Posted on 12/13/2009 2:41:34 PM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
For the past 150 years archaeologists have been verifying the exact truthfulness of the Bible's detailed records of various events, customs, persons, cities, nations, and geographical locations. Dr. Nelson Glueck probably the greatest modern authority on Israeli archeology, has said, “No archeological discovery has ever controverted [overturned] a Biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of Biblical descriptions has often led to amazing discoveries.”
In every instance where the Bible can be, or has been checked out archaeologically, it has been found to be 100% accurate. The Bible has proven so accurate that archaeologists often refer to it as a reliable guide when they go to dig in new areas. In fact, even though less than 1% of the material available to excavate in the tells in Israel has been excavated, there have been more than 25,000 discoveries within the region known as the "Bible Lands” that have confirmed the truthfulness of the Bible. Entire books have been written on this topic. Allow me to give you three examples.
A. Pontius Pilate
The Bible says that he was the Roman governor of Judea and the man who issued the official order for Jesus to be sentenced to death by crucifixion (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 18-19). In June of 1961 a team of Italian archaeologists, led by Dr. Antonio Frova, were excavating the Mediterranean port city of Caesarea that had at one time served as the Roman capital of Palestine. It was there in the jumbled ruins of an ancient Roman theater that they uncovered a large 2’ x 3’, 5” or so thick, limestone rock. The inscription on the rock amazed the archaeologists. It read in: “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea, has presented the Tiberium to the Caesareans.” (Scholars believe that the Tiberium refers to a temple or some other kind of public structure named after the Roman emperor Tiberius, who reigned from 14–37 A.D.) This stone is on display today in the Israel Museum as a testimony to the reliability of the Bible.
B. Caiaphas
Caiaphas, the Bible tells us, was the Jewish high priest at the time of Jesus crucifixion. Was he a make believe character? Some thought so, that is until 1990, when the Caiaphas family tomb was accidentally discovered by workers constructing a water park just south of Jerusalem. Archaeologists were hastily called to the scene. When they examined the tomb they found 12 ossuaries (limestone bone boxes) containing the remains of 63 individuals. On the outside of the most beautifully decorated of the ossuaries was inscribed the words: “Joseph son of Caiaphas.” What’s incredible is that Josephus (that Jewish historian of the first century A.D.) in his writings (Antiquities 18: 2, 2; 4, 3) documents that that was actually the full name of the high priest who arrested Jesus, “Joseph son of Caiaphas.” (Saying “son of” was a way of referring to the family name). Inside the ossuary archaeologists found the remains of a someone approximately 60-years-old at the time of his death...the actual bones of Caiaphas, the high priest mentioned in the Bible. Today Caiaphas’ ossuary is also on display in the Israel Museum as a testimony of the Bible’s trustworthiness!
C. David
David of course was the most loved of all of Israel’s kings. Some liberal scholars though had denied that King David was a historical figure because there was no mention of him outside of the Bible. Their skepticism changed in 1993. It was then, at an excavation at Tel-Dan in N. Israel they found a now famous stone with an inscription (in Aramaic) referring to the House of David. In 1994 two more fragments of the same stone inscription were discovered, again mentioning the House of David. In 1995 Time Magazine did a story on this discovery and stated, This writing—dated to the 9th century B.C., only a century after David’s reign—described a victory by a neighboring king over the Israelites…The skeptics’ claim that King David never existed is now hard to defend" (Time, December 18, 1995). It’s because of discoveries like this that men like Millar Burrows, (former Professor at Yale University) stated, “…archaeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the Scriptural record. More than one archaeologist has found his respect for the Bible increased by the experience of excavation in Palestine" (Burrows, Millar. What Mean These Stones? New Haven: American Schools of Oriental Research. 1941, p. 1.). Like I said, there are literally thousands of these archaeological discoveries that point to the Bible being an accurate and trustworthy historical document.
***
Archaeology has not proven so helpful for other religious writings. Consider the Book of Mormon. “Not one piece of evidence has ever been found to support the Book of Mormon -- not a trace of the large cities it names, no ruins, no coins, no letters or documents or monuments, nothing in writing. Not even one of the rivers or mountains or any of the topography it mentions has ever been identified.” (Dave Hunt, p.156, In Defense of the Faith; also see p. 107 in The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel). Nothing which demonstrates that the Book of Mormon is anything other than an early nineteeth century piece of American fiction, invented by Joseph Smith has ever been found.
The National Geographic Society stated on August 12, 1998, “Archaeologists and other scholars have long probed the hemisphere's past, and the Society does not know of anything found so far that has substantiated the Book of Mormon.” The Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. has also verified this utter lack of evidence saying in 1996 when they said, “The Smithsonian Institution has never used the Book of Mormon in any way as a scientific guide. Smithsonian Archaeologists see no connection between the archaeology of the New World and the subject matter of the Book.”
1. Fulfilled Prophecy
2. Archaeological Discoveries
3. The Bible’s Amazing Scientific Foresight and Accuracy
4. The Bible’s Internal Consistency
5. External Literary Verification
6. Manuscript Evidence
7. The Bible’s Forthrightness about its Author’s and Hero’s Failures
8. The Willingness of Jesus’ Disciples to Suffer
9. The Bible's Transforming Power for Good
10. The Testimony of Jesus, the Son of God
bookmark
In the midst of our national sin, God patiently calls us back to truth.
I wonder if we’ll listen?
good post, thanks.
Ping for later.
Dr. J. Randall Price holds a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas. He is currently the Director of World of the Bible Ministries as well as having served as a pastor for almost 30 years. He is now the co-pastor of Grace Bible Church in San Marcos, Texas. He is Research Professor of Biblical Archeology and Biblical Studies at Oregon Theological Seminary in Salem. He is also Adjunct Professor of Archeology and Biblical History at Trinity Southwest University in Albuquerque, and Adjunct Professor of Theology at Bible Baptist Seminary in Clark Summit, PA, and Tyndale Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas.
