by cameo-d 11 Replies latest watchtower bible
There are a lot of interesting stories and theories about this. According to scripture, there are some fishy things about the details we have been given.
Another thought is that he could have been buried under the ground in the tomb.
Do you think it's possible that this story of resurrection could be fiction?
Have you ever been curious about certain details that did not seem to add up?
Anything about the resurrection story that did not 'sit right' with you?
quote:
However, archaeological breakthroughs in the 1980s in the neighborhood of East Talpiot, located just south of Jerusalem’s Old City, shattered these theories. The finding of a first century family tomb by British archaeologist Shimon Gibson and his team located the ossuary inscribed with the name of Jesus in Aramaic, along with other ossuaries containing the names Mary, Joseph, Jude and a second Mary.
Ten ossuaries were found in total, with six of the ossuaries containing inscriptions. In addition to the ossuaries inscribed with the apparent names of Jesus Christ’s family, a 6-inch shard of pottery was also found, engraved with the name Jesus and engraved with an emblem of a fish. Three skulls were also found placed to form what appears to be a ritualistic triangle.
Since the 1970s, hundreds of tombs and thousands of ossuaries have been located in and around the city of Jerusalem.
Archaeologists moved the tomb’s ossuaries into museum storage at Romemma, a suburb of Jerusalem. Gibson’s findings also enabled him to record a layout of the tomb of East Talpiot, providing archaeologists with an important map of the tomb and the exact locations where the ossuaries were found. The public was never notified of these findings.
It was not until 1996 that this incredible finding was made public.
http://www.jesusfamilytomb.com/back_to_basics/site_history.html
Could the body of Jesus have been moved from the tomb?
quote:
As Amos Kloner points out, "During the Second Temple period and later, Jews often practiced temporary burial...a borrowed or temporary cave was used for a limited time."[25] Once the Sabbath had passed, surely Joseph, as a member of the Sanhedrin, would have moved the body out of his own tomb and into a permanent location more suitable for a criminal.[26]
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Yet the Markan story is rather unlikely, given Joseph's membership in the very council that condemned Jesus. Indeed, it is incredible that Craig can expect us to believe that a prominent member of the Sanhedrin would have permanently buried Jesus alone in his own family tomb, and an expensive one at that![31]
He argues, "it seems possible that Joseph was a disciple or at least a sympathizer of Jesus."[32] How convenient! But historians should view such a self-serving claim with suspicion.
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According to Acts 2, Christians did not begin to publicly proclaim the resurrection until seven weeks after Jesus' death. And by that time the body would have been far too decomposed to be identified without modern forensics,...
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...if the reburial hypothesis is true, none of Jesus' followers would have witnessed the reburial. They would not have known the exact location of Jesus' corpse within the criminals' graveyard.
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/jeff_lowder/empty.html
There is a very scholarly detailed discourse on the subject of reburial and resurrection (as embellished legend) at the above website.
I like to believe the resurrection happened. Of course, I have no proof, but I do not need proof to be inspired. And the story has inspired me.
If you compare the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John they dissagree on many aspects of his burial. Who was there, when they were there, annointing the body, where was the door when the women arrived, what they did afterwards.
Then you have the suspicious stuff, like just before he 'died' he sucked on 'vinegar' and then died too soon, leaving open the possibility of a scam by him and his followers.
Personally, I think his story is a composite of several people, with Pagan myths and superstition mixed in for good measure.
Cheers
Chris
Thanks Robdar. I would like to believe it too. For many of us, without that belief or inspiration....what's left? I want to believe it. Just the same way that all of you wanted to believe Paradise. And yes, I'd like to believe in a Paradise somewhere, but not the one the WT envisions. (How can you ever have a Paradise when the cost may be sacrificing the very ones who should be precious to you?)
It's hard to look some things straight on and ask questions, especially when you are not sure you are going to get the answers you want.
Do I dare go here? Is there ever an absolute to be found? Will questions raise suspicions of more lies and fantastic stories?
I suppose that none of us will really know until "the hereafter" arrives. But in the meantime, I am just gonna keep chomping on the apple.
I suppose that none of us will really know until "the hereafter" arrives. But in the meantime, I am just gonna keep chomping on the apple.
I applaud your chomping the apple. I have nibbled that tasty treat myself. I am comfortable not knowing the answers and instead take great pleasure in the mystery.
As far as a paradise earth goes, I do not understand how anybody who is miserable on this earth is ever going to enjoy another earth. The earth is such a lovely place and it hurts me that the witnesses would insult God by besmirching it. The happiness of paradise is within us even as the sadness of the fall.
No answers. Only questions and tidbits of information that may be of interest.
If Joseph was "of Arimathea" how did he just 'happen to have' his family tomb in Jerusalem? How far away was Arimathea (Aruma) from Golgotha?
Seems a bit odd that the family tomb would be in such a remote location. Just happening to have a tomb nearby appears just too convenient for the situation of the crucifixion. Could this have been contrived?
Ruma (Judg 9:31) or Aruma, where "Abimelech dwelt", as is written in the Book of Judges. Now it is called Remphis and is located in the boundaries of Diospolis, and many people today call it Arimathea. (Eusebius, Onomasticon 144:27-29; Jerome 145:27-29) http://198.62.75.1/www1/ofm/mad/legends/legends054.html
I'm sided on the possibility (maybe probability) that it never actually happened & was made up later as a contolling mechanism by the church of the time
Assuming the story is true, I don't think it's feasible (or even logical) that he could have survived. The Roman system of execution was extremely efficient and methodical. The practice of severe flogging, beatings, and crucification ensured you weren't going to survive. And to really ensure you weren't going to survive, the soldiers ensured your death because if you somehow managed to live, it cost the soldiers their own life. Considering all of this, I think it's reasonable to say that the Romans were very good at making sure that convicts were dead.
Another point to consider is that the two "evildoers" who died alongside Jesus had their legs broken to hasten their deaths. The soldiers came to Jesus and saw that he was dead, so breaking his legs was pointless. However, leaving nothing to chance, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side where "water" (back then, clear substances were called water) came out-----evidence of excess fluid gathering around his lungs and heart.
You also have to consider the fact that his lack of food, water & sleep in the previous 24 hours would have also contributed to his condition. Even before the actual crucifixion itself, Jesus' physical condition was serious and possibly critical. He would have been suffering from internal bleeding and possibly hypovolemic shock, which will kill if left untreated. Needless to say, he wasn't going to receive any treatment.
