Church in Capernaum, photo via wikimedia.org

Evidence abounds of Jesus Christ's birth and life

There's no shortage of evidence supporting the reality of Jesus' life on earth, a seminary professor told Baptist Press. L. Scott Kellum, assistant professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., cited the identification of Peter's house at Capernaum and the limestone ossuary of Caiaphas, the high-priest who interrogated Jesus, Baptist Press reported Friday.

Archeologists also found a Christian burial site dated to A.D. 50 at Bethany; Jacob's well mentioned in John 4; the synagogue at Capernaum where Jesus taught; the pool of Siloam; a fishing boat big enough to carry 13 men; the possible tomb of Lazarus; and other sites that validate the Gospels and Jesus, reports ReligionAndSpirituality.com.

"Even though rare, some sites regarding the nativity bear the stamp of probability," Kellum said. Emperor Constantine's mother, Helena, in the third century identified a cave in Bethlehem as the site of Jesus' birth. Also, second-century records describe a cave being honored as the site of Jesus' birth. "It is not unlikely that the place venerated today as the birthplace of Jesus is the site," he said.

Some scholars accused Luke of inaccuracy by dating the birth of Jesus during a census by Syrian governor Quirinius (Luke 2:2), but archeologists "have found a coin with an inscription naming a Quirinius proconsul of Syria from 11-4 B.C., at precisely the right time," he said.

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[01/03/2008]

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