Pastor Frank wrote:

MORE LIES BY THE FAKE "PASTOR".

There is an ongoing debate among scholars regarding the historical

of the Bible. Some feel that the Bible is a fictitious work and should

read as a work of literary fiction. Others feel it is an accurate

work divinely inspired by God. Archaeology has played a major role in
determining the trustworthiness of the Bible. In this article, we will

at the archaeological discoveries that have confirmed the historical
accuracy of the New Testament. There is a great deal of evidence
outside of the Bible that confirms the account of Jesus as written in

Gospels.It is important to realise, however, that it is unrealistic to
expect archaeology to back up every event and place in the New

Our perspective is to look for what evidence exists and see whether or

it corresponds with the New Testament.

Pastor Frank

Historical Confirmation of Jesus:

The first evidence comes from the four Gospels which, themselves, are

to be accurate.{1}

===>Not only are they not "proven", the four "Gospels" contradict
one another and even contain well known forgeries, e.g. the last segment
of MARK (16:9-20) and the entire last chapter (Ch. 21) of JOHN.
(Note that Ch. 20 concludes the book with v. 30)

Outside the biblical text are several witnesses as well.
Jewish historian Josephus (37 A.D.-100 A.D.) recorded the history of the
Jewish people in Palestine from 70 A.D. to 100 A.D. In his work

he states:

"Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to

him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men

receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the

and many of the gentiles. He was the Christ and when Pilate, at the
suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the

those that loved him at the first did not forsake him. For he appeared

again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten
thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of

so named from him, are not extinct to this day."{2}

===>This is also a well known forgery, not available to the earliest

writers.

Although he mentions Jesus in a sarcastic way, Josephus confirms the

that Jesus did do many great miracles, drew a following, was crucified,

was proclaimed alive on the third day.

Pliny the Younger, Emperor of Bythynia in northwestern Turkey, writing

Emperor Trajan in 112 A.D. writes:

"They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was
light, when they sang an anthem to Christ as God, and bound themselves

solemn oath not to commit any wicked deed, but to abstain from all

theft and adultery, never to break their word, or deny a trust when

upon to honor it; after which it was their custom to separate, and then

again to partake of food, but ordinary and innocent kind."

===>This only confirms that the earliest known "Christians" worshipped the
deity called "Christos". NOTHING about Jesus and the Gospels or the
"New Testament" or the "Bible" (which did not yet exist, but was compiled
some two centuries later).

One of the most important Romans historians is Tacitus. In 115 A.D. he
recorded Nero's persecution of the Christians, in the process of which

wrote the following:

"Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme

during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators,

Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the

again broke out not only in Judea, . . . but even in Rome."{3}

===>Again, Tacitus simply tells us what an abominable cult was being
worshipped under the name of "Christos". NO PROOF of "Biblical

NOTHING about Jesus and the Gospels or the "New Testament" or the "Bible"
(which did not yet exist, but was compiled some two centuries later).

There are over 39 extra-biblical sources that attest to over one hundred
facts regarding the life and teachings of Jesus.

===>Really?
Why don't you LIST THEM, LIAR???

Accuracy of the Gospels:

The accuracy of the Gospels has been supported by archaeology. The names

many of the Israelite cities, events, and people described in them have

been located.

===>ALL historical fiction contains names of actual cities, references to

and
real people. That does not PROVE "Biblical authenticity".

Here are a few examples.

The Gospels mention four neighboring and well-populated coastal cities

the Sea of Galilee: Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Tiberias.

===>So, what?
The fictional stories take place in that area. Any good writer would at

tie his stories to those locations.

Jesus performed many miracles in the first three cities.

===>What "miracles"???
Where is your "evidence"???

Despite this testimony,
these cities rejected Jesus and therefore were cursed by Him (Matt.
11:20-24; Luke 10:12-16).

===>So the story goes.

These cities eventually disappeared from history
and their locations remained missing for centuries. Their demise

the prophetic condemnation of Jesus.

===>How many cities of the 1st century C.E. are still standing,
Sheepherder?

Only recently has archaeology recovered their possible locations. Tell

is believed to be Capernaum. (A "tell" is a mound or elevated land that

arisen by repeated and long-term rebuilding of the same site. Layers of
civilizations can be found at different strata). The locations of

and Chorazin still remain unconfirmed, but the present site at a tell

miles north of the Galilean shoreline is believed to be Bethsaida, while
Tell Khirbet Kerezah, 2.5 miles northwest of Capernaum, is thought to be
Chorazin.

Matthew 2 states that Jesus was born during the reign of Herod. Upon

that a king had been born, the frightened Herod ordered all children

the age of two to be killed. His slaughter of innocents is consistent

the historical facts that describe his character. Herod was suspicious

anyone whom he thought may take his throne. His list of victims included

of his ten wives, who was his favorite, three of his own sons, a high
priest, an ex-king, and two of his sister's husbands. Thus, his

portrayed in Matthew is consistent with his description in ancient

John's accuracy has also been attested to by recent discoveries. In John
5:1-15 Jesus heals a man at the Pool of Bethesda. John describes the

having five porticoes. This site had long been in dispute until

Forty feet underground, archaeologists discovered a pool with five
porticoes, and the description of the surrounding area matches John's
description. In 9:7 John mentions another long disputed site, the Pool

Siloam. However, this pool was also discovered in 1897, upholding the
accuracy of John.

