The chronology of the New Testament is involved in great obscurity. The Christian Era was first proposed by Dionysius Exiguus, about A.D. 550, and was gradually adopted in the seventh and eighth centuries. By a mistake of Dionysius it was made to commence from four to six years too late. The birth of Christ was from 4 to 6 B.C.; his baptism, in the fifteenth year of Tiberius, A.D. 24; his death, probably, A.D. 28; and the events recorded in the first part of Acts prior to the death of Herod, A.D. 44, occurred considerably earlier than the dates usually assigned to them.
Matthew and Luke probably wrote their gospels A.D. 62 or 63; Mark and John, theirs A.D. 65-68. Acts was written A.D. 63. All the books of the New Testament were probably written before the destruction of Jerusalem, in the interval of seventeen years from A.D. 53 to 70.
The author of Revelation bears the same name as one of the Evangelists. But this does not prove that he was the same person, neither is the church tradition on the subject entitled to undoubted confidence. The author of Revelation does not claim to be an apostle; and by not making that claim in a book so extraordinary, virtually teaches that he is not such. His style also presents points of diversity from that of the Evangelist, that seem to be incompatible with the supposition that the same author wrote both works.
With these few explanations I commend this volume to the acceptance and blessing of our kind Father in heaven, and send it forth, accompanied with many prayers, to call men from sin to holiness, and from death and sorrow to the only true life and joy.
BOSTON, Mass., October, 1858.