Archaeology and the New Testament

Pat Zukeran

There is an ongoing debate among scholars regarding the historical
accuracy of the Bible. Some feel that the Bible is a fictitious work and
should be read as a work of literary fiction. Others feel it is an
accurate historical work divinely inspired by God. Archaeology has played
a major role in determining the trustworthiness of the Bible. In a previous article, we
discussed archaeological confirmations of the Old Testament. In this one,
we will look 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 the Gospels.

It is important to realize, however, that it is unrealistic to expect
archaeology to back up every event and place in the New Testament. Our
perspective is to look for what evidence exists and see whether or not it
corresponds with the New Testament.

Historical Confirmation of Jesus
The first evidence comes from the
four Gospels which, themselves, are proven to be accurate.{1} 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
Antiquities, he states:

Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be
lawful to call 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 Jews 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 cross, those that loved him at the first did not
forsake him. For he appeared alive again the third day, as the divine
prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things
concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not
extinct to this day.{2}

Although he mentions Jesus in a sarcastic way, Josephus confirms the
facts that Jesus did do many great miracles, drew a following, was
crucified, and was proclaimed alive on the third day.

Pliny the Younger, Emperor of Bythynia in northwestern Turkey, writing
to 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 by a solemn oath not to commit any wicked deed, but to
abstain from all fraud, theft and adultery, never to break their word,
or deny a trust when called upon to honor it; after which it was their
custom to separate, and then meet again to partake of food, but ordinary
and innocent kind.

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 he
wrote the following:

Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme
penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our
procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus
checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, . . . but
even in Rome.{3}

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

Accuracy of the Gospels
The accuracy of the Gospels has been
supported by archaeology. The names of many of the Israelite cities,
events, and people described in them have now been located. Here are a few
examples.

The Gospels mention four neighboring and well-populated coastal cities
along the Sea of Galilee: Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Tiberias.
Jesus performed many miracles in the first three cities. Despite this
testimony, these cities rejected Jesus and therefore were cursed by Him
(Matt. 11:20-24; Luke 10:12-16). These cities eventually disappeared from
history and their locations remained missing for centuries. Their demise
fulfills the prophetic condemnation of Jesus.

Only recently has archaeology recovered their possible locations. Tell
Hum is believed to be Capernaum. (A "tell" is a mound or elevated land
that has arisen by repeated and long-term rebuilding of the same site.
Layers of civilizations can be found at different strata). The locations
of Bethsaida and Chorazin still remain unconfirmed, but the present site
at a tell 1.5 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
hearing that a king had been born, the frightened Herod ordered all
children under the age of two to be killed. His slaughter of innocents is
consistent with the historical facts that describe his character. Herod
was suspicious of anyone whom he thought may take his throne. His list of
victims included one 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 brutality portrayed in Matthew is consistent with his
description in ancient history.

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
pool as having five porticoes. This site had long been in dispute until
recently. 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 of
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
was used as a section of steps leading to the Caesarea Theater. The
inscription, written in Latin, contained the phrase, "Pontius Pilatus,
Prefect of Judea has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor
of Tiberius." This temple is dedicated to the Emperor Tiberius who reigned
from 14–37 A.D. This fits well chronologically with the New Testament
which records that Pilot ruled as procurator from 26–36 A.D. Tacitus, a
Roman historian of the first century, also confirms the New Testament
designation of Pilate. He writes, "Christus, from whom the name had its
origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the
hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus. . . ."

Confirmation Regarding the Crucifixion
All four Gospels give
details of the crucifixion of Christ. Their accurate portrayal of this
Roman practice has been confirmed by archaeology. In 1968, a gravesite in
the city of Jerusalem was uncovered containing thirty-five bodies. Each of
the men had died a brutal death which historians believe was the result of
their involvement in the Jewish revolt against Rome in 70 A.D.

The inscription identified one individual as Yohan Ben Ha'galgol.
Studies of the bones performed by osteologists and doctors from the
Hadassah Medical School determined the man was twenty-eight years old,
stood five feet six inches, and had some slight facial defects due to a
cleft right palate.

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
lower forearms. A victim of a crucifixion would have to raise and lower
his body in order to breathe. To do this, he needed to push up on his
pierced feet and pull up with his arms. Yohan's upper arms were smoothly
worn, indicating this movement.

John records that in order to expedite the death of a prisoner,
executioners broke the legs of the victim so that he could not lift
himself up by pushing 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 and Romans abhorred crucifixion due to its cruelty and
humiliation. The scrolls also state it was a punishment reserved for
slaves and any who challenged the ruling powers of Rome. This explains why
Pilate chose crucifixion as the penalty for Jesus.

Relating to the crucifixion, in 1878 a stone slab was found in Nazareth
with a decree from Emperor Claudius who reigned from 41–54 A.D. It stated
that 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
close to 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,
his work is cited by Julius Africanus' work, Chronography. Quoting
Thallus on the crucifixion of Christ, Africanus states, "On the whole
world, there pressed a most fearful darkness, and the rocks were rent by
an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown
down."{4} Thallus 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
crucifixion account given by the writers of the Gospels. These facts lend
indirect support for the biblical accounts of Jesus' crucifixion and that
the tomb was empty.

