Geologists say Jesus, as described in the New Testament, was most likely crucified on Friday, April 3, in the year 33.The latest investigation, reported in International Geology Review, focused on earthquake activity at the Dead Sea, located 13 miles from Jerusalem. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 27, mentions that an earthquake coincided with the crucifixion:
“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.”
81 comments:
Information like this is interesting, but as you conclude, I don't need it. There are other archaeologists and academic types hell-bent on "proving" Jesus never existed or that he faked his death and ran off with Mary Magdalene or whatever.
Still, "We live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7
Amen, sister!
SF...he DIDN'T run off with Mary Magdalene? :-)
I don't need "proof" for matters of faith. Call me simplistic. I don't care.
Have a great Lord's Day, Z.
Faith is not a guarantee.
Z - No matter when it happened - we know it did. Right?
Have a great day - Z.
Faith is the sub stance (underpinning, foundation) of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen.
I like to see science give evidence to my faith but like AOW, SF and Sue said
Ducky, the exploits of man are certainly no guarantee. Faith is believing in something greater than ourselves.
It is a powerful force which feeds our souls, and hopefully keeps us on the right path. We don't have to see it, or have human beings confirm it. It's enough to have faith, and trust in God.
"Faith is not a guarantee."
Le communiste exige-t-il maintenant que le gouvernement tend une garantie pour le salut?
Is it wrong to comment on the Sunday Faith Blog in church on your phone?
Totally slipped by me.
Today is Pentecost Sunday.
Many consider it the founding of the Christian Church as the disciples were told to wait for the Holy Spirit which came to them on that day. In spades.
No Pris, the intent is merely to point out that faith without doubt is questionable.
Ducky, I don't want to be unkind, but you don't think this is a new concept of yours, DO you?
"Faith without doubt" isn't "questionable" it's "miraculous!" in my book.
It seems that many of my commenters have no doubt. I don't understand that (at all) but I wish I did, I admire that, I sincerely I do. I have always said here that I am very often a doubter. it keeps me reading, it keeps me asking, it keeps me in awe of information as that in my post, it keeps me leading a large bible study, it keeps me going to the (wonderful new) church I attend now, it keeps me singing in a praise band... my doubt is also exactly why I posted this astonishing information on my blog; for those of us who are affirmed in our faith by science. Some Christians call that a weakness, I call it a strength of questioning, learning, and believing.
It's not called "faith" for nothing.
I just found this and it really resonates with me. I'm going to keep it in my files:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-jonathan-weyer/what-the-bible-really-say_b_862356.html
Amen, Reverend Weyer.
Doubt grows us. The one thing I never have doubt about is the amazing ways I've seen people grow and change through new or renewed faith (and STUDY) in Christ. That never fails to bring me back.
Neither does reading only five minutes of Scripture.
ED: That broke me UP! I just LOVE the idea of someone commenting to my Sunday Faith Blog during church...absolutely LOVE IT :-) Thanks for that...it really tickles me!
And yes, it's Pentacost Sunday!
LOUIS...Oui, tout à fait.
But the object of our faith (Christ) is a guarantee, we call them promises.
1 John 5:12-15
New International Version (NIV)
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
I have assurance that I'm heaven bound. I might not understand how that works but I KNOW based on God's promise that I'm assured of eternal life with Him.
He promises to never leave us or fosake us and that nothing can separate us from His love.
I could go on. Now does this mean I don't have doubts, sure I do, but those doubts do not change the promises and it's why feelings are so unreliable.
Faith is not a guarantee
It's a paradox because it's not rational.
Kierkegaard wrote about it in Fear and Trembling He used God's command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as an example of the angst that faith and obeying God often bring.
Elbro "Now does this mean I don't have doubts, sure I do, but those doubts do not change the promises and it's why feelings are so unreliable."
Absolutely.
There's a lot more I could say on doubt, but I'll leave it at that...
The Isaac story...yes, talk about angst :)
And talk about a reminder of FAITH!
You're absolutely right about doubts though. God often uses them to strengthen our faith as we seek the answers. If the doubts overtake us we'll become like the man described in James 1 who is like a wave on the sea.
