Mainpage
Bibleteachings


 

The Lost Tomb of Jesus?

 


We are live in a time when many Bible prophecies are being fulfilled. We also live in time, which is very near Yeshua's (Jesus) second coming. For this reason, many people attack with all powers of evil against the Bible's message, and these attacks will increase. These false attacks also use modern technology as "help" in order to spread their lies. However, in vain the world tries to invalidate the depiction in the Bible of Yeshua as the Messiah. God has built the evidence of His word on the everlasting foundation, which will never fall, but will stand and is valid for ever. One attack against the word of God is a documentary film, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" (director James Cameron) and book The Jesus Family Tomb (written by Simcha Jacobovici and Charles Pellegrino). The documentary and book tell about the same subject "The Jesus Family Tomb". But when we research closer this sensation, and we notice it is only a sensation, filled with assumptions and absolute lies, which try to negate the truth about Jesus Christ which is in the Bible.

Talpiot's tomb

Actually, the story begins in the year 1980, in which a discovery of a tomb near Jerusalem was made. Archaeologist Amos Kloner led the original excavation as the district archaeologist of Jerusalem. Kloner said: "It 's not scholarly or scientific, "It's very amateur".  On the basis of research the tomb had belonged to middle class or upper class Jewish family. The tomb dated between 583 B.C and 70 A.D. In the tomb  three skulls and ten ossuaries were found.    Six of these had written names on them. In 1996, BBC made documents of the tombs discovery at Talpiot. Archaeologist Amos Kloner cancelled claims and speculations that the tomb would be Jesus' family tomb. Kloner said that claims, which are connected to Jesus' family tomb, are  insupportable grounds. Kloner said also that people want to make money through those "sensational" claims.

Discovery of the tomb once more into view

Book The Jesus Family Tomb published in February 2007. Document film The Lost Tomb of Jesus presented in American Discovery-channel 4 March 2007. Book and document raised again into view Talpiot's tomb discovery and this time with new evidences, which claims that in question would be Jesus' family tomb. New discoveries show that there are names of Jesus and His family members on ossuaries. There are inscriptions in six ossuaries and next names are written on them:

- Yeshua bar Yehosef, ossuary 80/503. Written in Aramaic and means Jesus son of Joseph. This ossuary was simpler looking with all ossuaries. They said that big cross was found beside Yeshua's name from that ossuary. They said that this was Jesus' ossuary.

- Maria, ossuary 80/505. This name was engraved in Aramaic, but a Latin form of the Hebrew name Miriam. They said that this ossuary was mother of Jesus.

- Mariamene e Mara, ossuary 80/500. Name Mariamene is Greek and Mara Aramaic, and this inscription means: Mary known as the master (or teacher). They said that this person is Mary Magdalene.

- Yehuda bar Yeshua, ossuary 80/501. In Aramaic Judah son of Jesus. They said that this child's ossuary belonged to Jesus' son.

- Matya, מַתָּי ossuary 80/502. Hebrew for Matthew, Matya is shortened form from Mattitjahu. They claimed that that there is evidence that Mary mother of Jesus had many relatives named Matthew.

- Yose, ossuary 80/504. Yose is Hebrew name and shortened from Joseph. They claimed that this person is Joseph brother of Jesus, not father of Jesus.

- Year 2000 was found discovery, James ossuary, whereby was engraved inscription: "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus".


In the picture is tombs hacked to the rock.
These tombs are not tombs of the document film.

Facts about discoveries

Yeshua bar Yehosef ossuary's big cross is not evidence, that ossuary belonged to Jesus. Early church didn't use pictures of crosses. Describing of crosses among Christians born in the time of Caesar Constance and before that there is no archaeological proofs and any proofs that Early church Christians used pictures of crosses. Name of Joseph was in that time second popular name among Jews and Jesus' name sixth popular. Of the time of Jesus, Jesus name appeared 99 times and 22 of them was found from ossuaries. Jesus' and Joseph's names were so common that as clear fact can be hold that among Jesus' contemporaries was many families where father name was Joseph and son's name was Jesus. Ossuary 80/503 can be someone Jesus' ossuary, but not Bible's Jesus. Stephen Pfann, president of Jerusalem's University of the Holy Land and an expert in Semitic languages said that inscription read as "Jesus" has been misread and suggests that the name "Hanun" might be a more accurate rendering.

