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TopNTArchaeologicalFinds/RonaldCram

1. TheDelphi(Gallio)inscription–discovered1905,nowinDelphiMuseumin

Greece–FixedthedateofGallio’sserviceasproconsulasAD51-52,providingawayofdatingtheeventsinActs18:12-17andmuchofPaul’sministry.http://www.kairos2.com/BL_Gallio.htm

2. MummyMaskFragmentofMark–tobe

publishedsoonandwillbeondisplayatMuseumoftheBibleinWashingtonD.C.in2017–Apharaoh’smummymaskismadeofgoldbuttheaverageEgyptianmummymaskwasmadeofusedpapyrus.OnemummymaskhasyieldedafragmentoftheGospelofMark,expectedtobetheoldestknownfragmentoftheNewTestamentdatedbetweenAD80-90.MummymaskshavealsoyieldedmanuscriptsofHomerthataremucholderthanpreviouslyavailable.http://www.livescience.com/49489-oldest-known-gospel-mummy-mask.html

3. SergiusPaulusinscription–discovered1877–ConfirmstheexistenceofSergius

Paulus,proconsulofCypressencounteredbyPaulinActs13:7.http://www.hwhouse.com/images/4.SERGIUS_PAULUS_INSCRIPTION.pdf4. PolitarchInscription–BritishMuseum–

ManyskepticalscholarsthoughtLukemadeuptheterm“politarch”usedtodescribetheleadersofThessalonicainActs17.ThisinscriptionconfirmedtheaccuracyofLukeasanhistorian.Some32“politarch”inscriptionsfromMacedoniaarenowknown.http://bit.ly/PolitarchInscription

5. LysaniasInscription–ManyskepticalscholarsthoughtLukemadeamistakeinwriting‘LysaniastetrarchofAbilene’inLuke3:1(aroundthebeginningofJohntheBaptist’sministryinA.D.27)becausetheonlyknownLysaniasdiedin36B.C.Howeveraninscription(CIG.4521)discoveredatAbilawasfoundreading“Nymphias,freedmanofLysaniasthetetrarch”datedtoA.D.14-29.SirWilliamMRamsaytookthisasstrongevidencethatLukeiscorrect.http://bit.ly/1PnNJxr

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6. PhrygianAltarInscriptions–discoveredin1910byWilliamMitchellRamsayanddisplayedintheIstanbulArchaeologyMuseum–InActs14,LukewritesthatPaulandBarnabusleftIconiumandenteredtheregionofLycaonia.AcenturybeforeLuke,CicerohadwrittenthatIconiumwasintheregionofLycaonia.ThismademanyscholarsthinkLukemadeamistake–likesayingsomeoneleftLondonandenteredEngland.ThediscoveryoftheseinscriptionsshowthepeopleofIconiumdidnotspeaktheLycaonianlanguagebutthePhrygianandGreeklanguages.ThisdiscoveryconfirmstheaccuracyofActs14andisonereasonWilliamMitchellRamsaywrotethatLuke“isahistorianofthefirstrank”and“shouldbeplacedalongwiththeverygreatestofhistorians.”http://bit.ly/PhrygianAltar

7. NazarethInscription–Timeandplaceofdiscoveryunknown–ThisinscriptionbecamepartoftheprivateFroehnerCollectionin1878.In1925,theFroehnerCollectionbecamepartoftheParisNationalLibrary.Morethan20scholarlypaperswerepublishedontheinscriptionby1932.Noscholardoubtedtheauthenticityoftheinscription.ItwasseenasimportantbecauseitcanbereadasaspecialimperialdecreerelatedtotheapostlestakingChrist’sbodyfromthegrave.Theinscriptionoutlawsremovingabodyfromatombandcallsforthedeathpenalty.Thisisaveryunusuallawbecausewhilepeoplerobtombsofartifacts,noonerobsabodyfromatomb.TheinscriptionspecificallymentionsasealonthetombsuchaswasplacedonJesus’stomb.http://bit.ly/NazarethInscription

8. SkeletonofYehohanan–excavatedbyVassiliosTzaferisin1968–SkepticsclaimedRomanstiedcriminalstothecrossratherthanusednails.Skepticsalsoclaimcrucifiedcriminalswereburiedinmassgraves.ThisskeletonconfirmstheBible’sdescriptionofcrucifixionbynailsthroughthehandsandfeetandlegsbrokenbelowtheknee.NowattheIsraelMuseum,thisskeletonalsoconfirmsthefactRomanssometimesallowedcrucifixionvictimstobeburiedhonorably.http://bit.ly/Yehohanan

