The Gospels: Confirmation of discoveries
Date: Sunday, April 23rd, 2006 (CDT )
Topic: Ancient History
 Three relatively recent archaeological discoveries confirm the accuracy of the Gospels’ account of the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life. The first discovery pertains to the “Stone Pavement”, the place where Jesus was brought before Pilate (John 19:13).
Over the centuries, the location of the Stone Pavement was lost, causing critics to assert that the Gospel of John was inaccurate and historically unreliable. World renowned archaeologist William F. Albright dispelled this criticism by proving that the court of the Tower of Antonia was actually the Stone Pavement, that it was buried in the rubble when Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70, and then subsequently unearthed during excavations, thereby confirming the accuracy of John 19:13.
Critics also questioned whether Pontius Pilate existed (as reported in the Gospels) but archaeological excavations at Caesarea likewise debunked this criticism. While excavating at a Roman theater, archaeologists discovered a 2 x 3 foot stone monument commemorating Pilate for the construction of a temple dedicated to the worship of Tiberius Caesar.
The inscription on the stone slab identified Pilate as the prefect of Judea just as reported in the Gospels.
The third discovery
occurred in 1990 during the construction of a water park in Jerusalem
to the south of the temple mount. While working on the project, the
roof of an ancient burial chamber collapsed revealing 12 limestone
ossuaries. One of the ossuaries was covered with ornate stone carvings,
an indication that it was used for a person of prominence, and it was
inscribed “Caiaphas” and “Joseph, Son of Caiaphas”.
Matthew 26:57 and John
18:13 identify Caiaphas as the high priest who presided over the
Sanhedrin’s mock trial of Jesus and secular historian Josephus confirms
that the high priest Caiaphas was also known as Joseph. Hence, the
construction workers stumbled onto the tomb of one of the principal men
responsible for sentencing Jesus to death.
Four things about these
discoveries enhance the historic reliability of the Gospels. First, the
discoveries confirm a key location or person referenced in the Gospels’
account of the last twenty-four hours of Jesus’ life. Second, the
people and location referenced in the Gospels have the type of
specificity associated with eyewitness accounts. Third, the Roman
Governor of Judea and the high priests were well known personages and
the Stone Pavement was a well known landmark. Consequently, if the
Governor of Judea, the high priest or the Stone Pavement were
erroneously included in the Gospels’ account of the last 24 hours of
Jesus’ life, it is likely the Gospel accounts would have been
challenged and would not have survived.
Finally, when those things
capable of verification in an ancient historical account are determined
to be true, it increases the probability that the portions of the
account incapable of verification due to the passage of time are also
true. Since everything we are able to verify about the last 24 hours of
Jesus’ life has proven to be true, those things in the Gospels’ account
of the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life which are incapable of verification
are likely true as well. Hence, the Gospels’ account of Jesus’ arrest,
trial and crucifixion is historically reliable.
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