There has been a lot of media attention given to The Discovery Channel's announcement of a TV special to air in March. It is called, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus." The show exploits the discovery in 1980 of 10 "ossuaries" at a construction site in southern Jerusalem. It is believed that they are from a 1st-century burial plot. On the ossuaries are inscribed the names, "Mary", "Matthew", "Jesus, son of Joseph" and "Judas son of Jesus." Because these names were so common in 1st century Palestine, the discovery was passed over by scholars and archaeologists.
Now however, with the sensation of "The DiVinci Code" and other skeptic efforts, a Hollywood producer has decided to break this sensation news. They will claim that these tombs are those of Jesus of Nazareth, Mary Magdalene (his wife), and his children. They will, thus, try to discredit the Christian claim that Jesus arose from the dead.
Israeli archaeologist Amos Kloner says that of 900 1st-centry tombs uncovered around Jerusalem, 71 have included someone named Jesus -- and at least one other "Jesus son of Joseph." Further, one of every 5 women in the 1st century was named Mary. This does not even consider that Jesus Christ was from Galilee, and it seems very unlikely that, if he had survived the cross -- he would have made his home in Jerusalem.
Further, if that had been his body, don't you imagine that the Romans and Jews would have put it on display to squelch the claims of the apostles and early Christians.
Yet, because we live in such skeptical times, with Christianity being the target of most of the skeptics, we will have to endure yet another media shot at the very core of our faith. Times are difficult. We must draw together and face the onslaught of the Evil One with a united front.
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4 comments:
It is these types of efforts that make me thankful for faith. If I don't have faith, I can't believe in God. If I don't have faith I can't believe my wife and children love me. If I don't have faith, I can't believe much of anything and I certainly can't have hope.
With faith, I have a better world ahead of me, I have hope, I know I am loved.
If they can prove that my faith is wrong, so be it. Yet, I will remain faithful in the knowledge that they are wrong, that God is alive and well, that He loves me and has given me all I need. Let them keep their bones, their inscriptions, their tombs...I will cling to my faith and revel in it.
When I study the history of the early church, I find it easy to endure the onslaughts of Satan's work being promoted by todays disbelievers. While both Augustus and Nero physically persected the early bretheren, today we only have to endure the verbal persecutions. Working with those who daily question how I can be both a scientist and a Christian, I know I have it so much better than my ancient brothers and sisiters. While my training requires I question scientific data, my faith says that God would not allow me to be intentionally mislead by those who wrote of witnessing the life of Christ and the Acts of his Apostles. And that is the bottom line: where does one's faith lie? If I am to believe that there is an afterlife in the presence of God, then I cannot put my faith in some movie-maker or other mortal. It's really easy, you analyze all the data and decide whether your in or out. I pray that the life I lead will always keep me "in".
Yes, this is just more DiVinci Code bullarky.
One report I read said that some archaelogists don't even believe that the name "Jesus" on the ossuary is interpreted correctly; it should be Hunan or Huran or something with an H, I can't remember exactly.
I think James Cameron is the producer/director of this Discovery channel documentary. He directed the movie Titanic about ten years ago. And like Titanic he will use tidbits of history/ archaeology to tell the story he wants to tell; just like there was no "Jack or Rose or Heart of the Ocean gemstone," on the real Titanic, he will portray his "documentary" as the most interesting story he can make it.
Without taking my personal faith even into consideration, the whloe notion of this tomb being the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth is nonsense based on rational consideration for the reasons Rick points out.
Back in the day, when I was more actively involved in the gun owner rights movement, I learned that the mainstream media routinely misrepresented reality to advance their perceived agenda and point of view. When it comes to credibility, I'll take the word of God over the media eight days a week.
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