The Length of Jesus’ Ministry 55
The Length of Jesus’ Ministry
The synoptic evangelists provide little information that can be used to determine the length of the ministry. It has been proposed that the events in the synoptics could be packed into less than a year, but this compresses events too much. Moreover, Mark indicates that at the time of the feeding of the five thousand, the grass was green (Mark 6:39), which points to the Palestinian springtime. Yet since Jesus was crucified in the spring, Mark’s gospel suggests a ministry of at least a year’s duration.
John supplies us with more information. He mentions the Passover three times in his narration of Jesus’ ministry: at the time of the cleansing of the temple (John 2:13), at the time of the feeding of the five thousand (6:4), and at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion (11:55). He also mentions a "feast” in 5:1 that may have been, although probably was not, a Passover. If the three Passovers that John mentions were distinct in time, 105 then John’s gospel requires a ministry of at least two years. 106