This is a book review of - - - - > The Archko Volume
I have found this book to be very interesting and have included a review of it here on this website. The book is non-inspired and may, or may not be full of revisionary history. It is a older book that claims to be full of Roman records collected at the times of the birth and life of Jesus Christ. It has several interviews with the people from that time and it does not appear to conflict with the Bible but it does appear to complement it by providing additional information about the lives of some of the central people in the Bible.
This book starts off talking about a library in Rome that is full of thousands of books of many topics including the official government records. The author explains that he received a visitor whom found several interesting records including 'The Acts of Pilate' at the library. Some time passes as he sends letters back and fourth to several in the Vatican from his home in new America sometime around 1856.
Here is a few quotes from the book after the author began his investigation.
" Upon getting hold of this report of Pilate I commenced to investigate this subject, and after many years of trial and the expenditure of considerable money, I found that there were many of such records still preserved at the Vatican in Rome and at Constantinople, that had been carried there by the Emperor of Rome about the middle of the third century. I therefore procured the necessary assistance, and on September 21, 1883, I set sail for those foreign lands to make the investigation in person."
"Now I say no event creating so much excitement could take place without more or less record being made of it ; for if the Scripture is true—and I believe it is—there never was a man on earth who had so many followers in so short a time. Caiaphas says Jesus had been preaching' three years, and he then had more followers than Abraham."
Contents
CHAPTER I How these records were discovered. 9
CHAPTER II. A short sketch of the Talmuds. 52
CHAPTER III. Constantine's letter in regard to having fifty copies of the Scriptures written and bound. 60
CHAPTER IV. Jonathan's interview with the Bethlehem shepherds—Letter of Melker, Priest of the Synagogue at Bethlehem. 64
CHAPTER V. Gamaliel's interview with Joseph and Mary and others concerning Jesus. 79
CHAPTER VI. Report of Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin concerning the execution of Jesus. 97
CHAPTER VII. Report of Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin concerning the resurrection of Jesus. 117
CHAPTER VIII. Valleus's notes—"Acta Pilati," or Pilates report to Caesar of the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. 128
CHAPTER IX. Herod Antipater's defense before the Roman Senate in regard to his conduct at Bethlehem. 148
CHAPTER X. Herod Antipas's defense before the Roman Senate in regard to the execution of John the Baptist. 155
CHAPTER XI. The Hillel letters regarding God's providence to the Jews, by Hillel the Third. 161
CHAPTER I How these records were discovered. 9
CHAPTER II. A short sketch of the Talmuds. 52
CHAPTER III. Constantine's letter in regard to having fifty copies of the Scriptures written and bound. 60
CHAPTER IV. Jonathan's interview with the Bethlehem shepherds—Letter of Melker, Priest of the Synagogue at Bethlehem. 64
CHAPTER V. Gamaliel's interview with Joseph and Mary and others concerning Jesus. 79
CHAPTER VI. Report of Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin concerning the execution of Jesus. 97
CHAPTER VII. Report of Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin concerning the resurrection of Jesus. 117
CHAPTER VIII. Valleus's notes—"Acta Pilati," or Pilates report to Caesar of the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. 128
CHAPTER IX. Herod Antipater's defense before the Roman Senate in regard to his conduct at Bethlehem. 148
CHAPTER X. Herod Antipas's defense before the Roman Senate in regard to the execution of John the Baptist. 155
CHAPTER XI. The Hillel letters regarding God's providence to the Jews, by Hillel the Third. 161
I am shocked that some pastors have not read this book... I'm going to include a few quotes from some of the more interesting records found starting with the interviews of the Shepard's who witnessed the Star of David, but I will be jumping over a lot of material to keep this review relatively short.
