As expected, the so-called Jesus Discovery is making headlines around the world. The claims are amazing; the leaps in logic are breath-taking; and most archaeologists are utterly unconvinced. What has actually been found and what does it really mean? Before I can answer that question, I have to back up a bit.
Five years ago
In February 2007 Simcha Jacobovici, Canada's "Naked Archaeologist," and James Cameron, producer of "Robocop" and "Titanic," announced to the world that they had found the tomb of Jesus and his family. A book was released and a television documentary aired the following month. The tomb they had "found" had, in fact, been excavated in 1980. In 1996 the BBC aired a documentary exploring a possible Jesus connection.
Scholars didn't bite then and they aren't biting now. Respected archaeologist William Dever judged the whole business as "the worst kind of archaeology." Most agree.
The new Jesus Discovery claims are another kick at the can. But they are no more convincing this time than they were last time. Let's take a look.
What lies beneath
A second tomb, about 200 feet from the first one, was found in 1981, but archaeologists, pressured by Jewish fundamentalists, were not able to remove the ossuaries for study. The tomb was sealed and a condo was built over it.
Through diplomacy, ingenuity, and lots of hard work, in May 2010 Jacobovici and his team managed to drill a hole into the tomb (now called the "Patio Tomb") and insert a camera mounted on a mechanical arm. They did a remarkable job scanning the tomb and its contents. The tomb is made up of an entrance, a central chamber, nine niches, and seven ossuaries (small limestone bone boxes). Skeletal remains that had not been placed in ossuaries were found in four niches.
Two ossuaries caught the attention of Jacobovici and his team. One ossuary presented an etching of an oblong, vertical object. The other exhibited four incised Greek words. The object is said to be fish, with tail up and head down. At the end of the fish's mouth is a circle, interpreted as the head of Jonah, wrapped in seaweed. This fish, we are told, is spewing out Jonah. Because Jesus compared himself to Jonah, in the belly of the great fish for three days, Jacobovici thinks we have an allusion to Jesus. James Tabor agrees, declaring that it is "the earliest representation of the resurrection."
The Greek words on the second ossuary are interpreted to read, "God Jehovah, Raise up! Raise up!" or, perhaps, "Lord Jesus, Rise up! Rise up!" Thus, the fish that spews out Jonah and the Greek inscription compliment one another, each in its own way testifying to the belief that Jesus has been raised up. So goes the theory.
What it really means
All of this interpretation is convoluted and unconvincing. Eric Meyers, who teaches archaeology at Duke University and has written a major work on Jewish ossuaries and burial traditions, rightly notes that the "fish" has nothing to do with Jonah. It is more likely an urn or amphora, with handles, a nefesh (lit. "soul") that represents the life of the person contained in the ossuary. One of the other ossuaries in the tomb is adorned with a nefesh. The patterns in the fish-like nefesh, including the so-called "tail" at the top and the circle at the bottom, are seen is seen in others. Other archaeologists and interpreters are weighing in; and they agree with Meyers.
As for the Greek words, there is no reference to Jesus. The generally accepted reading, including that given by Jacobovici, is Dios Iaio hypso (H)agab. This most naturally translates "I Hagab lift up the Lord God." The language comes right out of the Bible: "I shall lift you up, Lord" (Ps 29:2 in the Greek version). Turning the inscription into a petition that Jesus be raised up is completely without foundation. The Patio Tomb has nothing to do with Jesus and his movement.
Jacobovici and his team construct a remarkable thesis from these two ossuaries. The documentary declares that the Patio Tomb provides "dramatic evidence that the tomb 200 feet away ... is the Jesus family tomb" and then concludes by saying that "it is now up to scholars to weigh the evidence." Have no doubt; they will.
ABC News assured viewers that the Patio Tomb "will be debated for the next 2,000 years." I shall be quite surprised if anyone is talking about it in two years.
Craig A. Evans is the Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. He has published several books, including Jesus and His World: The Archaeological Evidence (Westminster John Knox Press, 2012).
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Here is some research courtesy of brittanylynn3. Compare the images.
http://thejesusdiscovery.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_7422-400x.jpg
http://www.metmuseum.org/search-results?ft=unguentarium+&x=0&y=0
The 2nd group of images of vases has only 2 that come close. Neither are of that time period or location, historically. But more interesting is the fact that they don't have a stick man with a seaweed head in or on them. Their vase mouths are not flat and wide as a fish tail IS. The fins (fish) or lugs (vase) would break off easy were string looped through them as was the custom. The ball shaped seaweed head is not a small vase stand.
