By now most of you will have heard all about "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," produced by director James Cameron and scheduled to air March 4 on the Discovery Channel. The “Documentary” argues that 10 small caskets discovered in 1980 in a Jerusalem suburb may have held the bones of Jesus and his family. Cameron's film alleges Jesus not only was not God, but he apparently had a son, Judah, with Mary Magdalene.
The very idea that Jesus had an ossuary would contradict the Bible’s teaching that he was resurrected and ascended to heaven.
Dear friends, my original intent for this blog was not to pursue a political agenda. I feel though, as Christians, we have a responsibility to defend our faith. I do not find it to be a coincidence that the Enemy has chosen such a huge attack during the season of Lent. Many of our Christian friends are in a time of reflection and repentance, observing their need for Christ in their lives. Please join with me in prayer for Christians and non-Christians that may be influenced by this program.
As believers we have the power (God’s power) to stop the funding of such things being produced. Our world today is run by money. If we can stand together and “boycott” such untruthful television programming we can make a difference. Please, do not watch this program. If you feel led to do more, here is a link to send an email to the Chairman of the Discovery Channel
Philippians 1:27-28
…I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
Here are a few facts (from Pastor David Ballard) for those of us that will be asked questions due to the seed of doubt that this documentary will undoubtedly place amongst our friends and family.
1. William Dever, an expert on near eastern archaeology and anthropology, who has worked with Israeli archeologist's for five decades, said specialists have known about the ossuaries for over a decade. "The fact that it's been ignored tells you something," said Dever, professor emeritus at the University of Arizona. "It would be amusing if it didn't mislead so many people."
2. In 1996, when the British Broadcasting Corp. aired a short documentary on the same subject, archaeologists challenged the claims. Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site, said the idea fails to hold up by archaeological standards but makes for profitable television. He called it “Nonsense”.
"They just want to get money for it," Kloner said. Kloner also said the filmmakers' assertions are false. "The names on the caskets are the most common names found among Jews at the time ," In fact, The name "Jesus" was such a popular name at that time, that it appears in 98 other tombs and on 21 other ossuaries!
3. Stephen Pfann, a biblical scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem who was interviewed in the documentary, said the film's hypothesis holds little weight. "I don't think that Christians are going to buy into this," Pfann said. "But skeptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear." Pfann is even unsure that the name "Jesus" on the caskets was read correctly. He thinks it's more likely the name "Hanun." Ancient Semitic script is notoriously difficult to decipher.
"How possible is it?" Pfann said. "On a scale of one through 10 — 10 being completely possible — it's probably a one, maybe a one and a half."
4. Archaeologists also balk at the filmmakers claim that the James Ossuary -- the center of a famous antiquities fraud in Israel -- might have originated from the same cave. In 2005, Israel charged five suspects with forgery in connection with the infamous bone box. "I don't think the James Ossuary came from the same cave," said Dan Bahat, an archaeologist at Bar-Ilan University. "If it were found there, the man who made the forgery would have taken something better. He would have taken Jesus."
5. Another huge misunderstanding comes in the way the filmmakers use the word “family tomb”. They take that to mean “nuclear family” (e.g. husband, wife, kids) but 2000 years ago in Israel a family tomb spoke of generations of people.
6. The Talipot tomb and ossuaries probably would have belonged to a rich family, which is not a historical match for Jesus or his family. Further, It's very unlikely Joseph, who had died earlier in Galilee, would have been buried in Jerusalem. If Joseph and Mary had a family tomb it would have to have been in either Bethlehem (because they were from the linage of David) or in Nazareth (their hometown), not Jerusalem.
7. The movie purports to have documentation from DNA supporting the idea that the bone boxes were for Jesus and his family. There is no DNA evidence that this is the historical Jesus of Nazareth because DNA only works if you have something with which to compare the sample. No one has any samples that are confirmed from Jesus or anyone else from 2000 years ago. The DNA “evidence” that the movie uses can only show whether or not the people in the tomb were related to each other. 2 sets of bones were not related. The director goes WAY beyond the facts here and asserts that since they are not related it must be Jesus and his wife, Mary Magdalene. This is a huge jump to a conclusion, but they don’t let that bother them.
8. There is no historical or archaeological evidence that Jesus was ever married or had a child.
9. The earliest followers of Jesus never called him, "Jesus, son of Joseph"
10. The two Mary ossuaries do not mention anyone from Migdal, but just Mary, another very common name at the time.
According to Cameron, his film is no mere speculation, but historical fact. By claiming the remains of Jesus returned to dust along with other members of his family, the Hollywood filmmaker is denying the divinity of the Son of God and his victory over death. Cameron clearly intended to drive a stake into the heart of Christianity, since without the Resurrection, Jesus was only a mortal man.
So is there any evidence to SUPPORT the fact that Jesus rose from the dead? YES! Lots of it. Josh McDowell has done a great job of listing the evidences in a couple of his books. “Evidence that demands a verdict” and “More than a Carpenter” are great resources to help people have confidence in the historical accuracy of the Bible and the truth of the resurrection.
