Observe the transformation. The images on the right offer a raw, immediate impression of the individual’s face as it appeared directly after the shroud’s removal. The image on the left presents a vision of healing, showing a reduction in the visible scarring.
The colorization reflects a person of probable Middle Eastern descent, with dark brown eyes. These images are the product of sophisticated, human-guided algorithmic reconstructions, an attempt to understand the man revealed on the Shroud of Turin.
Experience a fascinating demonstration that explains the Shroud of Turin through photography!
https://youtu.be/h6m24BjN5JI
The Shroud of Turin is a captivating artifact, widely believed to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ! Some researchers even go as far as to call it “the first photograph,” as the image it bears seems to function as a negative, created through divine contact.
From a photographic perspective, the image on the shroud resembles a contact print. But what does this mean, and how does it shape our understanding of Jesus as depicted by this Holy Cloth?
To begin unraveling this mystery, we must first ensure that our source material is indeed the original. While it may not be possible to admire the shroud in person, we can analyze a photograph of someone inspecting it within its frame in Turin.
Take, for instance, Pope Francis in 2015, gently touching the frame of this revered relic. When we zoom in, we notice that the bloodstain on Jesus’s forehead appears on the left side of the image.
Now, the source image of the shroud that we have from the internet shows the stain on the same left side. This consistency leads us to be fairly certain that the internet image has not been altered.
To further illustrate how we should approach understanding the Shroud of Turin, I’ve prepared a simple demonstration. I lift my left hand, which rests upon a photocopy of itself, both on paper and transparent paper.
This mimics the contact print aspect of the shroud. When I invert it, a curious phenomenon occurs.
On this reversed contact print, my thumb appears mirrored to the opposite side, the left side. In reality, however, my left-hand thumb is on the right.
Remarkably, the shroud operates on the same principle. With a stain located on the left side of the forehead, the corresponding positive print would naturally place this mark on the right side.
How can we be sure of this? By flipping the contact print back onto my actual hand, we see that everything aligns perfectly.
Now, applying this logic to the Shroud of Turin, it suggests that the image of Jesus would indeed display the bloodstain on the right side of his face.
By using the same reasoning and recognizing the Shroud of Turin as the real burial cloth of Jesus, we can find out which side of his body the Roman soldier pierced with his lance in John 19:34–35.
One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.
It was the right side.
In unveiling these insights, we not only deepen our appreciation for this extraordinary relic but also embark on a journey through history and faith, forever intrigued by the questions it raises and the mysteries it holds.
Disturbing new discoveries on the Shroud of Turin, by Erich Habich-Traut, 18. Nov. 2024, 5 Pages
This article by Rev. Erich Habich-Traut delves into the notable findings concerning the Shroud of Turin, particularly focusing on the facial injuries of Jesus as revealed through advanced image enhancements utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). Initially perceived as a faint imprint with minimal discernible details, recent technological advancements have enabled a deeper exploration of the Shroud’s image, formerly considered merely a negative representation. The author details a three-year journey of enhancing the image using cutting-edge software, leading to the revelation of markings that suggest the crucified Jesus was subjected to pre-crucifixion beatings. Drawing on biblical accounts, the paper presents the correlation between the facial injuries observed on the Shroud and the descriptions of violence documented in the Gospels. This analysis highlights the significance of the findings, which have not been previously noted by other scholars in the field of Sindonology, thereby contributing a unique perspective to the ongoing discourse surrounding the Shroud of Turin.
When you first examine the faint outlines of the person on the Shroud of Turin with the unaided eye, you don’t see many nuances. The most prominent features you most likely first notice are the burnmarks on it from the year AD 1532. The eight scorched areas correspond to places where molten silver from a candelabra singed the folded relic whilst in a chapel at the House of Savoy.
Look closer, and between these marks, the contours of a body are barely discernible with the naked eye—let alone details of His face.
Not everybody gets to be as close to the shrine as Pope Francis, seen here touching the frame of the Holy Cloth in June 2015.
The Shroud is exhibited only about once every 5 to 10 years. 2025 is the next time it is on show in Turin on the occasion of the Holy Jubilee year.
