Post by Cindy on Jun 24, 2024 8:34:03 GMT -5
As many of you know, I have the Logos Bible Library with almost 2000 theology books.
I had taken time this morning to enjoy one of my interactive "books" called, An Empty Tomb, A devotional Exploration. It starts out by telling about a first century Jewish tomb that was discovered near Jerusalem called, The Tomb of the Shroud. They use it to examine and reflect on Christ’s very real death and what His death means for us now. But first they had to explain about the discovery of the tomb as it's a miracle in itself! Let me share some about this tomb here.
First they told of the many false teachers who say that there was no such thing as leprosy as we know it during Old or New Testament times. The false teachers said that what was called leprosy in the Bible was actually just a common skin ailment. I'd heard of that a long time ago but knew it wasn't true, simply because I believe what the Bible says. But this "book" showed that God has proven His Word through archaeology yet again! But let me share what this book says about these false teachers before I continue.
I had taken time this morning to enjoy one of my interactive "books" called, An Empty Tomb, A devotional Exploration. It starts out by telling about a first century Jewish tomb that was discovered near Jerusalem called, The Tomb of the Shroud. They use it to examine and reflect on Christ’s very real death and what His death means for us now. But first they had to explain about the discovery of the tomb as it's a miracle in itself! Let me share some about this tomb here.
First they told of the many false teachers who say that there was no such thing as leprosy as we know it during Old or New Testament times. The false teachers said that what was called leprosy in the Bible was actually just a common skin ailment. I'd heard of that a long time ago but knew it wasn't true, simply because I believe what the Bible says. But this "book" showed that God has proven His Word through archaeology yet again! But let me share what this book says about these false teachers before I continue.
Scholars have had two major reasons for thinking that the “lepers” of the Gospels (such as the ten whom Jesus cleansed at once, only one of whom thanked him) did not have the disease we now call “leprosy,” now also known as “Hansen’s disease.” One of the reasons scholars have doubted that Hansen’s disease was present in the time of Jesus is that few skeletal remains from the ancient world have shown signs of the disease. Another reason (certain) scholars have doubted that true leprosy was present in Jesus’ day is that all three Synoptic Gospels speak of a leper who was healed on the spot, after imploring Jesus for help: “And immediately the leprosy left him” (Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 1:40–45; Luke 5:12–16). Hansen’s disease, with all its visible lesions, is not the kind of disease that can just vanish without supernatural power; so these scholars had to come up with an alternate explanation. Instead of denying that it vanished, they denied that it was Hansen’s. Very rarely does archaeological science so neatly answer such a challenge, but in the tomb at Akeldama there was one such answer: a body that had lain in situ for 2,000 years, a body protected by a sealed entrance and desiccated by limestone, was tested and found to have had Hansen’s disease. In this tomb was a leper.
The Tomb of the Shroud is a first-century Jewish tomb in Jerusalem. The Tomb of the Shroud is located in the Valley of Hinnom—a valley south of Jerusalem’s Old City—also known as Gehenna (Hebrew: גיהנום, Ge Hinnom; literally ‘Valley of Hinnom’). Gehenna is mentioned throughout the Old Testament as an eschatological symbol of God's judgment of the faithless rebels of Judah. In the New Testament, Gehenna is mentioned a dozen times, mostly in Matthew.
This location is notable for the discovery of a 2000 year old skeleton that proved to be the first & only genetically confirmed example of leprosy from the first century.
The Tomb of the Shroud is a first-century Jewish tomb in Jerusalem. The Tomb of the Shroud is located in the Valley of Hinnom—a valley south of Jerusalem’s Old City—also known as Gehenna (Hebrew: גיהנום, Ge Hinnom; literally ‘Valley of Hinnom’). Gehenna is mentioned throughout the Old Testament as an eschatological symbol of God's judgment of the faithless rebels of Judah. In the New Testament, Gehenna is mentioned a dozen times, mostly in Matthew.
This location is notable for the discovery of a 2000 year old skeleton that proved to be the first & only genetically confirmed example of leprosy from the first century.
The Tomb of the Shroud is found in Akeldama. Akeldama is often associated with the location referred to in Acts 1:19, the field where Judas comitted suicide after betraying Jesus. Akeldama was a popular burial place in the days of Jesus. (Akeldama is in the area of the Valley of Hinnom "Gehenna".) The hillside is honeycombed with tombs, some explored, others not–some even vandalised by looters.
