Posted on 04/17/2022 11:35:53 AM PDT by nickcarraway
EVIDENCE for Jesus Christ's crucifixion story was provided by a stunning archaeological discovery of a Jewish tomb from the biblical era.
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The Easter story is at the heart of the ChristIan religion. On Good Friday Jesus was executed by crucifixion for treason after claiming he was “King of the Jews”, and his body was subsequently taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave. The entrance to the guarded tomb was sealed off by an enormous stone, so that no one could steal Jesus’ body. \ However, the following Sunday, some women visited the grave and found that the stone had been moved and that the tomb was empty.
Jesus himself was seen that day, and for days afterwards by a number of people, and his followers claimed that God had raised his son from the dead.
Naturally, some atheist scholars have long refuted the claim that Jesus ever existed, let alone that he was crucified as told in the Bible.
Professor Richard Dawkins insisted in the God Delusion that a “serious” historical case can be made that “Jesus never lived at all”.
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The late Christopher Hitchens also noted Jesus’ “highly questionable existence” and on the Easter story said: “We have a right, if not an obligation, to respect ourselves enough to disbelieve the whole thing”.
Meanwhile, French philosopher Michel Onfray contends that Jesus was merely a “trick born of the rational mind”, while he finds the crucifixion story particularly implausible.
Mr Onfray stated in 1980: “At the time, Jews were not crucified, but stoned to death.”
He also asserted that if Jesus had been crucified he would not have been placed in a tomb as the Gospels say, because crucifixion victims were never given a proper burial.
However, Mr Onfray’s claims have been refuted by 1968 discovery of Jehohanan, a Jewish man who had been put to death by crucifixion in the 1st century.
Dr John Dickson, the director of the Centre for Public Christianity, wrote in Sydney Morning Herald in 2008: “Jews were perhaps the most crucified people in antiquity.
“The Dead Sea Scrolls and Josphus both report an incident where 800 Pharisees were crucified on one day; their wives and children made to look on.
“Josephus tells us further that during the siege of Jerusalem in AD70 the Romans crucified 500 Jews a day while sacking the city.”
He added: “Actually our only archaeological remains of a crucifixion victim ‒ a male heel bone with an 11-centimietre nail still in place ‒ were discovered in a Jewish tomb.
“This Jew, like Jesus, had been crucified and then properly buried.”
Though the resurrection story is a matter of faith, a consensus of historians agree that Jesus did exist and the Easter events have some accuracy.
Mr Dickson continued: “Few biblical historians accept all of the details of the Gospel accounts ‒ but most, whether Jewish, Christian or agnostic, agree that these writings have preserved a reliable core of information about the tumultuous final days of Jesus’ life.
Easter
“He created a public disturbance in the Jerusalem temple shortly before his arrest; he shared a final (Passover) meal which his disciples; he was arrested by the priestly elite and handed over to the Romans; he was crucified for treason under the mocking charge ‘King of the Jews’.
“These are accepted facts of the Easter narrative. Christian apologists may often exaggerate them but the new atheists simply ignore them.”
Most mainstream scholars do not treat the resurrection story as part of their field of inquiry, but instead it is for philosophers and theologians to decipher.
However most scholars do claim that Jesus’ tomb was empty just days after his crucifixion.
Mr Dickinson said: “No historian wearing his or her historical cap would say God raised Jesus from the dead. This is a theological interpretation of the evidence.
“What most scholars do affirm is more modest, though not without significance: Jesus’ tomb was empty shortly after his crucifixion and significant numbers of men and women experienced what they believed to be appearances of the risen Jesus.
“These are the historical facts of Easter Sunday: an empty tomb and resurrection experiences.”
These claims are accepted by Christian scholars as well as leading Jewish historians Professor Geza Vermes of the University of Oxford.
Meanwhile, self-confessed agnostic Professor Ed Sanders of Duke University once said: “That Jesus’ followers had resurrection experiences is, in my judgement, a fact.
“What the reality was that gave rise to the experiences I do not know.”
He never claimed that he was "king of the Jews." He said that his kingdom is not of this world.
[snip] Mr Onfray stated in 1980: “At the time, Jews were not crucified, but stoned to death.” ...However, Mr Onfray’s claims have been refuted by 1968 discovery of Jehohanan, a Jewish man who had been put to death by crucifixion in the 1st century.
Dr John Dickson, the director of the Centre for Public Christianity, wrote in Sydney Morning Herald in 2008: “Jews were perhaps the most crucified people in antiquity.
“The Dead Sea Scrolls and Josphus both report an incident where 800 Pharisees were crucified on one day; their wives and children made to look on.
“Josephus tells us further that during the siege of Jerusalem in AD70 the Romans crucified 500 Jews a day while sacking the city.”
He added: “Actually our only archaeological remains of a crucifixion victim ‒ a male heel bone with an 11-centimietre nail still in place ‒ were discovered in a Jewish tomb.
“This Jew, like Jesus, had been crucified and then properly buried.” [/snip]
Crucifixion was a Roman punishment, so, that figures. Thanks nickcarraway.
How do academics devise such gobbly-gook? With his logic, I have a right, obligation, and respect for myself NOT to believe in black holes.
