This exhibit is currently on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. After that, it will move to Fort Lauderdale, Cincinnatti and finally to San Diego.
This exhibit is currently on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. After that, it will move to Fort Lauderdale, Cincinnatti and finally to San Diego.
Historians have long known about an ancient cloth bearing an image of Jesus. This cloth was known as the Image of Edessa, the Edessa Cloth, and later in the Byzantine era as the Holy Mandylion. Edessa was a cosmopolitan city in Jesus’ day and one of the cities were Christian communities developed early as they did in Antioch. Edessa, now the city of Urfa in modern day Turkey, is situated about 400 miles north of Jerusalem. We can be quite certain that this ancient cloth, which disappeared during the sacking of Constantinople in 1204 by soldiers of the Fourth Crusade, is the Shroud of Turin.
Legend has it that the cloth was brought to King Abgar V Ouchama of Edessa (13 –50 CE) by one of Jesus’ disciples known to us as Thaddeus Jude (Addai). We know of this legend from Eusebius of Caesarea’s early fourth century Ecclesiastical History. Therein, we learn of a now lost document once in Edessa’s archives purportedly written by King Abgar V and delivered to Jesus by an envoy named Ananias. Abgar, supposedly, asked Jesus to come to Edessa and to cure him of leprosy. Eusebius’ history reports that the Apostle Thomas did send Thaddeus Jude sometime after Jesus’ death and that he founded a church in Edessa. Historians are highly critical of this legend since Eusebius’s history includes, as elements of the letter, references from the Gospels, which were written later, as well as theological concepts, which were developed later. It also must be pointed out that Eusebius makes no mention of the cloth.
Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History
http://biblefacts.org/ecf/cvol1/euseb_b2.html
Book II
CHAPTER I.
The Course pursued by the Apostles after the Ascension of Christ. First, then, in the place of Judas, the betrayer, Matthias, who, as has been shown was also one of the Seventy, was chosen to the apostolate. And there were appointed to the diaconate, for the service of the congregation, by prayer and the laying on of the hands of the apostles, approved men, seven in number, of whom Stephen was one. He first, after the Lord, was stoned to death at the time of his ordination by the slayers of the Lord, as if he had been promoted for this very purpose. And thus he was the first to receive the crown, corresponding to his name, which belongs to the martyrs of Christ. Then James, whom the ancients surnamed the Just on account of the excellence of his virtue, is recorded to have been the first to be made bishop of the church of Jerusalem. This James was called the brother of the Lord because he was known as a son of Joseph, and Joseph was supposed to be the father of Christ, because the Virgin, being betrothed to him, "was found with child by the Holy Ghost before they came together," as the account of the holy Gospels shows. But Clement in the sixth book of his Hypotyposes writes thus: "For they say that Peter and James and John after the ascension of our Savior, as if also preferred by our Lord, strove not after honor, but chose James the Just bishop of Jerusalem."
James was the successor of Jesus. James was the Leader of the Jerusalem Community (Assembly) and of the Church as a whole. James was the Head of Christianity of his day, whatever this may have been said to be. Bishop of Jerusalem is not simply one among equals, but the leader. This is why Peter left the table at Antioch. If Peter had been 'in charge', why feel guilty about breaking table fellowship with gentiles? Answer, because James was in charge and Head of the Church
Acts15
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
And this directive is repeated in Acts 15:28-29
Acts 15
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Keep in mind that this all takes place AFTER the crucifixtion! After the crucifixtion the Holy Spirit deemed these things necessary!!
The RCC claims Peter as the first pope in 32AD. As I pointed out above, James is the clear leader, not Peter. While James ministered to the Jews and Paul ministered to the Gentiles, they are supposed to be preaching the same gospel. This means that Jews/ and those Gentiles that wished to be grafted unto Israel, should have wound up in the same place, the same belief system as what Jesus and his apostles had. Yet there is a world of difference between them.
For instance The apostles, including Paul observed the Sabbath, even AFTER the crucifixtion. You can see this in Acts.
Acts 13:14
But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
Acts 13:42
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
Acts 13:44
And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
Acts 17:2
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Acts 18:4
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
Acts 21
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
2207 zelotes dzay-lo-tace' from 2206; a "zealot":--zealous.