9. CaiaphasOssuary–discovered1990–Thishighly

ornatelimestonebonebox,appropriateforamanofhighstanding,confirmedtheexistenceofCaiaphasthechiefpriestandchiefantagonistofJesus.http://bit.ly/CaiaphasOssuary

10. RylandsPapyrus(P52)–discovered1920–ThissmallfragmentoftheGospelof

John(measures3.5”x2.5”)istheoldestuniversallyacceptedmanuscriptofthe

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NT.ItswordsdescribeJesus’strialbeforePilate.ItisdatedtoAD125andwasfoundneartheNileRiver,alongwayfromitsplaceofcompositioninEphesus.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rylands_Library_Papyrus_P52

11. BodmerPapyrusII(P66)–discovered1952–DiscoveredinEgypt,itcontainsmostofJohn’sgospeldatedfromAD150-200.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papyrus_66

12. ChesterBeattyPapyri–acquired1931-35–ThreepapyridatingfromAD200thatcontainmostoftheNT.http://bit.ly/BeattyPapyri

13. CodexVaticanus–VaticanLibrary,firstinventoriedin1481–DatedtoAD325-

350andcontainsanearlycompleteBible.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Vaticanus

14. CodexSinaiticus–discovered1859–CodexcontainsnearlycompleteNTandoverhalfoftheOldTestament(theearliestbooksoftheBibleappearhavebeendamaged)datedtoAD350.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Sinaiticus

15. JamesOssuary–madepublicin2002-TheAramaicinscription,translated"James,sonofJoseph,brotherofJesus,"wascontroversialbecausethelastportion“brotherofJesus”appearedtosomeexpertstohavebeenmadebyadifferenthandcausingsometothinkitwasarecentforgery.TheIsraeliAntiquitiesAuthoritychargedtheowner,OdedGolan,withforgerybutlostthecase.Patinashowstheentireinscriptionisancient.Golanwasdeclarednotguiltyofforgerybutwasconvictedofillegaltradinginantiquities.http://bit.ly/JamesOssuary

16. UncensoredTalmud(Cod.Hebr.95)–manuscriptisdatedto1343A.D.andishousedattheStateLibraryatMunich–isthoughttohavebeendiscoveredinFrance.ItistheoldestnearlycompletemanuscriptoftheBabylonianTalmud(thismanuscriptissometimescalledtheMunichTalmud).TheTalmudcontainstheoraltraditionofJudaismgoingbacktothefirstcenturyA.D.TheuncensoredTalmudisahostilewitnesstoJesusofNazareth.Itdescribeshimasateacherwhohaddisciples(fiveofthem)andahealerandmiracle-worker(althoughitclaimshedidtheseworksthroughsorcery).ThesearenotChristianinterpolations.ThesedescriptionscloselymatchthestatementsofJewishleadersinthegospels

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inwhichtheysaidJesuscastoutdemonsby“Beelzebul,princeofdemons.”(Matt12:24;Mark3:22;Luke11:15).http://bit.ly/UncensoredTalmud

17. ThePilateStoneinscription–discovered1961,nowinIsraelMuseum–Inscriptionreads“PontiusPilate,PrefectofJudea”confirmingtheexistenceandofficeofPilate.ThisfindwashighlyvaluedatthetimeofdiscoverybecausenootherevidenceofPilatewasknownatthetime.SincethistimeanumberofPilatecoinshavebeenfound.See#23below.http://bit.ly/PilotStoneInscription

18. PoolofBethesda–discoveredin19thcentury-DescribedintheGospelofJohnhashavingfiveporticos,thisunusualfeaturecausedmanyskepticalscholarstosaythepoolandthestoryofJesushealingtheparalyticweremythical.ThediscoveryofapoolwithfiveporticosconfirmsJohn5:2-9.http://bit.ly/PoolOfBethesda

19. PoolofSiloam–discovered2004–ApreviouslyidentifiedPoolofSiloamwasproventobewrongbythisdiscovery.CoinsfoundatthislevelshowthepoolwasinuseduringthelifeofJesus.ThissiteisidentifiedinJohn9:1-11astheplacewhereJesushealedtheblindman.http://articles.latimes.com/2005/aug/09/science/sci-siloam9