Evidence for Pontius Pilate, the governor who presided over the trial of
Jesus, was discovered in Caesarea Maritama. In 1961, an Italian
archaeologist named Antonio Frova uncovered a fragment of a plaque that

used as a section of steps leading to the Caesarea Theater. The

written in Latin, contained the phrase, "Pontius Pilatus, Prefect of

has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius."

temple is dedicated to the Emperor Tiberius who reigned from 14-37 A.D.

fits well chronologically with the New Testament which records that

ruled as procurator from 26-36 A.D. Tacitus, a Roman historian of the

century, also confirms the New Testament designation of Pilate. He

"Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme

during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators,

Pilatus. . . ."

Confirmation Regarding the Crucifixion:

All four Gospels give details of the crucifixion of Christ. Their

portrayal of this Roman practice has been confirmed by archaeology. In

a gravesite in the city of Jerusalem was uncovered containing

bodies. Each of the men had died a brutal death which historians believe

the result of their involvement in the Jewish revolt against Rome in 70

The inscription identified one individual as Yohan Ben Ha'galgol.

the bones performed by osteologists and doctors from the Hadassah

School determined the man was twenty-eight years old, stood five feet

inches, and had some slight facial defects due to a cleft right palate.

===>So, they found Jesus!
CONGRATULATIONS.

NONE of the material you cite proves "Biblical

No more than details, say, in GONE WITH THE WIND prove that the
story is "authentic".

Oh, well...........

So much for another LIE by Sheepherder Frank. -- L.

====================================================

What intrigued archaeologists were the evidences that this man had been
crucified in a manner resembling the crucifixion of Christ. A seven-inch
nail had been driven through both feet, which were turned outward so the
nail could be hammered inside the Achilles tendon.

Archaeologists also discovered that nails had been driven through his

forearms. A victim of a crucifixion would have to raise and lower his

in order to breathe. To do this, he needed to push up on his pierced

and pull up with his arms. Yohan's upper arms were smoothly worn,

this movement.

John records that in order to expedite the death of a prisoner,

broke the legs of the victim so that he could not lift himself up by

with his feet (19:31-33). Yohan's legs were found crushed by a blow,
breaking them below the knee. The Dead Sea Scrolls tell that both Jews

Romans abhorred crucifixion due to its cruelty and humiliation. The

also state it was a punishment reserved for slaves and any who

the ruling powers of Rome. This explains why Pilate chose crucifixion as

penalty for Jesus.

Relating to the crucifixion, in 1878 a stone slab was found in Nazareth

a decree from Emperor Claudius who reigned from 41-54 A.D. It stated

graves must not be disturbed nor bodies to be removed. The punishment on
other decrees is a fine but this one threatens death and comes very

the time of the resurrection. This was probably due to Claudius
investigating the riots of 49 A.D. He had certainly heard of the
resurrection and did not want any similar incidents. This decree was
probably made in connection with the Apostles' preaching of Jesus'
resurrection and the Jewish argument that the body had been stolen.

Historian Thallus wrote in 52 A.D. Although none of his texts remain,

work is cited by Julius Africanus' work, Chronography. Quoting Thallus

the crucifixion of Christ, Africanus states, "On the whole world, there
pressed a most fearful darkness, and the rocks were rent by an

and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down."{4}

calls this darkness, "as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the
sun."{5}

All the discoveries made are consistent with the details in the

account given by the writers of the Gospels. These facts lend indirect
support for the biblical accounts of Jesus' crucifixion and that the

was empty.

Historical Accuracy of Luke:

At one time, scholars did not view Luke's historical accounts in his

and Acts as accurate. There appeared to be no evidence for several

persons, and locations that he named in his works. However,

advances have revealed that Luke was a very accurate historian and the

books he has authored remain accurate documents of history.

One of the greatest archaeologists is the late Sir William Ramsay. He
studied under the famous liberal German historical schools in the
mid-nineteenth century. Known for its scholarship, this school taught

the New Testament was not a historical document. With this premise,

investigated biblical claims as he searched through Asia Minor. What he
discovered caused him to reverse his initial view. He wrote:

"I began with a mind unfavorable to it [Acts], for the ingenuity and
apparent completeness of the Tubingen theory had at one time quite

me. It did not then in my line of life to investigate the subject

but more recently I found myself often brought into contact with the

Acts as an authority for the topography, antiquities, and society of

Minor. It was gradually borne in upon me that in various details the
narrative showed marvelous truth."{6}

Luke's accuracy is demonstrated by the fact that he names key historical
figures in the correct time sequence as well as correct titles to

officials in various areas: Thessalonica, politarchs; Ephesus, temple
wardens; Cyprus, procouncil; and Malta, the first man of the island.