New International Version (©1984)
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
New Living Translation (©2007)
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
Yep. Abraham's a Hall of Famer (Hebrews 11), a case study.
Yes Z, I'm quite sure the sentiment predates me and even the Skeptics.
However the contemporary right seems to have managed to evolve a bizarre absolute faith out of:
The Old Testament
Laissez-faire Capitalism and
The American military.
Now accepting at triumvirate absolutely is pretty darn dangerous.
Ducky, at least you admit this isn't new.
I'm trying to imagine a "bizarre absolute faith" which believes in the New Testament and can't accept the Old.
God forbid anybody believes in the American military, huh, Ducky? I guess we should never have had a military...at least then you could have had the socialist, fearful, dangerous kind of country you champion. true.
Could duhKKKy please introduce us to someone in this cabal who is part of orthodox Christianity? 40 years in Protestant church's of never met anyone who worships that Trinity.
Whats more bizarre is someone who cherry picks Scriptures to follow. We refer to those as cults.
"Faith without doubt" isn't "questionable" it's "miraculous!" in my book.
Excellent statement!
But don't miracles reqire faith?
Our faith encourages questions, because God can take it. He's the absolute. One of His names is the Alpha and Omega (the Beginning and the End). He can handle our doubts. Our faith requires discernment (aka skepticism) but also requires humility. God can stand the test.
Ed, I thought of that, too...after I'd written it. Yes, miracles require faith. But, mostly, they require GOD, right? :-)
Elbro, I have no worries about what God can take!!
First of all, it is interesting that geologists have calculated an earthquake happened during the crucifixion. All this kind of stuff should be looked at very carefully. After all, geologic timing is not a very precise thing.
Ducky, I think, started out making a good point. I have always believed that if your faith were not challenged, you could never learn to defend it.
I am not sure where Ducky was going by trying to make a connection between The Old Testament,
Laissez-faire Capitalism, The American military, and the contemporary right.
Even if the connections were there, it would be a heck of a lot smarter than putting one's faith into socialism, atheism, and unilateral peace on earth.
Bob, this was in a very esteemed geological magazine and I don't think they can ever be 100% sure but I know for a fact that things are being found about the past now that would surprise you.
I have an acquaintance who travels the world invited to speak on the stars in the night when Christ was born...The Star of Bethlehem presentation would utterly blow your mind. They have calculations now that show the nights of stars back that far.
Anyway, this is really amazing information and, as loathe as scientists are to prove anything like THIS, they did!
THere are really some contributory, loving comments about faith and doubt down the page, I hope you saw them....
Z:
Abstract
This article examines a report in the 27th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament that an earthquake was felt in Jerusalem on the day of the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. We have tabulated a varved chronology from a core from Ein Gedi on the western shore of the Dead Sea between deformed sediments due to a widespread earthquake in 31 BC and deformed sediments due to an early first-century earthquake. The early first-century seismic event has been tentatively assigned a date of 31 AD with an accuracy of ±5 years. Plausible candidates include the earthquake reported in the Gospel of Matthew, an earthquake that occurred sometime before or after the crucifixion and was in effect ‘borrowed’ by the author of the Gospel of Matthew, and a local earthquake between 26 and 36 AD that was sufficiently energetic to deform the sediments at Ein Gedi but not energetic enough to produce a still extant and extra-biblical historical record. If the last possibility is true, this would mean that the report of an earthquake in the Gospel of Matthew is a type of allegory.
"THere are really some contributory, loving comments about faith and doubt down the page, I hope you saw them...."
I did. I especially liked Elmer Bro's 1 John 5:15. I believe we had a discussion about that one.
Bob, yes, I'd read that on line, too...I don't mean to have ever suggested this couldn't be an allegory, but I'm not big on Biblical allegory, to tell you the truth...but that's just me.
I still think it's fascinating that geologists are pinpointing the date to the Bible dates...that's all.
Nobody can be 100% sure, can they?
My comments were directed at duhKKKy Z. Not you.
