The Nazareth Inscription
Source: Wikipedia
URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazareth_Inscription
Artifact Summary
- Artifact: Marble tablet with a Greek imperial edict
- Date: 1st half of the 1st century C.E. (based on epigraphy; debated)
- Acquired: 1878 in Nazareth by collector Wilhelm Fröhner
- Current location: Bibliothèque nationale / Cabinet des Médailles, Louvre, Paris
- Language: Koine Greek
- Biblical connection: Tomb disturbance / body theft; sometimes discussed in relation to reports of Jesus’ empty tomb
Key Points
- The edict orders capital punishment for anyone who disturbs graves, moves buried bodies, or removes sealing stones from tombs.
- Translation highlights:
> “It is my decision [concerning] graves and tombs… You are absolutely not to allow anyone to move [those who have been entombed]. But if [someone does], I wish that [violator] to suffer capital punishment under the title of tomb-breaker.”
- The marble’s isotopic signature (2020 study in Journal of Archaeological Science) points to a quarry on the Greek island of Kos, not Nazareth, weakening the theory that it was issued in direct response to Jesus’ resurrection.
- An alternative proposal links it to the desecration of the tomb of the Kos tyrant Nikias around 20 B.C.E.
What It Corroborates
- Roman imperial concern with tomb violation and proper burial was real and legally formalized in the early 1st century C.E.
- The cultural setting of the Gospels — anxiety over tomb disturbance, sealed tombs, and capital penalties — matches known Roman law and practice.
- The inscription is consistent with the general historical plausibility of the Gospel tomb narratives, even though its direct connection to Jesus is uncertain.
Status
The Nazareth Inscription is interesting but not direct evidence for the resurrection. Its provenance is disputed, and the 2020 isotope study strongly suggests a Kos origin. It remains a useful example of Roman burial law rather than proof of a specific biblical event.
KJV Connection
- Matthew 27:62–66; 28:11–15 (sealing the tomb and accusations of body theft)
- Mark 16:1–8
- Luke 24:1–12
- John 20:1–18