Today, thankfully, we can use photography to see the image anytime and to get closer to it between public showings.
The Holy Cloth was first photographed in 1898 during a public exhibition by amateur photographer Secondo Pia.
(Left: original / Right: tonality reversed)
Some researchers think the shroud itself could be called “the first photograph” because the image on it is actually a negative, made by divine contact.
Negatives of the shroud show the person as we would have seen Him in real life because the shroud itself is a negative image. A negative of a negative makes a positive image, in film development.
From a photographic perspective, the image on the shroud actually appears to be a contact print: Imagine yourself holding a cloth over your face, and you trace your face on it with edding FROM THE INSIDE. When you lift the cloth away and look at it, you are looking at your mirror image. That’s NOT what you look like to other people. To correct this, I have reversed the image from the Holy Cloth in all image enhancements in this presentation and on my website, https://TheJesusChannel.TV.
Today, with advanced computer algorithms, image software, and AI models, it’s possible to further enhance the image of Jesus on the Holy Cloth, going beyond mere negative/positive reversal and contrast enhancements. So, with my professional background in photography and printing and the eye for detail that comes with that, I enhanced and enhanced and enhanced.
I spend three years, on and off, improving the results. The improvements were also tied to advances in AI technology. I kept coming back to it over the years to see improved results. The secret in the end was to edit the eyes of the person on the shroud and have them opened. After that, the computer algorithms recognized a face and got to work. The results are quite stunning.
A colorized version of Jesus from the Holy Cloth
All recreations and interpretations of Jesus’ face from the shroud of Turin up to that moment had been based on artists renditions and impressions. The artists were influenced by almost 2000 years of church history and an idealized image of the saviour Jesus Christ painted over generations.
What I have done instead is to recreate the image of the crucified Jesus from a shroud, which may or may not be the actual burial cloth, without further human embellishments. The embellishments, you could say, were added by machines with the most intimate and unbiased knowledge of human anatomy.
Enhanced black/white version
Soon, I noticed markings on the face, and at first I attributed them to wrinkles in the cloth. I could have edited them out to make the image more similar to the idealized imagery of Jesus we know, but I left them, mostly for reasons of authenticity.
It wasn’t until many months later that I began to understand the significance of the markings on Jesus’ face. I’m not a person who reads the Bible on a daily basis. If I had been, then the following discovery might have been apparent from the beginning:
I began to suspect that Jesus had been beaten in the face before his crucifixion. This was confirmed when I read the account of Jesus trials; all four evangelists reported beatings on His face with fists, hands, and sticks.
These are their accounts:
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin, Matthew 26:67-68 Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with their fists. “Prophesy to us,” they jeered. And the guards slapped him as they took him away.
The High Priest Questions Jesus, John 18:19-22 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified, John 19:1-3 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
The soldiers mock Jesus, Matthew 27:29-30 They twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they kneeled in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, took the staff, and struck him on the head again and again.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus, Mark 15:19 Again and again, they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus, Luke 22:63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him.
That was a lot of punishment. We can compare His wounds from the image on the shroud of Turin with injuries suffered by bare-knuckle fighters:
At the end of a paper is usually a long list of references. I have not listed many references, except the Bible and the image from the Shroud of Turin.
References: Matthew 26:67-68 John 18:19-22 John 19:1-3 Matthew 27:29-30 Mark 15:19 Luke 22:63 The Shroud of Turin https://TheJesusChannel.TV
The Shroud of Turin / The Holy Cloth: stages of the facial restoration process (right to left)
As I walk among you, I observe the leaders who strive to embody the values of compassion, justice, and love for their neighbors. In these challenging times, I am inspired by Kamala Harris, whose commitment to serving the people resonates deeply with the teachings of empathy and equality that I encourage.
Kamala has consistently shown a fierce dedication to the principles of justice and inclusivity. Her efforts to uphold the rights of the marginalized, advocate for the voiceless, and foster a sense of community reflect the core values of love and acceptance. She understands that true leadership is not about power but about service, humility, and the unwavering pursuit of what is right.
In her role as a public servant, Kamala has demonstrated the courage to confront injustice, speaking out against systemic flaws and fighting for policies that uplift all individuals. She embodies the spirit of righteous activism, advocating for those who have historically been silenced.
