{"id":670,"date":"2011-06-28T12:53:36","date_gmt":"2011-06-28T16:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/community\/exploringourmatrix\/2011\/06\/28\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2\/"},"modified":"2011-06-28T12:53:36","modified_gmt":"2011-06-28T16:53:36","slug":"blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html","title":{"rendered":"Blessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Today\u2019s touring and exploring started at the Mount of Beatitudes.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\nThe beatitudes are, as typically in Christian tradition, presented in the Matthean version around the church and site, and so the contrast between Luke\u2019s \u201cBlessed are you who are poor\u201d and the relatively rich site is not felt as strongly as it might be.<\/p>\n

We also visited Tel Dan, which is not only the location where the famous \u201chouse of David\u201d inscription was found, but also home to a significant total construction\u2026<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\u2026 and a nature reserve where the nearby spring quickly turns into a powerful flowing stream of cold water.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
Tel Qedesh is another interesting site, relatively neglected compared to others I have mentioned. And then we began to focus attention on some tombs, an interest Eldad and I share. I got to witness some Orthodox Jews praying at tombs, which supposedly belong to famous rabbis. <\/p>\n

<\/a>
Some of the tombs have intriguing features, such as the one Eldad has written about previously with a fish above the entrance to the inner part of the tomb.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
The fish has received some damage, but not as extensive as what we would find at the \u201cG Tomb\u201d that was the subject of his recent article in The Bible and Interpretation<\/i><\/a>. It is a site that has a synagogue, and the surface littered with pottery shards. But there are also several water pits (out of each of which a tree has sprouted), a tomb, a variety of buildings as well as objects the precise function of which we could not identify, and of which I will share some photos in a separate post asking for suggestions. But here is the tomb, the roof of which was blown off.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
Although this vandalism may have been motivated by the fact that there are some missing soldiers who have yet to be found, and there was some indication that someone might have broken into the tomb recently (perhaps to hide a corpse?), it still seems unnecessarily destructive, not to mention the fact that the IAA is supposed to be notified and document a site before any damage that may be unavoidable is done to it. But when there is history on every side of you, if you want to build then you have to destroy historical remains. I saw this not only in the case of the detonation destroying the top of the \u201cG Tomb\u201d but also in the form of a highway cutting through a Phoenician ruin. <\/p>\n

<\/a>
One interesting topic of discussion along the way today was this one: if a site that was not representative of developing rabbinic orthodox Judaism, but was connected with Judeo-Christians, were to be discovered, what sorts of features might distinguish it, if any? Do you think it would be distinguishable from other Jewish sites? If so, in what ways?
\n <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today\u2019s touring and exploring started at the Mount of Beatitudes. The beatitudes are, as typically in Christian tradition, presented in the Matthean version around the church and site, and so the contrast between Luke\u2019s \u201cBlessed are you who are poor\u201d and the relatively rich site is not felt as strongly as it might be. We […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[753,1065,1880,2637,4089,4812,5431,5677,6763,7128,7741,12336,12722],"class_list":["post-670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-archaeology","tag-beatitudes","tag-church","tag-destruction","tag-gospel","tag-house-of-david","tag-israel-travel","tag-jesus","tag-luke","tag-matthew","tag-mount","tag-tel-dan","tag-tomb"],"yoast_head":"\nBlessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Today's touring and exploring started at the Mount of Beatitudes. The beatitudes are, as typically in Christian tradition, presented in the Matthean\" \/>\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.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Blessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Today's touring and exploring started at the Mount of Beatitudes. The beatitudes are, as typically in Christian tradition, presented in the Matthean\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-06-28T16:53:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5223\/5881624704_2c886be7fd.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"James F. McGrath\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ReligionProf\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"James F. McGrath\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html\",\"name\":\"Blessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2011-06-28T16:53:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2011-06-28T16:53:36+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf\"},\"description\":\"Today's touring and exploring started at the Mount of Beatitudes. The beatitudes are, as typically in Christian tradition, presented in the Matthean\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Blessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/\",\"name\":\"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath\",\"description\":\"The Blog of Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, Indianapolis\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf\",\"name\":\"James F. McGrath\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"James F. McGrath\"},\"description\":\"Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. BD University of London, PhD Durham University. Author of John's Apologetic Christology, The Only True God, Theology and Science Fiction, and The Burial of Jesus, as well as (with Charles Haberl of Rutgers University) the two-volume Mandaean Book of John critical edition, translation, and commentary. Also author of numerous articles (and a few science fiction short stories) and the editor or co-editor of several volumes.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Ge8ul5\",\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jamesfmcgrath\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jfmcgrat\/\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ReligionProf\",\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/religionprof\",\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/religionprof\",\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/James_F._McGrath\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/author\/james-f-mcgrath\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Blessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs","description":"Today's touring and exploring started at the Mount of Beatitudes. The beatitudes are, as typically in Christian tradition, presented in the Matthean","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.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Blessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs","og_description":"Today's touring and exploring started at the Mount of Beatitudes. The beatitudes are, as typically in Christian tradition, presented in the Matthean","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html","og_site_name":"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath","article_author":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/","article_published_time":"2011-06-28T16:53:36+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5223\/5881624704_2c886be7fd.jpg"}],"author":"James F. McGrath","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ReligionProf","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"James F. McGrath","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html","name":"Blessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website"},"datePublished":"2011-06-28T16:53:36+00:00","dateModified":"2011-06-28T16:53:36+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf"},"description":"Today's touring and exploring started at the Mount of Beatitudes. The beatitudes are, as typically in Christian tradition, presented in the Matthean","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/06\/blessed-are-those-who-do-not-vandalize-ancient-tombs-2.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blessed are Those who do not Vandalize Ancient Tombs"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/","name":"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath","description":"The Blog of Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, Indianapolis","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf","name":"James F. McGrath","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"James F. McGrath"},"description":"Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. BD University of London, PhD Durham University. Author of John's Apologetic Christology, The Only True God, Theology and Science Fiction, and The Burial of Jesus, as well as (with Charles Haberl of Rutgers University) the two-volume Mandaean Book of John critical edition, translation, and commentary. Also author of numerous articles (and a few science fiction short stories) and the editor or co-editor of several volumes.","sameAs":["https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Ge8ul5","http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jamesfmcgrath\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jfmcgrat\/","https:\/\/twitter.com\/ReligionProf","http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/religionprof","https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/religionprof","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/James_F._McGrath"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/author\/james-f-mcgrath"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=670"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/670\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}