Posted on 02/27/2026 1:42:45 AM PST by RandFan
A decade-old study claiming to find evidence of the earthquake described in the Bible at the time of Jesus's crucifixion is reigniting debate after resurfacing online.
The Gospel of Matthew says 'the earth shook' moments after Jesus cried out before dying on the cross, and researchers in 2012 reported evidence that could support the verse.
A team of geologists examined sediment layers near the Dead Sea, about 25 miles from where many scholars believe the crucifixion took place. Their analysis revealed signs of at least two significant earthquakes affecting the region.
Disturbances in the sediment pointed to a major quake around 31 BC and a smaller seismic event sometime between 26 and 36 AD.
Researchers noted that this period aligns with the years Pontius Pilate served as procurator of Judea, the timeframe in which the Gospel of Matthew describes an earthquake following Jesus's death.
Pontius Pilate, the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judea, is identified in the Bible as the official who presided over Jesus's trial and ultimately sentenced him to death. Many scholars believe the crucifixion occurred around 33 AD.
However, the researchers cautioned that several explanations could account for the seismic evidence. One possibility is that it corresponds to the earthquake described in Matthew's Gospel. Another is that a separate earthquake occurred around the time of the crucifixion and was later woven into the biblical narrative.
The study, making waves on X, has been hailed as proof for the crucifixion by many, while others have expressed doubt over its precise dating and the causal link to the biblical event.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
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There is ample evidence the Crucifixion is real, while this is exciting to see it confirmed yet again, it is by no means somehow a controversy that Christ was actually a living person and was Crucified.
And according to Matthew, some of the dead whose graves were opened during the earthquake were resurrected and seen by many. A testimony to the world changing event of the resurrection of Christ.
But Jesus had cautioned earlier that those who don’t believe in him, won’t believe even if the dead come to life
Why couldn’t they do tests at the site where Jesus was crucified?
Earthquakes are somewhat common it Middle East.
I don’t know. Given all the intentional confusion sown into anything that speaks to Christ and the Resurrection it is often hard to know what the actual physical evidence is and what is fake.
Regardless though it exists, for me though the greatest testimony is our Gospels.
If you visit the Church of the Sepulchre, and get a tour of the cave under the location of the cross on the altar that legend says was the crucifixion site, you may get a guide like ours that pointed out a huge crack in the rock that he will say occurred during the earthquake.
Ours also added that this was the site where Cain slew Abel and where his blood seeped into the earth.
Just sharing the local lore as we experienced it
To a believer, no proof is necessary. To a non-believer, no proof is enough.
Not only the greatest history ever recorded.
Also a written guide for humanity.
The Bible is Truth.
So true!
The gospels are true. I’m shocked, I’m shocked, I tell you! /s
Not only the greatest history ever recorded.
Also a written guide for humanity.
The Bible is Truth. Amen!
Basic
Instructions
Before
Leaving
Earth
Must be getting near Easter - the ‘however’ articles start showing up, just before the ‘never happened’ tripe.
wouldn’t other historians of the time would have noted date and maybe even time of quake? it was there job or hobby to document events and things going on.
Can’t remember which one, but one historian of the time noted that Christians were associated with earthquakes and it was disturbing for the people of that time because earthquakes were viewed as statements from “the gods”.
Gotta run so I can’t look for it but one of the early writers (Tacitus?) spoke about the darkness that covered the area in 33AD which doesn’t correlate to a known eclipse - and yet no other author refers to it. So the “historians” don’t always agree or report the same things.
Agree. A consistent feature on the media. Wonder if instigated by Christ haters or just to sell glossy opinions to the unbelievers who need bolstering during the period of recognition of the proof of the validity of God’s work through Christ.
Both seems as reasonable an answer as any.
**the dead whose graves were opened during the earthquake***
I heard a bible teacher say Christ and these were “the first fruits out from among the dead.” 1 Chorinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Ephesians 4: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
His explanation of it was perfect.
Matthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves AFTER HIS RESURRECTION,, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Search YouTube for Gary Habermas
When told that he wanted to develop a dissertation on the Lord’s resurrection, his research professor responded that the only evidence that he could use to support his thesis was secular evidence.
Habermas says that seven of Paul’s epistles are factual.
One of his videos (”Rock solid” is somewhere in the title) cites an amazing quote by a Buddhist.
Many have used science to attempt to destroy Christianity. The fatal flaws are the constraint of ‘determinism’ (every cause leads to an effect, every effect becomes a new cause which leads to a new effect.) because the “Big Bang” is an effect without a cause. Since it lacks cause and effect, it is not science.
Second, the gap of abiogenesis is never confronted. It could be that stellar evolution is valid; it could be that organic evolution is valid. They are impotent until science shows evidence for abiogenesis. It takes faith a billion times greater than that of a Christian to take the complete absence of evident, yet take as axiomatic that abiogenesis occurred. Until, these lacks are discovered and understood, the Church of Science requires greater faith than the Church of The Lord.
Always note that a discussion of organic evolution begins with an assumption of the already-existence of single celled organisms, which in themselves, are extraordinarily complicated. Abiogenesis is never mentioned.
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