Archive for category The Bible
The Tombs of the Kings and early Christians
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Biblical archaeology, Christianity on October 5, 2012
At Paphos, Cyprus there stands what is known as ‘The Tombs of the Kings’.
These tombs have a wide variety of historical facts connected to them, and although all of them are of interest, one point of this history stands out to me, that point being the fact that early Christians met in these tombs in ancient times.
At the Tombs of the Kings, early Christians from around the 1st – 4th centuries AD met for worship in singlar tombs around this location and also for protection from the persecution lashed out upon them by the Romans.
It is likely that the early Christians met in one tomb at a time.
Acts 11:19-20 tells us that after Stephen was martyred some Christians travelled to Cyprus and preached to Jews only. In Greco-Roman times Paphos was the island’s capital and it is likely that these Christians travelled there. However, it was not until Paul, Barnabus and Mark visited Paphos, Cyprus as written in Acts 13: 4-13 that the gospel was given to the Gentiles of which Paul, then Saul converted the Roman official.
Some believe that the Roman authorities were angry at Pauls conversion of the Proconsul Sergius Paulus and thus persecuted Christians at Paphos. Thus, it is for this reason that they went just outside the city walls and met in the ancient caves and tombs.
Evidence for this is found in the discoveries of crosses and Frescoes found in the burial chambers, which is regarded as proof that early Christians used these tombs during tribulations prior to the 4th century AD. Persecution of Christians was abolished by Roman Emperor Constantine who made Christianity the religion of Rome in 313 AD.
This short documentary which I made on the matter offers a more visual presentation of this subject of ‘The Tombs of the Kings and early Christians’.
‘Gospel of Jesus’ wife’ papyrus a fake. Vatican claims…
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Biblical archaeology, Christianity, The Bible on September 28, 2012
The academic debate concerning a ancient papyrus that is said may imply that Jesus had a wife has been furthered somewhat by a statement made by Vatican that the Jesus’ wife papyrus is a ‘clumsy fake’.
Although I am a Protestant theologian and rarely take the claims of Rome seriously, I think they got this one right. After all, the Vatican library does boast 75,000 ancient codices, so I think on this, they are more than qualified to make such a statement. And even if many would ignore their claim or redicule the Vatican as the home of a messy religion, such would only be a distraction from the issue at hand.
This matter is concerning the authenticity of a manuscript, not religious debate or morals for that matter, however, back to the topic, here is a link to an article;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/28/vatican-denounces-jesus-married-papyrus
The “Wicked Bible” is the one without all the words
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Christianity, Reform, The Bible on September 27, 2012
A while ago I viewed an ancient Bible known as “The Wicked Bible”.
It was published and printed by Robert Barker, the official printer of the King James Bible in 1631. However, a massive error was made in the print and one word was missed out from the 7th commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20: 14)
The word in question which was missed out was the word “Not“. Thus the text read, “Thou shalt commit adultery” for which the printer was fined £300 and the run of prints were destroyed and the printers license was taken from him.
Only a few of these Bibles exist today, since they were destroyed. But as I stood looking at this surviving witness to such a massive error, it came to me of how valuable every word of scripture truly is. That if “one dot or tittle” be removed, then it will have devastating eternal effects.
I prayed for the church in England and America while thinking of how far she has fallen today, when the Bibles that so many Christians hold and regard as worthy of being called a Bible, actually have edits and large numbers of texts and words missing from them. And thus so much of today’s church has gotten into bed with a harlot and has committed adultery with her, by embracing many ‘wicked Bibles’.
Seems to me that we not only have individual leaders within the Christian church who are likewise guilty of this sin by accepting edited Bibles, but she is also guilty of adultery too. It is she who so often accepts sins and re-interprets the Bible to comply with modern blasts of wind and thus so often makes herself look like a people pleasing coward in the eyes the world and an adulterous bride through the eyes of her Husband.
Did Jesus have a wife? The Papyrus may well be a fake!
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Christianity, The Bible on September 27, 2012
Over the years the debate has raged somewhat concerning the question of whether or not Jesus was married. I personally, after reviewing the evidence from the New Testament, historical texts and reliable history see nothing to suggest that Jesus was married.