What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence” Hitchens’s Razor
I believe that prophesy said he would be called king of the Jews. The pharisees objected to the sign that proclaimed him to be the king of the Jews but Pilate dismissed their petition.
“The late Christopher Hitchens” made his choices. He will not get to choose the consequences of them.
The scoffers just don’t want to bend the knee, even when facing overwhelming evidence.
Not realizing they will be compelled to do so before being consigned to excruciating torment for all eternity, in the Lake of Fire. Their eternal bodies will resemble that of a worm. No more use of sexual appendages, no more rock music vocals, no more hands to hold their favorite idols.
No grace as small as experiencing a puppy’s breath. No break in the torment. Only wailing and gnashing of teeth.
All because of pride and lusts.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a matter of faith...
Believers choose to believe and do not demand incontrovertible proof...
For those who deny, no amount of evidence would ever suffice...
Choose...
Historical Evidence for the Resurrection:
https://www.faithfacts.org/search-for-truth/contemporary-scholarship
Jeremiah 6:10
To whom shall I speak and give warning
That they may hear?
Behold, their ears are closed
And they cannot listen.
Behold, the word of the Lord has become a reproach to them;
They have no delight in it.
Jeremiah 13:11
For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.’
Jeremiah 17:23
Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction.
Jeremiah 25:4
And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets again and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear,
Jeremiah 25:5
saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the Lord has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever;
Jeremiah 25:7
Yet you have not listened to Me,” declares the Lord, “in order that you might provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.
Jeremiah 35:14
“The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me.
Jeremiah 35:16
Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’
Jeremiah 22:5
But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself,” declares the Lord, “that this house will become a desolation.”’”
Isaiah 30:9
For this is a rebellious people, false sons,
Sons who refuse to listen
To the instruction of the Lord;
Jeremiah 11:10
They have turned back to the iniquities of their ancestors who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.”
Jeremiah 6:19
“Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people,
The fruit of their plans,
Because they have not listened to My words,
And as for My law, they have rejected it also.
Jeremiah 29:19
because they have not listened to My words,’ declares the Lord, ‘which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,’ declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 13:10
This wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, let them be just like this waistband which is totally worthless.
Deuteronomy 18:16
This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’
Isaiah 42:20
You have seen many things, but you do not observe them;
Your ears are open, but none hears.
Jeremiah 32:33
They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.
Jeremiah 11:8
Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart; therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’”
Acts 7:57
But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.
Psalm 58:4
They have venom like the venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
Zechariah 7:11
But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing.
Hebrews 5:11
Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
Acts 28:27
For the heart of this people has become dull,
And with their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes;
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.”’
Romans 11:8
just as it is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.”
Deuteronomy 29:4
Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.
2 Timothy 4:4
and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
Psalm 50:17
“For you hate discipline,
And you cast My words behind you.
Psalm 28:5
Because they do not regard the works of the Lord
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.
Jeremiah 22:21
“I spoke to you in your prosperity;
But you said, ‘I will not listen!’
This has been your practice from your youth,
That you have not obeyed My voice.
Jeremiah 13:17
But if you will not listen to it,
My soul will sob in secret for such pride;
And my eyes will bitterly weep
And flow down with tears,
Because the flock of the Lord has been taken captive.
Jeremiah 12:17
But if they will not listen, then I will uproot that nation, uproot and destroy it,” declares the Lord.
Matthew 13:15
For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’
John 6:60
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?”
Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Refusing-To-Hear
In Mark 15:2, Jesus confirms to Pilate that he is the King of the Jews, and says nothing further.
2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
...or global warming
Is that what Jesus is saying? Or is He saying, “Whatever you say, Pilate”?
Finally, the twelve core members of the movement afterward traveled thousands of miles retelling the story at great risk, none recanting and all but one suffering their own executions for that omission. Thousands of others were persecuted and murdered by Jewish zealots such as Saul of Tarsus and by the Roman authorities. Mass murders at the hands of the followers of an Arabian pedophile war lord continue unabated. I'm not aware of similar tales of devotion to the point of death in other major religions of the world besides in Judaism (to our shame, more often than not at the hands of Christians) and Christianity.
When you look at it as a pivotal event, the Resurrection (two days after Passover during the rule of a known Roman governor) probably ought to be, instead of an imprecisely dated Nativity, the starting point of the "Common Era" of historic record keeping.
All the historical “proof” in the world will not convince someone who doesn’t want to believe.
The Jews of His day lived and walked with Him and saw His miracles, and yet still didn’t believe, but rather crucified Him,
In the account of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham tells the man in Hades that even if someone rose from the dead, it would not convince his brothers. They had the Law and the Prophets. That’s all they needed.
None here on earth are wise enough to interpret Him.
Thanks for the link — great article. It’s consistent with a book I’m reading, “The Historical Reliability of the Gospels” by Craig Blomberg — highly recommend it.
My personal refutation of the refuters is that the only story the Priests and the Roman guards could come up with to explain the empty tomb was that the guards had fallen asleep. No way anyone could have moved the stone and run off with a body — much less taking the time to carefully fold and lay out the burial garments — without waking up the guards.
Jesus was a descendent of David, and so was a royal. The last King of the Jews. Herod, had died and there was not an official current king of the Jews. Jesus could easily have claimed that title if he wanted to.
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