How does the Shroud of Turin prove Jesus existed?

Answer 1

A:

As a medieval forgery, the Shroud of Turin tells us nothing about the death of Jesus. If indeed it were the very shroud in which Jesus was buried, it would contradict the description in John's Gospel and thus cast doubt on the Gospel as a whole.

John 19:39-40, 20:5-7 specifically state that the body was 'wound' with linen cloths and a large quantity of burial spices ( myrrh and aloes). Still another cloth (the napkin) covered his face and head, as was Jewish custom during the first century. In contrast, the Shroud of Turin represents a single, draped cloth with an image of the face and head. It was not wound around the body and there was no separate napkin covering the face of the image. Also, there is no evidence of any burial spices.

Answer 2

A:

First, the Shroud of Turin would need to genuine, contrary to expert opinion that says it is a medieval forgery. But even if it really did date from the first century and really came from Jerusalem, it would only prove that someone was crucified and buried in that shroud. The Romans crucified thousands of men in Jerusalem.

The shroud appears to be a single piece of cloth that draped over the entire body, including the head. John's Gospel tell us that the cloth was wrapped around Jesus, not draped, and that there was a separate cloth covering his head, as was Jewish custom in the first century. Either this is not the shroud that Jesus was buried in, or its existence has proven John's Gospel to be a literary invention. We can't have it both ways.

Catholic AnswerThe Shroud of Turin does not prove that Jesus existed, however, most of the Popes in recent memory have referred to the Shroud as a "relic" and an "object of devotion"; though no Pope has ruled definitively on the subject. The only things that we know for sure, are the shroud is definitely from the first century - it is consistent in age with when Jesus lived, died, and rose again (despite previous claims from carbon dating on a piece of material which has been proved to be a patch added centuries later, such claims have been proved to be wrong); and that there is no possible way - by any means known to modern science for the image to be made other than by a miracle. There has been some speculation that the image was made by radiation put off by a body miraculously coming to life after it had been dead, but this is just speculation, obviously. We only know for sure that the Shroud is 20 centuries old, that there is no known process for making the image, and that it is an image of a man who was brutally tortured and crucified to death. Every possible indication we have is that it was indeed the burial cloth for Jesus, but we have no "proof" that would convince a skeptic. See links below.