Tag: Artifact

  • The Mesha Stele (Moabite Stone)

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    Few archaeological discoveries have illuminated the biblical world quite like the Mesha Stele, also known as the Moabite Stone. Unearthed in 1868 at Dibon (modern-day Dhiban, Jordan), the stele stands as a vivid first-person account from King Mesha of Moab — a nation often at odds with ancient Israel. Written in Moabite, a dialect closely…

  • The Tel Dan Stele: From Myth to History

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    For much of the 20th century, critics of the Bible claimed that King David was little more than a literary invention — a mythic ruler created by later Hebrew writers to give Israel’s monarchy a noble backstory. With no evidence outside Scripture, many grouped David with figures like King Arthur — perhaps a folk hero,…

  • The Ketef Hinnom Silver Scrolls: Earliest Biblical Text

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    One of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries is the Ketef Hinnom silver scrolls. These tiny scrolls, dating to the 7th century BCE, contain the Priestly Blessing from Numbers 6:24–26, making them the oldest surviving texts directly quoting the Hebrew Bible. Their discovery shows that Israelite religious practices and sacred texts were already established centuries before…

  • Earliest Papyrus Fragments (P52, P66, P75, P46): Evidence for the Gospels

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    🧭 Introduction The earliest physical evidence for the New Testament comes from papyrus fragments that preserve portions of the Gospels and other New Testament writings. These ancient manuscripts — such as Papyrus 52 (P52), Papyrus 66 (P66), Papyrus 75 (P75), and Papyrus 46 (P46 )— offer a window into the transmission of Christian Scripture in…

  • The Muratorian Fragment: Early Evidence for the New Testament Canon

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    The Muratorian Fragment is the earliest known list of New Testament writings, providing insight into how early Christians recognized and circulated authoritative texts. Discovered in the 18th century in Milan and dating to approximately c. 170–200 CE, the fragment is written in Latin, though it preserves a translation from an original Greek source. 🧭 Introduction…

  • The Masoretic Text: The Standard Hebrew Bible

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    🧭 Introduction The Masoretic Text (MT) is the traditional Hebrew version of the Old Testament, carefully copied and standardized by Jewish scribes known as the Masoretes between the 6th and 10th centuries CE. While the Masoretic manuscripts themselves are relatively late, the text they preserve reflects Hebrew Scriptures written roughly between the 12th and 2nd…

  • The Caiaphas Ossuary: Archaeological Evidence of the High Priest

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    🧭 Introduction The Caiaphas Ossuary is a remarkable archaeological discovery that provides significant evidence of Joseph Caiaphas, the high priest of the Sanhedrin during Jesus’ trial in the early 1st century CE. Disovered in Jerusalem in 1990, this limestone burial box (ossuary) bears the inscription “Joseph, son of Caiaphas,” directly linking it to the high…

  • The Pilate Stone: Archaeological Evidence of Pontius Pilate

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    The Pilate Stone 🏛️ Introduction The Pilate Stone is a landmark archaeological discovery that provides concrete evidence of Pontius Pilate and his role as the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea during the early 1st century CE. Discovered in 1961 at Caesarea Maritima, this limestone block bears a Latin inscription explicitly naming “Pontius Pilatus,” confirming historical…

  • Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the Testimonium Flavianum

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    Few ancient texts have faced more scrutiny than Josephus’s famous reference to Jesus, the Testimonium Flavianum (TF). For generations, skeptics have claimed it was tampered with by overzealous Christian scribes, casting doubt on one of the strongest extra-biblical witnesses to Christ. But new research by historian Tom Schmidt has turned the debate on its head…

  • The Nazareth Decree

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    Matthew Frisbee
    in

    📝 Summary The Nazareth Decree is a marble inscription containing a Roman legal order against disturbing graves or moving bodies. Dated broadly to the late 1st century BC to early 1st century AD, the decree’s most striking feature is its prescription of capital punishment for such offenses—a rare penalty in Roman law. Some scholars believe…