Jerusalem, Israel – Easter dey come again, but the story wey surround Jesus Christ death and resurrection dey raise many questions for historians and archaeologists. While plenti Christians dey celebrate dis holy time, wetin we sabi about the real events wey happen during Jesus time?
According to the Bible, Jesus na low-status artisan from Galilee wey challenge Roman authorities, receive harsh judgment, and die for the cross. But di details of wetin really happen, especially di crucifixion and resurrection, dey full with debate. Archaeologists don find plenty evidence to support di fact of di crucifixion. Early texts, including letters from Apostle Paul and di four canonical gospels, mention di event well, but wetin really happen for Golgotha?
Di site wey dem call Golgotha, meaning ‘place of the skull’, na di location where Jesus dey crucified. But archaeologists say di Via Dolorosa wey pilgrims dey follow today no be di exact path wey Jesus take. Di historical records suggest say Jesus start from Pilate’s praetorium, wey dem believe say dey near di Tower of David Museum. Dis information don change di understanding of how Jesus travel to di place of his execution.
Modern historians say Jesus fit only carry di crossbeam, not di whole cross, which fit weigh as much as 300 pounds. Dis detail dey important because it suggests how plenti criminals dey treated during execution – di actual process of crucifixion was even more brutal as some criminals dey left nailed to surnames as public warnings.
For Jerusalem, di Church of Holy Sepulchre dey claim to be di location of Jesus’ tomb. Di Gospels say dem bury Jesus near di place of his death, but 19th-century archaeologists doubt its authenticity. Dem claim say di church built by Emperor Constantine no dey accurate when dem place Jesus tomb. Dey believe di tomb wey dem dey call Garden Tomb no make sense in dis narrative because archaeological evidence shows say di site dey much older.
One clay tablet wey dem find show say Jews valued proper burial rituals – a practice wey di New Testament scholar John Dominic Crossan and Bart Ehrman question because Romans no dey allow criminals get real burial. Instead, dem dey throw di bodies away. Rabbi Josephus talk say Jews corn ensure even condemned criminals get decent burial before sundown. Dis controversial debate dey challenge di core belief of Christian resurrection narrative.
As di witnesses of di resurrection, di Gospels tell us say di tomb wey Jesus dey buried dey empty di third day after his death. Di Gospels no mention nails specifically, leading to questions about how Jesus actually suffer. Historian Jeffrey P. Arroyo García suggest say maybe dem use ropes instead of nails for di actual crucifixion. Dis detail point to how people go dey understand di gravity of di punishment. Di question of nails versus ropes for crucifixion remains a mystery, however. Historical documents no dey conclusive.
Niggas dey say di story of Jesus resurrection connects well with a vast tradition of dying and rising gods like Osiris and Mithras during di ancient world. Dis make sense for many scholars because di belief in resurrection fit gain traction among di followers. Still di historical evidence no dey strong about wetin really happen after Jesus death. Di story of an empty tomb dey remain pivotal but it raise more questions than it answer.
For ancient Rome, di practice of crucifixion, di humiliation, and di public spectacle fit remain relevant. Di events surrounding di resurrection, even amidst controversies, date back to di time wey plenti Christians dey share ideas and solidify beliefs. Di legacies wey dey surround Jesus’ crucifixion and di resurrection still dey challenge we make sense of dem for modern times.
