THE OSSUARY OF CAIAPHAS
It is always gratifying when archaeologists unearth something that proves the Bible to be true. Many such discoveries have been found during the last few years. One, for instance, was the ossuary (bone box) of the High Priest, Caiaphas, which was recently discovered in a burial cave in the Peace Forest just south of Jerusalem. The discovery of the ossuary of Caiaphas was warmly welcomed by archaeologists and was quickly dated to the time of Jesus and Caiaphas.
Caiaphas was one of the leading priests to reject Christ and demand his death. Notice the narration from the Bible using the New Living Translation (NLT): John 11:
47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together to discuss the situation. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs.
48 If we leave him alone, the whole nation will follow him, and then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”
49 And one of them... Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, “How can you be so stupid: Why should the whole nation be destroyed: Let this one man die for the people.”
John 18:
12 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up.
13 First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “Better that one should die for all.”
28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor…
The gospel of Matthew also records the story:
Matthew 26:
57 Then the people who had arrested Jesus led him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest…
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?”
63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God that you tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say. And in the future you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God’s right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror, shouting, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? Your have all heard his blasphemy.
66 What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they shouted. “He must die!”
We are now almost 2,000 years from these events of the crucifixion. Isn’t it interesting that God would at this time allow the Jewish nation to unearth the ossuary that proves the very existence of Caiaphas and verifies the record of the trial of Jesus their Messiah?
Although many ossuaries including Caiaphas and James, the brother of Jesus have been discovered by archaeologists, no such burial box has been found of Jesus. The fact is, no such box will ever be found because Jesus did not require an ossuary. He rose from the grave after three days and the angels’ message to his followers was, He is not here for he is risen!
It is always gratifying when archaeologists unearth something that proves the Bible to be true. Many such discoveries have been found during the last few years. One, for instance, was the ossuary (bone box) of the High Priest, Caiaphas, which was recently discovered in a burial cave in the Peace Forest just south of Jerusalem. The discovery of the ossuary of Caiaphas was warmly welcomed by archaeologists and was quickly dated to the time of Jesus and Caiaphas.
Caiaphas was one of the leading priests to reject Christ and demand his death. Notice the narration from the Bible using the New Living Translation (NLT): John 11:
47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together to discuss the situation. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs.
48 If we leave him alone, the whole nation will follow him, and then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”
49 And one of them... Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, “How can you be so stupid: Why should the whole nation be destroyed: Let this one man die for the people.”
John 18:
12 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up.
13 First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “Better that one should die for all.”
28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor…
The gospel of Matthew also records the story:
Matthew 26:
57 Then the people who had arrested Jesus led him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest…
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?”
63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God that you tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say. And in the future you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God’s right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror, shouting, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? Your have all heard his blasphemy.
66 What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they shouted. “He must die!”
We are now almost 2,000 years from these events of the crucifixion. Isn’t it interesting that God would at this time allow the Jewish nation to unearth the ossuary that proves the very existence of Caiaphas and verifies the record of the trial of Jesus their Messiah?
Although many ossuaries including Caiaphas and James, the brother of Jesus have been discovered by archaeologists, no such burial box has been found of Jesus. The fact is, no such box will ever be found because Jesus did not require an ossuary. He rose from the grave after three days and the angels’ message to his followers was, He is not here for he is risen!
