Scholar: 'Jesus Tomb' makers mistaken

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By MATTI FRIEDMAN, Associated Press Writer

A scholar looking into the factual basis of a popular but widely criticized documentary that claims to have located the tomb of Jesus said Tuesday that a crucial piece of evidence filmmakers used to support their claim is a mistake.

Stephen Pfann, a textual scholar and paleographer at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, said he has released a paper claiming the makers of "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" were mistaken when they identified an ancient ossuary from the cave as belonging to the New Testament's Mary Magdalene.

The film's director, Simcha Jacobovici, responded that other researchers agreed with the documentary's conclusions.

Produced by Oscar-winning director James Cameron, the documentary has drawn intense media coverage for its claims challenging accepted Christian dogma.

Despite widespread ridicule from scholars, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" drew more than 4 million viewers when it aired on the Discovery Channel on March 4. A companion book, "The Jesus Family Tomb," has rocketed to sixth place on The New York Times nonfiction best-seller list.

The film and book suggest that a first-century ossuary found in a south Jerusalem cave in 1980 contained the remains of Jesus, contradicting the Christian belief that he was resurrected and ascended to heaven. Ossuaries are stone boxes used at the time to store the bones of the dead.

The filmmakers also suggest that Mary Magdalene was buried in the tomb, that she and Jesus were married, and that an ossuary labeled "Judah son of Jesus" belonged to their son.

The scholars who analyzed the Greek inscription on one of the ossuaries after its discovery read it as "Mariamene e Mara," meaning "Mary the teacher" or "Mary the master."

Before the movie was screened, Jacobovici said that particular inscription provided crucial support for his claim. The name Mariamene is rare, and in some early Christian texts it is believed to refer to Mary Magdalene.

But having analyzed the inscription, Pfann published a detailed article on his university's Web site asserting that it doesn't read "Mariamene" at all.

The inscription, Pfann said, is made up of two names inscribed by two different hands: the first, "Mariame," was inscribed in a formal Greek script, and later, when the bones of another woman were added to the box, another scribe using a different cursive script added the words "kai Mara," meaning "and Mara." Mara is a different form of the name Martha.

According to Pfann's reading, the ossuary did not house the bones of "Mary the teacher," but rather of two women, "Mary and Martha."

"In view of the above, there is no longer any reason to be tempted to link this ossuary ... to Mary Magdalene or any other person in biblical, non-biblical or church tradition," Pfann wrote.

In the interest of telling a good story, Pfann said, the documentary engaged in some "fudging" of the facts.

"James Cameron is a great guru of science fiction, and he's taking it to a new level with Simcha Jacobovici. You take a little bit of science, spin a good yarn out of it and you get another 'Terminator' or 'Life of Brian,'" said Pfann, who briefly appeared as an ossuary expert in the documentary.

In Israel on Tuesday for a screening of the film, the Toronto-based Jacobovici welcomed Pfann's criticism, saying "every inscription should be re-examined."

But Jacobovici said scholars who researched the ossuary in the past agreed with the film's reading. "Anyone who looks at it can see that the script was written by the same hand," he added.

Jacobovici has faced criticism much tougher than Pfann's academic critique. The film has been termed "archaeo-porn," and Jacobovici has been accused of "pimping the Bible."

Jacobovici attributes most of the criticism to scholars' discomfort with journalists "casting light into their ossuary monopoly."

"What we're doing is democratizing this knowledge, and this is driving some people crazy," he said.

___

On the Net: http://www.uhl.ac/MariameAndMartha

http://www.jesusfamilytomb.com

[Dan J 277]

It doesn't matter what the truth is about the site. Even if it is true, and Christ was buried there along with his family. Most Christians would just ignore the evidence and keep believing what they believe. Faith is quite powerful and usually not very logical.

I do have some doubts of the credibility of that scholar though. The university seems to have founded by some Christian groups to bring archaeological justification to their faith. I suppose to challenge anyone who would bring evidence to the contrary. Reminds me of a museum put up to prove that the earth was 6000 years old.

Edited March 14, 2007 by Dan + Gemvita

[beameup 0]

The Garden Tomb is the site proposed to be the tomb of Jesus by Charles Gordon following time spent in Palestine in 1882-83. It is outside the walls of 1st century Jerusalem in the side of a rocky escarpment.

This is the location most serious scholars consider for the last 150 years.

This is a photo of the site:

I guess current thinking is that liberals are so ignorant of Biblical archeology that they will believe anything - kind of like Emperor Constantine's mother.

[Fuzzness 2]

beameup... sheesh! why are you making this political?

[beameup 0]

beameup... sheesh! why are you making this political?

It's not "political" it's "fake Christianity" resurrected as a political party (for political gains).

