Does the Shroud of Turin Belong to Jesus?
“Stooping down and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there.” (John 20:5)
One of the most controversial pieces of biblical archaeology is the Shroud of Turin. No artifact seems to drum up more debate and study, stir the imagination, and (for some) fortify faith than a large piece of cloth supposedly imprinted with Jesus’ image. But does the shroud genuinely belong to Him or someone else? While there is no conclusive evidence to either side of the argument, we can refer to the Scriptures as we examine the shroud in more detail.
The Shroud of Turin is a large, intact linen sheet that bears the front and back images of a man who apparently had been crucified in typical Roman fashion. Through much studying, researchers determined that the man had been severely injured, much in the same way as the gospels record Jesus’ crucifixion. The man appears to have had his hands, feet, and side pierced like Jesus, and his legs were not broken, as written in John 19:33.
“But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.”
Other physical features indicate the man on the shroud is naked with his hands folded across his pelvis. He is apparently bearded and measures about 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 meters) to 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 meters) in height.
