Posted on 11/01/2002 10:45:35 AM PST by Polycarp
COMMENTARY
A Discovery That's Just Too Perfect
Claims that stone box held remains of Jesus' brother may be suspect.
By Robert Eisenman Robert Eisenman is the author of "James the Brother of Jesus" (Penguin, 1998) and a professor of Middle East religions and archeology at Cal State Long Beach.
October 29 2002
James, the brother of Jesus, was so well known and important as a Jerusalem religious leader, according to 1st century sources, that taking the brother relationship seriously was perhaps the best confirmation that there ever was a historical Jesus. Put another way, it was not whether Jesus had a brother, but rather whether the brother had a "Jesus."
Now we are suddenly presented with this very "proof": the discovery, allegedly near Jerusalem, of an ossuary inscribed in the Aramaic language used at that time, with "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." An ossuary is a stone box in which bones previously laid out in rock-cut tombs, such as those in the Gospels, were placed after they were retrieved by relatives or followers.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The fact is Jesus' mother, Mary DID go to His tomb. It says so right in the Bible.
Amen. Especially coming from one who does not comprehend the difference between being ignored and being run away from ;-)
See post # 20
Okay... So if the Bible says she went, then what is the problem? Were you just challenging polycarp to regurgitate a particular verse?
We don't have a chain of custody for the dead sea scrolls. I is faulty reasonng to assume that its a fraud because its recently discovered.
Look, I have agreed that this thing can be a hoax. However real proof of its hoax status isn't going to come from claiming the evidence fits too good or because it wasn't known until recently. These things raise suspicions but the evidence itself needs to be dealt with.
Mary His mother!
The problem is, Roman Catholicism implies that Mary dropped Jesus like a hot potato once she saw He was dead.
Christians do not believe that. We believe she DID go to His tomb at first light!
It says so RIGHT IN THE BIBLE.
But Catholics cannot admit that. That's why they run away when you pose the question.
1. Jesus died not long before sundown when the Sabbath was to begin.
2. I may be wrong on this, but my understanding of Jewish law is that it would have forbidden or at least dissuaded a Jew from visiting a tomb on the Sabbath.
3. I would imagine that Mary was quite overwhelmed with grief. Though Jesus is the Messiah, He was also Mary's son, the one she had cradled as an infant. She had witnessed Him dying in a most terrible way. As a woman, I can imagine being so overwhelmed with grief that I would not have been able to drag myself out before sun up the day after Sabbath to annoint His body.
Now, having said all this, I'm not sure I understand why this is such an issue for you. If this is an attempt to 'disprove' Catholic beliefs, I'd think there were better ways to approach it.
Where does the RCC do this?
The RC church is well within the pale of orthodox Christianity. On EVERY essential bit of Christian doctrine, the RCC is in agreement with the major Protestant denominations. Yes, there are small things that I find irritating - and they are the reason I am no longer RC.
But for you to refer to the RCC and 'Christians' as though Roman Catholics aren't Christians is petty as hell. In fact I think the divisiveness is the work of Satan - and those who promote it are his agents - knowing or not.
Divisions in the Christian church are exactly what Satan loves to see...
You chose to believe there is no afterlife, just as many of us chose to believe there is one.
Do you see any of them posting the Bible verses that say that Mary DID go to the tomb? They run away from the discussion, like Polycarp and Campion have now done TWICE EACH.
This is because the Mary who visited Christ's tomb at earliest possible time is described as "Mary the mother of JAMES AND JOSES".
Mar 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Mary knew Jesus would rise again on the third day. Of all His disciples, she knew this.
The Bible is silent on whether Mary visited the tomb.
According to YOPIOS, she did not.
Of course, NO SUCH ASSUMPTION CAN BE MADE FROM THE SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE.
I think, being the only disciple who truly understood and believed He would rise again, and having just been given to Christ's apostles and disciples as their mother at the foot of the cross, that she did what any good mother would do:
She stayed with, prayed with, and comforted His apostles and disciples, building up their faith and giving them hope in His resurrection.
Since scripture is silent, it is just as valid to assume she did visit His tomb as to assume she did not.
But the point is moot. It is meaningless.
Oh, by the way, I never run away from you, child. I just ignore your more inane posts.
Very interesting intepretation. Why ?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.