1) one burning with zeal, a zealot
2) used of God as jealous of any rival and sternly vindicating
his control
3) most eagerly desirous of, zealous for, a thing
a) to acquire a thing, (zealous of)
b) to defend and uphold a thing, vehemently contending for a thing
Acts 21:20 informs us that James, the head of the church of Jesus in the first century, would state (approximately 60 A.D.-notice it was about thirty years since his brother's death on the cross): "Thou seest, brother (Paul), how many thousands of Jews there are which believe (in Jesus the Messiah of Israel); AND THEY ARE ALL ZEALOUS FOR THE LAW."
The LAW HAD NOT PASSED AWAY FOR THE CHURCH BEARING JESUS' NAME IN THE FIRST CENTURY Those Christians of the first century that accepted Jesus as Messiah were actually a sect within Judaism. They still followed the Law and the Prophets and kept the Sabbath.
The 'church' that claims Peter as its first pope (RCC), doesn't resemble Judaism at all, so how can its followers even think that they have been grafted unto the God of Israel, when this same RCC church through Constantine changed God's 4th commandment pertaining to keeping the Sabbath, and changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday???
Does the 'christian' church teach these 'necessary things':
Acts 15
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
like the Jewish Christian church and followers did?
John 4:22
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Did you catch that? Salvation is of the Jews. NOT WAS, IS.
2 Corinthians 5
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
What did Paul mean by 'new creature'?
2937 ktisis ktis'-is from the root 2936; original formation (properly, the act; by implication, the thing, literally or figuratively):--building, creation, creature, ordinance.
1) the act of founding, establishing, building etc
a) the act of creating, creation
b) creation i.e. thing created
1) of individual things, beings, a creature, a creation
a) anything created
b) after a rabbinical usage (by which a man converted
from idolatry to Judaism was called)
c) the sum or aggregate of things created
c) institution, ordinance
2936 ktizo ktid'-zo probably akin to 2932 (through the idea of proprietorship of the manufacturer); to fabricate, i.e. found (form originally):--create, Creator, make.
1) to make habitable, to people, a place, region, island
a) to found a city, colony, state
2) to create
a) of God creating the worlds
b) to form, shape, i.e. to completely change or transform
Converting from idolatry to Judaism, showing God's proprietorship over us his creations.
When the Apostle Paul instructs Gentiles in Corinth to come to God through Jesus he intends them to become "new creatures" by leaving their idolatry and convert to Judaism and not Catholic or Protestant Christianity as we know it today.
Do so called 'christian' churches today resemble Judaism? Nope, not by a long shot! So, why did the christian churches of today vear off the path and form their own religion? Wasn't the Jewish religion that Jesus followed and taught others to follow, even after the crucifixtion, good enough for them?
backsliding from the Hebrew
4878 mshuwbah mesh-oo-baw' or mshubah {mesh-oo-baw'}; from 7725; apostasy:--backsliding, turning away.
1) turning away, turning back, apostasy, backsliding
2 Thessalonians 2
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
646 apostasia ap-os-tas-ee'-ah feminine of the same as 647; defection from truth (properly, the state) ("apostasy"):--falling away, forsake.
1) a falling away, defection, apostasy
2 Thessalonians 2
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Could this mean someone may try to usurp God's authority? Like maybe trying to changes God's 4th commandment, or change Passover into Ishtar/Astarte/Easter, or adopt another pagan holy day, Dec 25th, the birthday of Mithra the sun-god??
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
iniquity from the Greek
458 anomia an-om-ee'-ah from 459; illegality, i.e. violation of law or (genitive case) wickedness:--iniquity, X transgress(-ion of) the law, unrighteousness.
1) the condition of without law
a) because ignorant of it
b) because of violating it
2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness
Jesus made the following prediction:
Matthew 24:11 - And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 - And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Basically, Jesus predicted, that because of false prophets, illegality or violation of the law and a condition of without law will abound. Looks like he was right on target.
Revelation 2:9
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Daniel 7
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
The Gregorian calendar (pope Gregory) changed times and seasons, and Constanine changed the 4th commandment (law).
Legacy indeed.....
