Have you heard that the crucifixion nails have been found? In this article we are going to weigh the facts and look at if it is fact or fiction.
For years people have been searching for things that would link back to the Biblical recounting of the story of Jesus. From the “Jesus towel” that is going to arrive at the at the British museum in Jesus or these “crucifixion nails” there are dozens of artifacts that have been claimed to be connected to Jesus.
All of the talk about the Crucifixion nails started because Canadian-Israeli director Simcha Jacobovici claims that these nails have been found. Some people are skeptical because of the movie that is coming out called The Nails of the Cross. Jacobovici also directed 2007’s The Lost Tomb of Jesus.
Experts have been raising eyebrows at this find suggesting that the film is little more than a publicity stunt but Jacobovici says that there is historical as well as archeological context for his claims. He does however admit that he can not say 100% that the nails are in fact the crucifixion nails.
These nails were discovered in 1990 in a first-century Jewish tomb. This tomb supposedly belonged to the Caiaphas family. According to the New Testament this was the name of the Jewish Priest at the time that Jesus was crucified. Jacobovici even implies that anyone with common sense could make the deduction that the nails would be for Jesus’ crucifixion.
The Israel Antiquities Authority says that the tomb found in Jerusalem hasn’t been proved to have belonged to the family of the High Priest of that name. The IAA also says that there is no scientific evidence to the support these claims either.
"Nails are commonly found in ancient burial caves from this period and are believed to have been used for chiseling the name of the deceased on the sarcophagus, and there is no indication that they have any other significance," said the IAA.
Just because the two nails were bent they believe that they were used for crucifixion. There are a few other statement of “common sense” that Jacobovici uses to defend these claims but really could it just be that he is doing an extensive publicity stunt for the upcoming movie?
You will be able to watch the documentary on the History Channel Wednesday night at 10 PM on April 20th and it will be aired in Israel May 15th
This most certainly is an interesting find no matter what comes out of it.
