So many of these archeological ‘finds’ prove to be forgeries, but if this is genuine, it sure is remarkable. It can also be looked at two ways. Those without faith will argue it is proof that Jesus has all along only been an idea. If you aren’t as cynical it can easily be argued that it makes perfect sense the arrival of the Messiah and the remarkable events of his life (and importance of his death) would be foretold.
Stone Tablet May Provide Missing Link Between Judaism, Christianity
Scholars are intrigued by a first century B.C. stone tablet suggesting that the notion of a Jewish messiah dying and being resurrected in three days is one that pre-dated Jesus. Some believe the relic could provide a missing link between Judaism and Christianity…
Dubbed “Gabriel’s Revelation,†the three-foot-high tablet has 87 lines of ancient Hebrew script written on it, although pieces of the stone are missing and some letters are worn away. The archangel Gabriel appears in both the Old and New Testaments as a messenger from God…Prof. Israel Knohl, a professor of Biblical Studies at Hebrew University, is excited about the discovery because he believes the stone provides the missing link in his own earlier research.
Knohl published a book in 2000 contending that the idea of a messiah suffering, dying and rising from the dead after three days already existed in Jewish thinking before Jesus made his appearance in first century Israel.
The two most remarkable archaeological finds in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem (not far from the Parliament (Knesset) that I saw were:
1. a stone tablet from the Roman capital of Judaea which has the name of Pontius Pilate on it
2. the heel bone of a man from around around the time of Jesus which has a nail driven through it – the only archaeological evidence of an actual crucifixion and what a crucifixion actually entailed (hint – nothing like the paintings or movies we are used to).
I was unaware that there was a missing link between Judaism and Christianity. There is some difference in interpretation of who the Messiah is supposed to be however.
The Jews were looking for a conquering Messiah, a warrior king, and Jesus was a suffering Messiah. Isaiah 53 is interpreted by the Jews as referring to Israel, and the Christians as referring to Jesus.
Knohl published a book in 2000 contending that the idea of a messiah suffering, dying and rising from the dead after three days already existed in Jewish thinking before Jesus made his appearance in first century Israel.
Yep, just read the Old Testament.
I don’t really understand what the big deal is about this in relationship to Jesus Christ. The New York Times article I read acted as if this would completely undermine Christian faith. However, Christians have been using Old Testament prophesy for centuries to confirm their belief in Jesus as messiah. That’s the whole point: that God promised he would send a messiah in the beginning and throughout the years would reconfirm this promise through prophets and other spiritual folk. At the same time, it should not be a big deal that these tablets are written in relationship to another guy, Simon. If you have an entire culture imbued with belief that there will be at some point a messiah, it is inevitable that you are going to have a few members of that culture that wrongly believe themselves to be the messiah spoken of. And of course, that is in large measure where Judaism and Christianity split. You had a group that believe Christ was not the actual messiah (though they still believed there would be one) and another group that believed Christ to be the one.
In any case, I didn’t intend this to be so long, but thought I’d share my thoughts on this aspects that are seen as being controversial.
Add me (a Lutheran pastor’s grandson) to the list of those confused as to why this would affect Christianity at all, which has always held itself to be the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy–much to the surprise, confusion, and sometimes chagrin of my Jewish wife and friends. 🙂
Great article Tammy! As an evangelical Christian, I have always believed that the Old Testemant foretold the coming of a Messiah. That is old news! Back when Jesus was walking the Earth,He was always referring to the Old Testemant,when he wanted to show,in Scripture, that He was the promised Messiah. This discovery of the stone tablet only confirms what I and many other Christians already knew.
I am not just a lapsed Catholic, I’m so in arrears they’ve probably taken way my library card, but isn’t this already part of the Catholic ceremony? My memory is blurry, but I recall something like “suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again, IN FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES”. I kind of assumed it was a common prophesy.
If you access a Jewish site, you will find that they believe the following passages to be a literal descriptive of the Messiah:
Isaiah 2, 11, 42; 59:20
Jeremiah 23, 30, 33; 48:47; 49:39
Ezekiel 38:16
Hosea 3:4-3:5
Micah 4
Zephaniah 3:9
Zechariah 14:9
Daniel 10:14
Yeshua (Jesus) does not fit them. That is why they renounced and continue to renounce the Messiahship of Jesus.
The concept of the “Lamb of God” IS very Jewish. However, Jews weren’t the only people who practiced animal sacrifice to “God” or “gods” for either pleasing “God” or for forgiveness of sins.
The whole shebang teetotters on reading literal description of earthly leader Messiah (Jews) or spirituial leader Messiah (Christians).