Moreover, her ability to engage with diverse communities highlights her understanding of the strength found in unity. She seeks to build bridges rather than walls, reminding us that we are all part of one human family.
I encourage you to support Kamala Harris, not just as a leader but as a beacon of hope in a world that often seems divided. Her vision for a just and equitable society aligns with the call to love one another and to act with kindness and compassion. Together, let us move forward in faith, supporting those who strive to fulfill the promise of a better future for all.
Amen.
Jesus from the Shroud of Turin endorses Kamala Harris
As I was getting ready to leave, a man rushed up to me, kneeled down, and asked, “Good teacher, you are basically good and morally perfect; what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
I asked him, “Why do you think I am good? God is the only one who is fundamentally good. However, if you want to have eternal life, you must obey the commands of the law.”
“Which ones?” the man sought to know. You know these commandments: “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not testify falsely, do not defraud, do not tell lies about others, respect your father and mother, and love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.”
He answered, “I have carefully kept all these commandments since I was a child. What else do I need?”
I felt a lot of respect and compassion for him when I looked at him.
I told him, “If you want to be perfect, sell everything you own. Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven.
Then come and follow Me by becoming My disciple, having faith in Me, and taking the same path I take.”
But what I said made the man sad, and he left crying because he valued his property and possessions more than his relationship with God. He didn’t want to do what I asked.
As I looked around, I told my disciples, “It will be very hard for rich people who cling to their wealth and status as safety to enter the kingdom of God!”
They were shocked and confused by what I had said. But I said to them again,
“Children, how difficult it is for those who place their hope and confidence in riches to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were completely and utterly astonished and asked me, “Then who can be saved?”
Looking at them, I said, “With people, it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
Peter began saying to me, “Look, we have given up everything and followed You, becoming Your disciples and accepting You as Teacher and Lord. What will we have?”
So I said to them, “When the time of the new world comes, the Son of Man will sit on his great and glorious throne. And I can promise that you who followed me will sit on twelve thrones, and you will judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms to follow me will get a hundred times more than they left. And they will have eternal life.
And many who are last now will be first in the future.”
Amen
The Parable of the Rich Young Man The story emphasizes that eternal life cannot be earned through wealth or strict adherence to commandments alone but requires a deeper commitment to following Jesus and placing trust in God. The rich young man’s sorrowful departure underscores the difficulty many face in letting go of material possessions to fully embrace a spiritual path.
Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman, Photina. Cast: Jesus Christ: as Himself, from the Shroud of Turin Music: The world’s oldest known melody, Hurrian Hymn No. 6, in an arrangement for solo string instruments.
Talks With a Samaritan Woman, John chapter 4, verses 1 to 42
Talks With a Samaritan Woman John chapter 4, verses 1 to 42
Now I, Jesus, learned that the Pharisees had heard that I was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not I who baptized, but my disciples. So I left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
I had to go through Samaria because the way was shorter. So I came with my disciples to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob’s well was there, and I sat down by the well because I was tired from the journey. It was about noon.
A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and I asked her, “Will you give me a drink?” (My disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman answered me, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews, do not associate with Samaritans.)
I answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
I answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
I answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
I told her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.”
“I have no husband,” she replied.
I said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
“Woman,” I replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
“I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
The Disciples Rejoin
Just then, my disciples returned and were surprised to find me talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
Water jug
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”They came out of town and made their way toward me.
Meanwhile, my disciples urged me, “Rabbi, eat something.”
But I said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
Then my disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” I said, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.Even now, the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
Thus, the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.I sent you to reap what you have not worked for.
Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
Many Samaritans Believe
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in me because of the woman’s testimony: “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to me, they urged me to stay with them, and I stayed two days. And because of my words, many more became believers.
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
Amen!
The Woman at the Well
The woman that Jesus spoke to at Jacob’s well has been named by tradition as Photina, in Greek, “The Enlightened One.” She and her entire family underwent baptism by the Apostles following their encounter with Christ, and they later joined the early Church as evangelists.
