Category Archives: Israel

Earliest evidence of a New Testament verse in stone

Posted on January 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

In two previous posts we have mentioned the so-called Tomb of Absalom in the Kidron Valley here and here. We noted that the horizontal inscription on the south side of the monument reads,

This is the tomb of Zacharias, martyr, very pious priest, father of John.

We know from Luke 1 that Zacharias was a priest and the father of John (the Baptist). Whether the monument was actually used as the tomb of Zacharias is a matter of conjecture, but the inscription does show what the common belief in the 4th century A.D. about Zacharias and John.

We noted that there are two inscriptions on the Absalom monument. The horizontal inscription is the one mentioned above. The vertical inscription is the one we wish to mention in this post. (In fact, there is a third inscription consisting of a cross and the words “The nephesh.”)

The long vertical inscription consists of the five lines in Greek. Puech translates them as follows,

The tomb of Simeon who was
a very just man
and a very devout el(der)
and (who was) waiting for
the consolation of
the people.

After considerable study, the scholars thought it was clear “that the scribe had engraved the main part of a verse from a gospel, Luke 2:25.” The drawing below shows the six lines of the inscription and the same in modern Greek. Click on the image for a larger, clearer one.

Inscription on south side of Absalom Monument.

Inscription on south side of Absalom Monument.

Luke 2:25 is part of the account of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple by Mary. Verse 25 reads,

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. (Luke:25 NAU)

The word Israel is changed in the inscription to read people.

Puech and Zias comment about the use of Luke 2:25 in the stone inscription.

So, the inscriptions on the tomb bear witness to the written traditions from the Byzantine period as well as those of the early church fathers. Moreover, the inscription from the Gospel of Luke is identical to that found in the Codex Sinaiticus, dated to the second quarter of the fourth century, prior to a correction according to the text of the Codex Vaticanus (εὐσεβὴς prima manu instead of εὐλαβὴς) around the middle of the sixth century, thus showing that the local Palestinian text was widely accepted as authoritative by the early church of Palestine….

Thus this inscription is the earliest evidence for a New Testament verse engraved in stone, and it fits Palestinian tradition (Puech and Zias 2004: 572).

Most of my information comes from Near Eastern Archaeology, Dec. 2005.

The photo below shows the Kidron Valley. The Mount of Olives is visible in the upper right of the photo. The tomb of Absalom is visible in the lower right. The view is to the northeast. The low hill with buildings in the distant left is Mount Scopus.

View of Kidron Valley from SE corner of Temple Mount. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

View of Kidron Valley from SE corner of Temple Mount. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

One never knows where the next significant discovery will be made.

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Absalom’s Pillar and the Tomb of Zacharias, father of John

Posted on January 13, 2012 | 1 comment

Yesterday we wrote about the mistaken identification of a first century B.C. tomb in the Kidron Valley as the monument Absalom built for himself (2 Samuel 18:18).

About 12 years ago an art history student at Hebrew University turned in a paper to Joe Zias which included an old photo of an inscription on the south side of the Pillar of Absalom. The inscription is difficult to see because the monument is cut from the natural rock. After many late afternoon visits to the site in 2002, waiting for the sun to be in the right spot to highlight the inscription, Zias finally saw it. Afterwards, efforts were made to photograph it.

South side of the Pillar of Absalom. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

South side of the Pillar of Absalom. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Zacharias and Simeon inscriptions on the Absalom Pillar.

Zacharias & Simeon inscriptions on the Absalom Pillar.

There are two inscriptions on the south side of the monument. This little drawing, made available  shortly after the announcement, shows a horizontal inscription and a vertical one. The horizontal inscription is the one pertaining to Zacharias and John. In my photo you only see a small portion of the area where the Zacharias inscription is located.

Due to a number of circumstances it was thought best to make a cast of the inscription so it could be studied in the lab. Numerous scholars from various fields of study were called in to assist and give advice. This photo shows Joe Zias, a physical anthropologist, with the cast.

