Sabbatical and Jubilee Years 

in spring of 43 

B.C.

 and end in spring of 42 

B.C.

 (in accord with Josephus' description). In the first century 

A.D.

, Sabbatical years were observed from autumn to autumn, so the Sabbatical year was from autumn of 

A.D.

34 to autumn of 

A.D.

 35. But if that Sabbatical year had been observed as in ancient times, it would have 

begun in spring of 

A.D.

 35 and ended in spring of 

A.D.

 36. The Jubilee year would still have begun in the 

autumn of 

A.D.

 35 and ended in autumn of 

A.D.

 36, overlapping half of the Sabbatical year, as originally 

intended. Thus the Sabbatical year, in the 

A.D.

 calendar, should begin in the spring of each year whose 

number is evenly divisible by seven. (The spring and autumn of the year should be according to the seasons in 

Jerusalem, in the northern hemisphere.) 

    Christian Sabbatical years should begin with our celebration of the Incarnation of Christ, February 25, near 

the start of the season of Lent. (See my suggested revisions to the Christian liturgical calendar in chapter 15 of 

this book.) Our celebration of the Holy Virgin Conception of Jesus Christ is a good starting point for a 

Sabbatical year because it reminds us of the starting point for the human life of Christ, whom we seek to 

imitate. The season of Lent occurs about that same time of year and is also a fitting time for the start of a year 

of repentance and renewal. Jewish Sabbatical years in ancient times began in the spring, so Christian 

Sabbatical years should also begin about that time of year. 

    Christian Sabbatical years should begin on the holy day of the Incarnation of Christ in each year which is 

evenly divisible by seven: 

A.D.

 2009, 2016, 2023, 2030, 2037, 2044, etc. This means that the Sabbatical year 

which begins early in 

A.D.

 2009 will end early in the year 

A.D.

 2010, and so on. 

    The Jubilee year should be every 49 years; it is called the 50th year because it begins in the autumn of the 

seventh Sabbatical year (the 49th year) and overlaps the 49th and 50th years. The 50th year is also the first year 

of the next cycle of 49 years. The Jubilee years should keep the same cycle as in ancient times. Since autumn 

of 

A.D.

 35 was the start of a Jubilee year, the next Jubilee year should be 

A.D.

 2044. For Jubilee years, when 

you subtract 35 from the number of the year (in which the Jubilee year begins), the result should be evenly 

divisible by 49 (e.g. (2044   35) / 49 = 41). This keeps the Jubilee years in synch with the Jubilee year at the 

time of Christ's Birth (Jubilee year of 15/16 

B.C.

) and at the time of His Return (Jubilee year of 

A.D.

2436/2437). 

    Jubilee years should begin in the autumn with our celebration of the Immaculate Virgin Conception of the 

Blessed Virgin Mary. The day of the Immaculate Conception was the day of the beginning of the building of 

the Body of Christ. And so that day is a fitting start to the celebration of a Jubilee year. This timing of the start 

of the Jubilee year means that the Jubilee year will begin some number of days after the start of the liturgical 

year in the season of Advent (in my suggested revised liturgical calendar). The Jewish Jubilee year in ancient 

times began on the 10th day of Tishri, on the Day of Atonement, even though the Jewish civil calendar began 

on the first of Tishri. So it is fitting that the Christian Jubilee year also begin a number of days after the start of 

the liturgical calendar, on the holy day of the Immaculate Conception, November 8. (See chapter 15 of this 

book for my suggested revisions to the liturgical calendar.) 

    Christian Jubilee years should begin on the holy day of the Immaculate Virgin Conception of the Blessed 

Virgin Mary, every 49 years, beginning in the year 

A.D.

 2044, as follows:  

A.D.

 2044, 2093, 2142, 2191, 2240, 

2289, 2338, 2387, 2436. The Jubilee year which begins in November of 

A.D.

 2044 will end in November of 

A.D.

 2045, and so on. The Jubilee year which begins in the year 

A.D.

 2436 will end in the year 

A.D.

 2437, 

when Christ returns. 

Suggestions for Sabbatical and Jubilee years 

    No type of honest work should be prohibited in a Sabbatical or Jubilee year. However, Christians should try 

to find some way to spend less time working. This might include (for those who are able): taking a sabbatical, 

arranging for more paid or unpaid time off from work, shortening your work day, using vacation time to go on 

a retreat or to do some special work for God, or taking on a special project for God within your line of work. 

    Another way to apply the Sabbatical year to the workplace would be to  change jobs to something more 

pleasing to God. All honest work done with prayer and integrity is pleasing to God. But you might know of a 

different line of work, or a change in your job position, which would be more pleasing to God than your 

current work.  During the Sabbatical year, each Christian should reflect on ways to make their work more 

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