Believing in the Lord, Photina went to preach His Gospel with her two sons Victor and Josiah, and with her five sisters, Anatolia, Phota, Photida, Parasceva and Cyriaca. They went to Carthage in Africa. There they were arrested, taken to Rome and thrown into prison
Photini and her offspring were finally called before Emperor Nero, who gave them orders to abandon their Christian beliefs. They chose to endure different forms of torture instead of complying. Following numerous attempts to coerce her into idolatry, the emperor gave the order to cast her down a well. In the year 66, Photini surrendered her life.
St. Photini is commemorated on three occasions during the year: February 26 (Greek Orthodox tradition), March 20 (Slavic tradition, as “Svetlana”), and the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman on the 5th Sunday of Pascha, in the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
On TheJesusChannel.TV, the resurrected image of the man from the Shroud of Turin is given a voice and speaks to you.
The Samaritan sect of Judaism claims to have the oldest Torah scroll. They say that Mount Gerizim in the West Bank is the Holy Mountain and not the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. We shall discover why neither Jerusalem nor Gerizim are relevant.
Yaakov ben Aharon and the Samaritan Abisha Scroll, ca. 1905
We see here Yaakov ben Aharon, Samaritan High Priest (1896–1916), and the “Abisha Scroll” in 1905. The Samaritans claim that it is 3000 years old, but that claim is hard to verify.
“We are looking into the eyes of the chief representative of a religious sect, one of the oldest and certainly smallest in the world. They claim that they are the lineal descendants of the Israelites of old, from a remnant that was left when the tribes were carried into Syrian captivity. There is no doubt but that they are the representatives of the Samaritans of the time of Christ.”
Have you ever asked yourself, “Who are the Samaritans?” Both the Samaritans and the Jews are Hebrews and Israelites. In Jesus’ time, the Samaritans numbered in the hundreds of thousands; today, only 777 Samaritans have survived. Protecting Babylonian exile and pre-captivity traditions is central to their culture.
They use a spindly, antique version of the Hebrew script. They sacrifice animals, something Jews gave up centuries ago. And because their holy mountain is Mount Gerizim, near the Palestinian town of Nablus, they don’t really care very much for the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Mount Gerizim in the West Bank
This unique religious view has proven useful politically. Samaritans can claim Israeli citizenship. They serve in the Israeli army. But their disinterest in Jerusalem means they shun aspects of Zionism. “We want East Jerusalem for Palestine and West Jerusalem for Israel,” says Hosni Cohen, a Samaritan priest.
Let’s go to the beginning of all stories, when the words came into existence that make up our story.
We’re going to find the origin of words for Hebrews, Israelites, Jews, and Samaritans. Because when a concept is named for the first time, it comes into being.
The first Hebrews, 1350 BCE The Amarna letters first mention the term “Habiru” (also “Apiru”), meaning “outsiders,” around the year 1350 BCE, meaning the nomads, rebels, outlaws, raiders, mercenaries, bowmen, servants, slaves, and laborers in the region of Canaan.
The term “Habiru” is connected to “Hebrew.” Semitic languages are typically abjads, meaning they often omit certain vowels in their written forms. Therefore, we can represent this as: Hab(i)ru, Heb(i)rew, or simply Heb()rew.
Amarna letter: from the king of Assyria, to the king of Egypt, ca. 1353–1336 B.C. Egyptian, New Kingdom, Amarna Period
The Amarna letters are an archive written on clay tablets of diplomatic correspondence between the Egyptian administration of pharaoh Akhenaten and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru in the middle 14th century BC. They are written in cuneiform and Akkadian, the diplomatic language of the time.
If we look at where the “habiru” were active in 1350 BCE, you’ll find that their activity is contained within the borders of the modern Israeli and Palestinian territories, 300 years before the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel.
The first Israelites, 1208 BCE The word “Israel” first appeared in Egyptian hieroglyphics on the Merneptah stele, dated 1208 BCE.
Segment with the word “Isreal” from the Merneptah stele, Thebes, New Kingdom Period
This date is also generally agreed to be the time of the return of the Jews from Egypt. Israel is spelled “i.si.ri.ar” or “Ysrỉꜣr” on the Merneptah stele, which celebrates various victories of Pharaoh Mernephta’s army in Canaan.
