Why Some Have Serious Doubts
A number of serious Bible scholars doubt its authenticity because of the Scriptural record. The Scriptures suggest conditions during Jesus’ burial that were contrary to what is seen on the shroud. For the shroud to be authentic, two conditions must have existed when the image was formed: (1) the body could not have been washed, for the bloodstains are clearly visible, and (2) the linen cloth would have to have been laid loosely over the body, not pressed against it. “The figures [on the shroud] had not been produced by mere contact of the linen with human flesh,” affirms shroud backer Edward Wuenschel. He adds: “Such contact would have caused considerable distortion, and there is little or no distortion in the figures on this shroud.”
The accounts of Jesus’ burial by
Matthew (27:59, 60),
Mark (15:46) and
Luke (23:53) are quite brief. But they all say that the body was “wrapped” in “fine linen.” Was the body so quickly prepared that it was not first washed? Such treatment
by Jews would be highly unusual. Why? Contemporary Jewish historian Josephus says that, unlike some of their enemies, “the Jews used to
take so much care of the burial of men.”
The apostle John, who was an eyewitness, fills in some additional details confirming that “much care” was taken with Jesus’ body before it was buried. He reports:
“He [Joseph of Arimathea] came and took his body away. Nicodemus also . . . came bringing a roll of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds of it. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it up with bandages with the spices, just the way the Jews have the custom of preparing for burial.”—
John 19:38-40.
What was the “custom” of the Jews in preparing for burial? Virtually the only contemporary evidence is in the Greek Scriptures. There it shows that the body was first washed and then oils and spices were used to anoint it. (
Acts 9:37; Matt. 26:12) The fact that Joseph and Nicodemus made use of the myrrh, aloes and bandages and “bound up” the body indicates that they had at least
begun the customary Jewish preparation of the dead.
Ancient Jewish non-Biblical writings also indicate that it was their custom to wash the body and to use spices, but not to preserve or embalm the body as some claim; rather, as the Talmud says, “The spices are to remove the bad smell.” Such preparation of the corpse was not forbidden even on the Sabbath; as the Mishnah (2nd century C.E.) says: “They may make ready [on the Sabbath] all that is needful for the dead, and anoint it and wash it.”—Shabbath 23:5.
That the two men took steps to prepare the body for burial is also indicated by what was found in the empty tomb after Jesus’ resurrection. John tells us:
“He [Peter] viewed the bandages lying, also the cloth that had been upon his head not lying with the bandages but separately rolled up in one place.” (
John 20:6, 7)
There is no mention of the “fine linen” (Greek:
sindón), but reference is made to “bandages” (Greek:
othónia) and a “cloth that had been on his head” (Greek:
soudárion). It may be that the “fine linen” was torn up into strips, providing the “bandages.” All of these had to be wrapped around the body. However, if this is true, the bandages would hold the shroud close to the body and cause a “contact print” and not allow the
projected image found on the shroud. If the bandages were under the shroud, they would likewise distort the image.
The fact that a separate piece of cloth is mentioned as being “upon his head” shows that a different piece covered his head, whereas the shroud clearly shows the image of the head on the same cloth that covered the body. However, some try to contend that this headcloth is actually the shroud. Yet this Greek word is variously translated as “napkin” (
AV) or “handkerchief” (
Catholic Confraternity Version), and at
Luke 19:20 it is applied to a piece of cloth in which one keeps money. How could this be identified with a 14-foot (4.3-m) shroud! Others feel that this headcloth was a chin strap to hold the mouth of the corpse in place. If so, that would mean the shroud is not mentioned by John as being in the empty tomb. Certainly, since he details the “bandages” and the ‘headcloth,’ would it not seem likely he would have mentioned the “fine linen” or shroud, if it had been there?
The Scriptural account suggests that the body was washed and bound with myrrh and aloes according to the Jewish custom. All was completed except the anointing with oil and spices,
* which the women intended to do the following Sunday morning. (
Luke 23:55, 56; Mark 16:1) Such preparations would have made impossible the present image on the shroud. Concerning the Bible account, shroud supporter Rodney Hoare admits:
“This section in St. John has for years been the main argument in the attack on the authenticity of the Shroud, and a very powerful argument it is.”—
The Testimony of the Shroud, p. 120.
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101980166?q=shroud+turin&p=par