Biblical Archaeology

WHAT IS BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY?

Archaeology is one of the newer sciences however it is a new study of old subjects. The word itself takes us back to antiquity. “Arche” is the Greek word for “beginning.” Archaeology therefore is the study of beginnings. The following are some of the more prominent descriptions of archaeology.

1. The science of the study of history from the remains of early human cultures as researched primarily by systematic excavations.

2. A systematic and descriptive study of antiquities via the exploration of the remains of past humans.

3. That branch of historical research which investigates past civilizations from surviving art, architecture, monuments, inscriptions literature, language, customs, and other material traces.

By Contrast, Biblical archaeology is that area which throws light upon our understanding of the Bible. As such, Biblical archaeology will be primarily restricted to the study of the culture and history of the Middle East and the Mediterranean world – that area which served as the historical context for the Bible

Ernst Renan once said that “all history is incomprehensible without Christ.” But it is also true that both Christ and the Scriptures are equally incomprehensible without the historical backdrop against which they are framed.