Elbro...no worries. You're absolutely right and I love that reminder about God. xx
duhkkky's comments don't surprise me. His theology (his brand of Catholicism) can be boiled down to God at the point of a gun. They tried it in Latin America, even priests took up arms and commanded troops. It's a neo-Marxist clap trap with a little Max Weber sprinkled in for good measure. This is where he gets the Calvinist/Capitalist cabal. Weber believed the Protestant work ethic was the cause of all of capitalisms excesses. Of course Weber failed to explain how people prospered in countries where there were very few if any Protestants and never took into account that the US had it's own natural resources, it didn't need to oppress other countries, it was naturally blessed. So, the comment about the unholy triumvirate that he rants about is a combination of Marxism, Weber and a tin foil hat brigades conspiracy theory that there is this cabal of Calvinists hoping to turn the US of A into a theocracy.
The other thing duhkkky has done is turned thankfulness (gratitude) for people who have served in the military, into a bromide by calling it jingoism.
As far as science and faith are concerned,
there are at least two good dvds I recommend.
The Privileged Planet which is mostly cosmological (and references the solar eclipse phenomena which demonstrated Einstein's Relativity), and Unlocking the Mystery of Life which is more on the biological level. It features some Behe stuff with great animations demonstrating ideas from Darwin's Black Box along with examination of other leading scientists and there ideas..
Lucky brought that article to my attention last night, Z. No matter how much faith we have, or haw little, things like this are always encouraging, I think.
People say that I have a lot of faith, but I'm not sure that it is any greater than anyone else's.
I do have my doubts, at times, if it can be called that..but, I don't think it is really doubt. There are times when one wonders, and questions, but still knows, somehow, deep down, that God does exist, that He is, exactly, who He says that He is, and can do, exactly, all the things that He says that He can.
At such times, when the doubts come, I encourage myself in the Lord...remember all the times that help has come, when it seemed that all was lost, and there was no way out of a difficult situation, and in times of sorrow when I've been comforted, when I've felt there was no comfort to be had, and as you said, the faith that is stirred with five minutes of scripture reading.
I don't know if any of this made any sense, or had anything to do with the article, really.
But, I know that you know...and understand. :)
Ironic isn't it..that liberation theology is the overly militant form of religion.
Jan, I know in my bones, even when I'm struggling the most with doubt, that I totally and always believe because, when I doubt, who do I pray for for help with my unbelief? The guy I'm protesting unbelief in :-)
Elbro, excellent breakdown and I'm sure you're right. The Calvinist stuff of Ducky's is so hackneyed and silly, isn't it.
Ed, thanks very much.
Mark 9:24
Good word Z.
The Disciples told Thomas that Yahushua had appeared to them, after he had risen. Thomas said, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And some days later Yahushua appeared again and said to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless (unbelieving), but believing.
Doubting Thomas.
If you count down from Palm Sunday, and account for the day sectioned from the 4 watches (6pm-dusk = the start of the new day).
Death on the cross was on Wednesday, before dusk. The guards went around to break the legs of those on the crosses for an early death. They wanted to go to a festival. Day one. Thursday dusk, day 2, Friday dusk, day 3; and the Sabbath, until Saturday dusk, day 4 or the end of the third day which was reported by Mary Magdalene that went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away on the 4th day.
St. John 20; 1, 12, 17
(1)The first day of the week ( Sunday) cometh Mary Mag-da-lene early, when it was yet dark.
(12)And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Yahushua had lain.
(She thought that some had stolen the body in the dark of the night!)
She turned and saw
(17)Yahushua said unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father
BELIEVE
Duck said:
Faith is not a guarantee.
Life itself carries no guarantees.
Those who know the situation in the AOW household know exactly what I mean by that comment.
Right now in my life, the Lord seems very far away.
That said, my faith is strong. But thinking about the earthly future of this household is depressing.
Love you AOW.
AOW, we do know. And we love and admire you. xx
It's beyond disconcerting when one's spouse is much like a little child: asking permission ("Is it okay if I ________ ?"), needing help with every little task, etc.
