{"id":128,"date":"2007-08-06T03:01:09","date_gmt":"2007-08-06T03:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html"},"modified":"2007-08-06T03:01:09","modified_gmt":"2007-08-06T03:01:09","slug":"hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html","title":{"rendered":"Hidden Treasure in the British Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"

The British Museum contains some of the greatest treasures of the world. Here you can view that actual Rosetta Stone. This amazing museum is filled with the finest remnants of the ancient world. If you visit the once-famous Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, for example, you’ll see only one lonely pillar, unadorned in the middle of a marsh. But in the British Museum you can examine up close a giant, beautifully carved section of a pillar that once belonged to the Temple of Artemis.
\nIn the midst of some of the finest works of classical art, I found something that 99% of visitors to the British Museum would overlook. For one thing, it was in basement, literally in a back corner, as far from the entrance to the museum and you can get. Moreover, my hidden treasure was not some magnificent sculpture, but simply a Greek inscription, worn away by the years. Nevertheless, when I saw it, my pulse quickened.
\nWhy? you wonder. Because it is an inscription of significance for those of us interested in the New Testament, and especially for those of us who believe that the Gospel writers were accurate historians. (As you probably know, I’ve recently written a book on this theme, Can We Trust the Gospels?<\/em>)
\nThis inscription comes from the Macedonian city of Thessalonica. It was once part of a Roman gateway there, and was found after the gateway was demolished in 1876. The inscription, much of which I cannot read, mentions the “city rulers” of Thessalonica, using a term that was used in Macedonia, politarche<\/em> in Greek. (In the close up to the right you can see the letters of this word, spelled an added epsilon. I added letters immediately above the ones carved into the stone.)
\nWhy is this important for New Testament studies, and for the issue of the reliability of the Gospels? First, you need to know that the author of the Third Gospel, whom we call Luke, was also the author of Acts of the Apostles. Second, you need to know that Luke uses the term politarche<\/em> in Acts 17, when he refers to the “city officials” of Thessalonica (vv. 6, 8). This is the only place Luke uses this particular term. This means that Luke not only knew the term politarche<\/em>, but also that he was careful to use it only when it was appropriate. This is the sort of nuance that we would find only from a careful historian and writer.
\nOf course the fact that Luke uses politarche<\/em> doesn’t prove that his gospel is historically accurate. We need more evidence than this to make such a case. But his use of politarche<\/em> tells us something important about Luke’s ability as a researcher and it demonstrates the kind of care he exercised in his writing. One who used politarche<\/em> correctly in Acts could be expected to exercise similar caution when writing about Jesus.
\nThus, actually seeing one of the ancient inscriptions that uses the word politarche<\/em>, I enjoyed an “a-ha” moment in some far away corner of the British Museum. The more we actually learn about the Roman world, the more we realize how much we can trust the New Testament in general, and the New Testament Gospels in particular.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The British Museum contains some of the greatest treasures of the world. Here you can view that actual Rosetta Stone. This amazing museum is filled with the finest remnants of the ancient world. If you visit the once-famous Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, for example, you’ll see only one lonely pillar, unadorned in the middle…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-european-reflections"],"yoast_head":"\nHidden Treasure in the British Museum - Mark D. Roberts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hidden Treasure in the British Museum - Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The British Museum contains some of the greatest treasures of the world. Here you can view that actual Rosetta Stone. This amazing museum is filled with the finest remnants of the ancient world. If you visit the once-famous Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, for example, you’ll see only one lonely pillar, unadorned in the middle…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2007-08-06T03:01:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.markdroberts.com\/images\/politarch-inscription.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hidden Treasure in the British Museum - Mark D. Roberts","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hidden Treasure in the British Museum - Mark D. Roberts","og_description":"The British Museum contains some of the greatest treasures of the world. Here you can view that actual Rosetta Stone. This amazing museum is filled with the finest remnants of the ancient world. If you visit the once-famous Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, for example, you’ll see only one lonely pillar, unadorned in the middle…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html","og_site_name":"Mark D. Roberts","article_published_time":"2007-08-06T03:01:09+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.markdroberts.com\/images\/politarch-inscription.jpg"}],"author":"Mark D. Roberts","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html","name":"Hidden Treasure in the British Museum - Mark D. Roberts","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.markdroberts.com\/images\/politarch-inscription.jpg","datePublished":"2007-08-06T03:01:09+00:00","dateModified":"2007-08-06T03:01:09+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.markdroberts.com\/images\/politarch-inscription.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.markdroberts.com\/images\/politarch-inscription.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/08\/hidden-treasure-in-the-british-museum.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hidden Treasure in the British Museum"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/","name":"Mark D. Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=128"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}