Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 04-20-2009, 01:25 AM

The Final Days of Jesus: The Archaeological Evidence (or via: amazon.co.uk) bt Shimon Gibson

Quote:

Describing the events of the final days of Jesus chronologically, beginning with his entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey and ending with his burial in a tomb after having been crucified, Gibson unveils a vivid picture of first-century Jerusalem; its monuments, streets, and houses; and, of course, the Jewish Temple that was the jewel in the crown of the city. The Jesus that emerges in these pages is a teacher and healer who captures the fascination of the crowds. As a man from an accomplished and well-off rural background, trained in matters of ritual purification by John the Baptist, and as a believer in alternative healing methods, Jesus's speeches and teachings—made in the tinder-box atmosphere of Passover festivities in Jerusalem—scared the Jewish and Roman authorities to such a degree that they decided to have him put to death. Gibson reveals how archaeology has a major role to play not only in how the gospels should be read and understood, but also in understanding Jesus in his world.

What can archaeology say about alternative healing or whether Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey?

reviewed by James Tabor

Gibson revises the Via Dolorosa - as described here.

youngalexander · 04-20-2009, 01:48 AM

I have learnt over the past few years to be very wary of any opinion expressed by Gibson.

Solo · 04-20-2009, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

What can archaeology say about alternative healing or whether Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey?

I strongly suspect the book was not written for people who would ask these kinds of questions.

Jiri

gdeering · 04-20-2009, 05:08 AM

I think it's the book version of the old CBS series You are There? In other words, some serious history.... I believe the archeological evidence is inconclusive on the question of whether Jesus rode two donkeys into Jerusalem...

Gregg

storytime · 04-20-2009, 06:40 AM

Why would there be archaeological evidence of Jesus when there is none for John the Baptist or any other prophet? And why would Roman officials have feared Jesus when they knew nothing of him? The story has Herod being in fear of John the Baptist due to John's knowing his sin, and Herod desiring to speak with Jesus about miracles, but other than that there is nothing.

Herod being a close alli with Rome he would have surely informed them of such a wonder-working god-man named Jesus, but nothing is mentioned about that possibility. A few relics of Herod has supposedly found, a few coins, bathtub, whatever; but nothing on prophets such as Jesus. And according to the story there were more than a few magicians[miracle workers] deceiving the Jewish people in those days. One would think that at least one Jewish family would have collected and saved a few things and pasted them down through the generations in remembrance of Jesus. But alas, there is nothing. Only the myth, legend and lore grew out of proportion.

Toto · 04-20-2009, 08:35 AM

Ah, yes, Shimon Gibson did discover The Cave of John the Baptist: The Stunning Archaeological Discovery that has Redefined Christian History (or via: amazon.co.uk). (Reviewed here on Archaeology.org ("frustratingly uncritical of the association of biblical personages with archaeological sites .")

Roger Pearse · 04-21-2009, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

What can archaeology say about alternative healing or whether Jesus rode

They've dug up the donkey?

mountainman · 04-21-2009, 12:20 AM

The donkey has been dug up. The real problem lies
in the scientific estimation of the age of a graffiti.

Alexamenos graffito

Quote:

Chronology

No clear consensus has been reached as to the date in which the image was originally made. Dates ranging from the late 1st to the late 3rd century have been suggested.[18][19][20][21][22]

[18] Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, p. 244
[19] David L. Balch, Carolyn Osiek, Early Christian Families in Context: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003, p. 103
[20] B. Hudson MacLean, An introduction to Greek epigraphy of the Hellenistic and Roman periods from Alexander the Great down to the reign of Constantine, University of Michigan Press, 2002, p. 208
[21] Hans Schwarz, Christology, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1998, p. 207
[22] Rodolfo Lanciani, Ancient Rome in the Light of Recent Discoveries, 1898

Doug Shaver · 04-21-2009, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

What can archaeology say about alternative healing or whether Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey?

That depends. Let some archeologist digging anywhere near Jerusalem find a donkey skeleton with a palm branch next to it, carbon-dated to 30 CE, and see what some fundamentalists make of it.

ripley · 04-21-2009, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Shaver

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

What can archaeology say about alternative healing or whether Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey?

That depends. Let some archeologist digging anywhere near Jerusalem find a donkey skeleton with a palm branch next to it, carbon-dated to 30 CE, and see what some fundamentalists make of it.

They'll hire a statistician to prove the sheer unlikelihood of finding such a thing, and then make a strained comparison to finding four dead British guys, a drumset and Yoko Ono's sunglasses and the chances of them not being the Beatles.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

04-20-2009, 01:48 AM	#2
youngalexander Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mornington Peninsula Posts: 1,306	I have learnt over the past few years to be very wary of any opinion expressed by Gibson.

04-20-2009, 05:08 AM	#4
gdeering Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 237	I think it's the book version of the old CBS series You are There? In other words, some serious history.... I believe the archeological evidence is inconclusive on the question of whether Jesus rode two donkeys into Jerusalem... Gregg

04-20-2009, 06:40 AM	#5
storytime Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 2,608	Why would there be archaeological evidence of Jesus when there is none for John the Baptist or any other prophet? And why would Roman officials have feared Jesus when they knew nothing of him? The story has Herod being in fear of John the Baptist due to John's knowing his sin, and Herod desiring to speak with Jesus about miracles, but other than that there is nothing. Herod being a close alli with Rome he would have surely informed them of such a wonder-working god-man named Jesus, but nothing is mentioned about that possibility. A few relics of Herod has supposedly found, a few coins, bathtub, whatever; but nothing on prophets such as Jesus. And according to the story there were more than a few magicians[miracle workers] deceiving the Jewish people in those days. One would think that at least one Jewish family would have collected and saved a few things and pasted them down through the generations in remembrance of Jesus. But alas, there is nothing. Only the myth, legend and lore grew out of proportion.

04-20-2009, 08:35 AM	#6
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Ah, yes, Shimon Gibson did discover The Cave of John the Baptist: The Stunning Archaeological Discovery that has Redefined Christian History (or via: amazon.co.uk). (Reviewed here on Archaeology.org ("frustratingly uncritical of the association of biblical personages with archaeological sites .")

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.