Ask Pastor Reuben

What does B.C.E. & C.E.

mean and why does the

Jewish community use them

rather than B.C. & A.D.

S H A L O M !

_______ A MESSIANIC JEWISH SCRIPTURAL VIEW ______

Biblical Question:

Our Question:

Bev from California asks:

Dear Pastor Reuben,

I am confused as to why the Jewish people and a lot of people dealing with the Bible and Israel date history using B.C.E. and C.E. rather than the most common used B.C. and A.D. Is there a Jewish reason?

Pastor Reuben's Answer:

Dear Bev, shalom,

This is a fast but pointed answer Bev, but I know you can quickly get more information by looking at the local public library. Research on our calendar's development, ok.? So, a simple help will do from me. B.C., meaning "before Christ," & A.D., meaning "in the year of our Lord", are abbreviations primarily used/developed by Christians. Their use implies the acceptance of Jesus Christ as divine, a concept rejected by traditional rabbinic Judaism.

Hence, in Jewish scholarship B.C.E., meaning "before the Common Era," & C.E., meaning the "Common Era," were introduced to draw a distinction between Christian and Jewish belief.

God bless you !

Pastor Reuben