The "Lost" Tomb Of Jesus
The (claimed) Lost Tomb of “Jesus”
Introduction:
Maybe you have heard that someone claims to have found the family tomb of Jesus. You may have even seen the Discovery Channel special on it. I want to examine the claims and see what the bible says about the resurrection of Jesus.
Q: What do you know about it? Should we worry or talk about it? Why?
I want to give you some background on this story but first explain why I believe it is important to cover this topic. The #1 reason could be illustrated by this verse:
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 1 Cor 15:12-17
To most people this claim seems silly and obviously a farce, but to many who do not know any better or who want to believe it, it can be very dangerous.
Background:
In 1980, a tomb was discovered, and an archeologist examined it thoroughly before it became off limits. (In 1980, nothing was heard of a “tomb of Jesus.”) Now just recently someone has reopened the facts to that find.
He and his team re-examine the things that where taken out of the tomb. Pictures, ossuaries (An ossuary is a small bone box), Ect. Upon re-examination and further exploration they claim to have found the Jesus family tomb. I want to give their evidence and then show you how it is obviously wrong.
Alleged evidence:
1. Cluster of biblical names upon ossuaries make it hard to be a coincidence.
-“Jesus son of Joseph” on one ossuary.
-Mary
-Joseph
-Mark
-Nic-name of Jesus’ half brother Jose
-Matthew (But maybe since he was so close to Jesus he was buried their.)
-Mareamne
-Child’s ossuary
-(So the odds of there being all these names of people related to and close to Jesus in the same tomb are slim to none.)
2. Mareamne could mean or be Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus’ closest followers.
-Mary and Jesus could have been married; this would explain the child’s ossuary and the other Mary.
-They did DNA test on the bones to see if “Mary” and “Jesus” bones are related. They are not…this must mean that they were married…that would explain her being in the tomb.
3. There is a missing ossuary from the family tomb. By chance they wonder if it could be that ossuary found and talked about years ago with the inscription James…Jesus’ half brother. Dealer who had it said he got it around 1980. Coincidence? (Almost certainly…)
-To prove this they go to a crime lab to see if the “Patina” (soil deposits) samples from ossuary of “James” and tomb are a match.
-They say that they are a match, even though the crime lab guy says that they could be a match.
Extra-biblical and Biblical proof that this cannot be so:
The resurrection is one of the biggest themes of the New Testament. It is very important for it not to be disregarded today. If there is no resurrection there was no Jesus Christ. No man should ever base his religious beliefs on a theory because it is too important. It involves his eternal destination.
Of course the bible puts an end to the idea that Jesus and Mary were married which is a large part of the theory, but more than that is the resurrection.
Biblical:
Q: What evidence does the bible give that prove this wrong?
A: The truth that Jesus was resurrected. This is besides everything about Mary M.
The biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection has proof and therefore negates this theory.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Peter 1:16 (ESV)
Unfortunately, many do not believe in the supernatural resurrection. They did not back then when Paul wrote I Corinthians 15 and they do not today. That is why we must hold to the truth that Jesus was resurrected.
Q - Why do you think that even though the bible has plenty of historical and archeological evidence to back it up, it is pushed aside as unreliable evidence?
Q: Why is logic now more important than bible? Is it logical?
B/C people have deemed science and popular opinion as more legitimate than bible. In other words it is faithlessness. Q: Should we believe science over bible? Do they contradict?
It is sad that in the media this crazy myth can be put across as truth while perfectly viable proof exists for Jesus’ resurrection. The point is we should belief that it is not a theory we believe but proven truth for which we have evidence.
3 To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3 (ESV)
Q: So, what evidence do we have that Jesus was resurrected in the flesh?
A: I Cor. 15:3-9
1.Eye-witnesses v5-6 over 500. (I Pet. 1:16)
2.Historical Writings of New Testament writers. Mt. Mk. Lk. Jn. Paul, Peter.
3.Lack of evidence that proves their eye-witness testimony not true.
