# Why did Jesus appear on the scene when he did? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 6, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512 "2009-11-06T01:54:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/21 "2009-11-06T07:06:40Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Because comedy is all about timing. I’m sure [Dante](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Comedy) would agree. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/22 "2009-11-06T12:50:23Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > Goodness, am I the only other one who remembers this lyric? Showing our age here methinks. > > Anyway, one would assume he appeared at this time because his parents had sex nine months earlier. Well, no, not the only one! Of course, I was a kid when I first heard it, you understand. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/23 "2009-11-06T13:21:10Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > All I wanna know… He’d have managed better if he’d had it planned. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/24 "2009-11-06T13:27:42Z")
> [@Damfino](#): > > Well, no, not the only one! Of course, I was a kid when I first heard it, you understand. Me too. I was old enough to buy the album, just. I doubt I have heard it in quite a few decades. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/25 "2009-11-06T13:45:52Z")
Do any of the major religions attempt to explain why they began when they did? Why Abraham at that particular time? Why Muhammad just then? Why did Buddhism have to wait for the Buddha? ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/26 "2009-11-06T13:55:12Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > He’d have managed better if he’d had it planned. Why’d he choose such a backward place and such a strange land? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/27 "2009-11-06T14:03:35Z")
Another Biblical answer- it was nearing up on the 490 years (seventy seven’s) from Nehemiah 1’s Medo-Persian decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the cutting off of the Anointed Prince & the following disasters on the City foretold in Daniel 9:20-27. Whether or not you believe that was a prophecy of Jesus or the Messiah at all, JC & friends did. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/28 "2009-11-06T14:23:53Z")
God sets patterns for us to see, from atoms, planets, galaxies, the same basic concept repeated (perhaps atoms are star systems to other beings, and galaxies are atoms to others). One such pattern is the Bible. At first, before the flood, at the time of conception (begotten), we know God, as Adam and Eve did. We depart from His ways and we loose the connection with God. The flood comes, which represents birth, where we are delivered into a new world. From here we start to learn about God, not from knowing him as we did in the beginning, but from men, such as Moses, and other spiritual leaders, as the Israelites did (very few actually knew God, most just followed the teachings of men and followed a written code). We continuously fall away from God’s ways’ (sin) then are restored, during this early stage of our life. At some time Jesus comes into our life, and we get to know God as a person, and get God’s Spirit in us. After which Jesus works through us as we do His work, which is to deliver the rest of the ‘Israelites’ to Jesus. The Jewish day is also in this pattern, it starts at sundown, when the light of knowing God fades and we are in the dark, then Jesus, as the dawn, comes into our lives, and we walk in the light of the Son the rest of our lives. The pattern of our lives I believe is part of the reason why Jesus came when He did. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/29 "2009-11-06T15:16:08Z")
Um, **kanicbird,** I think the question was about the historical Jesus, why he showed up in the era he did. I would have expected a more complicated and intricate answer from you, with quotes from Daniel and Genesis. I’m a bit disappointed, actually. You’d have managed better if you’d had it planned. ---
**Author:** ![StoutHearted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@StoutHearted](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StoutHearted)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/30 "2009-11-06T15:45:12Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > Why’d he choose such a backward place and such a strange land? I see what you mean - If he’d come today, he could have reached the whole nation. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/31 "2009-11-06T15:50:52Z")
> [@](#): > > The pattern of our lives I believe is part of the reason why Jesus came when He did. That’s an anthrocentric view. Mankind didn’t summon Jesus. God sent Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/32 "2009-11-06T16:17:09Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > Why’d he choose such a backward place and such a strange land? This is a question I ask of myself every wretched day of my miserable life. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/33 "2009-11-06T16:18:46Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > If he’d come today he’d have reached a whole nation. Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication. Damn. I knew someone would beat me to the punch as soon as I saw the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/34 "2009-11-06T17:11:10Z")
Because the marketing guys thought it was time for re-branding/product re-launch? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/35 "2009-11-06T18:03:27Z")
I’m more curious about why he appears on toast and car windows now. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/36 "2009-11-06T18:42:33Z")
Viral marketing. ---
**Author:** ![Mekhazzio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@Mekhazzio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mekhazzio)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/37 "2009-11-06T18:57:01Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > If he’d come today he’d have reached a whole nation. Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication. Ah, but national TV also means you get debunked in prime-time by James Randi in front of millions. People would be demanding camera-phone pics of any supposed resurrection instead of “just trust us, it happened, it was pretty cool”. My votes for a current day USA appearance would be either obscure cult leader in Nowhere, Arkansas, or locked up in a mental institution. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/38 "2009-11-06T19:09:04Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Viral marketing. I think a better descriptor might be [“cross-media marketing”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-media_marketing). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/39 "2009-11-06T19:12:13Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I’m more curious about why he appears on toast and car windows now. That’s his Mom. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512/40 "2009-11-06T20:20:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Why did Jesus appear on the scene when he did? See, when God and an unsuspecting virgin really love each other the do a special kind of hug and a few months later she is having an akward conversation with her husband. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-appear-on-the-scene-when-he-did/516512.md?page=3)