It seems as though archeological evidence has been found for the existence of Jesus Christ. An ossuary, a stone box that holds the remains of someone after death, was found with the enscription, ‘James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus’. The ossuary was dated to the same time period that James, leader of the Jeruselem church, died.
This find has some small importance in that if true, it clears up a matter of difference between protestant and catholic doctrine. The Catholic church teaches the perpetual virginity of Mary, and claims that when the Bible refers to James as the brother of Jesus that it is meant only in the sense that they were related.
The other source of significance lies in that many people do not believe that Jesus actually existed at all. The earliest archeaological evidence we have is dated at around 125 A.D. The ossuary mentioned in the article dates to sometime around A.D. 63.
Update: Links to other sources who carried this article:
8 Comments
Actually, there is one tradition that states that the “brothers” of Jesus were actually the children of Joseph from an earlier marriage. This was one of a few very early traditions to explain the “brothers of Christ”.
Of course, it’s not certain that this is the same James who was the bishop of Jerusalem. One news story I ran across noted that at that time in the first century there were probably about 20 Jamses who had a father named Joseph and a brother named Jesus, so it may be another James entirely. Nonetheless, it is an intriguing find.
I was aware of that tradition, and the possibility of it not being Jesus of Nazareth. One article, I believe the National Geographic one, made note that the idea of James not being a blood brother was in conflict with historical as well as biblical sources.
The tradition you spoke of has no actual biblical or historical backing. The explanation is needed to support the perpetual virginity of Mary. I’m not saying its not possible, only that it isn’t the simplest explanation. Ockham’s Razor and all that…
Here’s another article that quotes a scholar as saying that it is “very probable” that this is referring to “Jesus of Nazareth.” I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about this in the coming months.
Your probably right. My curiosity is piqued for sure…
I like to think that finds like this are God’s little way of reminding us Who is in charge. Like the dinosaur fossils that are found, the world is a mystery. There are things that will never be explained fully in this world. I can’t wait to get to heaven so I can ask God about these things.
I’m also curious why the gnat…
=)
and the mosquito? why the mosquito… could’a done without him…
What would be really neat is if this were real.
I’m just glad that national geographics finally prove that Jesus lived, I guess I can truely believe now.