The gospel accounts of the resurrection have not been proven to be wrong. There are only theories as to why Jesus’ body was not in the tomb. Those we will discuss tonight.
Q: What proof do we have that it was a bodily resurrection?
A: Lk 24:39 some would wonder if it were only a ghost they had seen or a vision, which would explain a possibility for a tomb, but Jesus assured them that it was him in the flesh.
Summary argument:
Put these two up against each other to explain what happen to Jesus.
1. On one hand you have the gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, which includes over 500 eye-witnesses. Some of those eye-witnesses preached His resurrection for years upon years. (Looks like the chances are over 500 positives to 1 maybe)
-We have to remember that even historically or from an archaeological standpoint the fact that there are hundreds of manuscripts that give one account should show that the one with more evidence is more valid.
- Even in a court of law the manuscripts should hold up more weight that this theory. The other theory is just that; a theory. An elaborate story based on a string of very shaky “ifs.” This is only a slightly “cleverly devised myth.” You have the one guy’s theories against many witnesses.
Extra biblical:
1.Names:
-These names were carved into the side of these ossuaries around 2000 years ago. They were barely readable.
-One expert on the names said it was a possibility, it could be. In an interview with archeology experts in a program after one of the experts said that He knew the man very well and they took him out of context and that the man did not agree with them on the names.)The whole foundation for the claim is based on a maybe it could be the name of Jesus.
-The name Jesus was very common then. For example in the book of Acts (13) we find “Bar-Jesus” or the son of Jesus. Even if the name was Jesus it does not prove anything. We only have a small sample of the names from those whose tombs were found and could be read. Therefore their “odds or chances” are based on an unreliable number.
-They have to make up an excuse to why there is a Matthew in a family tomb…
2.Mary of Magdalene
-This whole thing is based on the small possibility that Mareamne means Mary of Magdalene. Otherwise the fact that this name is in there should be evidence against the case, as it goes with the Matthew ossuary.
-The whole thing stands or falls on whether Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. No legitimate scholars or historian has ever said this to be so beside the gospel accounts. In other words there is no evidence. One expert says to believe this you have to throw out all of what is known about Mary and Jesus.
-DNA evidence – this could almost stand alone as something to deal with. The fact that these two people were not maternally related does not mean they were married. What are some other possibilities? Wife of other male in tomb. Half sister, esc.
-Why did they not do DNA test on the rest of the bone fragments? Why not test Joseph and “Jesus?” If Jesus was a match would that not prove in theory that Jesus was a man only. What if Mareamne matched with Joseph or others? This is intentional. This shows that those who did this film wanted a certain outcome.
- Or biggest of all if they would have tested “Matthew” bones and it was a match to Mary or Joseph or “Jesus” the whole theory would fall apart.
3.Ossuary of James
- This whole idea is ridiculous for a few reasons. # 1 the original archaeologist who examined the tomb said that the ossuary that is now “missing” was there and that it had no inscription on it, furthermore, it is now in a museum.
- Which, by the way, the man who did all this is not an archeologist only a “journalist” and filmmaker.
- The man who comes up with the ossuary with the inscription of James is now on trial. Does he sound legitimate? Beside the James ossuary was shown to be a fake years ago.
- The crime lab that did the test on the patina was taken out of context. He never said that it was a perfect match only similar.
Summary:
Names
1. The entire foundation for the theory is based on names that cannot be 100% accurately translated. (Based on “if”)
2. Even if the names are translated correctly there is no proof that it is Jesus and His family. There were many people with same names. (IF)
Mary
3. There is no evidence that Mareamne is Mary Magdalene. DNA does not prove this. DNA only shows they were selective w/ evidence.
4. No reliable evidence that Jesus was ever married to Mary. Only myth and recent fictional theory.
James Ossuary
5. The original archeologist evidence proves James ossuary wrong. The hoax of James’ ossuary and the one who it was found with destroys its credibility.
6. The crime lab evidence was not 100% certain. This showed the desire of the filmmaker to bend the truth.