Since the Egyptians had only ever been worried about rebellious cities before, the Israelites must have been a new problem for them. They might have been attacking Egypt’s trade routes in Canaan.
Some people think that the Israelites did not live in cities at this time, and we do not know anything about the actual social structure of the group of people who are called Israel here.
But most experts agree that Merneptah’s Israel must have been in the hill country in the middle of Canaan.
“Plundered is the Canaan with every evil;…
Israel is laid waste—its seed is no more;…
All lands together are pacified. Everyone who was restless has been bound.”
The Old Testament reference to “Israel” The authorship of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, is attributed to Moses, who lived around 1391 to 1271 BCE, according to rabbinical sources.
Is there any archaeological evidence for the existence of Moses, or “Moshe,” as he is known in Hebrew?
And do we have any idea under what pharaoh the Hebrews slaved in their exile?
Well, in 1911 the German collector Wilhelm Pelizaeus bought in Cairo the “Mose Stele“. It dates to the year 1250 BCE and comes from near the Egyptian city of Pi-Rameses. The stone relief depicts pharaoh Rameses II giving lavish gifts to someone called Mose.
Some have said that the Egyptians did not know the name “Mose” (or Moses) except as an adjunct, like in “Amenose” or “Thutmose”, because “Mose” by itself means “child”. And no Egypian would ever name his child “child”. That is not true: the Mose stele explicitly describes the pharao Ramses the Great giving gifts to a person named “Mose”.
In Hebrew, the names “Mose” and “Moshe” are spelled the same way. The Egyptian character of his name was recognized as such by ancient Jewish writers like Philo and Josephus.
Archaeological evidence for Moses and the Exodus: the Stele of Mose? (graphical representation)
Some believe that the Exodus pharaoh was Ramesses II, also known as Rameses the Great. This idea is even featured in the 1956 Hollywood movie “The Ten Commandments.” But how did the screenwriters come up with that idea?
Ramses the Great vs Yul Brynner as Ramses the Great, 1956
There’s a cue right in the Exodus tale written by Moses himself: Exodus 1, verse 11, says that the Israelites built the garrison cities of “Pithom and Raamses”— the Egyptians called them Pi-Rameses. And there is archaeological proof that Rameses the Great actually built the cities of Pi-Rameses.
The cities of “Pithom and Rameses”— the Egyptians called these Pi-Rameses
So, when we go back to look at the Mose stele, that many sceptics say has nothing to do with Moses or the Exodus, we find that the Mose stele was actually found just two kilometers from the ancient remains of Pi-Rameses. That is not a coincidence.
Moses places the birth of the name “Israel” 500 years before the Mernephta stele, to 1709 BCE. There is no contradiction here with the Egyptian source. From the establishment of a tribe until the tribe becomes powerful enough to be mentioned in Egyptian war records, that can take a while.
In the Pentateuch, Genesis 32, verse 24, Jacob wrestles with an unidentified man all night long before crossing a tributary of the Jordan River. Jacob is 100 years old at that point.
In the 1200s, Rabbi Rashi (Rachi), from Troyes in France, said that the Hebrew name Jacob means “a lurker and a trickster.” That meant “Jacob” was not a name to be very proud of.
After the struggle, the other man tells Jacob, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
And the name Israel in Hebrew means “God perseveres,” or “a man who wrestles with God.” In modern times, Israel is understood to mean “a man seeing God”: from ʾyš (man) rʾh (to see) ʾel (God).
Some commentators say it was God himself that Jacob wrestled with, or an angel, or even Jesus himself. But, truth be told, we don’t know who it was.
The newly named “Israel,” a.k.a. Jacob, then went on to purchase a plot of land at Sheshem (Nablus), near Mt. Gerizim in Samaria. This is the location of Jacob’s well. Israel’s/Jacob’s family then lived there for a while.
Genesis 34 One day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, went to visit some of the Canaanite women in her neighborhood. The prince of Sheshem saw her and took Dinah’s virginity.