Recently we have heard of an ancient manuscript which has come to light which may claim that Jesus was married?
The manuscript itself appeared to be 4th century AD? Which if so, could date the composition of the document anywhere up to 300 years after the life of Jesus. Hardly reliable history?
However, after looking at photography of this manuscript, I noticed that something did not appear consistent when compared with other authentic manuscripts. Having viewed authentic manuscripts such as P52. Rylands library papyrus (50-125 AD) also known as “St Johns Fragment” and other ancient Biblical and apocryphal manuscripts at Rylands, I could not help but find the current manuscript which claims that Jesus was married, suspect.
More on that later.
However, Professor Mark Goodacre of Duke University has published an article by Professor Watson on this matter. Here are two links to that article.
http://ntweblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-gospel-of-jesus-wife-how-fake.html
Ancient Reservoir from the 1st Temple period found in Jerusalem
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Biblical archaeology on September 7, 2012
Here is a recent article I found from http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org
According to the article “The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and Jerusalem archaeologist Eli Shukron announced the discovery of a large First Temple period reservoir” on 09/06/2012.
This discovery will improve our understanding of the 1st Temple period in Jerusalem.
The gospel of Mary, Papyrus 463 at John Rylands Library
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Christianity, The Bible on July 27, 2012
One of only two Greek fragments of the hugely controversial and so-called ‘Gospel of Mary’ is now on display at Rylands Library, Manchester.
The manuscript itself dates back to the 3rd century AD and is Gnostic in its content and the content is believed by some to have been written by Mary of Magdela. But this is highly improbable since the book itself was most likely composed during the late 2nd century AD, however the manuscript is on display with ancient Mummy portraits and Papyri which is part of an exhibition that is said to be both rare and “ground-breaking”.
The Faces and Voices exhibition is at John Rylands Library, Deansgate, Manchester and is on now until 25 November 2012, so I will no doubt be posting thoughts about the exhibition and the contents during that period.
Two ancient documents and the Shroud of Turin?
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Christianity, The Shroud of Turin on April 25, 2012
Amongst the vast amount of ancient and early Christian writings from the 1st – 4th centuries, we find large amounts of forgotten books and somewhat un-researched material, all of which give us glues and further insights into the ancient mind and the times in which Jesus and the apostles lived.
Our understanding of the era in which the New Testament was written is growing by the day and our knowledge of the historical reality of the New Testament is unearthed continually.
Some of this knowledge and insight is hugely controversial and what is discovered is so often contrary to what is commonly called knowledge.
The historical theologian likes to see things, to touch the historical artefact, the ancient coin, the fragment of pottery, the ancient nail, the writing upon the ancient temple wall. We want every bit of information we can find. We seek to discover every last word written on every ancient fragment of papyrus and every ancient tablet of stone and document.
One document which has interested me recently is my observation within two ancient texts dating around the 2nd century AD and their referrences to the burial cloth of Christ.
One of these documents is from a text known as “The gospel according to the Hebrews“. The passage which contains a Shroud referrence reads concerning a Gospel which Origen used and records an event concerning Jesus who after His resurrection took His burial cloth to the servant of the [High] Priest, who is named in John 18: 10-11 as Malchus and referred to in Matthew 26: 51, Mark 14: 47, Luke 22: 51 as the man to whom Jesus healed his ear, after it had been cut off by Peter in Gethsemane.
According to the Gospel of the Hebrews, Jesus gave Malchus the Shroud after Jesus’ resurrection.
The text reads follows;
“But when the Lord had given the linen cloth to the servant of the priest, He went and appeared to James”
The Gospel according to the Hebrews. (Found in Jerome, Illustrious men, 2 & Lost Scriptures, Ehrman, Page 16)
Could this text be a referrence to the Shroud of Turin?
The second historical text is from what is called “The Hymn of the pearl”. This text is said to have been written by the apostle Thomas himself and is somewhat mysterious and less direct, maybe even poetical, but nevertheless, a referrence. This work is referred to in the third century Acts of Thomas and the work itself is generally agreed to date to the 2nd century AD.