20. TempleWarningInscriptions–discoveredin1871and1938–InActs21:28,PaulwasaccusedofbringingGreeksintothetemple.Josephuswrotethataninscription“forbadeanyforeignertogoin,underthepainofdeath”(Antiquities,15:11:5)Theseinscriptionsconfirmthatcapitalpunishmentwaspostedasthepenalty.The1871discoveryisondisplayattheIstanbulArchaeologyMuseum.The1938discoveryisattheIsraelMuseum.http://bit.ly/TempleWarningInscription

21. NazarethHouse–Excavatedin2009–

SomeskepticsclaimedNazarethdidnotexistduringthetimeofJesus.TheIsraelAntiquitiesAuthorityannouncedtheyfoundaNazarethhousewithartifactsfromthefirstcentury.Nazarethwasasmallvillageofmaybe50housesinJesus’stime.Mostlikely,Jesusknewthepeoplewholivedinthishouse.http://bit.ly/SkepticalOfNazarethhttp://bit.ly/NazarethHouse

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22. CapernaumSynagogue–Excavationbeganin1969–Underneatha4thcentury

synagogueisthe1stcenturysynagoguevisitedbyJesus(Mark1:21&John6:59).http://bit.ly/CapernaumSynagogue

23. SeaofGalileeboat–NofGinosaurMuseum-Discovered1986nearTiberias,itmeasures30feetby8feetandcapableofcarrying15passengers.ItisliketheboatJesusandhisdisciplesusedtocrosstheSeaofGalilee.Carbon14datingplacestheboatbetween120BCandAD40.http://bit.ly/GalileeBoat

24. GergesaFound–Mark5.Matthew8,and

Luke8describethehealingofthedemon-possessedman.ThelocationappearsindifferentmanuscriptsasGergesa,GadaraandGerasa.Thismaybeduetoscribalerror.Gergesa(probablytheoriginalreading)wasnotwell-knownandscribeswerelikelytosubstitutebetterknowntownslikeGadaraandGerasa.Gergesa(moderndayKursi)islocatedontheothersideofthelakefromGalilee,hastombsnearby,andasteepbankgoingtowardthelake–allfeaturesusedtodescribethelocationofthemiracle.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gergesa

25. ErastusInscriptionStone–discoveredinCorinthin1929–Theinscriptionreads“Erastusinreturnforaedileshiplaid[this]pavementathisownexpense.”ThestonepavementwasfoundnearthelargetheaterinCorinth.ThenameErastusismentionedseveraltimesintheNewTestament.Manyhistoriansthinkthisisthesameman.ErastusisnotacommonnameininscriptionsinCorinth.Paul’slettertotheRomanswasprobablywritteninCorinthinabout56/57AD.Paul’sErastuswasacityofficialinCorinth(Romans16:23).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erastus_of_Corinth

26. Quiriniusinscription–discoveredbyWilliam

MitchellRamsayandJ.G.C.AnderseninAntiochin1912-HistoriansrecognizethatQuiriniuswasgovernorofSyriawhenacensuswasorderedin6AD,butthisdoesnotfitNewTestamentchronology.RamsaybelievesthisinscriptionshowsQuiriniuswasalsogovernorofSyriafrom10-7B.C.OnedifficultyisthatJosephuswrotethatSentiusSaturninuswas

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governorofSyriafrom9-7B.C.Also,TertullianwrotethatJesuswasbornwhenSaturniuswasgovernorofSyria.RamsayproposedthattheauthorityofQuiriniusandSaturniusoverlapped.LukewasapparentlyawarethatQuiriniuswasgovernorofSyriatwicebecauseLuke2:32reads“ThiswasthefirstcensustakenwhileQuiriniuswasgovernorofSyria.”ThisseemstoindicatethatLukeknewasecondcensuswastakenwhenQuiriniuswasgovernorthesecondtimein6A.D.http://bit.ly/1LF4PE6

27. PontiusPilatecoins–BritishMuseum–MintedbyPilate,thiscoinnameshisofficeas“procurator.”OnonesideofthecoinisanimageofRomanculticparaphernalia(aladle)andonthereversesideanimageofastaff.Itwasmintedinthe17thyearofthereignofTiberias–orAD30-31-nearthedeathandresurrectionofJesus.http://bit.ly/PilateCoins