Joe Zias with cast of Zacharias inscription from Absalom Monument.

Joe Zias with cast of Zacharias inscription from Absalom Monument.

The inscription is written in Byzantine Greek of the fourth century A.D. Zias teamed up with Fr. Émile Puech, a professor at the École Biblique in Jerusalem, to read the inscriptions. The horizontal inscription reads,

This is the tomb of Zacharias, martyr, very pious priest, father of John.

Luke records the naming of John by Zacharias this way:

And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. 60 But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.  63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.  64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.  (Luke 1:59-64 NAU)

I had the opportunity to hear Joe Zias and Émile Puech make their presentation about this discovery at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in 2003. The discovery was published in Revue Biblique, July 2003.

Could this be the priest Zacharias (also spelled Zechariah in some English versions) the father of John the Baptist? We may think that it does, but it might be best to agree with Jerome Murphy-O’Connor who says that this inscription only reflects a tradition from the 4th century A.D.

Such Byzantine identifications reflect the piety of the period and have no historical value.

Another scholarly article appeared in Near Eastern Archaeology, Dec. 2005. It includes photos showing how these scholars were able to make the cast. One of the best popular articles I saved was published in The Christian Science Monitor. I see that it is no longer available online. If you have additional interest you might take a look at the Associated Press article here.

The vertical inscription may be even more significant. Perhaps I can get to that in a future post.

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Men who honor themselves. Exhibit one: Absalom

Posted on January 12, 2012 | 4 comments

Both Old Testament and New Testament provide illustrations of men who honor themselves, and the folly of doing so. The elder John wrote of a man named Diotrephes “who loves to be first” among his brethren (3 John 1:9).

In the Old Testament no case is more prominent than that of Absalom the rebellious son of David.

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar which is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to preserve my name.” So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day. (2 Samuel 18:18 NAU)

In earlier times it was common for pilgrims to the Holy Land to be told that this or that structure belonged to a certain Biblical character or event.  I will show you one such example.

The photo below was made in the Kidron Valley with a view to the south. On the right you see the eastern wall of the Old City of Jerusalem. On the left of the photo, where the valley becomes narrow, you can see the top of the monument called Absalom’s Pillar. An image suitable for presentations is available here. This photo would look good in PowerPoint. There is room on the upper left side sky to include appropriate scriptures.

Kidron Valley View South. Absalom's Pillar on left. Wall of Jerusalem on right. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Kidron Valley view to the south. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

In AD 1170 Benjamin of Tudela associated this monumentsin the Kidron Valley with the monument of Absalom. The monument actually belongs to the early first century B.C., and not to the time of Absalom. It is a funerary monument in front of an eight-chambered tomb.

A closeup view of the monument may be seen in the following photo.

Absalom's Pillar. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Absalom's Pillar. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Soon I plan to explain what this monument might have to do with Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist.

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En Karem (Ain Karim) — traditional home of John the Baptist

Posted on January 11, 2012 | 2 comments

Tradition has it that John the Baptist was born in En Karem (or Ain Karim) in the hill country of Judea. According to Shimon Gibson, the earliest document linking John to En Karem is a legendary account dated to A.D. 385-395 (The Cave of John the Baptist, 30). In that account En Karem is said to be “in the mountain” and with a “spring of water” (31). From the sixth to the eighth centuries the traditions multiply.

En Karem is about 5 miles west of Jerusalem. This photo shows a general view of the hill country of Judea. En Karem is in the valley below.

The vicinity of En Karem in the hill country of Judea. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The vicinity of En Karem in the hill country of Judea. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Luke provides the account of the announcement of the birth of John, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth the mother of John, and the birth of John (Luke 1). It is interesting that Luke prefaces the announcement of the birth to Zacharias by saying that it was “in the days of Herod, king of Judea” (Luke 1:5).

No specific town is mentioned, but Luke says that Mary visited Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah.

Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. (Luk 1:39-40 NAU)

The biblical text says that after the birth of John,

Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. (Luke 1:65 NAU)

In the next view we see several churches. The one right of center with the single tower is known as the Church of St. John the Baptist. A church was built at this site as early as the 5th century A.D.

Several churches are visible in this view of En Karem. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Several churches are visible in this view of En Karem. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

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Bread stamp with Temple Menorah discovered near Acco

Posted on January 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

The Israel Antiquities Authority announces the discovery of a stamp used to identify baked products from an excavation near the coastal town of Acco (Akko; Acre). The stamp dates to the 6th century A.D. (the Byzantine period). The suggestion is made that it may have been used by a baker who made kosher bread for the Jews in the area.

Bread stamp discovered at Acco. Photo: Dr. Danny Syon, courtesy IAA.

Bread stamp discovered near Acco. Photo: Dr. Danny Syon, courtesy IAA.

The IAA news release says,

According to Gilad Jaffe and Dr. Danny Syon, the directors of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “A number of stamps bearing an image of a menorah are known from different collections. The Temple Menorah, being a Jewish symbol par excellence, indicates the stamps belonged to Jews, unlike Christian bread stamps with the cross pattern which were much more common in the Byzantine period”. According to Syon, “This is the first time such a stamp is discovered in a controlled archaeological excavation, thus making it possible to determine its provenance and date of manufacture. The stamp is important because it proves that a Jewish community existed in the settlement of Uza in the Christian-Byzantine period. The presence of a Jewish settlement so close to Akko — a region that was definitely Christian at this time — constitutes an innovation in archaeological research”. The excavators add, “Due to the geographical proximity of Horbat Uza to Akko, we can speculate that the settlement supplied kosher baked goods to the Jews of Akko in the Byzantine period”.

The stamp is engraved with a seven-branched menorah atop a narrow base, and the top of the branches forms a horizontal line. A number of Greek letters are engraved around a circle and dot on the end of the handle. Dr. Leah Di Segni, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem suggested this is probably the name Launtius. This name was common among Jews of the period and also appears on another Jewish bread stamp of unknown provenance. According to Dr. Syon and Gilad Jaffe, “This is probably the name of the baker from Horbat Uza.”

Bread stamp discovered at Acco. Photo: Dr. Danny Syon, courtesy IAA.

Bread stamp discovered at Acco. Photo: Dr. Danny Syon, courtesy IAA.

Dr. David Amit, who has made a study of bread stamps, adds,

“A potter engraved the menorah image in the surface of the stamp prior to firing it in a kiln, whereas the owner’s name was engraved in the stamp’s handle after firing. Hence we can assume that a series of stamps bearing the menorah symbol were produced for Jewish bakers, and each of these bakers carved his name on the handle, which also served as a stamp. In this way the dough could be stamped twice before baking: once with the menorah — the general symbol of the Jewish identity of Jewish bakeries, and the private name of the baker in each of these bakeries, which also guaranteed the bakery’s kashrut.

The full IAA report is available at a temporary link here.

English Bible versions commonly translate the Hebrew menorah by the word lampstand. The King James Version’s candlestick is no longer used because we know that candles were not in use in Bible times (cf. Revelation 1:12).

The seven-branched lampstand is probably the best known symbol of the tabernacle and temple, and of Jews generally. The first biblical reference to the menorah is in the account of the building of the tabernacle.

“Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.  “Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side.  (Exodus 25:31-32 NAU)

As a parallel, one might think of the hot cross buns commonly eaten on Good Friday in many Christian communities.

HT: Joseph Lauer

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Posted in Archaeology, Bible Places, Bible Study, Israel, Old Testament

New theory on rare Second Temple “seal”

Posted on January 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

Recently we reported the discovery of a rare Second Temple inscription seal here. The original announcement said the inscription was inscribed with an Aramaic inscription which could be translated “Pure for G-d.”

Rare Second Temple Inscription Seal. IAA photo by Vladimir Naykhin.

Rare Second Temple Inscription Seal. IAA photo by Vladimir Naykhin.