The text reads as follows;
“But, when suddenly I saw my garment reflected as in a mirror, I preceived in it my whole self as well and through it I knew and saw myself. For though we originated from the one and the same we were partially divided, then again we were one, with a single form. The treasurers too who had brought the garment I saw as two beings, but there existed a single form in both, One royal symbol consisting of two halves…And the image of the King of Kings was all over it”
(The Hymn of the Pearl. 76-80, 86. 2nd century AD)
The question is, are these texts historical and very early referrences to the Shroud of Turin?
Pontius Pilate coin found on the Shroud of Turin
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Biblical archaeology, Christianity, The Bible, The Shroud of Turin on April 24, 2012
Whatever one might think concerning the Shroud of Turin, few can deny that it is one of the most fascinating and controversial relics in Christianity.
Its origin and authenticity has been a topic of debate for centuries. We even find John Calvin debating the Shroud of Turin in the 16th century.
Today however, it is a very common to dismiss the Shroud of Turin as a proven fake, since many say that Carbon Dating has proven the Shroud cannot be the burial cloth of Christ? The problem is however, that the Carbon dating is simply not consistent with what we know about the Shroud. The carbon dating simply contradicts the overwhelming evidence found upon the Shroud which dates the cloth to 1st century Israel.
Thus, there is a vast amount of evidence found upon the Shroud that more than suggest that the cloth is from 1st century Jerusalem. The evidence itself all of which has been found upon the Shroud absolutely contradicts the carbon dating and thus puts the dating results seriously in question and when the fact becomes known that the area from which the sample of the Shroud was taken and used for the carbon dating process had been handled consistently since the 16th century, then the accuracy of the carbon dating results becomes even more seriously in question.
The problem is that there are many finds upon the Shroud of Turin which clearly date or link the burial cloth to 1st century Israel and Jerusalem combined.
These finds include Pollen and dirt from Jerusalem, Roman Flagrum and Crucifixion wounds upon the body, burial consistency with Jewish custom, fibers, blood, 1st century stitching etc which experts have all found upon the Shroud of Turin.
While these finds and are commonly known, what is less commonly known about the Shroud of Turin is that recent finds have shown that the man on the Shroud has coins upon his eyes.
Researchers Dr Robert Bucklin and Professor Alan Whanger, have 
pointed out that there are round coin like objects placed over the corner of the eyes of the man on the Shroud. The coin upon the left eye is clearly visible and when the image of the Shroud is enlarged, the image reveals that one of the coins is in fact what is known as a Pontius Pilate Lepton.
These coins are only small and are almost 2000 years old and the coin seen on the left eye of the man were minted in Jerusalem in AD 30 by Pontius Pilate. These coins also confirm Pilate as Prefect, and this complies with the Biblical account that Jesus was condemned under Pontius Pilate.
It is also worth noting that it is said that it was a Jewish custom to place small coins over the eyes of a dead body to keep the eyelids closed.
Thus, the Pontius Pilate coin found upon the eyes of the man on the Shroud is an astounding find and one that cannot be ignored and not only does the Pontius Pilate coin directly link the Shroud of Turin to 1st century Jerusalem, but the coins reveal that the image was formed when the man on the Shroud was lying down. Otherwise the coins could not remain upon the dead man.
The coins found on the Shroud are consistent with the coins produced by Pilate in AD 30.
Details of the Pontius Pilate coin is as follows:
* Coin: Prutah
* Minted: Jerusalem ~ AD 30
* Identification: “Liz”
Whatever the conlusions are to this find, it cannot be rightly denied that the Shroud of Turin contains images of Poltius Pilate coins over the left eye of the man on the Shroud and no one can deny that few, had knowledge of these coins until more recent days.
The fact remains that these coins change a great deal of what we know about the Shroud of Turin and the question remains, is this the face of Jesus?
Is the Shroud evidence for the resurrection of Jesus?
Could the Shroud of Turin truly be the burial cloth of Jesus?
What makes the Apostles Creed so special?
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Christianity, Theology on February 17, 2012
I hold to the Apostles Creed. Not to the point where I would re-interpret scripture to fit with the creed, but that I think the creed agrees with scripture.
