Arguments from Silence
Arguments from Silence
The popular idea for theologians and archeologists is to be “scientific”. One popular result of that is to base everything on “evidence”. At times there should be room for an argument from silence. In science great discoveries have come from silent instruments when results were expected. Everyone “knew” light traveled through the “ether” until it could not be found, which led to relativity.
Following the data can, has, does, continues to, lead us to misunderstanding. In all the images of Jesus’ arrest. trial and crucifixion, there are Roman Soldiers. There is no data to say otherwise. But. What happened to Herod’s army? What happened to his vast income? We know from the data that Pilate had 6 cohorts, 3600 men, for the province. It was a frontier province, under threat from Parthia and with raiders coming from Arabia. Some of us have learned that foreign armies of long term occupation are not welcome. The Romans normally had local rulers and local forces maintain daily order. If and when locals rebelled, the Romans corrected matters. Roman soldiers were needed for the crucifixion since only Rome had the legal right to execute, even there Judean soldiers likely were present to demonstrate Judean authorities supported the execution.
Pilate did not have the bureaucracy to provide the requirements of daily Judean government. To the Romans the High Priest functioned as the King with the Sanhedrin as the cabinet of bureaucrats. The “evidence” is that they were in charge of religious matters. There is little evidence that they were the government. Silence. So that means there was no government in Judea? Herod had great wealth. His date orchards in the Jordan valley were the greatest source of sugar to the Roman Empire. Mark Anthony offered Cleopatra anything she wanted. The only thing the richest woman in the world, Queen of Egypt, could think of was Herod’s date orchards! Herod was a friend of Mark Anthony. The orchards were leased
The popular idea for theologians and archeologists is to be “scientific”. One popular result of that is to base everything on “evidence”. At times there should be room for an argument from silence. In science great discoveries have come from silent instruments when results were expected. Everyone “knew” light traveled through the “ether” until it could not be found, which led to relativity.
Following the data can, has, does, continues to, lead us to misunderstanding. In all the images of Jesus’ arrest. trial and crucifixion, there are Roman Soldiers. There is no data to say otherwise. But. What happened to Herod’s army? What happened to his vast income? We know from the data that Pilate had 6 cohorts, 3600 men, for the province. It was a frontier province, under threat from Parthia and with raiders coming from Arabia. Some of us have learned that foreign armies of long term occupation are not welcome. The Romans normally had local rulers and local forces maintain daily order. If and when locals rebelled, the Romans corrected matters. Roman soldiers were needed for the crucifixion since only Rome had the legal right to execute, even there Judean soldiers likely were present to demonstrate Judean authorities supported the execution.
Pilate did not have the bureaucracy to provide the requirements of daily Judean government. To the Romans the High Priest functioned as the King with the Sanhedrin as the cabinet of bureaucrats. The “evidence” is that they were in charge of religious matters. There is little evidence that they were the government. Silence. So that means there was no government in Judea? Herod had great wealth. His date orchards in the Jordan valley were the greatest source of sugar to the Roman Empire. Mark Anthony offered Cleopatra anything she wanted. The only thing the richest woman in the world, Queen of Egypt, could think of was Herod’s date orchards! Herod was a friend of Mark Anthony. The orchards were leased