Episode Information

What can archaeology tell us about Jesus? Recent artefact digs have revealed incredible new evidence which – more than ever before – might help us to understand Jesus, the man. The ‘Gabriel Revelation Tablet’ offers the first tangible proof that the resurrection story was a long-standing tale in Jewish tradition. In the story on the tablet, Simon of Perea is expected to rise from the dead after three days. How does that change our view of the resurrection? Meanwhile, a submerged Jordanian chapel has been unearthed that some now claim was the first Christian Church. In the wake of Jesus’ death, did his surviving disciples find refuge here -- and launch the beginnings of the faith that would conquer Rome? In Excavating Jesus, we connect the archaeological dots, and explore what remains of the beginnings of Christianity.