Thursday, March 31, 2011

Christian history in one's hand? what do you think?

I find THIS absolutely utterly fascinating.  They've found and released some information on 'lead codices' which could be a major discovery of something from CHRISTIAN HISTORY...... below, in italics, are just two really interesting statements from the linked article:
Initial metallurgical research indicates that the codices are about 2,000 years old--based on the manner of corrosion they have undergone, which, as Macrae writes, "experts believe would be impossible to achieve artificially."

They contain a number of images and textual allusions to the Messiah, as well as some possible references to the crucifixion and resurrection. Some of the codices were sealed, prompting yet more breathless speculation that they could include the sealed book, shown only to the Messiah, mentioned in the Book of Revelation. One of the few sentences translated thus far from the texts, according to the BBC, reads, "I shall walk uprightly"--a phrase that also appears in Revelation. "While it could be simply a sentiment common in Judaism," BBC writer Robert Pigott notes, "it could here be designed to refer to the resurrection."

Sure, as the article emphasizes at the end, this could be a hoax, but, if not, and experts are admitting it seems 'impossible' to achieve the aging 'artificially',  this is quite some convincing information..........I hope you all take the few minutes it takes to read my link..........it's highly encouraging for Christians and could be highly impressive to those on the fence about the Christian faith.  

It really impressed me.........what do you think, after having read all the details in the article.......don't forget to read the very end, they do remind us it could all be for nothing....  (doesn't seem so to me, seems like there's far, far less criticism of the findings than usual when Christian relics are discovered)
GeeeeeZ!
z

27 comments:

FrogBurger said...

Pretty cool I must say.

Z said...

isn't it? rather amazing...

Z said...

completely off topic but I had to mention this because I just saw it and it drives me nuts; Here's the media; "LA HEATWAVE INTENSIFIES!"

It was warm yesterday and today and will be 69 degrees tomorrow and 64 over the weekend, cooling off, as their own article includes.

But FOR TODAY, Yahoo has to say HEATWAVE INTENSIFIES! ? Ya, for whatever hours are left of Thursday!! GeeeeZ

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

My hoax alarm is going off.

There are many hurdles in archaeological authentication.

Translating Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek from the 1st Century isn't one of them.

Ducky's here said...

A relic of the early church?

Wonder if corrosion and oxidation have rendered them indecipherable.

Ducky's here said...

Heatwave intensifies?

6 - 12 inches of snow predicted for tomorrow.

Faith said...

Sometimes an archaeological find is of value to believers. I think the Dead Sea Scrolls were because they confirmed the text of the Old Testament against liberal attempts to discredit it. But usually there isn't a need for this sort of thing, it's just a distraction and that's the way this one appears. We have God's word, we're to walk by faith, not sight. So whether or not this find turns out to be authentic it isn't going to be important for believers. It might be important for historians.

Ducky's here said...

Faith, what is your position on the Gnostic gospels?

Why aren't all the Daed Sea scrolls canonical?

Z said...

Beamish, whose hoax alarm wouldn't go off? There's some pretty amazing stuff in the article, however... we'll see.

Ducky, if you read the article links you'll be able to ask better questions... or won't have to at all?

Faith, I'd take GREAT joy in this, if it is indeed proven to be real! Do I 'need' it? Of course not...does it fill holes in my knowledge and buoy my faith? You bet! Wonderful!

Faith said...

Ducky: Gnostic gospels are writings made by heretics in the early centuries. You knew you didn't have to ask, right?

Dead Sea Scrolls were a collection of works held by a sect that wasn't completely in tune with orthodox belief. Irrelevant to the fact that their OT texts are virtually identical to ours. THAT's the important thing.

Z said...

The Dead Sea Scrolls are important in Hebrew Scriptures (O.T.) and for understanding Jewish culture right before Jesus was born, Ducky.

I think many think the Scrolls are a very old copy of the BIble...not so.

Do you even understand the gnosticism? Why ask Faith that?
Read her comment again; gnosticism is nowhere in her vocabulary. She knows well what it means, I imagine, but a person who knows that the BIble is the only Word of God through which we can know Him (have faith informed by it) isn't interested in what the gnostics have to say!