Maria ossuary name was written in Aramaic but a Latin form of the Hebrew name Miriam. Mary is for Hebrew Miriam, מִרְיָם.

From all ossuary discoveries where has been Mary's name, eight of them, it has been in a Latin form of the Hebrew name Miriam. I believe that if really would be question about Jesus' family tomb, so the name of Jesus mother would be written Miriam and not for Latin form Maria. Hardly remains of Jesus' mother would be written in a Latin form, because Jesus' mother name was Miriam and not Maria. Jesus' mother was a Jew not pagan. Romans spoke Latin and Jews Aramaic. Ossuary 80/505 is not Jesus' mother ossuary, but someone else ossuary. Supporting of claims that question would be Jesus' mother, they have brought up from apocrypha Acts of Philip, in which Jesus' mother has been written in a Latin form Maria. We must remember that Acts of Phillip is apocrypha not a book of the Bible. Acts of Phillip have been written about 300-400 centuries. Acts of Phillip have been written as time, whereby Roman Catholic Church institution has born and as typical was to that time that church used pagan doctrines and names. Same at that time from Jesus' mother Miriam, church used Latin (pagan) form Maria. Acts of Phillip writing time and Latin form Maria rather proves that in question wasn't Jesus' mother Miriam. Acts of Phillip have been written during initial history of Roman Catholic Church, and it has not authority of the Bible, but it is an apocrypha book. New Testament Greek form Mariam comes from Hebrew word Miriam and Greek form Maria comes from Latin form Maria. New Testament canonical Greek texts Jesus' mother name has been written with two different ways Mariam and Maria. Mary Magdalene has been written always Maria and not even once from word Mariam. I believe that if would be question from Jesus' mother ossuary, there would be used form Miriam and not Latin form Maria. This ossuary belongs to somebody else, and it is not Jesus' mother ossuary.

Mariamene e Maran means Mariamne known as the master (teacher/rabbi). Mara is in aramaic master or teacher (rabbi). Document says that in gnostic gospels Mary Magdalene was called name Mariamne, and because the name reminds ossuary's name Mariamene, so is question about Mary Magdalene. Mitochondrial DNA tests were made in Lakehead university about ossuaries specimens ("bones of Yeshua and Mary Madgalene"). Specimens pointed out that they were not blood relatives from mother's side. Document says that when they were not blood relatives from mother's side, so9 they must be married couple, because otherwise Jews wouldn't bury them to same family tomb. Document gives more "evidences" by bringing into view gnostic sources: Pistis Sophia and Gospel of Philippus. According to these texts Mary Madgalene is called by the name Mariamne.


Like this they end up to conclusion that Mary Magdalene was Jesus' wife. Clear facts point out that this document is erroneous. Amos Kloner professor of archaeology at Israel's Bar-Ilan University has examined tomb discoveries 1980, and he said that writings in ossuaries are too unclear, and they don't fill standards of archeological research, but as sensation, they bring money to those who present these claims. Stephen Pfann, president of Jerusalem's University of the Holy Land and an expert in Semitic languages said that Mariamene should read as Mariame and Martha. Pfann thinks that to this ossuary has put bones of two different persons, in which other one has later added into ossuary. Document says that Mariamene is Greek and Mara Aramaic. Why in ossuary would be written a name of the person with two different language? This proves for us that makers of document have read it wrongly and there should read Mariame and Martha. Document says that Mary Magdalene's ossuary read Mariamne known as the master (teacher/rabbi). Their claim exposes that it is a lie, because in Jewish religion and culture wasn't female teachers (rabbi) and have never been. Jews were very strict that in their religion and culture men were only rabbis and not women. It is impossible that Mary Magdalene would be a master (teacher/rabbi). Stephen Pfann expert in Semitic languages has said that in ossuary reads Mariame and Martha. This also proves that document makers claims are wrong and misleading.

