Is the Shroud of Turin the actual burial cloth of Jesus?

History & Archaeology
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The Shroud of Turin

I am genuinely shocked and suprised that since the advent of this Forums, no one has not once mentioned the Shroud of Turin… This is a fascinating subject for me, perhaps it is, or will be, for you too.

For those who may not know what ‘The Shroud’ is, Wikipedi say this…

The Shroud of Turin, also called the Turin Shroud (Italian: Sindone di Torino), Sacra Sindone [ˈsaːkra ˈsindone] or Santa Sindone, is a length of linen cloth bearing the negative image of a man. Some claim the image depicts Jesus of Nazareth and the fabric is the burial shroud in which he was wrapped after crucifixion.

The existence of the shroud was first securely attested in 1390 when a local bishop wrote that an unnamed artist had confessed that it was a forgery. Radiocarbon dating of a sample of the fabric is consistent with this date of origin.

The image of the “Man of the Shroud” has a beard, moustache, and shoulder-length hair parted in the middle. He is muscular and tall various experts have measured him as from 5’ 7" to 6’ 2". Reddish-brown stains are found on the cloth, showing various wounds that, according to proponents, correlate with the yellowish image, the pathophysiology of crucifixion, and the Biblical description of the death of Jesus.

The shroud of Turin is respected by Christians of several traditions, including Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Orthodox, Pentecostals, and Presbyterians. Several Lutheran parishes have hosted replicas of the Shroud of Turin, for didactic and devotional purposes.

Original Article

The following video from the Discovery Channel sheds some new light on the “authinticity” of The Shroud.

Further reading on the Shroud of Turin can be found closer to home on www.Christianity.Com, a website of Salem Web Network, here…

So, what is your opinon? Is the Shroud of Turin the actual burial cloth of Jesus or not?

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I enjoyed the video and thanks Doob for sharing it with us. I can’t say that I believe the Shroud of Turin is Jesus’ burial shroud or not. It could be. It may not. It would be fascinating if it was and I would like to believe that to be true, but it looks like it is still a mystery. Fortunately my faith doesn’t rest on it being authentic.

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You are quite welcome for the video share Sister. In the grand scheme of things, belief in the authenticity is not that important to me, but the concept of an apparent protection* (of perhaps devine nature) of The Shroud, and its storied history, makes it fascinating to me.

I don’t think it is for us to know – one way or the other – on this side of Heaven, if it is real or not. I do think it has moved people into believing in Christ though, so I would say it is inherently good. But authentic? I’ll wait and ask Jesus himself if it is or not.

*Things like this fascinate me: During the events of our 9/11, when the Pentagon was struck, fires raged in a corner office, destroying almost everything… but sitting in the center of the room with hardly a blemish they found, on a stand, an open Bible.

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Going back to Scripture concerning how Jesus was buried, and the manner in which the Jews buried their dead in Jesus’ day, the shroud of turin can only be a fake as far as Jesus is concerned. I agree that it is the shroud of a man who was crucified and then wrapped in the shroud, but it does not fit that the man in the shroud is Christ.

In Jesus’ day, the rich were not simply wrapped in a bedsheet and buried. People took strips of cloth, dipped them in spices and wrapped the body with them, and they hardened into a cloth shell much like what a modern day cast does. Scripture tells us:

John 19:38-40 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. (39) Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. (40) So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.

Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man, and he knew who Jesus was; it is only logical that he would have buried Jesus as close to a king as possible. The Scripture says that he brought 75 pounds of spices and wrapped Jesus’ body “in linen cloths,” not just one cloth. As the custom was, they wrapped the dead from feet to just around the chest under the armpits, with the neck, head, and arms left for another wrapping.

They did not get the chance to complete the wrapping in the burial, but what they did set the stage for the attestation of the validity of the resurrection of Christ - Jesus was encased in a hardened linen wrapped cast of a shell, from foot to chest. When He resurrected, that shell was left lying there on the rock bed He was placed upon, completely empty. This was arguably the best attested way to demonstrate His resurrection, and it is why the disciples believed something had happened…because His body was not there inside that case, which would have been impossible for any human being to get out of once it hardened without severely damaging it.

I view the shroud as just another “plant” by satan, because many people actually worship the thing, instead of the One who they believe was contained in it. I believe the facts show that it was not Jesus in this shroud, but in the end it really does not matter.

Blessings

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One question.

Has does the shroud affect one view of Jesus and ones faith?

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No, as well it should not. Other than the fact that the To mb was empty.

Be blessed,

Peter

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