Look into it yourself. Some 'experts' think some of the gnostic works are preJesus.

Z said...

thanks, Faith, I hadn't seen your response before posting mine.
If you disagree with what I said, let me know...

Major said...

Stunning discovery. Maybe the Almighty is slowly providing concrete evidence of a Supreme Being to shame the atheists?

I'll never know but I have discussed this with an old uncle of mine...a Jesuit who are by definition, the intelligentsia of the church.

cube said...

It is amazing. Let's let the same scientists that vouched for global warming check out the authenticity of this find. Do you blame me for being so cynical?

Anonymous said...

It makes me smile.
I relate to Thomas (more than any other desciple) so evidence like this does encourage me.
Am I ashamed of that?

Not anymore.

Z said...

"Initial metallurgical research indicates that the codices are about 2,000 years old--based on the manner of corrosion they have undergone"

I can't see them mistaking 2000 years ago for ..100 years ago, can you? But, we'll see.

Jen, good for you. Doubt is normal, doubt brings us in for answers, doubt grows us in our faith, I totally believe that.
Your friend,
Another THomas! But, not so much anymore, I have to admit.

A friend sent this to a theologian friend who had heard about it and everything pointed to authentic to him after researching, etc. Of course, CHristians want it to be authentic, but experts who aren't people of faith (we don't use CE instead of AD, for example, which the article uses) usually detract harder on things like this....the author of the piece is pretty sucked in.

I do hope it is real......although I have also thought that God revealing information like this could mean He thinks that, soon, we won't need faith anymore because it's RIGHT THERE; that's a fascinating and sobering suggestion with pretty strong implications, no? :-)

Pris said...

Z, this is fascinating, it will be studied and tested for years.

Even believers have questions. That's not to say their faith is less meaningful, it simply means we are always hungry for more evidence even though it won't affect our depth of faith negatively if it proves not to be what it appears to be right now.

If nothing else, this find if authentic, will give us more a sense of those times. Who wouldn't want to learn more?

The Vegas Art Guy said...

That would be cool and I just read a cool book I mentioned in my blog. I think you would really enjoy reading it.

FrogBurger said...

What heat wave in LA?

Media have nothing else to talk about or what?

It started to be hot but with the breeze it was nice.

Maybe they should say it's b/c of radiations coming from Japan. Then we'll have some breaking news.

Z said...

FB, isn't that wild? HEAT WAVE?!!

Vegas...I just ordered that book/ fabulous. And sent the link to 2 friends, one who is a muslim who turned into a very strong believer in Jesus Christ....and one has a small, personal bible study at her house where a Jewish woman's been attending and is getting VERY interested in Christ!

The Vegas Art Guy said...

Very glad to hear that. Hopefully that book will make it to your blog. I think that weatherman was talking about Vegas because it was 90 this afternoon.

Z said...

Vegas, don't get me wrong,, it was hot here, today, too, but HEATWAVE INTENSIFIES in the same article that says the NEXT DAY is COOLING OFF?!! That's what got me laughing!

I might post on that book for a Sunday Faith Blog next week..thanks for the idea! :-) and for the reference.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Even if it turns out to not be a 1st century codice, but rather 3rd Century when such things were more ubiquitous, it's still a pretty damning (and just another) piece of evidence that that region actually is the homeland of the Jews.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

The reason my hoax alarm is going off is that the article states that this piece has been studied for the last 5 years, which is plenty of time to get it in the hnads of someone who could authenticate it, even tell you where it was made from a metallurgical study of the alloys in its composition even if the script upon it is unreadable.

Scotty said...

I'm with beamish, but hey who knows maybe Dan Brown can get a new gig out of this!

Z said...

Beamish, it might be unreadable but it clearly says it deals with Jesus and with the resurrection so something's been read.

Anonymous said...

Needs to be handled with the greatest care, I should think. We have learned in all these intervening years that lead is an extremely dangerous poison, haven't we?

But it would be fascinating -- and hopefully enlightening -- to find out exactly how old these "documents" are, and exactly what they say.