2/15/2011

Topics Covered:
- Herold the Great
- Herodian Temple Mount
- Herod the Great: Good or Bad?
- Jesus in Jerusalem

There is no archaeological evidence for Jesus, yet there is archaeological evidence of either people named Jesus or things referred to during the time of Jesus. Does the lack of archaeological evidence mean that Jesus didn't exist - probably not, it just means that it hasn't been found yet, or that little evidence was left from that certain point in time. There is evidence that people believed that he was a prophet, a rabbi, a teacher, and a savior. There is evidence that people of the time were crucified...etc.

Herod the Great was best known for his building projects. Although people resented the way in which Herod ruled, they didn't complain that much because since he always had a project going, people always had work. He had a stone quarry in the Hinom valley from which he took stones to build his projects. The temple itself was more than 172,000 square yards with a retaining wall more than 80 feet above the street. The largest ston was more than 40 feet long and weighed 100 tons. The temple itself, as well as many other building projects can be easily identified as Herodian architecture by the form of the stones. His trademark was that he outlined the stones with an indentation which framed the stones.