THE REAL FACE OF JESUS
I caught the show on the history channel one Sunday, and it was a remarkable broadcast. I’d never hear of the Shroud of Turin before watching “The Real Face of Jesus.” The show was incredibly detailed and unbiased. They laid down a lot of facts and history, but it allowed the viewer to make the decision. On the other hand, it leaves many unanswered questions.
Does the shroud contain the true image of Christ? I do not believe that it does.
Here are my reasons:
- PERFECT ACCURACY: Usually, if something sounds too good to be true, it is. The image and blood stains are too perfect. Anyone who has studied the Bible would know exactly where to put the blood stains in a forgery.
- CARBON DATING:
Carbon dating placed the shroud in 1260 – 1390. This was the same time the shroud enters historical record. This tells us that it was forged and publicized in medieval . There are those who believe the sample was contaminated. So, why not take another sample and test it again?
- MATCHING FORGERIES:
True. No paint was found on the shroud. That’s because no paint was needed. The method of forging the shroud involves wrapping a body, applying solution, and painting it with human blood. All of these materials would have been available in medieval.
- FIRST CENTURY LOOKS:
The Shroud of Turin bares the image of a man who is over six feet tall. If Christ were six feet tall, he would have towered over everyone around him in First Century Israel. The man in the shroud also had long hair. Israelis kept their hair short. It is a common misconception, but there you have it. The Son of God would have looked like a common Israelite.
I may not believe that the shroud is genuine, but I do believe it can be used for good as long as it was meant to enhance worship to the Lord. It can also be used as a teaching tool. It illustrates the method of which Christ was wrapped and buried, so we can clearly see what it would have looked like. However, if people worship the cloth itself, then it is nothing more than an idol. As an idol, it is as dangerous as the bronze serpent mentioned in Exodus.
2 Kings 18:3-4: “He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done… He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of had been offering sacrifices to it.”
We must remember that the Shroud of Turin is just a piece of cloth regardless of its authenticity. It does not increase or decrease my own faith in the Lord, nor should it affect the faith of others. I find nothing more than an intriguing piece of history. Relics hold doubt. Keep your focus on the truth of Scripture.
