First of all, these questions might appear to be ridiculous, but I am asking them in all seriousness. I am genuinely interested in knowing their answers, if available, or, if not, gathering relevant speculation regarding possible explanations to these inquiries.
Just so you don’t think that I am a freak for thinking about this stuff, let me brief you on how these doubts arose. My aunt, a devout Christian, is visiting this weekend. As usual, I like to tease her with stupid religious questions that she can’t answer, nor does she care about. After her failures to respond I jokingly reproach her on how her lack of knowledge symbolizes the weakness of her faith. In that vein, I asked her these questions which somehow, after positing them, awakened my curiosity:
Who was the centurion who nailed Jesus to the cross?
Did Mary stay a virgin after the virginal conception of Jesus Christ?
I realize the second one borders on the speculative, but I will be interested in whatever scholarly information might exist concerning this. Any rumors, scriptural interpretation, wild theories, whatever information that can shed some light on the subject, will be appreciated.
Mods: Feel free to move this thread to a more appropriate forum, if you consider it convenient. The reason I posted here is because the first question should have a definitive answer, that is, assuming the Romans kept this kind of records.
Wouldn’t it be ironic if Jesus’ adoptive father Joseph, being a carpenter, had been the one who made the cross Jesus was crucified on?