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Kathleen Weber's avatar

One more detail. Not every language divides up the human body as we do in English. In Hebrew, face is a dual, rather than singular word. The idea is that you have two sides to your face, just as we have eyes, two ears, and two nostrils.

Another divergence is the Hebrew concept of hand which goes the tip of the finger to the elbow. In other words, Hebrew has no word for forearm. When an observant Jew washes his hands in a ritual manner, he must wash all the way to the elbow. So, when Jesus says see the marks in my hands in the gospel of John, marks on his wrists are included in the hand.

I received a PhD in Biblical studies from Catholic U

bill walsh's avatar

A parallel issue to the palm/wrist debate, though one that doesn’t come up much, is the question of whether the traditional depiction of the nails going through the bridge of the foot versus the heel. The former is pretty much universal (and I think is on the shroud), but I think most of the recovered samples are through the heel. Of course it could have been different ways at different times or places (or to different people), but it’s something that’s always kicked around in the back of my mind.

Bryan Ng's avatar

The prophecy did say not a bone of his shall be broken. Nail through heel breaks it. And nail through foot would be removed during the burial prep so we wouldn't find it.

Nancy RoemerHuff's avatar

I've been to two different churches in the US that had relics, one in California mission church, and the other in All Saints Shrine in the Chicago Archdiocese

I've been to two different churches in the US that had relics, one in California mission church, and the other in All Saints Shrine in the Chicago Archdiocese

Nancy RoemerHuff's avatar

The mission church is in Fremont CA and I have a photo, along with its certification. Unfortunately, I don't know how to upload it to Substack. 🫤

Will Linden's avatar

Nail them up, I say!