Archaeology and the New Testament

432 Pages·1991·23.58 MB·English

by  John McRay

Archaeology
and the
N e w
T e s t a m e n t
John McRay
BAKER BOOK HOUSE D.
D.
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49516
Copyright 1991 by
Baker Book House Company
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McRay, John.
Archaeology and the New Testament I by John McRay
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8010-6267-5
I. Bible. N.T.-Antiquities. 2. Mediterranean Region-Antiquities. 3. Christian
Antiquities-Mediterranean Region. I. Title.
BS2406.5.M37 1990
225.9'3--<ic20 91-11663
CIP
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from the Revised Standard
Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971, and 1973 by the Division of Christian
Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of
America. Other versions cited include the King James Version (KJV), the New American
Standard Bible (NASB), and the New English Bible (NEB).
Designated photographs are used by permission from the National Geographic Society
and the Holy Shroud Guild. All other photographs are by the author. Adapted
diagrams are used courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society in Jerusalem and the
American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
The research for and writing of this volume were funded in part by grants from the G.
W. Aldeen Fund; the Alumni Association, Wheaton College; William J. Wilson, Jr.,
Nashville, Tennessee, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles McRay, Fort Smith, Arkansas.
To my wife,
Annette,
with whom I have shared the hilltops

Contents
List of Illustrations 9
Foreword 11
Preface 13.
Introduction: The Role and Method
of Archaeological Excavation 17
The Role of Archaeology in New Testament Studies 17
The Limitations of Archaeology as Proof 19
Biblical Archaeology 20
The Technology of Excavation 20
The Basic Method of Excavation 22
Part 1 The Architecture of New Testament Times
City Layouts and Civic Structures 37
City Layouts 37
Civic Structures 40
2 Religious and Domestic Structures 65
Religious Structures 65
Domestic Structures 76
Part 2 The Building Program of Herod the Great
3 Herodian Jerusalem 91
4 Herodian Construction Outside Jerusalem 129
7
Contents
Part 3 Archaeology and the Life of Christ
5 Jesus' Youth and Ministry in Galilee 153
The Birth and Youth of Jesus 153
The Public Ministry of Jesus 160
6 Jesus' Ministry and Last Days in Judea 185
The Public Ministry of Jesus: Judea 185
The Last Days of Jesus 195
Part 4 Archaeology and the Church
7 Cities in Eastern and Central Asia Minor 225
Archaeology and Pauline Chronology 225
Cities in Syria and Eastern Asia Minor 227
Cities in Central Asia Minor 235
8 Cities in Western Asia Minor 243
Thyatira, Philadelphia, and Laodicea 244
Hierapolis and Colossae 247
Ephesus, Sardis, Pergamum, and Smyrna 250
Patmos 274
9 Macedonian Cities and Athens 277
Macedonia 277
Athens 298
10 Corinth and Rome 311
Corinth 311
Nicopolis 338
Dodona 340
Rome 341
11 The Discovery and Contributions of Ancient
Documents 351
The Discovery of Ancient Papyri 351
The Contributions of the Papyri 360
Endnotes 377
Tables 411
1 Archaeological Periods 411
2 Greek and Roman Gods 411
3 Nabatean Kings of the New Testament Period 411
4 Roman Emperors and other Rulers 412
5 New Testament Papyri from Oxyrhynchus 413
Glossary of Technical Terms 415
Abbreviations 421
Subject Index 423
8
List of Illustrations
Diagrams
Stratigraphy of a Tell 26
2 Schematic of Stabi an Baths 45
3 Greek and Roman Theaters 54
4 Types of Synagogues 68-69
5 Greek Orders 74
6 Schematic of Palatial Mansion in Jerusalem 79
7 Schematic of Peter's House in Capernaum 81
8 Herodian Architecture 99
9 Temple Enclosure in the Herodian Period 101
10 Jaffa Gate Area (Herod's Palace) 117
11 Northern Quarry 121
12 Water Cisterns on the Temple Mount 122
13 Pools in Jerusalem 124
14 Herodian Theater 126
15 Schematic of Herodium 131
16 Schematic of Jericho 135
17 Schematic of Masada 137
18 Schematic of Caesarea Maritima 141
19 Pool of Siloam and Josephus's Wall 190
20 Positions of Crucifixion 205
21 Roman and Iron Age Tombs 211
22 Charles Gordon's Golgotha 212
9
List of IUustrations
23 Schematic of Antioch of Syria 231
24 Schematic of Ephesus 251
25 Schematic of Philippi 286
26 Schematic of Athens 300
27 Athenian Greek Agora (A.D. 50) 303
28 Schematic of Corinth 321
29 Roman Forum in Corinth 325
30 Tribunal (Bema) in Corinth 334
31 The Fora of Imperial Rome 343
32 Basic Format of Ancient Letters 365
Maps
Major Synagogue Sites of Palestine 71
2 Herod's Building Program in the Levant 93
3 Herod's Building Program Outside Judea 94
4 New Testament Palestine 159
5 The Roman World 228
6 Selected Roman Roads in Asia Minor 245
7 Paul's Greece 278
8 Upper and Lower Egypt 353
10