28. FreedomofZioncoin–discoveredattheTempleMountSiftingProject–Thisisa

bronzecoindatingtotherevoltagainstRome(A.D.66-70).ItbearstheHebrewphrase“FreedomofZion.”ThisrevoltagainstRomeledtothedestructionoftheTempleandthecityofJerusalemandwaspredictedbyJesusinMatthew24.http://bit.ly/FreedomOfZionCoin

29. RomanCensusPapyri–BritishMuseum–ThiscensustookplaceinAD104and

wasverysimilartothecensusatthebirthofJesusdescribedbyLuke.Itreads:"GaiusVibiusMaximus,PrefectofEgypt:Thecensusbyhouseholdhavingbegun,itisessentialthatallthosewhoareawayfromtheirnomes(districts)besummonedtoreturntotheirownhearthssothattheymayperformthecustomarybusinessofregistration…”http://www.kchanson.com/ANCDOCS/greek/census.html

30. HouseofPeterinCapernaum–Discoveredin1968byVirgilioCarbo–Between

1968and1986,Carboled19digsofthesite.AnotherfourseasonsofexcavationswereledbyStanislaoLoffreda.Thefirstcenturyhomewasburiedbeneathafourthcenturychurch,builttocommemoratethesiteasholy.Whileslightlylargerthanmost,thefirstcenturyhomewassimple.Thesitebecamemoreimportantwhenexcavatorsrealizedthatthepurposeofthebuildingchangedhalfwaythroughthefirstcentury.Themainroomofthehousewascompletelyplasteredoverfromfloortoceiling–ararityatthetime-shortlyaftertheresurrectionofJesus.ExcavatorsbelievethebuildingbegantofunctionasanearlymeetingplaceforChristians,anearlychurch.Accordingtogospelaccounts,Jesusperformedmiracleswithinthesewalls.http://bit.ly/PeterHome

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Quotes

NelsonGlueckwrites:“Itmaybestatedcategoricallythatnoarchaeologicaldiscoveryhasevercontravertedabiblicalreference”and“ScoresofarchaeologicalfindingshavebeenmadewhichconfirminclearoutlineorexactdetailhistoricalstatementsintheBible.”(RiversintheDesert:AHistoryoftheNegev,p.31)JonathanL.Reedcomments“Themanyarchaeologicaldiscoveriesrelatingtopeople,places,ortitlesmentionedinActsdolendcredencetoitshistoricityatonelevel;manyofthespecificdetailsinActsarefactual.”(TheHarperCollinsVisualGuidetotheNewTestament:WhatArchaeologyRevealsabouttheFirstChristians,p.100)JohnMcRaywrites:“ItshouldberememberedthatonlyabouttwohundredsitesoutoftheapproximatelyfivethousandsitesintheHolyLandhavebeenexcavated.”(ArchaeologyandtheNewTestament,p.22)WilliamMitchellRamsayfoundthearchaeologicalevidencecompelling:“ImayfairlyclaimtohaveenteredonthisinvestigationwithoutanyprejudiceinfavouroftheconclusionwhichIshallnowattempttojustifytothereader.Onthecontrary,IbeganwithamindunfavourabletoitfortheingenuityandapparentcompletenessoftheTubingentheoryhadatonetimequiteconvincedme.ItdidnotlietheninmylineoflifetoinvestigatethesubjectminutelybutmorerecentlyIfoundmyselfoftenbroughtincontactwiththebookofActsasanauthorityforthetopographyantiquitiesandsocietyofAsiaMinor.Itwasgraduallyborneinuponmethatinvariousdetailsthenarrativeshowedmarveloustruth.”(St.PaultheTravelerandRomanCitizen,p.8)AncienthistorianPaulBarnettconcludes:“…archaeologyneitherprovesnordisprovestheNewTestament.Itdoes,however,endorsethenarrativesatmanypoints,especiallyinthecaseofinscriptions,whichbytheirnaturearespecific.Herewemeetcharacterssecondarytothemainstory–theHerods,thehighpriestandseveralRomangovernors.Moreover,througharchaeologyweareabletofillinbackgrounddetailsthatenhancethenarrativesinboththeGospelsandinthebookofActs.ArchaeologicalfindingshaveconfirmedthatthetextsoftheNewTestamentarefromfirsttolasthistoricalandgeographicalincharacter.”(IstheNewTestamentReliable?)