Inscription in Megiddo church (218 AD- 235 AD) refers to "God Jesus Christ"

by nvrgnbk 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  nvrgnbk

  Archaeology Sept/Oct 2007 page 50

  Apparently there was much confusion in the early church about the Divinity of Christ?

  That's not what the Watchtower told us.
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  nicolaou

  Is there an online reference?
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  Gopher

  Playing WT's advocate here:

  The WT would say that by the third century, apostasy had set in. So in their view the "pure" teaching of the identity of Jesus was starting to be corrupted by 235 AD (or C.E. as the Watchtower insists on calling it).
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  AlphaOmega

  Early (3 rd Century A.D.) Christian Church at Megiddo, Israel 1
  by Rich Deem

  Introduction

  Dan Brown's book, and recently released movie adaptation, The Da Vinci Code, makes the claim that Christianity as we know it today was not invented until the fourth century, after the council of Nicea. Skeptics often claim that the Christian doctrine of the trinity and the worship of Jesus was not "invented" until that time. Now, the discovery of a third century church in Megiddo, Israel discredits that claim.

  New evidence

  While digging to expand the Israeli prison at Megiddo, Israel, prisoners found a large tile floor. Further excavation revealed the remnants of the walls of the church, within a larger Roman villa. In addition to beautiful fish mosaics (the original symbol of Christianity), a number of inlaid inscriptions were found in the tile. The site was dated to the third century through pottery remnants (first half of the third century) and the style of Greek writing in the inscriptions. One inscription indicated that Gaianus, a Roman military officer, helped pay for the mosaic. A second inscription was in remembrance of four Christian women (maybe martyrs?) - three with Greek names, and the fourth with a Roman name. However, the most compelling inscription is the one that was a tribute to Jesus, "Akeptous, the God-loving, offered this table for (the) god Jesus Christ, as a remembrance." Obviously, the discovery of a third century inscription calling Jesus God discredits the idea that Jesus was not worshipped until the fourth century.

  Conclusion

  The discovery of a 3 rd century Christian church at Megiddo, Israel, along with an inscription to the "god Jesus Christ" confirms that Christians worshipped Jesus Christ as God before the council of Nicea.

  http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/megiddo_church.html
• 

  nvrgnbk

  Is there an online reference?

  http://www.archaeology.org/0709/abstracts/churches.html

  Unfortunately, the link is only for the first five paragraphs of a six-page article.

  Perhaps someone else can find a way to access the rest of the article using the link.
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  nvrgnbk

  Obviously, the discovery of a third century inscription calling Jesus God discredits the idea that Jesus was not worshipped until the fourth century.

  My point exactly!

  Thanks, AO!
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  AlphaOmega

  Brother NVR,

  Aren't you forgetting the new directive in the September Kingdom Ministry ?

  This worldly source of information is not sanctioned by the Watchtower !

  These "artifacts" were probably put in the ground by Jehovah just after he finished burying dinosaur bones and coal !

  Either that or these artifacts are clever apostate forgeries.

  I am only telling you this as a Brother as I don't want you to lose your dustbin emptying privelleges.
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  minimus

  It just goes to show you that "apostates" were around then too.
• 

  Leolaia

  

  This inscription says that Akeptos dedicated "the table as a memorial to God Jesus Christ" (tén trapesan theó Iésou Khristó mnémosunon). The three DNs are written in nomina sacra.

  The WT would say that by the third century, apostasy had set in. So in their view the "pure" teaching of the identity of Jesus was starting to be corrupted by 235 AD (or C.E. as the Watchtower insists on calling it).

  Compare what the inscription says with what Ignatius of Antioch wrote c. AD 107-117:

  "For our God Jesus Christ (ho theos hémón Iésous Khristos) was conceived by Mary according to God's plan, both from the seed of David and of the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 18:1).

  "I bid you farewell always in our God Jesus Christ (theó hémón Iésou Khristó); may you remain in him, in the unity and care of God" (Polycarp 8:3).
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  nvrgnbk

  Wow! Thanks, Leo.

  You weren't posting on JWD back then, were you, min?