Historical Accuracy of Luke
At one time, scholars did not view
Luke's historical accounts in his Gospel and Acts as accurate. There
appeared to be no evidence for several cities, persons, and locations that
he named in his works. However, archaeological advances have revealed that
Luke was a very accurate historian and the two 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 that
the New Testament was not a historical document. With this premise, Ramsay
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
convinced me. It did not then in my line of life to investigate the
subject minutely; but more recently I found myself often brought into
contact with the Book of Acts as an authority for the topography,
antiquities, and society of Asia 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 government 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
mentions, "Lysanius tetrarch of Abilene." Scholars questioned Luke's
credibility since the only Lysanius known for centuries was a ruler of
Chalcis who ruled from 40–36 B.C. However an inscription dating to be in
the time of Tiberius, who ruled from 14–37 A.D., was found recording a
temple dedication which names Lysanius as the "tetrarch of Abila" near
Damascus. This matches well with Luke's account.

In Acts 18:12-17, Paul was brought before Gallio, the proconsul of
Achaea. Once again archaeology confirms this account. At Delphi an
inscription of a letter from Emperor Claudius was discovered. In it he
states, "Lucius Junios Gallio, my friend, and the proconsul of Achaia . .
."{7} Historians date the inscription to 52 A.D. which
corresponds to the time of the apostle's stay in 51.

In Acts 19:22 and Romans 16:23, Erastus, a coworker of Paul, is named
the Corinthian city treasurer. Archaeologists excavating a Corinthian
theatre in 1928 discovered an inscription. It reads, "Erastus in return
for his aedilship laid the pavement at his own expense." The pavement was
laid in 50 A.D. The designation of treasurer describes the work of a
Corinthian aedile.

In Acts 28:7, Luke gives Plubius, the chief man on the island of Malta,
the title, "first man of the island." Scholars questioned this strange
title and deemed it unhistorical. Inscriptions have recently been
discovered on the 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
its basic historicity must now appear absurd. Roman historians have long
taken it for granted."{9}

The Shroud of Turin
The Gospels record that after His crucifixion
Jesus was wrapped in a long 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 neatly next to where Christ once laid (20:6-7).

A linen shroud called the Shroud of Turin, on display at the Vatican,
has 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
that of Christ.

The shroud first appeared for public display sometime after 1357 in
Lirey, France. A knight named Geoffrey de Charny brought the shroud to
France. In 1453 de Charny's granddaughter gave the shroud to the Duke of
Savoy who then in 1578 brought it to Turin, Italy. In 1983, it was willed
to the Vatican.

In 1898, Secondo Pia photographed the shroud and believed the image was
a negative image like that of a photograph. This added to the mystery of
the 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
of Swiss, American, and Italian scientist studied the shroud for five days
at 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
intensely studied artifacts of all time.

The study could not determine the authenticity of the fabric.
Experiments 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, of which seven could have come from plants in
Palestine. The weave of the cloth 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 to
verify its date. Laboratories in Oxford, Zurich, and the University of
Arizona tested the cloth. The result indicated a fourteenth century date
for the shroud. This conclusion continues to be challenged and future
tests are sure to follow. Another problem is that coins minted by Pontius
Pilate were placed over the eyes of the figure. This was not a Jewish
custom, nor does it seem likely that Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus
would have placed on Jesus' eyes a coin with the image of the leader who
condemned him.

Despite the fourteenth century date, scientists are still unable to
explain how the negative image was created. The shroud remains a mystery
as well as a lesson for us as believers that we should not put our faith
in mysterious articles.

Notes

See "Authority of the
Bible" at www.probe.docs/auth-bib.html.

Josephus, Book 18, Chapter 3:3

Tacitus, Annals, 15.44

Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18:1.

Ibid.

William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman
Citizen (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1982), 8.

John McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament
(Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Books, 1991), 227.

Norman Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of
Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Books, 1999), 47.

A. N. Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in
the New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1963), 189.

© 2000 Probe Ministries International

About the Author
Patrick Zukeran is an
associate speaker for Probe Ministries. He has a BA in Religion from Point
Loma Nazarene University and a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological
Seminary. He is an author, radio talk show host, and a national and
international speaker on apologetics, cults, world religions, Bible,
theology, and current issues. His radio talk show "Evidence and Answers"
airs weekly on KWORD 100.7FM in Dallas, Texas. Before joining Probe, Pat
served for twelve years as an Associate Pastor. He can be reached via
e-mail at [email-masked].

What is Probe?

Probe Ministries is a non-profit ministry whose mission
is to assist the church in renewing the minds of believers with a
Christian worldview and to equip the church to engage the world for
Christ. Probe fulfills this mission through our Mind Games
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