The Written Record... Inscriptions...
Inscriptions are another form of historical record and there are hundreds, even thousands, of inscriptions concerning the historical Jesus. The best evidences of Jesus of Nazareth being the Christ, the Son of God, and also being the Lord God Almighty are the inscriptions at the location known as Peter's house in Capernaum. The plaster in the walls where the inscriptions were found can be dated by the chips of pottery that were used in the plaster, making them some of the oldest archaeological evidences of the historical Jesus.
Another location of inscriptions that are verifiable is at the Vatican on the "red wall" of Peter's tomb. The inscriptions on the red wall of the Vatican and in the catacombs of Rome are evidences that support of the existence of Jesus Christ, even identifying Jesus Christ as the Lord God Almighty. The inscriptions at Capernaum carry the “chi rho” while the inscriptions at the Vatican carry the “chi rho epsilon” symbol that represents both Jesus Christ and the apostle Peter.
The book, The Bones of St. Peter, by John Evangelist Walsh, Doubleday and Company, 1982, explains the excavations under the altar at the Vatican and the inscriptions that were found on the red wall under the altar regarding the name of Christ and Peter.
The text explained in some detail that in addition to using the "chi-rho" for a symbol of Christ, inscribers would extended the "leg" of the 'P' (rho) and add an epsilon next to it. There are a number of abbreviations that were used in leaving messages on that wall and the abbreviation for Peter was PE, sometimes written from the rho of the symbolism of Christ and sometimes separately.
The research of the chi-rho-epsilon symbolism for Peter has been found outside the Vatican and is not limited to funeral inscriptions.
"...it could be found scratched on ancient monuments, inked onto old documents of all kinds, worked subtly into wall mosaics, incised on the margins of public signs, roughly stamped on medals, coins, rings, statuettes, pots, and similar household wares, even painted on gaming boards." (The Bones of St. Peter, page 97)
There are inscriptions on ossuary boxes which are related to the historical Jesus. Ossuary boxes are an excellent source of historical accuracy because they are from a limited frame of time and a limited area, dating to the time of Christ. The stonemasons who were building the Second Temple were also using their talents to make ossuary boxes for burials. One group in particular, points to the historical Jesus and is dated within a decade of the life of Christ.
The Official Guide to Israel, Tel-Aviv: 1950, 247 cites:
"About seven hundred metres behind Talpiot a tomb was excavated in 1945 and several ossuaries containing human bodies were found. Inscriptions and coins proved that the burial in the tomb took place in the years 41-42. Two ossuaries were found marked with the word "Jesus," and some others have so far been undeciphered. It has therefore been assumed that followers of Jesus had been buried in this tomb. If this assumption proves correct, this tomb would show the earliest historical evidence known about the followers of Jesus."
The ossuaries are inscribed in Greek or Hebrew and contain the name and identification of the deceased. They were often painted or engraved with an iron pointer on the sides or the lids of the ossuaries.
Hebrew names include: Salome, wife of Judah with a cross; Judah with a cross; Simeon the Priest; Martha, daughter of Pasach; Eleazar, son of Nathalu; and Salamston, daughter of Simeon the Priest. In Greek: Jesus with a cross and Nathaniel with a cross. Three have been found with the name Eleazar which is the Hebrew form of Greek name Lazarus along with the names Martha and Mary. One ossuary on the Mount of Olives contains an dedication “to Yeshua.” An ossuary inscription has been found with the name Shappira inscribed with a cross. Another found several years ago was inscribed with "Alexander, son of Simon of Cyrene," as well as a cross. (Mark 15:21) "Now they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear his cross."
Perhaps an important evidence by historical standard is the sign of the cross as making the sign of the cross was done as an exchange between believers. The sign of the cross has been found in the written records of such activities (historical evidences), the mosaics containing the cross (archaeological evidence), the early reliefs (archaeological evidence), and the early jewelry that is found in Christian tombs (archaeological evidences).
Now, we have an ossuary box that contained a coin dated to AD 41-42 with an inscription to Christ and the symbol of the cross. Therefore, within a decade of the death of Christ, followers of Christianity were being buried with an inscription to glorify Christ and with the sign of the cross. They were alive during the ministry of Jesus and they considered the sign of the cross as related to Christianity. Many of these inscriptions were two decades before the New Testament Scriptures were being written.
