Jesus' Tomb Found? Controversy Resurfaces

Although originally discovered in 1980, a tomb outside Jerusalem that dates from the time of Jesus that contained ossuaries labeled with names right out of the Bible, such as Joseph, Jesus - son of Joseph, Mary, etc. This tomb was the subject of a recent conference to try and determine its authenticity.

Time Magazine Article

A leading New Testament expert from Princeton Theological Seminary, Prof. James Charlesworth, was intrigued enough to organize a conference in Jerusalem this week, bringing together over 50 archeologists, statisticians and experts in DNA, ceramics and ancient languages, to give evidence as to whether or not the crypt of Christ had been found. Their task was complicated by the fact that since the tomb was opened in 1980, the bones of the various ossuaries had gone missing through a mishap of Israeli bureaucracy. Also gone were diagrams made by excavators that showed where each stone sarcophagus lay inside the tomb, and what the family relationships might have been, say, between Jesus and Mary Magdelene, who some speculate may have been his wife.

and ...

After three days of fierce debate, the experts remained deeply divided. Opinion among a panel of five experts ranged from "no way" to "very possible". Charlesworth told Time: "I have reservations, but I can't dismiss the possibility that this tomb was related to the Jesus clan." Weighing the evidence, says Charlesworth, "we can tell that this was the tomb of a Jewish family from the time of Jesus. And we know that the names on the ossuaries are expressed the correct way as 'Jesus, son of Joseph'." But the professor has a few doubts. "The name on Jesus's ossuary was scrawled on, like graffiti. There was no ornamentation. And there should have been. After all, his followers believed he was the Son of God."

If this is truly the tomb of the biblical Jesus, what does that mean for the Christian religion of over a billion people world wide, which says Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven?

lol...this is the most rediculous crap ever proposed!
Jesus, the man who impacted mankind more than any man in history, who was the son of God gets his name scrawled in graffiti on a box of bones and people believe that it is him!

People want so badly to disprove the existence of Jesus and God that they will believe anything! I guess it makes them feel better, and God will let them. The only thing is we will all have to stand before him and explain why!

As for me, and my family, we will serve the Lord! Way too much evidence to prove the existence of Jesus and his resurrection than to disprove!

I agree with Bug. How many have tried to prove a relic or archaeological site is related to Jesus? Many. Both in an attempt to verify and disprove Christianity. There are so many supposed tombs of Jesus. He wasn't buried in twelve different tombs. Something has to give.

I remain skeptical about the bodies of Abraham, Isaac, Leah, and whoever else is supposedly buried in Israel. It might be them but I doubt it. Even if we tested their tissue samples and the results line up with the time the Bible mentions them being alive it still proves nothing to the devout skeptic.

We could find the Holy grail. Then what? Use DNA samples to see if it is Jesus' saliva? Impossible. We have nothing to compare it to.

Believers need no more proof and skeptics will never have enough. So it's pointless. When I hear things like this I think, "That's nice." And move along.

Didn't james cameron have something to do with this last year sometime?

If I remember rightly it was dismissed as a publicity stunt.

I just saw something about this on CNN, some Israeli archaeologists who just passed away, wife claimed her husband knew where the tomb is.

Mind you, its in the Jewish interest to get rid of the "Christ cult" as they see it.

There are Jews who see their mission in life as the destruction of Christianity by any means possible. Such Jews are relatively few in number but nonetheless fierce in their desire to destroy the Christians and their Messiah.

This matter of the tomb being portrayed as something more than a tomb with a family of people with common popular names of an era is simply propaganda and perhaps someone's attempt to get more funding from an anti-Christian foundation.

Originally posted by BugZyZuncle
lol...this is the most rediculous crap ever proposed!
Jesus, the man who impacted mankind more than any man in history, who was the son of God gets his name scrawled in graffiti on a box of bones and people believe that it is him!

People want so badly to disprove the existence of Jesus and God that they will believe anything! I guess it makes them feel better, and God will let them. The only thing is we will all have to stand before him and explain why!

As for me, and my family, we will serve the Lord! Way too much evidence to prove the existence of Jesus and his resurrection than to disprove!

it sounds plausible, look at how many generations have gone by, and if there were some who claim that it was the actually tomb, its hard to say that someone at a later date could have scribed that out of devotion to jesus and just wanted it to be known

it doesnt necessarily mean that the name was done the same day he actually was buried there

its like me going to ground zero in NYC and writing , "dont forget" and here it is almost 7 years now after

First Jesus is spelled Yhsh and was as common as Joe is in our day
Mary was Mirium and Or Mrhm Not Mary. Bad translation from the 1611 Bible, There are no J in the hebrew language and no written vowel sounds.