[beameup 0]

beameup... sheesh! why are you making this political?

It's not "political" it's "fake Christianity" resurrected as a political party (for political gains) which has absolutely no interest in the Christian Religion or real scholarship, but only gaining power and Political Clout = post '60s DEMOCRAT PARTY.

And the post '60s DEMOCRAT PARTY, by utilizing the long-suffering and generosity of the American People has TAXED them into being "Good Samaritans" to any Illegal (Mexican) Aliens for Decades - and those "illegals" ALWAYS vote DEMOCRAT.

Now Hollywood, being ever so eager to make money, has been putting out totally inaccurate cinematic trash since "The Last Temptation of Christ" - to a completely IGNORANT (Anti-CHRISTian) LIBERAL audience.

Amazing considering that "The Robe" in 1954 won 2 Oscars and Richard Burton was Nominated for an Oscar.

And then there was that movie called "Ben Hur" with Charlton Heston.

[Fuzzness 2]

funny that i havent heard of this. you sure you aren't just making this up?

[almaty 19]

funny that i havent heard of this. you sure you aren't just making this up?

i agree, sounds/smells like bullsh!t to me

[Rob and Melinda 0]

Thanks Steven and Jinky for the post.

This whole discussion about the tomb of Jesus was debunked back in the 80's when the tomb was first discovered.

It is interesting that these attacks on Jesus always come around the time of Easter and our Lord's resurrection date!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the best documented event in all of human history. That is a Historical fact and no TV show can ever change that.

Rob and Melinda

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Thanks Steven and Jinky for the post.

This whole discussion about the tomb of Jesus was debunked back in the 80's when the tomb was first discovered.

It is interesting that these attacks on Jesus always come around the time of Easter and our Lord's resurrection date!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the best documented event in all of human history. That is a Historical fact and no TV show can ever change that.

Rob and Melinda

A rather simple test (which will offend non-Christians--NO APOLOGY!).

Religious leaders, body disposal, location:

• Confucius -- buried, tomb still has body
  
• Buddha -- cremated in Varanasi or Rajagriha, ashes dumped in river -- and still under billions of tonnes of silt (which could certainly be considered a tomb)
  
• Muhammad -- buried, tomb still has body
  
• Zarathushtra -- put out for vultures (as per Parsi custom), components recycled by nature
  
• Hindu sect leaders (too many to list here) -- cremated, ashes immersed in rivers
  
• Kabir and Nanak -- bodies said to have turned to flowers; ex-Hindu followers burned some, ex-Muslim followers buried rest -- effectively entombed
  
• Nine Sikh Gurus following Nanak -- cremated, ashes immersed
  
• Baha'ullah, Ghulam Ahmed -- buried, tomb still has body
  
• pseudo-Christian cult leaders (Charles Taze Russell, Brigham Young, Mary Baker Eddy, Jim Jones, etc) -- buried, tomb still has body
  

Jesus -- buried, TOMB EMPTY -- both well documented by HOSTILE Roman government (other than actual resurrection, all other explanations flop badly).

Edited March 22, 2007 by CherryXS

[Nagishkaw 510]

If it WAS the actual tomb or not, it's makes no difference....He isn't in there . He is in Heaven sitting at the right hand of God .

[Niels Bohr 72]

Hmmm....Buddhism has many derivatives. For some reason, there seem to be no problem with Buddhism across all of East, and South Asia.

Buddhism came for Hinduism. They share the same gods, and similar ideology. I'm not a theologian, but, between those two religions there seems to be hardly any terrorism, conflicts of interests, nothing. Not the same with Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, etc...seems there are more problems with those religions than the former two that I mentioned.

Hmmm....Sorry, wrong place.

Edited March 22, 2007 by consolemaster

[Jenn! 918]

A rather simple test (which will offend non-Christians--NO APOLOGY!).

Interesting. Are you trying to offend non-Christians? Why such a disclaimer?

[almaty 19]

i am not offended..my brother Sriniv is strong in his views and belief and is consistent..i admire his religious convictions...

[ceriserose 1]

Hmmm....Buddhism has many derivatives. For some reason, there seem to be no problem with Buddhism across all of East, and South Asia.

Buddhism came for Hinduism. They share the same gods, and similar ideology. I'm not a theologian, but, between those two religions there seems to be hardly any terrorism, conflicts of interests, nothing. Not the same with Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, etc...seems there are more problems with those religions than the former two that I mentioned.

Hmmm....Sorry, wrong place.

That's the difference between polytheistic and monotheistic worship. Polytheistic gods tend to not require sole devotion from their worshippers, hence no divine jealousy of divided focus in worship and no maintenance of one religion/one god as a standard expected to be applied to everyone on the face of the planet.

Much easier to get along with one another when we don't add one more thing about which to differ.