Christians the world over believe that Jesus Christ was crucified, died, and then rose again on the third day. But with evidence of possibly finding the tomb and bones of Jesus, Christians are expressing anger over the findings.
While this isn’t new “news,” it has been brought to attention that in 1980, a set of tombs were found, one of which was possibly Jesus’. A 2007 documentary proclaimed that it was the “lost tomb of Jesus.”
According to CNN , “The film and its supporters claim that the Talpiot Tomb was the final resting place of Jesus of Nazareth and his family ,” even providing proof that Jesus had a family of his own.
So why exactly is this news yet again? This week, an Israeli archaeologist, Aryeh Shimron, has announced that he has more proof, in the form of dirt.
“The soil found on the Talpiot ossuaries was a very close match to the soil found on another controversial artifact: the James ossuary.”
What’s so special about the James ossuary? Because of the inscription, “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.”
It was dirt found in this ossuary that was originally purchased back in the 1970s that links it to the Talpiot Tomb, making archaeologists claim that it was once a part of the original tomb.
It is this fact that has Christians so upset. If Jesus’ tomb has been located and his bones have been found, doesn’t that mean he was never resurrected? That the whole basis of their faith isn’t the truth?
Some scientists have been quick to jump in and point out a few missing pieces of information that are key to pointing out that this couldn’t possibly be Jesus’ tomb.
According to Live Science , “ the real issue is that the scientific standards have not been met.”
One of the issues that experts have pointed out is that the James ossuary was bought in 1976, but the Talpiot Tomb wasn’t found until 1980. Experts added that it’s hard to believe that “this box closest to the doorway was looted, but all the others left just where they were.”
Another issue with this finding is “that a tomb that has always been thought to have held 10 ossuaries in fact held 11.”
James Tabor, a historian at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, admits that “[i]f you find the bones of Jesus, the resurrection is off,” which is why conservative Christians “see it as an attack on Christianity and also a refutation of the faith of Christianity.”
But he also admits that right now, Christians have nothing to worry about, as there is no definitive proof that the Talpiot Tomb belongs to Jesus Christ or that there even is a tomb for Jesus Christ.
[Photo Courtesy of James Tabor]