Yehuda bar Yeshua's ossuary is claimed to be ossuary of Judah who was son of Jesus. However, history and the Bible don't tell this kind of information. This information is false if they mean that this Judah was the son of Jesus Christ, because Jesus didn't have any biological descendants.

Matya ossuary is said to mean Matthew who was a relative of Mary. This is document makers assumption, because this can't be proven, and it is not a fact.

Yose ossuary is said to being ossuary of Joseph (Greek. Joses) who was brother of Jesus Christ. Many were called in that time Joseph, so this is also assumption and not a fact.

Many researchers and archeologists think that Cameron's and Jacobovici's discoveries are as sensational money collecting, and their discoveries are unclear and inaccurate.


This ossuary is not any of the document film ossuaries.
From the picture we can see appearance of ossuary.
This ossuary has been found in the first century from Jerusalem
and it was ossuary of Caiaphas. In ossuary was inscription "Yosef bar Caifa".
This picture is used with permission.

Statements of experts and specialists

Timo Eskola. Finnish New Testament researcher, who works in university of Helsinki and Finnish theological institution has said, that from Jerusalem has found earlier the tomb from which were names Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Judah, John and Martha. Very similar names can be found also from other discoveries! Timo Eskola says that western people haven't used to understand that many men had the name Jesus in that time and name Jesus (Yeshua) wasn't only the name of Christ and Saviour, but also a name of many other men.

Amos Kloner. Professor Kloner says that Jesus' name has been found 71 times from tomb discoveries who have been contemporary of Jesus Christ.

Paul Maier. Professor of history (Western Michigan University). Maier reminds, that in first century were 21 famous Yeshua (Jesus), which Josephus mentions in his works.

Stephen Pfann. He said that in document was calculations which contained many errors, and they based misuse of statistics. He said that Mariamene e Mara has been understood wrongly, which should be Mariame and Martha and not Mariamne known as the master (rabbi/teacher). As we know Jews don't have female rabbis and never had. Document makers have erred and their claims are not true.

Ben Witherington. Ben Witherington Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary and evangelical Biblical scholar. Ben said very wise statement by saying that DNA tests could tell that people are relatives one another, but only then when could be finding remains of Jesus' family members, but this kind of specimen is not existing..

Kansanlähetys Uusi Tie (Finnish Christian magazine publication): According to all old sources of manuscripts the tomb of Jesus Christ was empty - even Jewish and Romans authorities recognise this. It took about one year, when flesh of a man destroyed and after that his bones was put into ossuary. However, body of Jesus was disappeared on the third from the grave of Joseph of Arimathaea. Should we believe, that Jesus' disciples or relatives removed Him to another tomb for one year time and after that smuggled Him from Jerusalem to expensive tomb, which they have paid, and that they on top of everything else begin to preach, that Jesus has resurrected from the dead, even they knew where He was? Besides that they paid their claims by dying! Numero 10/2007

Article of Uusi Tie (New Way) explains very wisely that it was impossible that disciples would steal His body and put Him another tomb. We have to remember also that His tomb was empty, because He had risen from the dead!

James' ossuary

Document film The Lost Tomb of Jesus tells also discovering of James' ossuary, which was found in Talpiot Israel 2002, and it is claimed to have been the ossuary of James, who was brother of Jesus Christ. Document makers held this as a prove for the ossuary of James, the brother of Jesus. Many believe that latter part of text (brother of Jesus) is a modern fake, but otherwise ossuary is a genuine archeological discovery. Israeli Antiquities Authority has said also that James' ossuary latter part of text is fake, which have been added there later. Ben Witherington said that James' ossuary has not been found in Talpiot, but in Silwan. In James' ossuary was soil, which matched with Silwan region soil. Tomb of Talpiot was rock grave, and there wasn't similar soil as what was in ossuary. James' ossuary is a genuine archeological discovery, but latter part of it text is a fake, and ossuary is not found in the same place as other tomb discoveries. James' ossuary is not the tomb of Jesus family and rest of discoveries which Jacobovici claims to be Jesus family tombs are not His family tombs.

