Journal: Bible and Spade (Second Run)
Volume: BSPADE 05:1 (Winter 1992)
Article: Book Review: Discovering The Bible
Author: Anonymous

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Book Review: Discovering The Bible

Editor: Tim Dowley

In contrast to the writings of other religions, the Bible records how God acted in the lives of people living at specific times and in specific places. Since God’s Word touches on history, archaeologists are stimulated to excavate the historic soil of the Holy Land to unveil our heritage as Christians.

This book explores the results of recent archaeological finds which illuminate the background to the Bible. It is illustrated in full color throughout, and is an ideal introduction to Biblical archaeology. It is a good book for future ABR diggers to read.

A team of experts looks at such questions as: What did Jesus look like? What weapons did the O.T. heroes use? Where was Jesus crucified? Where are the lakeside cities of Galilee today? What can archaeologists tell us about Bible times? Can archaeology prove — or disprove — the Bible? How do modern archaeologists set about their task? These and many other fascinating questions are discussed in this well-illustrated survey of Biblical archaeology today.

Discovering the Bible opens with an introduction to archaeology in 20 pages which covers some of the historical developments in modern archaeology including a review of basic techniques. This is followed by 40 pages on finds related to the O.T. Then, happily, there are over 70 pages on finds related to the N.T. The book ends with an adequate index.

Schematic drawings enliven the book (along with the excellent photographs). Some of the drawings include: an excavated city mound, Beersheba, the city gate at Gezer and Megiddo, plates showing changes of pottery styles over the ages, Herod’s Temple, and Jerusalem in Jesus’ time.

Photographs of some of the great finds include: the Rosetta Stone, human-headed bull from Ninevah, many coins, the Black Obelisk of Shalmanezer, the Cyrus Cylinder, the clay prism of Sennacherib, the Middle Bronze gate at Tel Dan, weapons used in O.T. times, the Gezer calendar, and much more.

We note that there is a section on tombs and ossuaries (bone boxes) from which one can learn more about the use of ossuaries mentioned in this issue of A&BR in connection with the momentous recent find of Caiaphas’ burial (see page 32).

Edited by Dr. Tim Dowley, he is joined by five other men with doctorates in Biblically-related fields. They cover a wide variety of subjects and do them well while avoiding controversial topics. This is an edifying book.

Published by Eerdmans, 1986, 144 pages. $10.00 plus $2.00 postage and handling. Order from: ABR, PO Box 125, Ephrata PA 17522.

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