World of the Bible Ministries, Inc. is a non-profit, Christian organization whose goal is to enable the Christian community to realize biblical truth through understanding the Bible in its original context. This is important because true understanding enhances the application of the biblical message to the Christian life and enables the believer to more accurately and effectively minister God's truth to others. As the director of the ministry, Dr. Price travels extensively, speaking and spreading awareness of World of the Bible Ministries and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Operating since 1982, World of the Bible Tours, an adjunct to World of the Bible Ministries, has provided thousands of pastors and laymen a new understanding of the Bible lands and how the history of the Bible actually unfolded. Study tours to the Bible lands are conducted to give Christians a first hand, life-changing experience with the world of the Bible.
Dr. Price is the author of over 20 books and films on the Bible. His cache of books clearly defines his expertise in the field of biblical archaeology. Some examples of his work include titles such as: Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls; In Search of Temple Treasures; The Lost Ark and the Last Days; The Stones Cry Out; Ready to Rebuild, The Imminent Plan to Rebuild the Last Days Temple; and Premillennialism & the Dead Sea Scrolls.
His newest book, Fast Facts on the Middle East Conflict (Harvest house, June 2003), is a guide to understanding the conflict in the Middle East and the U.S. conflict with Iraq. It includes answers to 50 of the most important questions about Israel, Islam, and Iraq. It is written in a Question & Answer format and contains charts, maps and timelines to provide clarity and understanding. Price’s knowledge of Israel, Islam, and the current controversies provides information in a quick–reference format.
In Unholy War: America, Israel and Radical Islam (Harvest House Publishers, Inc., February 2002), Randall Price explains why and how a conflict that had once seemed a world away has made its way to America. How did this all come about? Why has terrorism spilled over to America? Price’s expertise on the Middle East and his intimate knowledge of Judaism, Islam, and modern controversies work together to make this a complete and extremely helpful resource. It answers some pertinent questions like: With Whom or What Are We at War?; How Does the Issue Regarding Jerusalem Fit in this War?; What About the Plight of the Palestinians?; What Is the Purpose of the Intifada?; How Did the Middle East Conflict Begin?; Who Are The Palestinians?; Do Palestinians Have a Right to the Land Through Abraham? This book is a great companion to Price’s other works provides further clarity to the issues of the Middle East.
Another great reference work by Price is his book, The Coming Last Days Temple (Harvest House Publishers, 1999). In it, Dr. Price gives proof that right now, in Israel, there are plans to construct a new Temple. Blueprints have been drawn, furnishings are planned in detail, a priesthood is being prepared and more. Not only is there current, tangible evidence that this rebuilding will take place, there is also biblical proof to support that this will happen one day. The fact that it is happening now, is just one more proof that we are living in the last days.
Price skillfully blends his love of Middle Eastern history and archeology with his passion for the Word of God. That combination allows him to provide deep insight and clarification to prophetic events as they unfold before the eyes of the whole world.
His website is "Josh McDowell Ministries" ...
God Said it,
I believe it,
That settles it.
A friend of mine used to say, “The Bible has nothing to fear from the archeologist’s shovel.” So true.
OH my - just a subject I was discussing not too long ago - thanks will have to ping a few - later.
There’s no archaeological evidence that contradicts the Flying Spaghetti Monster either.
it’s not so much that the archeology doesn’t contradict—it AFFIRMS.
There’s no three thousand year intellectual and highly developed tradition of the FSM though. There are a bunch of clueless dimwit six-grade mindset type folks who are afraid of reality and who constantly bring up that trump.
There’s no archaeological evidence that contradicts the Flying Spaghetti Monster either.
But, the "real catch" here is that -- there is no archeological evidence that supports the Flying Spaghetti Monster either -- while on the other hand -- the Bible has plenty of archeological evidence that supports all the facts that it does speak to and talk about, not only about the surrounding nations, but about God's own chosen people.
So, while the Flying Spaghetti Monster may have no archeological evidence directly contradicting it -- it comes nowhere near the reability, as the Bible does for all the archeological evidence supporting and confirming all that the Bible has said... :-)
And it looks like the Flying Spaghetti Monster is more believable than the Book of Mormon.
“Archaeology has not proven so helpful for other religious writings. Consider the Book of Mormon. “Not one piece of evidence has ever been found to support the Book of Mormon — not a trace of the large cities it names, no ruins, no coins, no letters or documents or monuments, nothing in writing. Not even one of the rivers or mountains or any of the topography it mentions has ever been identified.” (Dave Hunt, p.156, In Defense of the Faith; also see p. 107 in The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel). Nothing which demonstrates that the Book of Mormon is anything other than an early nineteeth century piece of American fiction, invented by Joseph Smith has ever been found.
The National Geographic Society stated on August 12, 1998, “Archaeologists and other scholars have long probed the hemisphere’s past, and the Society does not know of anything found so far that has substantiated the Book of Mormon.” The Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. has also verified this utter lack of evidence saying in 1996 when they said, “The Smithsonian Institution has never used the Book of Mormon in any way as a scientific guide. Smithsonian Archaeologists see no connection between the archaeology of the New World and the subject matter of the Book.”
You are new here and as you can see there are other posters that are more erudite than you and your childish outreach for attention is underscored by your intellectual depth, which as about as shallow as a dry creek bed.
Make sure your mother reads you the Flying Spaghetti Monster story before you go to bed.
And the FSM is way cooler than Moroni. Beer volcanoes? Can't top that.
Oh my, the FSM remark was just a joke - SORRY!!!
Fear not, someone should be along shortly to tell us that pi=3 exactly according to Scripture.
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