Bree

If you're interested in learning about the theories behind the "historical" resurrection, you might want to give Jekyll a ring (email her at the address in her profile). She's currently nose-deep in an 18-week seminar entitled "The Historical Jesus" and is writing a lengthy paper on the subject of the resurrection. I'm sure she'd be willing to help you out.

Godless Dave

The hill was called either Calvary or Golgotha, and it was in or near Jerusalem. The kingdom of Judea was part of the Roman Empire, but a long distance (hundreds of miles over the Mediteranean) southeast from the city of Rome itself! Jesus never got anywhere near Rome.

The official language of the empire was Latin, not Greek. Greece was part of the empire, but I don't know that there were many Greek-speaking people in Jerusalem. It's my understanding that Jesus would have spoken Aramaic, a language related to Hebrew. I don't know if Hebrew had already become strictly a liturgical language by then, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Jesus's first language.

The details as to how long it took him to die and what the sign on the cross said vary from gospel to gospel. I think the details given above are from the gospel of Luke.

[ April 26, 2002: Message edited by: Godless Dave ]</p>

lpetrich

Latin may have been the main language of the western part of the Empire, but Greek was very commonly used in the eastern part; consider that all of the New Testament was originally written in Greek.

Secular Elation

Nevermind now. I finished the writing, and your help was good.