The Holy Sepulcher: Archaeology says the Evangelists were right

Aletelia ^ | April 19, 2017 | Forum Libertas

[NYer]

What the opening of the marble slab of the Edicule revealed

On October 20th, 2016, one of the most exciting events in centuries took place: the opening of the marble slab guarding the place tradition claims was the tomb of Jesus, inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

Underneath that slab there was a second slab, also of gray marble, containing a slit along its side and bearing a Lorraine Cross. Most likely, this is from the time of the Crusades, from the beginning of the 12th century.

Once the second slab was removed, the surprises began, according to testimonies gathered from different sources. Right below this slab, a fundamental piece of the site was discovered: an ordinary stone bench excavated in the rock that is directly connected with the vertical wall, also excavated in the rock behind it.

The chronicles of medieval travelers such as Félix Faber (1480), who saw the edicule without the actual covering marbles, testify that the bank and wall formed a single piece of stone. This corresponds to the northern wall of the small room: the place traditionally venerated as Jesus’ tomb.

The second surprise revealed the south wall of this room corresponded to a second vertical wall, also made out of ordinary rock, about two meters high. In sum, the Edicule of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher contains a site consisting of two stone walls (north and south) and a bank (to the north side) — all dug out of the rock. This setup corresponds to a “sepulchral chamber” one could only gain access by going down, as it was below the level of the outer land. The original stone floor of the tomb, still to be discovered, is to be found under the present marble pavement.

The archaeological elements described agree with the documentary data of the Gospels, as in Matthew 27, Mark 15-16, Luke 24, and John 19-20. That is why it is legitimate to suppose that this is in fact the tomb of Jesus.

Relatively close to the place in which Jesus was crucified, Joseph of Arimathea owned a tomb, which had not yet been used by anyone. (Jewish burial customs at the time usually dictated quick burial in a shallow grave covered with stones for the poor, with the wealthy purchasing family tombs, or sepulchers, where bodies would be laid in niches carved out of the walls. There were also stone benches for the preparation of the body or for visitors to the family tomb.) This tomb was to be closed with a large stone that had to be rolled over in order to cover the entrance, according to the Gospels. This kind of closing is precisely the one that was used for sepulchral chambers, commonly carved in the rock, as the one discovered under the Edicule’s marble slab. One could only walk in by slightly descending to gain access to the place in which the corpse was deposited: that is to say, the aforementioned stone bench. The Gospels claim that Mary Magdalene “bent down to look into the tomb.”

The stone bank is also mentioned in the gospels of Mark and John. In Mark 16:5, it is said that the women entered the tomb and found “a young man seated in a white garment.” Evidently, one could only sit on such marble bench, and not in a niche. John 20:12 one speaks of “two angels dressed in white, sitting in the room [that is, again, the area of the bench] where the body of Jesus had been placed.”

When Jesus was buried, on a Friday, right before the sunset, they did not place the body in a niche but rather on the stone bench, as mentioned in the Gospels. The reason for this decision is that Jesus had died after considerable physical aggression, and his body was in an unfortunate state, and needed proper preparation, which could not be provided at the moment, as the Sabbath rest was about to begin. It was customary among the Jews of the time to wash and anoint with aromatic oils the bodies of the deceased before burying them. But as Jesus had to be buried in a hurry, his body was left on the stone bench, covered hastily with a shroud. 

Even if faith in the Resurrection might not lean on logical demonstrations, it doesn’t imply a leap into an irrational vacuum either. Research shows archaeological data and the Gospels agree. The archaeological facts are not to be understood as demonstrations that ground (or not) what is a matter of faith, but they indeed stimulate reasonableness, based on verisimilitude.

The canonical gospels are indeed documents belonging to the first centuries of Christianity, and can be read like any other ancient historical document. From them, a religious revolution sprang out: the one that began on a bench dug in the rock, inside a sepulcher, in Jerusalem, two thousand years ago.

 

Launch the slideshow

Images from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

1/11

The Stone of Anointing, where Jesus' body is said to have been anointed before burial at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

2/11

Images from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

3/11

Images from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

4/11

Images from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

5/11

Images from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

6/11

Chapel of Aedicule, surrounded by the Rotunda, the place believed to be the burial place of Jesus from Nazareth in Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

7/11

Images from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

8/11

Images from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

9/11

Images from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

10/11

The Stone of Anointing, where Jesus' body is said to have been anointed before burial at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem which houses two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and Jesus's empty tomb, where was buried and resurrected. The tomb is enclosed by the 18th-century shrine, called the Aedicule.

11/11

Article originally posted by Forum Libertas

[Big Red Badger]

The Garden Tomb,

Much more serene.

[JesusIsLord]

The combination of ancient rocks and baroque embellishments is truly the face of our Holy Church.

You've described why many Christians reject Roman Catholicism.

[LivingNet]

We think the Roman guards to have been cruel to be breaking the legs of those on the cross but it was an actual blessing. Dying on the cross could take several days of horrible pain and suffering once the legs are broken you can't breath and you die quickly.

Just to clarify...the other two had their legs broken but not Jesus. This was to fulfill an old testament prophecy that no bone of his would be broken. Instead he had the sword cast through his side.