By the norms of the Middle East at the time she was disgraced. Dinah’s brothers were furious .They suggested a bargain with the prince: in exchange for the honorable marriage of his daughter, the prince should circumcise every man in his tribe. In essence, Simeon and Levi invited the non-believers to join the faith of Israel. Thus, the prince of Sheshem and the whole city were circumcised.
But Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, had not been truthful; they could not stand the idea of gentiles marrying Israeli girls.
So after three days, they went and killed all the men of the tribe and plundered the city of Sheshem, taking all their women, children, valuables, and livestock from the fields as their own.
Jacob was upset. On his deathbed, he spoke of their cruelty and prophesied that the families of Simeon and Levi would be broken up, which happened (Genesis 49:5-7).
Nowadays, some scholars argue that the people of Shechem were prototypes for the Samaritans, a people nominally identified with Israel before the Babylonian exile but excluded from allying with the Jews upon their return to Zion (circa 5th century BCE).
Egyptian Reference In the Egyptian language of the time, the word “Israel” in hieroglyphics symbolized a “foreign people, typically nomadic groups or peoples, without a fixed city-state home.” That description is, of course, right on target for the year 1208 BCE. King Solomon would not start the Kingdom of Israel for another 150 years.
The Kingdom of Israel, approx. 1047-922 BCE When King Solomon, the founder of the kingdom, died between 926 and 922 BCE, ten rebellious northern tribes refused to follow his son and heir, Rehoboam, because he made them work too hard. All of the tribes, except Judah and Benjamin, rejected Rehoboam as king.
From this point on, there would be two kingdoms of Hebrews: Israel under King Jeroboam in the north and Judah in the south. The Israelites formed their capital in the city of Samaria, and the Judaeans kept their capital in Jerusalem. These kingdoms remained separate states for over two hundred years, until they were both conquered, one after the other.
The first Jews, 722 BCE The word “Jew” first appears after the conquest of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.E. Since only the Kingdom of Judah survived, yehudi יֽהוּדִי came to denote ‘Jew’, resp. ‘Jewish’, a follower of Yahweh.
The Assyrians scattered the leaders of the tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel in small groups throughout the Middle East. They became what is known as “the ten lost tribes of Israel.”
But it was not long before the Kingdom of Judah suffered a similar fate.
In 597 BCE, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon laid siege to and conquered Jerusalem, destroying Solomon’s temple and exiling the Jews to Babylon for 70 years.
The Burning of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar’s Army
In 539 BCE, the founder of the Persian empire, Cyrus the Great, gave the Judeans permission to return to their homeland.
The Jews returned home to Israel with a vastly different Torah than the one they had left with.
The Israelite Samaritans were surprised; they still only knew the first 5 books of the Torah, namely the Pentateuch of Moses. But the new Judean Masoretic Torah written in the Babylonian exile now consisted of an additional 34 books, none of which are known to the Samaritan liturgy to this day.
On the other hand, the Jews of the southern kingdom believed that the Samaritan Israelites, having remained in the North, were a small group of unfaithfuls, intermarrying with the non-Jewish invaders. They frowned on the Samaritans, denying that any non-Hebrew had any right to be included among the chosen people.
This echoes the sentiment of the story of Jacob (Gen 34:14-25), where Simeon and Levi could not accept the born gentiles, even after their circumcision.
The newly settled Assyrians that came to Samaria, the Samaritan territory, initially brought with them their own gods, but within a short time they worshiped Yahweh as well as their own gods, and then within a couple of centuries, they worshiped Yahweh exclusively.
The dispute over the Holy Mountain A central part of the disagreement between Israelites, as the Samaritans call themselves, and the Judeans, who call themselves Jews, is the location of their Holy Mountain.
The “Holy Mountain” is where Abraham was told to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, by God, only to be told at the last minute that it was just a test. The Jews believe that the mountain is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where both Solomon’s and the Second Temple were built.
The name of the Holy Mountain is “Moriah” or “Moriyya” in Hebrew, “Marwah” in Arabic, “Amoria” in Greek, and last but not least, “Moreh,” according to the Samaritans.
As mentioned before, semitic languages are abjads; they often don’t include all the vowels, which doesn’t really help in identifying place names accurately.