Testimony of the Bible (Word of God)

Lastly, I left the best and more reliable witness, God and His word.

The Bible gives the testimony that the Lord Jesus rose up bodily, and His earthly remains do not exist, not in the tomb or the ossuary. The Bible says that His flesh didn't see the corruption, because He rose up bodily. This evidence of the Bible disproves the story of documentary film for the tomb and the ossuary of Jesus.

Acts 2:
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

Document film claimed that in ossuary read Mariamne known as the master (teacher/rabbi). Jews don't have female rabbis and teachers, there weren't those in the time of Jesus and haven't been after it. Claim of the document is the primitive lie, because the Jews didn't and don't have female teachers (rabbi).

Matt 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Matt 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

Jesus Christ gave command to His followers and disciples, that can't call themselves by words rabbi and master. This also very powerful evidence that Jews wouldn't write onto ossuary of a woman that she is master (rabbi). This claim is a lie and very primitive lie.

According to canting claim Mary Magdalene was a wife of Jesus Christ. Mary Magdalene wasn't the wife of Jesus Christ, because the Bible proves this ver clearly. Jesus wasn't married and He doesn't have a wife.

John 19:
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Luke 23:49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

Joh 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

Canting information tells that Mary Madgalene was that disciple, which Jesus loved. The Bible cancels this. Near the cross of Jesus Christ stood all His acquaintance (disciples) His mother (Miriam/Mary) and His mother's sister and Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Madgalene. Jesus Christ hung on the cross and watched to His mother and the disciple whom He loved and said: Woman, behold your son! These words of Jesus Christ expose for us that this loved one was not a woman (not Mary Magdalene), but a man who was John. Jesus loved John with love of God, not by love, which a man loves a woman.

According to the testimony of the Bible Jesus Christ rose from the dead and the tomb was empty. Document film makers claim that disciples went to get the body of Jesus to safe place and after that they would take His body to Jesus' family tomb. Claim of the document tried to crush the resurrection, which the Bible tells. Document's claim is a lie, because Jesus rose on the right side of His Father. The majority for apostles suffered the death of martyr for the sake of the gospel. If would be cheating by side of apostles, hardly they would want to see and experience a lot of trouble for the sake of the gospel and would be ready to die for the gospel and Jesus Christ. Apostles preached the gospel for Jesus Christ as a fact, which had been happened and Jesus Christ also appeared them after His death. Because of so strong evidence, apostles were ready to die for the gospel and Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ rose up as bodily resurrection, and for this reason Jesus' earthly remains cannot be found. The tomb is empty, because He has risen up to the right side of His Father!

Mark 16:
1 ¶ And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

There is not existing any Jesus' ossuary and claim which says that they have found Jesus' ossuary is testimony of a lie. Motives for Jesus' ossuary are roots of sin, which want to forbid existence of God and Jesus Christ. Father of sin (satan) knows, that when to people are told canting "facts" about Jesus and the Bible most people believe them. Because they are not interested about it what the Bible says, and they don't understand about Bible's original language and have not knowledge of Jesus' time Jewish culture and religion. For this reason these canting "experts" can easily deceive them. The Bible says that Jesus Christ died for sins of people, and that He rose up to the right side of His Father.

 

Petri Paavola from Finland



Sources:

Raamattu 33/38 (Finnish Bible)
Old King James version
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17345429/

Interview:Simcha Jacobovici, James Cameron

The Lost Tomb of Jesus official site
http://dicillo.wordpress.com/2007/03/

Amos Kloner

 





eXTReMe Tracker