Christ's disciples' remains 'discovered'

Telegraph (UK) ^ | 3-4-2012 | Adrian Blomfield

[Renfield]

An amateur archaeologist and film maker claims to have identified what could be the remains of some of Christ's 12 disciples in a first century burial chamber buried beneath a block of flats in Jerusalem.

A team led by Simcha Jacobovic, a Canadian documentary director, used a robot to photograph a number of limestone burial caskets, found below a block of flats, which may provide an unprecedented glimpse into Christianity's earliest days.

But the potential significance of the discovery is almost certain to be overshadowed by controversy, with Mr Jacobovic using it as new evidence to bolster his widely disputed claims to have identified the bones of Christ and his family at a nearby burial site.

The caskets, known as ossuaries, were inscribed with what some independent experts said could plausibly be the earliest Christian iconography ever documented...

[Renfield]

Ping

[WorkingClassFilth]

Finding the bones of the apostles might make this guy’s day, but the apostles themselves would shake their heads since their every goal was to put the focus on Christ and the power of the Gospel. As far as having the bones of Christ, I know this to be false - for a fact. He rose, ascended into heaven and sent his Holy Spirit who is living in the humble confines of millions of hearts.

[trebb]

Finding the bones of the apostles might make this guy’s day, but the apostles themselves would shake their heads since their every goal was to put the focus on Christ and the power of the Gospel. As far as having the bones of Christ, I know this to be false - for a fact. He rose, ascended into heaven and sent his Holy Spirit who is living in the humble confines of millions of hearts.

Full agreement - discovering the apostles remains serves no purpose - there is no doubt that they existed and did what the Bible says they did. I love the paradox of Christ - the universe and time reside within Him, yet He resides in our hearts.

[wally_bert]

I miss my 11 AM History International (H2) of Naked Archaeologist with Simcha.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks Renfield. I'm surprised this hasn't turned into a sectarian bloodbath by now. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[muawiyah]

The "fish" is, of course, definitive. This is Jerusalem. That's an ossuary. There's a "fish" carved on one of them ~ so there were, in fact, doctrinally identifiable Christians in Jerusalem before the destruction of the Temple by Rome.

This wasn't just a bunch of Jews who were set aside on account of wealth, relationship, or education.

They were first called Christians in Antioch, but the "they" in "they" existed long before that time!

[mountainlion]

Finding the bones of some of the Disciples would bring many to find the real bones of Christ in Heaven. Many do not believe that Christ existed and sometime a small find can change their minds and bring them to Christ.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

What’s next? The discovery of the widow’s mite? lol.

[Rudder]

What is a block of flats?

[Dexter Morgan]

Apartment buildings.

[Rudder]

Ah, I understand now. Thanks.

[Jemian]

disciples ≠ apostles

There is a difference between disciples, believers, and apostles, the twelve men especially taught by Jesus. Those men went far and wide and are buried in diverse places.

[Condor51]

*** What is a block of flats? ***

A group of Apartment Buildings.

Block = Group
Flat, Flats = Apartment Building

I grew up in Chicago and we lived in an Apartment Building. The kids from one street away lived in small wooden houses, no more than a tiny cottage and just above a Shack. And on the rare occasion I'd play with them, Baseball or War, they thought they were insulting me when they'd say to some new kid, "Oh he lives in 'The Flats'."

But the joke was on them as our Apartment was bigger and fancier (Fireplace in Living Room) than their broken down tiny wooden 'cottage'. At least 1/3 of them had faulty foundations and the houses tilted. Plus right behind their 'house' were the Railroad Tracks. And those RR Tracks were used regularly.

Anywho, the article's location is about Apartment Buildings.

[Venturer]

Amen: Nuff said

[Fiji Hill]

An amateur archaeologist and film maker claims to have identified what could be the remains of some of Christ's 12 disciples in a first century burial chamber buried beneath a block of flats in Jerusalem.

According to tradition, most of the 12 apostles left Jerusalem, and what is known of their ultimate fate seems to be based more on tradition than on hard factual knowledge. Almost all are said to have been martyred at various locations ranging from Rome to Armenia and India. Only John is thought to have died in his bed.

[Bigg Red]

As far as having the bones of Christ, I know this to be false - for a fact. He rose, ascended into heaven and sent his Holy Spirit who is living in the humble confines of millions of hearts.

^^^
Exactly. This guy should learn a little about the Shroud of Turin.

[Bigg Red]

Those men went far and wide and are buried in diverse places.

&&&
Not a Biblical scholar, but that is what I was thinking.

[wildbill]

Like most news stories, the reporter got it wrong or at least chose to use words that make the most shocking ‘news’. I don’t believe the project’s leaders make the argument that this is the tomb of Apostles. Even the word ‘disciples’ takes on an enlarged meaning similar to ‘Apostles’ in many Christians today and is used interchangeably.

I suggest you go to the following site of Dr. James Tabor, head of the Dept. of Religion at U. North Carolina. Dr. Tabor has run archeological digs all over Israel for over 20 years. He was part of the team that worked on this project and has written a new book on the discoveries in the tomb.

With all of the archeological discoveries being made in Israel these days, such as King David’s palace or the homes of some of the Temple priests during the time of Jesus, I don’t understand why there is total negativity about the possibility that archeological discoveries can be made relating to the very early years of Christianity.

After all, the Gospels were written down long after his cruxifiction and the Resurrection and could contain only information that was passed down orally by believers to one another.

These ossuaries may contain evidence of very early followers of Jesus in Jerusalem who believed in his Resurrection. And I would think that is exciting news for Christians today.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

These ossuaries may contain evidence of very early followers of Jesus in Jerusalem who believed in his Resurrection. And I would think that is exciting news for Christians today

Why? Were you doubting?