It is not surprising to learn that not all scholars agree with the reading. The Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz calls attention to the theory of Prof. Shlomo Naeh, of the Hebrew University’s Talmud department, who says the inscription calls attention to the type of sacrifice purchased for offering.

Naeh also believes the object is related to Temple worship and purity, but reads the inscription differently, as “Dakar a Leyehoyariv.” Dakar in Aramaic means ram and a stands for aleph, the first day of the week, when the priestly order of Yehoyariv was on duty in the Temple.

Thus, the object was used in Temple worship, but not how Reich and Shukron believe it was, says Naeh. To ensure the purity of animal sacrifices offered in the Temple — and to maintain an economic monopoly, Naeh believes — pilgrims had to buy their offerings in the Temple courts. They gave money to a treasurer who would exchange it for a token inscribed with the type of sacrifice they had purchased and the date.

Like Reich and Shukron, Naeh supports his theory with a mishnaic verse citing the existence of such tokens. With regard to Reich and Shukron’s interpretation, he said: “Purity was very fluid; the touch of an impure person was enough to make the object impure, so it is unlikely such a seal existed.”

He also said the object could not be a seal because it lacked a hole for a thread or a handle to affix it to another object.

The full article in Ha’aretz may be read here.

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Five Day Bible Reading Program for 2012

Posted on December 31, 2011 | Leave a comment

Mark Roberts (the Irving, TX one) is making his Five Day Bible Reading Program for 2012 available free of charge this year. This is an excellent program for reading through the entire Bible in a year. For a copy of the schedule that you can print on a single sheet of paper (front and back), click here.

Reading the Bible at the Western Wall. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Reading the Bible at the Western Wall. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

A few Scriptures on the subject of Bible reading seem appropriate:

…and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him [Jesus]. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written…, (Luke 4:17 NET)

…and [the Ethiopian court official] was returning home, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. (Acts 8:28 NET)

You [Timothy], however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you  and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17 NET)

The Reading Program is also available for the Kindle (or iPad) this year. Details are on the page linked above.

While you are in the neighborhood, take a look at some of the material at Mark’s BibleClassMaterial.com.

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“Gibeon, for the king” bulla discovered

Posted on December 30, 2011 | 5 comments

The Temple Mount Sifting Project, Jerusalem, announced yesterday the discovery of a clay bulla bearing the name of the biblical city of Gibeon. The name of Gibeon (GB’N) occurs with LMLK (for the king).

The Pool of Gibeon. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins in 2011.

The Pool of Gibeon at El-Jib. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins in 2011.

Gabriel Barkay summarizes his report of this discovery.

A small fragment of a clay bulla was discovered in the wet sifting carried out at Tzurim Valley National Park, the site of the Temple Mount Sifting Project. The bulla carries an Ancient Hebrew inscription: “[g]b’n/lmlk“, i.e. “Gibeon, for the King”. The bulla originates from the eastern slope of the Temple Mount, descending into the Kidron Valley. The bulla belongs to a group of bullae which were called by N. Avigad “Fiscal Bullae”.

Presently we know more than 50 bullae of this type. They comprise two groups, one with names of cities in the kingdom of Judah, and the other with names of royal officials. All the fiscal bullae known until now come from the antiquities market, and our bulla is the first one to come from a controlled archaeological project. This bulla enables us to fully illuminate and discuss the entire phenomenon of the fiscal bullae.

Barkay says the known bullae,

include names of 19 different cities of Judah, and dates of the reign of one of the Judean kings, usually in hieratic numerals, as well as the particle “lmlk“, “for the king”.

He says,

The fiscal bullae represent a taxation system from the different Judean cities, based on yearly taxes, which probably replaced the previous one, reflected in the royal Judean jars and their seal impressions, from the time of King Hezekiah.

The discovery of the fiscal bulla with the name of Gibeon from the slope of the Temple Mount, authenticates all the other fiscal bullae, and enables us to study a variety of subjects connected to the history of Judah in the 7th century BCE.

