In the first chapter of the book of Hebrews the Apostle Paul described faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Jesus, in John 20:29, says, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
These Scriptures indicate that having faith in the historical accuracy of biblical events, although they could not always be independently verified, is key to sustaining Judeo-Christian beliefs.
Thanks to recent archeological discoveries, however, believers can maintain their faith but take it a step further with evidence that proves religion, science and archeology can work together to recount some of the greatest events in the Bible.
While believers may not need physical evidence to legitimize their faith, it might be helpful to many, even those outside the faith, to know that the Bible can be used not just as a spiritual or philosophical source, but as a historical resource as well.
Following are existing discoveries related to biblical culture, figures and events:
The Large Stone Structure: This is the named used to describe the remains of a large building in the City of David neighborhood of central Jerusalem that dates to the 10th or 9th century B.C.E. Discovered by archeologist Eilat Mazar in 2005, the large stone structure is believed to be what is left of King David’s palace as recorded in the book of Samuel.
Hezekiah’s tunnel: Dating to 701 B.C., this tunnel, which was featured in a National Geographic special, was created by King Hezekiah to prepare for an Assyrian invasion. The tunnel is about 500 meters (550 yards) long, brings water from the Gihon Springs and was believed to have been built to protect the city’s water supply during an Assyrian siege.
Cylinder of Nabonidus: Believed to have been created around 555–539 B.C., this artifact proves the existence of Belshazzar, a Babylonian prince and son of King Nebuchadnezzar, who had his prophetic dreams interpreted by Daniel. The fifth chapter of Daniel describes Belshazzar’s Feast where a hand was seen writing on the wall of the chamber a mysterious sentence.
The Dead Sea Scrolls: This collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents were found by Bedouin nomads between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name.
Included in the Dead Sea Scrolls are the oldest known surviving copies of biblical and extra-biblical documents. They are written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.
The Western Wall: Also known as the Wailing Wall, it is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount. It is a remnant of the ancient wall that surrounded the Jewish Temple’s courtyard, and is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism outside of the Temple Mount itself. The wall was believed to have been built from 19 B.C.E. in the time of Herod the Great to the 7th century A.D.
Cave of the Patriarchs: This compound, located in the ancient city of Hebron, is venerated by Christians, Jews and Muslims who have traditions which maintain that the compound is the burial place of three biblical couples, including Abraham and Sarah; Isaac and Rebekah; and Jacob and Leah.
Ossuary of Caiaphas: A dump truck accidentally smashed through the roof of a tomb in November, 1990, during some work in the Jerusalem Peace Forest, leading to the discovery of the ossuary (burial container) which has the remains of Caiaphas, a high priest in the time of Jesus. He was among the priests before whom Jesus was brought for questioning.
Pontius Pilate Stone: Now on display in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, this stone and its inscription confirms the history and title of Pontius Pilate, who is mentioned in the New Testament and was fifth governor of Roman Judea, under whose governance Jesus of Nazareth was crucified.
Tomb of Jesus: Traditionally, two sites in Jerusalem have claimed to be the location where Jesus was laid to rest and was resurrected. The Garden Tomb was identified as the tomb of Jesus in the late 1800s, but its legitimacy is often disputed. A tradition going back to the first century maintains that Jesus’ tomb is at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem. In the 4th century, Constantine supposedly located the tomb site beneath a second century Roman temple. He constructed a church over it. This church has been restored and maintained over the centuries ever since.
Existence of Jesus: Surviving, non-biblical documents written by well-known contemporaries of Christ such as Josephus, Suetonius, Thallus, Pliny the Younger, the Talmud, and Lucian confirm his existence on earth.