It is said that the Apostles Creed was written by each member of the 12 Apostles, excluding Judas but including Matthias? The creed would read as follows:
1. Peter. “I believe in God the Father Almighty”
2. John. “Maker of heave and earth”
3. James. “And in Jesus Christ His only son”
4. Andrew. “Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary”
5. Philip. “Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried”
6. Thomas. “He descended into hell, the third day He rose again from the dead”
7. Bartholomew. “He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty”
8. Matthew. “From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead”
9. James, the son of Alpheus. “I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Church”
10. Simon the Zealot. “The Communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins”
11. Jude, the brother of James. “The resurrection of the body”
12. Matthias. “Life everlasting. Amen”
What I admire about the Apostles creed is firstly that it is very old, not that that is anything to go by for many heresies are very old, but that the Apostles Creed is distinctly an early church document. It is not modernized or over indulgent in varying doctrines addressing issues of their day, on the contrary, the Creed addresses issues which are yet to come, so in fact the creed is very modern. It has an almost timeless feel to the creed and even sounds up-to-date when read today. But more than all of that, the creed is all about Jesus and what He has done. Something that so many creeds and statements of faith are not centralized upon.
I understand the issues with the Apostles Creed and the arguments which are propagated against its authenticity, but aside from that, it is the content which is more important than the author or authors. As with Theologica Germanica, which was written by an anonymous author and admired by Luther but rejected by Calvin. My point being that a work must be judged by the truth and not merely by the author.
Thus, the creed begins with God and moves to creation and concludes with re-creation in the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of all people from the dead. This resurrection will occur when Jesus returns and the end of time begins.
Let us look for a brief moment at 12 sections of this creed.
1) “I believe in God the Father Almighty”
2) “Maker of heaven and earth”
3) “And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord”
4) “Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary”
5) “Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried”
6) “He descended into hell, the third day He rose again from the dead”
7) “He ascended into heaven, sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty”
8) “From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”
9) “I believe in the Holy Ghost”
10) “The holy ‘Universal’ Church, the Communion of Saints”
11) “The Forgiveness of sins”
12) “The Resurrection of the body, and the Life everlasting.”
“Amen.”
Note that the creed begins with “I believe”. This points to the creed being a very personal creed when spoken by the individual. The creed does not say “We believe” which can often cause believers to hide amongst fellow believers. Also, what I think makes the apostles creed so special and different to many creeds of Christendom is that this creed unites Christians and does not divide them. So many other creeds of Christendom promote divisive doctrines which are not essential to the Christian faith, but are subject to interpretation. But what I love about the Apostles Creed is that if a room were to be graced with the presence of 12 true Christians they would all no doubt agree with all but point 6. However, I would agree with the creed on point 6 and have given my reasons why in an article published on my enjoyingtheology website.
Cut and paste this link to read the article: http://www.enjoyingtheology.com/Descentofchrist.html
But I suppose the thing which makes the Apostles creed so distinct and excellent, is that it binds together and does not destroy. And most of all, it is about Jesus and what He has done for us.
Martin Luther and the Christmas tree
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Christianity, Christmas on December 13, 2011
Christmas tree light © 2016 Simon Peter Sutherland
Christians are divided over issues concerning the Christmas tree. Many regard the tree as part of a pagan celebration and not Christian.
Some Christians also claim that Jeremiah 10: 1-10 speaks against the Christmas tree? But I doubt that the text is speaking of anything like that, for the context of Jeremiah’s passage speaks more against the idol worship that then existed and cannot rightly be connected to a mere celebration of Christmas which did not begin until many centuries later.
There is a 16th or a 17th century claim made by the early Lutheran church that the Protestant reformer Martin Luther was the first one to come up with the idea of having a Christmas tree in the home.
The story goes like this; Luther was one day in the woods and he saw the trees amongst the snow and thought it would be a good idea to cut down a tree and put candles on it to remind people of Christ’s birth?
The story itself has no actual historical evidence to support it, but really, I don’t see what evidence a person can find for such a claim. What would it matter anyway?
I think what I personally see from the Christmas tree is a reminder of Christ, who is the light of the world, crucified on a tree (1 Peter 2: 24) and that all His people who are crucified with Him and have died to self and are the light of the world (Matthew 5: 14)
That is what I see when I look at the Christmas tree, just a simple reminder of what Christians should be and a simple reminder of Christ who died for us.
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Simon Peter Sutherland 