Adding to the evidence would be the 4 line depiction mentioning 'raising up.'
If you are truly interested in truth... email him and challenge him with your best shot.
To me, that seems cheap and too easy.
Mother Teresa did her works without feeling Deity's presence.
That's all I'm writing here, anything else, from your 'hateful comments' to 'non believer' (racism?) to trying to prove Jesus didn't exist are all your contentions and are your responsibility, not mine nor anyone elses.
One of the primary reasons that Pontius Pilate gave the crowd the opportunity to choose between Jesus Barabbas or Jesus the Messiah is because he feared a revolution. Pilate had dealt with the Jews, especially concerning images brought to Jerusalem from Casarea, before and capitulated to their demands.
The population of Jerusalem, during the time of Passover and Jesus' crucifixion, swelled to about 100,000 Jews. Pilate had a standing army of only 10,000 soldiers. Therefore, you can better believe that he allowed for a proper burial of Jesus.
Now, why atheists continue to seek every post concerning Jesus so that they can reply in a negative manner is the greatest of all mysteries. Sometimes, they attempt to justify themselves that they are doing so for altruistic reasons. The truth is it can be for only two reasons that they do such: 1.) they are seeking Jesus; or, 2.) they wish to crucify Him. No other reasons are valid.
State what happened on Easter. No proof is being requested right now. Merely tell exactly what happened on that day. In each of the four Gospels, begin at Easter morning and read to the end of the book: Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20-21. Also read Acts 1:3-12 and Paul's tiny version of the story in I Corinthians 15:3-8. Then, without omitting a single detail from these separate accounts, write a simple, chronological narrative of the events between the resurrection and the ascension: what happened first, second, and so on; who said what, when; and where these things happened. If the Bible is inspired by an omnipotent god, none of the account should contradict each other.
Maybe that is why it is said "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you".
A real "atheist" would not seek something which he thinks does not exist. However, it is doubt in the mind of the atheist which would cause him to seek God. When, he makes that transition he is no longer an atheist.
Onionboy, if you are seeking God the Holy Spirit will know your soul and present God to you in a way that you won't doubt. Please, don't search only with your intellect. Jesus is not trapped in a 2000 year old collection of books, and we are instructed, too, not to search for the living among the dead.
And then when it fails under the non-partisan scrutiny of scientific inquiry, they fall back on all manner of silliness: we don't really need proof, there's something wrong with your scientific tests, it only works if you believe.
Always entertaining; always hilarious.
Gee, a guy in the prime of life being executed in the traditional Roman way during a time of extreme civil strife. well there is clearly only *one* possibility. /sarcasm.
"How do you know that anything you just said is true?" why would I want to make it up? People or years have been saying, 'If I could just see His face or talk to a dead relative, then I would believe!" I've just given the biblical explanation of why all the proof has been given for the existence of God Put your faith in God, not some sucker that claims ‘Eureka! I’ve found it. I have found the proof! “ These people just want self edification and attention. Don’t fall for their scams…you know in some way it will cost you. Now many will reject God because they can't touch Him or see Him and that is fine. As it is written "Blessed are those who have NOT SEEN and yet believed (John 20:29). Its all about faith and one has to have faith. Them is da rules.
You think Jacobovici and his nonsense will be shut down within two years? I'd really like to think so, but it seems over-optimistic to me.
>>>>A major part of crucifixion was the denial of burial rites as a last act of humiliation. In ancient times, to die without proper burial was considered a horrible fate, particularly to the Jews. It’s more than likely Jesus’ body was left outside Jerusalem’s walls with other refuse as a deterrent to troublemakers.
I agree -- assuming that Jesus ever existed at all. If his body was taken down from the Cross as depicted in the Bible, someone would have had to have gotten very unusual permission from the Romans in order to do so.
Also, as many real archaeologists have pointed out, the Jesus depicted in the New Testament came from a poor family, and these ossuaries belonged to rich families.
The absurdities in Jacobovici's assertions are legion.
Matthew 27:57 ¶ When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:
58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.