Another location of inscriptions that are verifiable is at the Vatican on the "red wall" of Peter's tomb. The inscriptions on the red wall of the Vatican and in the catacombs of Rome are evidences that support of the existence of Jesus Christ, even identifying Jesus Christ as the Lord God Almighty. The inscriptions at Capernaum carry the “chi rho” while the inscriptions at the Vatican carry the “chi rho epsilon” symbol that represents both Jesus Christ and the apostle Peter.
The book, The Bones of St. Peter, by John Evangelist Walsh, Doubleday and Company, 1982, explains the excavations under the altar at the Vatican and the inscriptions that were found on the red wall under the altar regarding the name of Christ and Peter.
The text explained in some detail that in addition to using the "chi-rho" for a symbol of Christ, inscribers would extended the "leg" of the 'P' (rho) and add an epsilon next to it. There are a number of abbreviations that were used in leaving messages on that wall and the abbreviation for Peter was PE, sometimes written from the rho of the symbolism of Christ and sometimes separately.
The research of the chi-rho-epsilon symbolism for Peter has been found outside the Vatican and is not limited to funeral inscriptions.
"...it could be found scratched on ancient monuments, inked onto old documents of all kinds, worked subtly into wall mosaics, incised on the margins of public signs, roughly stamped on medals, coins, rings, statuettes, pots, and similar household wares, even painted on gaming boards." (The Bones of St. Peter, page 97)
There are inscriptions on ossuary boxes which are related to the historical Jesus. Ossuary boxes are an excellent source of historical accuracy because they are from a limited frame of time and a limited area, dating to the time of Christ. The stonemasons who were building the Second Temple were also using their talents to make ossuary boxes for burials. One group in particular, points to the historical Jesus and is dated within a decade of the life of Christ.
The Official Guide to Israel, Tel-Aviv: 1950, 247 cites:
"About seven hundred metres behind Talpiot a tomb was excavated in 1945 and several ossuaries containing human bodies were found. Inscriptions and coins proved that the burial in the tomb took place in the years 41-42. Two ossuaries were found marked with the word "Jesus," and some others have so far been undeciphered. It has therefore been assumed that followers of Jesus had been buried in this tomb. If this assumption proves correct, this tomb would show the earliest historical evidence known about the followers of Jesus."
The ossuaries are inscribed in Greek or Hebrew and contain the name and identification of the deceased. They were often painted or engraved with an iron pointer on the sides or the lids of the ossuaries.
Hebrew names include: Salome, wife of Judah with a cross; Judah with a cross; Simeon the Priest; Martha, daughter of Pasach; Eleazar, son of Nathalu; and Salamston, daughter of Simeon the Priest. In Greek: Jesus with a cross and Nathaniel with a cross. Three have been found with the name Eleazar which is the Hebrew form of Greek name Lazarus along with the names Martha and Mary. One ossuary on the Mount of Olives contains an dedication “to Yeshua.” An ossuary inscription has been found with the name Shappira inscribed with a cross. Another found several years ago was inscribed with "Alexander, son of Simon of Cyrene," as well as a cross. (Mark 15:21) "Now they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear his cross."
Perhaps an important evidence by historical standard is the sign of the cross as making the sign of the cross was done as an exchange between believers. The sign of the cross has been found in the written records of such activities (historical evidences), the mosaics containing the cross (archaeological evidence), the early reliefs (archaeological evidence), and the early jewelry that is found in Christian tombs (archaeological evidences).
Now, we have an ossuary box that contained a coin dated to AD 41-42 with an inscription to Christ and the symbol of the cross. Therefore, within a decade of the death of Christ, followers of Christianity were being buried with an inscription to glorify Christ and with the sign of the cross. They were alive during the ministry of Jesus and they considered the sign of the cross as related to Christianity. Many of these inscriptions were two decades before the New Testament Scriptures were being written.
posted by ~serapha~ at 6:40 PM
1 Comments:
Very Interesting stuff, I've never seen this type of dating verification before....God Bless...
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