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others in the area, to be products of the seventh-century B.C. An article in the Biblical Archaeol-
ogy Review for March/April of 1986 details this discovery, thus proving the Garden Tomb could
NOT be the resting place of Christ. John 19:41 clearly states that it was a NEW TOMB -- recently
hewn out of the rock (Luke 23:53, Matthew 27:60) -- that received the battered body of the
Messiah.
Moreover, this tomb is actually a DOUBLE one. There are places cut out in the rock for
TWO bodies. "A rich man, it is explained, might have had a tomb for himself and his wife. But the
Bible simply says that Joseph placed the body of Jesus 'in HIS OWN new tomb, which he had
hewn out in the rock' (Mt. 27:60)." (Amazing Discoveries Within the Book of Books, by Ralph
Woodrow. P. 50). There is absolutely NO MENTION in the Bible of it being a tomb for two.
Interestingly enough, the custodians of the Garden Tomb area do not insist that Christ was
buried there. Rather, they explain that this tomb probably dates from the first century and if this
was not the tomb, it was one very similar to this. Instead, emphasis is placed on the fact that the
tomb -- wherever it might have been -- is an EMPTY tomb!
Outside the Camp
There is another factor that precludes this site from being authentic. In Hebrews 13 we
read:
We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering,
but the bodies are burned OUTSIDE THE CAMP. And so Jesus ALSO suffered OUT-
SIDE THE CITY GATE to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then,
GO TO HIM OUTSIDE THE CAMP, bearing the disgrace he bore. -- Verses 10-13.
Here we see Jesus died "OUTSIDE THE CITY GATE" and "OUTSIDE THE CAMP."
Just what does "outside the camp" mean? Numbers 15:35-36 makes it clear that the death
penalty UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES was to be administered "outside the camp." If we can de-
termine the LIMITS of "the camp" this will give us a clue to the site of the crucifixion.
During the time the Israelites were moving through the wilderness, they encamped, at the
end of the days march, in a certain manner -- a certain order. Numbers 2 states that "the people of
Israel [were] to camp around the tent of meeting though at a DISTANCE, each under his respective
standard and by their clans' ensigns." This "distance" is defined in Joshua 3:3-4: "When you see
the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God with the Levite priests bearing it, leave your places
and follow it; so that you may know the way to go, because you have never walked this path be-
fore. BUT KEEP A DISTANCE OF 3,000 FEET [2,000 CUBITS] BETWEEN IT AND YOUR-
SELVES; do not get nearer to it." The sanctity of the ark was thus maintained.
Ernest L. Martin, in his book Secrets of Golgotha expounds on this:
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