The following article is inconclusive, of course, though it provides evidence that the idea of bodily resurrection of a suffering Mashiach was part of the Messianic expectation before Jesus’ time… Skeptics, of course, will attempt to use this as “proof” that the gospel story was fabricated — by why draw that conclusion, especially considering how difficult it would be to arrange to be crucified, convince your followers you were raised from the dead, and thenceforth see the world transformed? From my perspective, this provides evidence that the idea of Mashiach as ben Yosef (Suffering Servant) was clearly part of the Jewish tradition from which Yeshua (Jesus) hailed….
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JERUSALEM: A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after three days.
If such a messianic description really is there, it will contribute to a developing re-evaluation of both popular and scholarly views of Jesus, since it suggests that the story of his death and resurrection was not unique but part of a recognized Jewish tradition at the time.