Many named Mary and Many Named Yashua, Not be fooled by people that think they know all. Most are paid to put together a television show you will watch.

Read the word.

That's silly that peoples faith would crumble if they found out this was true.

It disproves nothing if this is true.

I believe Joseph had sex with Mary to have Jesus.

That doesn't mean he still wasn't the son of God either and just because he died a physical death doesn't mean his soul didn't rise to heaven.

I'm pretty sure Jesus would be saying have you no faith?

Jewish people back then and now believe the messiah will be a normal human and that doesn't ruin their faith in a messiah.

Originally posted by Shawn B.
That's silly that peoples faith would crumble if they found out this was true.


I believe Joseph had sex with Mary to have Jesus.

You crazy thang! If Joseph had sex with Mary and conceived Jesus then that Jesus was worth nuttin' on the cross!

Go on now....go get yur Bible out and read it again!

Originally posted by jdposey
You crazy thang! If Joseph had sex with Mary and conceived Jesus then that Jesus was worth nuttin' on the cross!

Go on now....go get yur Bible out and read it again!

Exactly. And it goes so much further than just Isaiah's prophecy about a virgin giving birth that many claim really only means "a young woman." Hello? How can a woman giving birth to a son be a sign of all signs? It happens a thousand times a day. Even the Septuagint translators, centuries before Jesus came to earth, understood this referred to a virgin birth for the Messiah. But that is not all we have to go on.

In Genesis, the very first Messianic prophecy describes our future redeemer as being "the seed of the woman." Hello! Women don't have "seeds." Critics of the Bible like to say we got the science wrong. No, it's because this is something that will set Jesus apart- He will not be from the "seed" of man like every other human on earth.

And of course the naysayer's of Jesus' time who doubted who He was. They asked, "Isn't this the son of Mary? Isn't He the carpenter?" We don't see any significance today but this was a huge insult in antiquity to say a child was the son of his mother and not of his father. Hello! Jesus had no earthly father.

There are several more. Jesus had no earthly biological father. Even the pagan and secular skeptic historians of His day used the term "bastard" to describe Jesus because they were aware of the virgin birth story. Wake up.

Wonderful!

All the Christ lovin bible thumpin anti jewish loser are here....Yay!

It's great to see so much ignorance in one place....

Originally posted by LockwithnoKey
All the Christ lovin bible thumpin anti jewish loser are here....Yay!

Bible thumpers? Absolutely. Anti-Jewish? Not remotely. We worship a "Jew." Hello!

No to mention:

"I do not want you to be ignorant or conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in."

Translation: Hey Christians! It's not all about you. God isn't finished with the Jews so don't be conceited or ignorant.

[edit on 1/24/2008 by AshleyD]

Originally posted by jdposey


You crazy thang! If Joseph had sex with Mary and conceived Jesus then that Jesus was worth nuttin' on the cross!

Go on now....go get yur Bible out and read it again!

Well, maybe to you.

I see him dying on the cross as something more then a self benefit.

I don't believe he died for sins but because of sins.

Also it's a powerful symbol of being selfless, but people use it as a selfish gain.



[edit on 24-1-2008 by Shawn B.]

I agree with bug and ashely at the most part. But I think we forget that Jesus had a tomb but was resuract from that tomb. We may find his tomb someday just not his body.

reply to post by BugZyZuncle


Ok ya this is rediculas that a dead person is dead when the bible says snakes can talk seas can part and that a virgin can get pregnant so excuse me is looking at thae possible truth is not what nature wants lets listen to the source with no logical information that seems like a great idea you sir are inorant if you choose not to look at the possibility that this is real and by doing that you have discrased your religion. i hope you have a good life...

reply to post by AshleyD


Now i can under stand where you are coming from but look at the bible its filled with talking snakes and parting sea aswell as a pregnant virgin so as far as i see it it may be possible that there was a great man and i see that that man may in fact be dead and if he is not more power to you

Its a beautiful tomb so i hope they find its real meaning.

Even if they do find a tomb, theres nothing to say that one wasnt made for him by his wealthy disciples (such as the magdelene) in honour. Maybe thats why when they do discover tombs, they are empty.

There's not way this is the tomb of Christ. Haven't you heard yet? He is not here, but he is coming back again! I know people will believe it because they have a hardened heart and soul and just won't let them see or hear the truth.

Nope, it's not my Savior's tomb. He's not there! Amen!



Peace to all,
Grandma