Mr. AOW won't see this comment, and it will give you an idea of what it's like here.
I come home from work, and he says to me, "I took a dump. Is that okay?"
Live with something like that on a daily basis!
Okay, I'm bitching. But I certainly can't say anything about the above matters to my husband!
I'm in a dark mood today.
This year, nobody at the VFW came to take Mr. AOW to the club for the Memorial Day cookout yesterday. The first year that particular snub has happened on Memorial Day since Mr. AOW had the stroke. He all but asked for someone to take him there (only 2 miles away). No go.
I just don't have the physical strength to get Mr. AOW out as frequently as I used to. Plus, I'm on this strict diet right now.
AOW, MAN, that is SO rough. I can only imagine how you feel about that...how's Mr. AOW?
What's the diet about?
Z,
First, the diet. I finally decided that I had to so something drastic about my weight. My BMI had gone into the slightly overweight range; worse, my cholesterol was a bit elevated -- for the first time in my life. The doc said, "Lose a few pounds." (I'm no good at sticking to an anti-cholesterol diet, especially while I'm working) At my age, losing a few pounds is no easy task; I had managed to do so on my own. But, as you know, most diets require a lot of exercise; I don't have time for that, and, what's more, I have a real problem with exercising because of my back injury.
Then I found out about the Ideal Protein Diet when a friend of mine whom I don't see very often crossed paths with me. She had lost 40 pounds! Better yet, her husband had lost weight and was no longer required to take any meds (bp and cholesterol)!
So, I investigated the Ideal Protein Diet. No exercise required! And the science is sound, too. Note: this diet is NOT the Atkins Diet.
In 3 weeks, I've lost 9 pounds. And the Ideal Protein foods are scrumptious!
I should have lost more as I didn't cheat. However, I don't like my food coach, and later this week will have a consult with the same food coach who advises my friend mentioned above. One other drawback is the expense (about $600/month), but I'm managing on that front because Mr. AOW is now on Medicare, thus dropping his monthly premium from nearly $700/month to $138/month.
Z,
Now, as for Mr. AOW.
Cognitively, he is compos mentis.
Physically, he is not. We're stuck with the hospital bed in the living room with a bedside potty.
He CAN feed himself and is continent.
However, getting out and about is a Herculean task because of bathrooming. He needs assistance to get from his wheelchair to the toilet and back again.
The biggest physical problem now related to his affected leg. Mr. AOW cannot lift his left leg enough to get it back onto the wheelchair or the scooter. He cannot lift his left leg into the car. He CAN move his left leg to walk a bit; but walking is very slow and laborious, and requires a quad cane. Also, he has to wear what is called an AFO brace on this left leg because of food drop; he cannot put the brace on for himself (requires two hands AND getting the foot into a shoe -- and tying the shoe, too, of course).
He has no use of his left hand or left arm. He cannot open medicine bottles, fix food for himself, dress himself, feed the cats, drive a car, and the like.
Double vision has resolved completely.
This summer, he will likely undergo cataract surgery. We see a new neurologist on Friday, and the cataract surgery on June 18, the day after our 40th wedding anniversary.
I hope that the above clarifies the situation in this household. It ain't pretty.
Psychologically, he's in better shape than I am.
AOW, I'm praying for you. Is there something I can do to help?
AOW, that sounds very like NutriSlim... I wish you the best, that's a good amount to lose so fast.
I'm SO glad Mr AOW is on Medicare now...that's a big difference.
I just can't IMAGINE what you go through every day, plus working.
I wish there was something I could do for you from here. I really do.
Prayer is all I've got...but that's a good thing!
thanks for letting me know......my heart really goes out to you and my admiration.
Z and EB,
Thank you for your prayers.
What I really need is a week off. Of course, taking a vacation would be painful without my husband on the vacation with me.
--------------
Z,
I don't know how the NutriSlim Diet works.
The Ideal Protein Diet is medically supervised by a chiro. You can't just buy the products without being under supervision, and products are not delivered to your door.
Had not heard of this, nice to know there is yet more evidence.
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