“And we bring you good tidings of the promise made unto the fathers…” (Acts 13:32)

Vol. XXVII November 19, 2017 No. 47

The ’s Historical Accuracy (Jerry Fite)

hen you read the Bible, “Pontius Pilatus, of Ju- one hundred and seventeen thou- you will notice that it dea, has dedicated to the people sand citizens…”. What we can speaks of real places on of Caesarea a temple in the honor know by this archeological dis- W a map. Scripture also of .” The word “Prefect” covery is that Quirinius, executing names the people who lived in is Latin (Praefectus) literally a leadership-roll in the time of those places during recorded time. meaning: “put in front,” which , conducted a census in When Luke records that Augustus harmonizes with Luke’s designa- Syria, north of Palestine. Luke’s Caesar gave a decree for a census tion of Pilate being “governor” or account in Scripture does not con- at the time when was born, “procurator” of . Up to tradict what archaeology has un- one might not doubt the fact that now, this is the only historical ar- covered, the “Lapis Venetus” Augustus Caesar existed, while tifact we know that points to Pi- (Stone of Venice) connects not being sure that Jesus ever ex- late of the . But Quirinius, Augustus and census- isted. Many rely on recorded his- the archaeologist’s shovel reveals taking occurring in the area just tory as the determining factor, not that the “Pilate Stone” is not only north of the birth place of Jesus. the Bible. While it has been a chief corner stone in history, but proven that Jesus was a historical historical proof of Luke’s accu- Luke also records a man figure, doubts about other Biblical racy in the according to by the name of “Gallio,” the figures exist, because of the lack Luke. “proconsul of Achaia,” coming to of historical evidence. the aid of Paul when the apostle Luke writes that “Quirinius was brought before civil authori- For years, , was governor of Syria” (Luke ties in Corinth (Acts 18:12-18). a prominent person in the life of 2:2). He also adds that while In 1915, a doctoral student uncov- , was doubted to be a histor- Quirinius was governor, the “first ered nine stone fragments in Del- ical figure. Luke records that Pi- enrollment” took place while Au- phi, containing the words of Clau- late was governor during the rule gustus ruled Rome which affected dius, the Emperor of Rome (A.D. of Tiberius Caesar (:1). Joseph and Mary at the time of Je- 52.) The inscription on stone ad- While historical records exist to sus’ birth. A tombstone inscrip- dresses “Gallio” as “my friend establish Tiberius as a Roman tion from Beirut was obtained by and proconsul.” Emperor, there were no historical merchants from Venice sometime records to prove Pilate existed, before 1674. It is a funeral stone History substantiates Augus- much less lived in the first century of Aemelus Secundus who was an tus, Tiberias and Claudius as his- Roman world. But in the summer army officer, serving under torical rulers, but the sifting of 1961, Italian archaeologists un- Quirinius in the time of Augustus. shovel reveals evidence from covered a stone plaque in the On the stone, his work connecting stone that Pilate, Quirinius, Gal- steps leading to Caesarea’s Am- Quirinius with a census is in- lio, lesser authorities, are also ac- phitheatre. This piece of lime- scribed: “On command of tual historical figures. We can stone had inscribed upon it: Quirinius I have carried out the trust our Bible to be historically census of Apamea, a city-state of accurate!