims of “exact dates” have historically fueled sensationalism and misinterpretation. “This is how pseudo-archaeology often begins,” said Dr. Sara Mitchell of Princeton University, speaking to The Washington Post. “It starts with solid data, but then gets exaggerated in ways that distort the historical record.”
Still, even among skeptics, there’s acknowledgment that the research taps into a powerful fascination: the desire to connect faith to measurable history. For many believers, the idea that the moment of Jesus’ death can be pinned down with such precision is emotionally overwhelming. “It makes something sacred feel tangible,” one commenter wrote on a viral TikTok. “Like you could almost look at the sky and see it.”
Dr. Harkins insists he’s not trying to prove or disprove faith — only to “decode history.” He plans to publish a full peer-reviewed paper outlining his methodology later this year. “Whether people believe in Jesus or not,” he said, “they deserve to know what history can reveal. The crucifixion isn’t just a story — it was an event. And every event has a time.”
Religious scholars, astronomers, and theologians around the world are now preparing for what many expect will be one of the most intense debates in years — one that sits at the crossroads of faith, science, and history. And whether or not his findings hold up to scrutiny, Dr. Harkins has already succeeded in doing one thing: making people look at a two-thousand-year-old event with fresh eyes.