Two brief reports on the Project may be read here.

Name of Gibeon is not new. This is not the first time the name of Gibeon has been discovered from the past. During the excavations conducted by James Pritchard for the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania and the Church Divinity School of the Pacific between 1956 and 1962, over 25 inscription were found with the name Gibeon. In fact, this is how Pritchard first knew with certainy that the Arab town El Jib was to be identified as Gibeon.

Some of the inscribed jar handles discovered by Pritchard’s excavation at El Jib are displayed at the University of Pennsylvania Archaeological Museum in Philadelphia.

Gibeon is an important town in Biblical history. The first Biblical reference is in Joshua 9.

Recently I have been scanning a few slides I made at Gibeon in 1970 and 1976. Hopefully I will be able to provide some comparison photos for you to see the vast difference between then and now.

The Temple Mount Sifting Project began after it was discovered that the Moslems in control of the Temple Mount, where the Dome of the Rock is located, were dumping debris from work they were doing on the Temple Mount. This project has been underway for more than two years. A temporary building has been erected in Tzurim Valley National Park for the sifting project.

The photo below was made from Mount Scopus. Here we see the temporary building of the Temple Mount Sifting Project in the foreground. The slope of the Mount of Olives is on the left (east). The Kidron Valley begins to the right of the buildings in the center of the photo and continues south under the eastern wall of the Old City of Jerusalem which you can see clearly in this photo. Click on the photo for a larger image.

Jerusalem from Mount Scopus. The Temple Mount Sifting Project building is in the foreground. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Jerusalem from Mount Scopus. The Temple Mount Sifting Project building is in the foreground. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The next photo is a closeup of the building used by The Temple Mount Sifting Project. Some wonderful pieces have been discovered from the first temple period, as well as other periods, as a result of the work done here.

View from Mount Scopus of the Temple Mount Sifting Project building. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

View from Mount Scopus of The Temple Mount Sifting Project building. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Gordon Franz has an interesting article by Stephanie Hernandez about participation in the TMSP on his Life and Land site here.

Perhaps in the days to come we will be favored with a photo of the new bulla with the name of Gibeon on it. In the mean time, see how many times you can find the word Gibeon or Gibeonite/s in the Bible.

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Was Jesus born in winter?

Posted on December 28, 2011 | 25 comments

One of my readers left a comment on facebook saying the Bible indicates that Jesus was “born in winter.” She added, “That could be anytime between mid-October and mid-March.” Another reader said, ” I didn’t know the Bible said he was born in winter — I know shepherds were grazing their sheep when he was born…does this happen in winter in that part of the world?”

I am not aware of any suggestion in the Bible regarding the time of the year when Jesus was born. Luke tells us that shepherds were out in the field at the time.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (Luke 2:8 ESV)

Some writers have suggested that the birth was not likely in December. They say that shepherds did not watch flocks by night during December. In my outline study about Christmas, available here, I have a quotation by the late Dr. William Arndt, (of Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Gingrich fame) replying to this suggestion:

“Scholars have pointed out that the considerably lower altitude of the field may not be without significance, but may explain why even in winter shepherds would not find these fields too cold for their flocks.”  (From the Nile to the Waters of Damascus, p. 52)

In fact, when I first began traveling to Israel and Jordan in the mid-60s it was common for Bedouin shepherds to move with the seasons. In the summer we would see them in the mountains of Lebanon. In winter months they would move to warmer, desert areas. Today, we find many Bedouin shepherds watching their sheep on the eastern slopes year round, including the winter months.

The temperature around Jerusalem and Bethlehem is fairly temperate in the winter. Only a small amount of rain falls on the eastern slopes of the central mountain range. Both Jerusalem and Bethlehem are located on this ridge. We have written about the watershed ridge here and here.

The average monthly temperature for Jerusalem ranges from 47° to 56°. Rain can make it chilly.