In Luke's announcement of Jesus' public ministry (Luke 3:1), he

"Lysanius tetrarch of Abilene." Scholars questioned Luke's credibility

the only Lysanius known for centuries was a ruler of Chalcis who ruled

40-36 B.C. However an inscription dating to be in the time of Tiberius,

ruled from 14-37 A.D., was found recording a temple dedication which

Lysanius as the "tetrarch of Abila" near Damascus. This matches well

Luke'saccount.

In Acts 18:12-17, Paul was brought before Gallio, the proconsul of

Once again archaeology confirms this account. At Delphi an inscription

letter from Emperor Claudius was discovered. In it he states, "Lucius

Gallio, my friend, and the proconsul of Achaia . . ."{7} Historians date

inscription to 52 A.D. which corresponds to the time of the apostle's

in 51.

In Acts 19:22 and Romans 16:23, Erastus, a coworker of Paul, is named

Corinthian city treasurer. Archaeologists excavating a Corinthian

1928 discovered an inscription. It reads, "Erastus in return for his
aedilship laid the pavement at his own expense." The pavement was laid

A.D. The designation of treasurer describes the work of a Corinthian

In Acts 28:7, Luke gives Plubius, the chief man on the island of Malta,

title, "first man of the island." Scholars questioned this strange title

deemed it unhistorical. Inscriptions have recently been discovered on

island that indeed gives Plubius the title of "first man."

"In all, Luke names thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities, and nine
islands without error."{8} A. N. Sherwin-White states, "For Acts the
confirmation of historicity is overwhelming. . . . Any attempt to reject

basic historicity must now appear absurd. Roman historians have long

it for granted."{9}

The Shroud of Turin:

The Gospels record that after His crucifixion Jesus was wrapped in a

linen cloth and placed in the tomb (Matt. 27:59). John records that when
Peter investigated the empty tomb, he found the burial cloth folded

next to where Christ once laid (20:6-7).

A linen shroud called the Shroud of Turin, on display at the Vatican,

been claimed to be that burial cloth. It is 14.25 feet long and 3.5 feet
wide. On it is an image with pierced wrists and ankles believed to be

of Christ.

The shroud first appeared for public display sometime after 1357 in

France. A knight named Geoffrey de Charny brought the shroud to France.

1453 de Charny's granddaughter gave the shroud to the Duke of Savoy who

in 1578 brought it to Turin, Italy. In 1983, it was willed to the

In 1898, Secondo Pia photographed the shroud and believed the image was

negative image like that of a photograph. This added to the mystery of

shroud since photography had not been invented during medieval times. In
1973 a group of experts confirmed the fact that no pigment of paint was
found even under magnification. For many, this was proof of the shroud's
authenticity.

The most extensive study was undertaken in 1977. An international team

Swiss, American, and Italian scientist studied the shroud for five days

the Savoy Royal Palace at Turin. They used six tons of equipment and 2.5
million dollars for their research. It has been one of the most

studied artifacts of all time.

The study could not determine the authenticity of the fabric.

that followed proved the image contained blood as well as aragonite, a
particular calcium carbonate that is found in Jerusalem's first century
tombs. Swiss criminologist Max Frei found forty-eight samples of pollen,

which seven could have come from plants in Palestine. The weave of the

was herringbone twill, a style that existed in ancient times.

Although these findings supported the authenticity of the shroud, other
findings testified otherwise. In 1987, the shroud was carbon 14 tested

verify its date. Laboratories in Oxford, Zurich, and the University of
Arizona tested the cloth. The result indicated a fourteenth century date

the shroud. This conclusion continues to be challenged and future tests

sure to follow. Another problem is that coins minted by Pontius Pilate

placed over the eyes of the figure. This was not a Jewish custom, nor

it seem likely that Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus would have placed

Jesus' eyes a coin with the image of the leader who condemned him.

Despite the fourteenth century date, scientists are still unable to

how the negative image was created. The shroud remains a mystery as well

a lesson for us as believers that we should not put our faith in

articles.

Notes:

1. See "Authority of the Bible" at www.probe.docs/auth-bib.html.
2. Josephus, Book 18, Chapter 3:3
3. Tacitus, Annals, 15.44
4. Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18:1.
5. Ibid.
6. William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen (Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1982), 8.
7. John McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI.:

Books, 1991), 227.
8. Norman Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI.:
Baker Books, 1999), 47.
9. A. N. Sherwing-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New

(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1963), 189.

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.566 / Virus Database: 357 - Release Date: 22/01/2004

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 23:08:58 -0400, "Pastor Frank"
<PF@Christfirst.com> wrote:

The first evidence comes from the four Gospels which, themselves, are

to be accurate.{1} Outside the biblical text are several witnesses as

Jewish historian Josephus (37 A.D.-100 A.D.) recorded the history of the
Jewish people in Palestine from 70 A.D. to 100 A.D. In his work

he states:
"Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to

him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as
receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the

and many of the gentiles. He was the Christ and when Pilate, at the
suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the

those that loved him at the first did not forsake him. For he appeared

again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten
thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of

so named from him, are not extinct to this day."{2}
Although he mentions Jesus in a sarcastic way, Josephus confirms the

that Jesus did do many great miracles, drew a following, was crucified,

was proclaimed alive on the third day.

This is a well known fraud, added, probably by a CHristian, at a later
date.