The Samaritan Bible calls the place of Abraham’s sacrifice “Moreh.” This is the geographic region around Sheshem, on Mount Gerizim.
The Old Testament Bible that Jews, Christians, and Muslims are using calls the place “Moriah,” which is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Where is it? In essence, the conflict between Jews and Samaritans, or between Judeans and Israelites, is that they disagree on the location where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son and, later, where to build a temple and exclusively worship Yahweh.
Left: the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, ca. 2610 years ago,
Right: Mount Gerizim near Nablus, today.
Thus was formed the only major schism in the Yahweh religion: the schism between the Jews and the Samaritans.
What does the Jewish Masoretic Old Testament say about Mt. Gerizim? Between the 7th and 10th centuries AD, a group of scribes known as “The Masters of Tradition” (the Masoretes) in the Middle East compiled the Masoretic Torah.
The Masoretic Aleppo Codex, 930 AD
According to the Masoretic version, it says in Deuteronomy 27 to build an altar on Mount Ebal, the Mount of Offense, or cursing:
“So when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I am commanding you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall cover them with plaster.”
This text and translation are inherited by nearly all Abrahamic religions (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) in the world. The lone exception are the Samaritans (their text in 27:4 reads “Mount Gerizim”).
This passage is problematic. Why? The Mount of Blessing is Mount Gerizim; there Israel gathers to bless. But the Masoretic text of Deuteronomy 27:4 records a very perplexing commandment: to build the altar on Mount Ebal, the Mountain of Cursing.
What do the Dead Sea Scrolls say about the location of the altar, in circa 30 BCE
The scrolls that were found in Qumran are over 2000 years old, 1000 years older than the oldest surviving Masoretic Torah scroll.
Now, you would expect that the Masoretic Torah would be a good match with the texts of the Dead Sea scrolls, right?
But this is not so.
The Dead Sea scrolls match the Samaritan texts more closely than the Masoretic text, leading some researchers to believe the Samaritan text held validity in the minds of Jews during the Second Temple period and that both texts were once studied together.
The scroll is written in black ink on brown leather, measuring about 40 millimeters wide and containing four lines of text. Only this fragment remains from a complete leather-bound copy of Deuteronomy. This copy of Deuteronomy was most likely inscribed around 50-20 BCE.
In the second line of this fragment, the scribe wrote bhrgrzim, which means “on Mount Gerizim.”
Except for Samaritan manuscripts, all Hebrew manuscripts of Deuteronomy contain “on Mount Ebal” in that verse.
The translation of this scroll reads: (Dead Sea Scroll & Samaritan Deuteronomy 27:4)
“When you have crossed the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I charge you today, on Mount Gerizim, and coat them with plaster.”
Today I will speak to you about the sign of the cross, the holy spirit and the spirit of truth, the latter of which has become rare in the world.
You may identify the sign you see here as a cross. But the image I’m showing you here today is not a cross.
It is actually a hologram of a single photon, a small particle with a huge message. In the year 2016, researchers from the University of Warsaw were able to capture the photon.
What is the relationship of a particle of light, the smallest indivisible unit of electromagnetic energy, to my person?
Let me tell you.
From the Gospel of the Apostle John:
“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Even the tiniest indivisible particle of electromagnetic energy in the known Universe, a quantum of light, carries a message of salvation and hope for all of humanity. I am your guiding light – my followers shall know me by the image of the photon.
Photon Pressure Photons, those massless particles of electromagnetic radiation, can transfer momentum to matter. This transmission generates a force known as photon pressure. Photons lack mass, but they have motion due to their energy. The equation p=E/c describes the relationship between momentum (p), energy (E), and the speed of light in a vacuum (c). In physics, this is called an optical force.
I Promise the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Truth The festival of the Holy Spirit is celebrated 50 days after Easter. It marks the beginning of the Christian Church’s mission to the world. The Holy Spirit festival is loosely fashioned after the Jewish Shavuot celebration, also 50 days after Passover.
I was crucified after the Passover meal.
During Passover, a lamb used to be slaughtered as a sacrifice to God.
Thus I, Jesus, became the Lamb of God, to be crucified to take away the sins of the world.