" All at once the air seemed to be filled with human voices, saying, ' Glory ! Glory ! Glory to the most high God! ' and, ' Happy art thou, Bethlehem, for God hath fulfilled His promise to the fathers; for in thy chambers is born the King that shall rule in righteousness.' Their shouting's would rise up in the heavens, and then would sink down in mellow strains, and roll along at the foot of the mountains, and die away in the most soft and musical manner they had ever heard; then it would begin again high up in the heavens, in the very vaults of
the sky, and descend in sweet and melodious strains, so that they could not refrain from shouting and
weeping at the same time. The light would seem to burst forth high up in the heavens, and then descend
in softer rays and light up the hills and valleys, making everything more visible than the light of the sun, though it was not so brilliant, but clearer, like the brightest moon,"
the sky, and descend in sweet and melodious strains, so that they could not refrain from shouting and
weeping at the same time. The light would seem to burst forth high up in the heavens, and then descend
in softer rays and light up the hills and valleys, making everything more visible than the light of the sun, though it was not so brilliant, but clearer, like the brightest moon,"
If that last quote from the book does not get your attention... wow... well perhaps these will.
" I found Joseph and Mary in the city of Mecca, in the land of Ammon or Moab. But I did not find Jesus. When I went to the place where I was told he was, he was somewhere else; and thus I followed him from place to place, until I despaired of finding him at all."
The interviewer asked Mary a question concerning her son Jesus.
"She said that Joseph was a little hard to please, but this boy had answered him so often, and his answers were so mild and yet so suitable, that he had almost broken him of finding fault. She said he settled all the disputes of the family; that no odds what was the subject or who it was, one word from him closed all mouths, and what gave him such power was his words were always unpretending and spoken as though they were not intended as a rebuke, but merely as a decision."
"She said that Joseph was a little hard to please, but this boy had answered him so often, and his answers were so mild and yet so suitable, that he had almost broken him of finding fault. She said he settled all the disputes of the family; that no odds what was the subject or who it was, one word from him closed all mouths, and what gave him such power was his words were always unpretending and spoken as though they were not intended as a rebuke, but merely as a decision."
"While he was working one day under a shed, all at once a man in snowy white stood by his side, and told him not to doubt the virtue of Mary, for she was holy before the Lord ; that the child conceived in her was not by man, but by the Holy Ghost, and that the child would be free from human passions."
A little later in the interview Joseph says this about Jesus.
"I call him lazy and careless. I do not think he will ever amount to much, much less be a king."
A little later in the interview Joseph says this about Jesus.
"I call him lazy and careless. I do not think he will ever amount to much, much less be a king."
There are several records from Caiaphas captured in this book such as, the justification for the crucifixion of Jesus, and the resignation from the Sanhedrin plus a letter of conversion to Christianity. There is another very unusual record -- true or not -- and I shall quote it here, it's a appearance of Jesus to Caiaphas.
I locked my door and gave the guards orders to let no one in without first giving me notice. While thus engaged, with no one in the room but my wife and Annas, her father, when I lifted up my eyes, behold Jesus of Nazareth stood before me. My breath stopped, my blood ran cold, and I was in the act of falling, when he spoke and said, ' Be not afraid, it is I. You condemned me that you might go free. This is the work of my Father. Your only wrong is, you have a wicked heart ; this you must repent of. This last lamb you have slain is the one that was appointed before the foundation ; this sacrifice is made for all men. Your other lambs were for those who offered them ; this is for all, this is the last ; it is for you if you will accept it. I died that you and all mankind might be saved.' At this he looked at me with such
melting tenderness that it seemed to me I was nothing but tears, and ray strength was all gone. I fell on my face at his feet as one that was dead. When Annas lifted me up Jesus was gone, and the door still locked.
I locked my door and gave the guards orders to let no one in without first giving me notice. While thus engaged, with no one in the room but my wife and Annas, her father, when I lifted up my eyes, behold Jesus of Nazareth stood before me. My breath stopped, my blood ran cold, and I was in the act of falling, when he spoke and said, ' Be not afraid, it is I. You condemned me that you might go free. This is the work of my Father. Your only wrong is, you have a wicked heart ; this you must repent of. This last lamb you have slain is the one that was appointed before the foundation ; this sacrifice is made for all men. Your other lambs were for those who offered them ; this is for all, this is the last ; it is for you if you will accept it. I died that you and all mankind might be saved.' At this he looked at me with such
melting tenderness that it seemed to me I was nothing but tears, and ray strength was all gone. I fell on my face at his feet as one that was dead. When Annas lifted me up Jesus was gone, and the door still locked.
There is quite a bit more to read in this book and I found it to be fascinating myself.. I would say 5 star