Top NT Archaeological...
7
1 Top NT Archaeological Finds /Ronald Cram 1. The Delphi (Gallio) inscription – discovered 1905, now in Delphi Museum in Greece – Fixed the date of Gallio’s service as proconsul as AD 51-52, providing a way of dating the events in Acts 18:12-17 and much of Paul’s ministry. http://www.kairos2.com/BL_Gallio.htm 2. Mummy Mask Fragment of Mark – to be published soon and will be on display at Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. in 2017 – A pharaoh’s mummy mask is made of gold but the average Egyptian mummy mask was made of used papyrus. One mummy mask has yielded a fragment of the Gospel of Mark, expected to be the oldest known fragment of the New Testament dated between AD 80-90. Mummy masks have also yielded manuscripts of Homer that are much older than previously available. http://www.livescience.com/49489-oldest-known-gospel-mummy-mask.html 3. Sergius Paulus inscription – discovered 1877 – Confirms the existence of Sergius Paulus , proconsul of Cypress encountered by Paul in Acts 13:7. http://www.hwhouse.com/images/4.SERGIUS_PAULUS_INSCRIPTION.pdf 4. Politarch Inscription – British Museum – Many skeptical scholars thought Luke made up the term “politarch” used to describe the leaders of Thessalonica in Acts 17. This inscription confirmed the accuracy of Luke as an historian. Some 32 “politarch” inscriptions from Macedonia are now known. http://bit.ly/PolitarchInscription 5. Lysanias Inscription – Many skeptical scholars thought Luke made a mistake in writing ‘Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene’ in Luke 3:1 (around the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry in A.D. 27) because the only known Lysanias died in 36 B.C. However an inscription (CIG. 4521) discovered at Abila was found reading “Nymphias, freedman of Lysanias the tetrarch” dated to A.D. 14-29. Sir William M Ramsay took this as strong evidence that Luke is correct. http://bit.ly/1PnNJxr
Transcript of Top NT Archaeological...
1
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
2
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
3
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
4
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
5
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
6
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
7
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?)