The photo below provides an aerial view from over the Herodium (about 3 miles east of Bethlehem). This illustrates the terrain where shepherds might care for their flocks.

View east toward the Dead Sea and the the land of Moab in Jordan from over the Herodium. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

View east toward the Dead Sea and the the land of Moab in Jordan from over the Herodium. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The American Colony and Eric Matson Collection of photos includes some photos of shepherds with their flocks in the Bethlehem area on Christmas day. (Information about the collection is available at LifeintheHolyLand.com.) The photo below was made sometime between 1898 and 1946. It was taken either by the American Colony Photo Department or its successor, the Matson Photo Service.

Shepherds with sheep on Christmas day. Bethlehem on the ridge. Photo: LifeintheHolyLand.com.

Shepherds with sheep on Christmas day. Bethlehem is on the ridge. Photo: LifeintheHolyLand.com.

I am not saying that Jesus was born in December. Only that the common misunderstanding about Bethlehem winters is based on our lack of knowledge about the local terrain.

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Discovery of rare Second Temple inscription announced

Posted on December 25, 2011 | 5 comments

Announcement was made by the Israel Antiquities Authority in Jerusalem today of the recent discovery of an inscribed “seal” bearing a shortened version of the name of God (Yahweh).

The small fired clay object was discovered from the soil collected during the recent excavations at the southwest corner of the temple mount enclosure which we mentioned here about a month ago.

"Pure for G-d" Inscription Seal. IAA photo by Vladimir Naykhin.

"Pure for G-d" Inscription Seal. IAA photo by Vladimir Naykhin.

A portion of the press release by the IAA reads,

Layers of soil covering the foundations of the Western Wall, c. 15 meters north of the southwestern corner of the Temple Mount, were excavated beneath Robinson’s Arch in archaeological excavations of the Israel Antiquities Authority in the Jerusalem Archaeological Garden. On top of these layers, dating to the first century CE (the late Second Temple period), was paved the Herodian street which was the main road of Jerusalem at that time. From the very start of the excavations in this area the archaeologists decided that all of the soil removed from there would be meticulously sifted (including wet-sifting and thorough sorting of the material remnants left in the sieve). This scientific measure is being done in cooperation with thousands of pupils in the Tzurim Valley National Park, and is underwritten by the ʽIr David Association. It was during the sieving [sifting] process that a tiny object of fired clay, the size of a button (c. 2 centimeter in diameter [about 3/4 of an inch]) was discovered.

The Aramaic inscription, consisting of two lines, has the word for pure, a preposition and a shortened form of the word for G-d. Jews do not write the name of God. Many of our English versions of the Bible use the word LORD for the translation of the Tetragrammaton YHWH. The short form on this object has only YH.

The excavators, Elie Shukron and Ronny Reich, explain,

“The meaning of the inscription is “Pure for G-d”. It seems that the inscribed object was used to mark products or objects that were brought to the Temple, and it was imperative they be ritually pure. This stamped impression is probably the kind referred to in the Mishnah (Tractate Shekalim 5: 1-5) as a “חותם” (seal). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such an object or anything similar to it was discovered in an archaeological excavation and it constitutes direct archaeological evidence of the activity on the Temple Mount and the workings of the Temple during the Second Temple period”.

Other artifacts dating to the Second Temple period included some from the Hasmonean Period. In the photo below you will see “oil lamps, ceramic cooking pots and a fusiform juglet [the object in the top middle] that may have contained oils and perfume.” Coins minted in the days of Alexander Jannaeus (102-76 B.C.) and John Hyrcannus (135-104 B.C.) were also discovered.

The complete IAA Press Release may be read here.

Second Temple (Hasmonean Period) vessels. IAA photo by Vladimir Naykhin.

Second Temple (Hasmonean Period) vessels. IAA photo by Vladimir Naykhin.

Just a suggestion. Perhaps a seal such as the one mentioned above would have been used in the case mentioned by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  (Matthew 5:23-24 ESV)

HT: Joseph Lauer

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