Stone Door
Stone Door
Matthew 27:60 states that a "large stone"
was rolled "against the door of the tomb".
The relative size of the large (1.5L) water bottle gives an idea of the massive size of the stone door rolled along this groove. That stone door enclosed both the entrance to the tomb and the small window (above the area photographed but #9 in the previous photo).
Some cynics claim that a wounded but alive Jesus escaped from his tomb on his own. Others claim that he escaped with the help of his disciples.
While it would have been a struggle to roll the stone door by pushing it from behind, it would have been impossible to roll it from inside the tomb with nothing to grip onto, especially by someone who had been mortally wounded.
What about the possibility that Jesus escaped with the help of his disciples?
The relative size of the large (1.5L) water bottle gives an idea of the massive size of the stone door rolled along this groove. That stone door enclosed both the entrance to the tomb and the small window (above the area photographed but #9 in the previous photo).
Some cynics claim that a wounded but alive Jesus escaped from his tomb on his own. Others claim that he escaped with the help of his disciples.
While it would have been a struggle to roll the stone door by pushing it from behind, it would have been impossible to roll it from inside the tomb with nothing to grip onto, especially by someone who had been mortally wounded.
What about the possibility that Jesus escaped with the help of his disciples?
Precisely to eliminate that possibility, or more precisely
the possibility of his disciples taking his body, the chief priests and Pharisees requested the
Roman governor to "seal" the tomb and post guards, and Pilate granted them
their request (Matthew 27:62-66). Even if his disciples had dared to come to the tomb, they would have been no
match for armed Roman soldiers, who would have defended the tomb with their
lives since the failure to defend the Roman seal would have meant their own execution.
Any speculation of his escape also need to explain how a flogged, crucified and mortally speared man who had been confirmed dead by multiple Roman soldiers - trained killers - returned to life in the first place.
Any speculation of his escape also need to explain how a flogged, crucified and mortally speared man who had been confirmed dead by multiple Roman soldiers - trained killers - returned to life in the first place.