The door to the Tomb of the Shroud is square—unlike the round door the Gospels record being rolled away from Christ's tomb. The upper chamber of the tomb has a square doorway leading outside. Another passageway leads down into the lower chamber. Burial niches are cut into the walls in both chambers. Like the upper chamber, the lower chamber of the tomb contains many burial niches for receiving bodies and stone ossuaries. The lower chamber is unique in a leper's remains were discovered still sealed away in a burial niche.
Jesus’ grave was indeed “assigned...with the rich.” The tomb at Akeldama—and others surrounding it—show us what such a tomb would look like. The entrance to this tomb is actually an entrance to its basement—most of the elite tombs on this hillside would have had superstructures that looked like small temples. The architecture of this second–temple tomb is not Davidic. At the time, Herod and many of the Jewish elite were very impressed with Roman architecture. If you visit Rome you'll see tombs with the same style—the style that was in vogue during Jesus’ time.
Jesus’ grave was indeed “assigned...with the rich.” The tomb at Akeldama—and others surrounding it—show us what such a tomb would look like. The entrance to this tomb is actually an entrance to its basement—most of the elite tombs on this hillside would have had superstructures that looked like small temples. The architecture of this second–temple tomb is not Davidic. At the time, Herod and many of the Jewish elite were very impressed with Roman architecture. If you visit Rome you'll see tombs with the same style—the style that was in vogue during Jesus’ time.
After one year, according to the Jewish custom of ossilegium, an individual’s bones were collected and placed into a stone box called an ossuary. The name of the deceased was sometimes written on the ossuary. Tombs like this had large chambers for the storage of ossuaries—sometimes multiple ossuaries might even be stacked.
Just up the hill from the Tomb of the Shroud is a burial complex built in the Crusader period to house pilgrims who died during their time in Jerusalem. Learn more about that here: Israel Antiquities Authority: Conservation of a Crusader Burial Structure. Somehow the centuries managed to hide this tomb at Akeldama until quite recently. But at one time the tombs here were impossible to hide; this was a burial place for elites, and elites build monuments to their names.
Just up the hill from the Tomb of the Shroud is a burial complex built in the Crusader period to house pilgrims who died during their time in Jerusalem. Learn more about that here: Israel Antiquities Authority: Conservation of a Crusader Burial Structure. Somehow the centuries managed to hide this tomb at Akeldama until quite recently. But at one time the tombs here were impossible to hide; this was a burial place for elites, and elites build monuments to their names.
A tomb believed to be that of the high priest Annas lies not far away. Annas, high priest from AD 6 to AD 15, was a power behind the priestly thrones of five of his sons and one of his sons-in-law. You know that son-in-law, Caiaphas, for it was he to whom Annas sent Jesus during the awful night of our Lord’s religious and legal trials. And it was he who spoke better than he knew when he plotted to kill Jesus: “It is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:50). The political-religious complex that killed Jesus itself died off, and at least one of its members was buried here. The area you see pictured was directly touched by people who directly touched the life of Jesus.
The Tomb of the Shroud was discovered by accident in the year 2000. A group of boy scouts along with archaeologist Shimon Gibson were out exploring the field, and one of the boys just crawled in to the tomb!
Gibson followed and learned that though the tomb had been recently looted, part was left undisturbed. Gibson actually slept in the tomb that night to protect it. Over the following days the tomb was excavated. When Gibson explored the Tomb of the Shroud, he found this burial niche still sealed. His team was shocked to find a 2000-year-old skeletal cadaver at rest inside. They were even more surprised when materials sent to a lab for analysis came back—this individual had died from leprosy. This is the first archaeological evidence of leprosy in the time of Jesus to be found.
I wish I could share this interactive "book" with you, but I can't. But I found 2 videos that talk about this tomb and show it. I haven't watched it, only the first couple of minutes and that seemed to be truthful. Let me know if I guessed wrong though, ok?Gibson followed and learned that though the tomb had been recently looted, part was left undisturbed. Gibson actually slept in the tomb that night to protect it. Over the following days the tomb was excavated. When Gibson explored the Tomb of the Shroud, he found this burial niche still sealed. His team was shocked to find a 2000-year-old skeletal cadaver at rest inside. They were even more surprised when materials sent to a lab for analysis came back—this individual had died from leprosy. This is the first archaeological evidence of leprosy in the time of Jesus to be found.
Wait! Maybe I can share something more about it with you though. I don't know if this will work or not. I can watch it, but that may be because I have the Bible Library and can therefore watch anything that I've paid for. Or this might be available to everyone. I can't tell so I'm just going to post it and hope for the best. Please let me know if you're able to see any of it. Sorry, I'm probably giving way too much information as usual. I've always loved Biblical Archaeology and love to share about it too. I'd share the whole book with you if I could!
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