[theBuckwheat]

The reason that Friday is the day most think of as the day of Christ’s crucifixion is that Mark 15:42 states that it was the preparation day (the day before the Sabbath). In the normal weekly Sabbath cycle, Friday is indeed the preparation day. But in this case, there were two Sabbaths during that week. The Sabbath referred to in Mark 15:42 was an annual Holy Day—the First Day of Unleavened Bread. John 19:31 confirms this by specifically stating that it was a high day, or annual Holy Day. Then two days later was the weekly Sabbath, which is the one referred to in Luke 23:56.

from:

Three Days and Three Nights
https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/easter-the-rest-of-the-story/three-days-and-three-nights

[FourtySeven]

Crucifixion Wednesday?

That link addresses in a most thorough, if not exhaustive way every Crucifixion Wednesday assertion/proof I have ever seen, from the nonsense claiming "Easter" is derived from pagan roots to what you pointed out about the two Sabbaths causing (apparent) confusion in the gospel accounts. There really isn't any confusion as Akin demonstrates from Scripture.

I was thinking of posting that as it's own thread during Lent in anticipation of the usual, annual "Jesus didn't die on a Friday" claim that has come up in the past around here but decided against it so as to not stir up that hornets nest unnecessarily. But here you go.

Every single assertion one can dream up to support the Crucifixion Wednesday theory is addressed there, every single one. You (and likeminded lurkers) should read it for your own education and edification. There is nothing left to be said after reading it. To those who seek the truth rather than support of an anti-Catholic (and I'd argue even an anti-Christian) agenda, the light of truth will illuminate their minds (I certainly hope you will fall into that category). To the rest, nothing will ever convince the harness of such a heart.

[Biggirl]

Also the Catholic Church and two other churches as well, not just the Greek Orthodox take care of that shrine.

What brought the needed repair from what I had read was a direct warning from the Israeli government that the Edicule was in danger of collasping. That was reason for its repair.

[Biggirl]

Correction: Aedicule.

[Ray76]

have you accounted for calendar changes?

[dsc]

“You’ve described why many Christians reject Roman Catholicism.”

Yes, that’s logical. I myself reject the National Gallery because they have so many beautiful works of art housed in such a magnificent edifice.

[Salvation]

BTTT!

[TXnMA]

Our Lord, Jesus, Himself, said:

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these."

Matthew 6:28-29, Douay-Rheims Bible

~~~~~~~~~~~

"The combination of ancient rocks and baroque embellishments is truly the face of our Holy Church."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Indeed -- a gilded lily...

Shameful.

[JesusIsLord]

The combination of ancient rocks and baroque embellishments is truly the face of our Holy Church.

...You've described why many Christians reject Roman Catholicism.

......Yes, that’s logical. I myself reject the National Gallery because they have so many beautiful works of art housed in such a magnificent edifice.

Jesus is the head of His body, the church. Jesus the Word is the face of His church - not ancient rocks and baroque embellishments.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. II Cor 4:6

[JAKraig]

We think the Roman guards to have been cruel to be breaking the legs of those on the cross but it was an actual blessing. Dying on the cross could take several days of horrible pain and suffering once the legs are broken you can’t breath and you die quickly.
Just to clarify...the other two had their legs broken but not Jesus. This was to fulfill an old testament prophecy that no bone of his would be broken. Instead he had the sword cast through his side.

__________________________________________________________

Of Course, I hope there was no confusion over this. The sacrifice had to be the unblemished 1st born and no bones were to be broken.

[dsc]

Oh, well, discerning vital subtleties is not everyone’s cup of tea, is it?

[FourtySeven]

This fulfills all Biblical requirements: (just to address what Buckwheat posted)

http://www.abdicate.net/print.aspx?sdn=1733014

As far as I know, that calendar takes into account the Gregorian shift. There’s also this one:

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=33&month=4&country=34

The back calculation is complicated and affected by many factors.

The point here isn’t necessarily proof of the year of His crucifixion, but that the weekly Sabbath was the same as 15 Nisan (the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, a “holy convocation”, cf Lev 23:4) in a year around the traditional (note the lowercase “t”) year of His crucifixion, so John 19:31 is accurate, as well as Jimmy Akin. (as the “Day of Preparation” in John 19:31 is 14 Nisan)

As far as I understand, 3793 in the Jewish calendar corresponds to A.D. 33.

[annalex]

You've described why many Christians reject Roman Catholicism.

I knew that when I was posting.

The rejection is a failure of faith on the part of "many Christians".

Jesus built a timeless Church, great in antiquity, great in the Middle Ages, great in Baroque, great today.

[Melian]

Glory to God in the highest!

[Melian]

Thank you for this response! I love being Catholic and I’m so grateful to know the whole story: the fullness of the Faith!

[high info voter]

The High Sabbath connected with Pesach or Passover was not the same Sabbath that is observed on the 6th day. It was a specific holy day at the end of Passover determined by when Passover began. My point was Jesus said he would be in the grave “3 days”..... so He was in the grave 3 days.... He did not lie.

[TXnMA]

"The rejection is a failure of faith on the part of "many Christians"."

Au contraire...

~~~~~~~~~~

I place my faith in our Lord, Himself -- not in an artificial, glitzy construct from the minds and hands of fallible men.

If any faith is a failure, it is that which is misplaced upon an earthly, human organization -- and its physical embellishments intended to stimulate / simulate numinous experience...

~~~~~~~~~~

Technical term: "Phony".