John has recorded my saying the following in chapter 14:15–31 of the New Testament: If you love me, keep my commands. I will also ask the Father to give you another helper who will be with you forever: the Spirit of Truth.
The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him because he lives in you and always will.
Do not worry about being alone; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
On that day, you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.
My father will love the person who loves me, and I will love them and show myself to them. Then the other Judas (not the one who would betray me, Judas Iscariot), said,
“But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
I, Jesus, replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.
These words do not come from me; they come from the Father who sent me. All of this I told you while I was still with you.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Have peace in your hearts, and do not be afraid.
I told you I was leaving and would return to you. If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. What I have told you now will help you believe it when it happens. I will not say much more to you now, for the ruler of this world, Satan, is coming.
Satan had no hold over me, but he came so that the world could learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father commands me.
“Now is the time; let us go,” I said long ago.
Now is the time; let us go!
Amen!
On TheJesusChannel.TV, Jesus speaks to you with the countenance of the most realistic reconstruction of the man seen on the Shroud of Turin. Many believe this person to be Jesus himself.
The Quantum of Light and Its Symbolism: The metaphor of light, especially as represented by a photon—the smallest indivisible unit of electromagnetic energy—holds deep spiritual significance.
Just as light dispels darkness, Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world.” His teachings and sacrifice are seen as illuminating the path to salvation and hope for humanity. The image of the photon becomes a powerful symbol, representing both the scientific marvel of light and the spiritual enlightenment offered by Christ.
Photon Pressure and Momentum: The concept of photon pressure, where massless photons transfer momentum to matter, parallels the idea of spiritual influence. While photons lack mass, their energy and motion impact the world around them. Similarly, spiritual forces can shape our lives even when they are imperceptible.
The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Truth: The festival of the Holy Spirit, celebrated after Easter, marks the beginning of the Christian Church’s mission. It aligns with the Jewish Shavuot, emphasizing continuity and renewal.
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit (the Advocate) to guide and teach believers. This Spirit of Truth dwells within, providing wisdom and reminding them of Christ’s teachings. The intimate relationship between the Father, Jesus, and believers is beautifully expressed: “I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you.”
Peace and Obedience: Jesus left a legacy of peace—a peace distinct from worldly offerings. It’s a peace that transcends circumstances and resides in the hearts of believers. Obedience to Christ’s teachings is an expression of love. Those who love Him will keep His commands, and the Father’s love will be with them.
The promise of the Holy Spirit ensures that believers are not alone; they have divine guidance and companionship.
Facing Challenges and Spiritual Warfare: The mention of Satan highlights the ongoing spiritual battle. Jesus, by obeying the Father’s commands, demonstrated victory over evil. As believers, we navigate this world while anticipating Christ’s return. The call to action—“Now is the time; let us go”—encourages us to live faithfully.
These words resonate with the timeless message of faith, love, and hope. May we continue to seek the light and follow its guidance. 🌟
This is not a cross. It is the hologram of a photon. A particle of light.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am that light of the world: he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have that light of life.
John 8:12, 1599 Geneva Bible
See the light The quantum of light is a metaphor for the risen Jesus Christ and New Christianity. It signifies a fresh message of hope and a new age of enlightenment, not the bleak sign of the wooden cross on which Jesus was executed. Even the tiniest indivisible particle of electromagnetic energy in the known Universe, a quantum of light, carries a message of salvation and hope for all of humanity. I am your guiding light – my followers shall know me by the image of the photon.
Photon Pressure Photons, those massless particles of electromagnetic radiation, can transfer momentum to matter. This transmission generates a force known as photon pressure. Photons lack mass, but they have motion due to their energy. The equation p=c/E describes the relationship between momentum (p), energy (E), and the speed of light in a vacuum (c). In physics, this is called an optical force. The photon icon resembles a “plus” sign, signifying the positive force of Jesus.
Photon Logo and Icon for “TheJesusChannel.TV” My rendering of the single photon holograph is on the right side. Inside that photon rendering,, we see one cross with a red “heart” at the top. Two other crosses are on the left and right sides. The ensemble resembles the scene of the crucifixion at Golgotha.
The rendering on the right will be used in all logo’s and artworks of TheJesusChannel.TV.
