1. Archaeology is like digging up the track of the past. Biblical archaeology is digging up time, people, culture, customs, patterns of trade, housing, occupations, religion, and many other aspects of biblical times. The value of archaeology is that it:
a. Illuminates the past and helps to create the right context for understanding the Scriptures
b. Supplements information about Israel, the Messiah, and salvation
c. Confirms the view of the Bible by not being in opposition to it.
d. Aids in translation
e. Corrects false views
2. A lot of people are needed to do archaeology. Diggers, surveyors, photographers, professional writers, and language specialists are all required. Archaeology has only been around since about the middle nineteenth century.
3. To do archaeology, plans are needed.
4. From archaeology, physical objects are found.
5. For archaeology, money is needed (a purse)
6. Famous Archaeologists - this information from A General Introduction to the New Testament by Dr. James Borland (Lynchburg, Virginia:University Book House, 1995), pages 111-113.
a. William Albright (1891-1971) - excellent in transcribing scrolls and letters. He knew time periods of writings and how letters were formed.
b. James Breasted (1865-1935) - specialist in Egyptology
c. Jean Champollion (1790-1832) - decyphered the Rosetta Stone
d. John Garstang (1876-1956) - specialist in Jericho. He was able to date it to 1400BC. Kathleen Kenyon had thought that Jericho was 1200BC to 1250BC, but Bible chronology confirms Garstang.
e. Nelson Glueck (1900-1971) - mostly surface archaeology in Jordan
f. Kathleen Kenyon (1906-1978) - She excavated the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem.
g. Benjamin Mazar (1906-) - Taught at Hebrew University in Israel
h. Sir Flinders Petrie (1853-1942) - Father of modern Archaeology, changed it from being just a treasure hunt
i. James Pritchard (1909-) - Edited Ancient Near Eastern Text (ANET) and taught at the University of Pennsylvania.
j. Sir William Ramsay (1851-1939) - discovered many cities that Paul had visited.
k. Henry C. Rawlinson (1810-1895) - stationed in Persia. He once hanged from a cliff to get an inscription on the Behistun Stone of Darius I. He was able to translate the three languages that were discovered.
l. Roland de Vaux (1903-1971) - he was a French leader in archaeology and head of the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem. He worked in Hebron and Bethlehem, and he worked on the Dead Sea Scrolls effort.
m. Leonard Woolley (1880-1960) - he excavated Ur of the Chaldees, Carchemish, Amarna, and Alalakh.
n. G. Ernest Wright (1909-1974) - President of American Society of Oriental Research, excavated in Gezer and Shechem. Founder of Biblical Archaeologist
o. Yigael Yadin (1917-) - Directed digs at Hazor, Masada, Megiddo, and the Judean desert. He discovered the Bar Kochba letters.
Tom of Bethany "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
Index to Selected Essays And Book Reviews
Lesson 10 - The Inspiration and Origin of the New Testament Books
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