The Lost Tomb of Jesus (2007)

 

Always pay attention to the passion projects of directors and authors. James Cameron is known for his blockbluster films Aliens, Avatar, Titanic, and Terminator 2: Judgement Day. What you may not know is he presented and supported a project for Discovery that tries to claim a lost tomb of Jesus and his family was found. The aim of the documentary is to debunk The New Testament Resurrection and assert the Dan Brown Mary Magdalene Conspiracy, but the actual dig and findings of this supposed lost tomb is actually explained as nonesense by rhe archaelogosts involved in its excavation: 

“When interviewed about the upcoming documentary [The Lost Tomb of Jesus], Amos Kloner(Bar-Ilan University), who oversaw the original archaeological dig of this tomb in 1980 said:

"It makes a great story for a TV film, but it's completely impossible. It's nonsense." (Bozell, Brent (2007-02-28). "What Bones of Jesus?". Townhall.com. Archived from the original on 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2007-02-28.), and “Newsweek reports that Joe Zias, the archaeologist who personally numbered the ossuaries dismissed any potential connection:

"Simcha [Jacobovici] has no credibility whatsoever," says Joe Zias, who was the curator for anthropology and archaeology at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem from 1972 to 1997 and personally numbered the Talpiot ossuaries [The Lost Tomb of Jesus]. "He's pimping off the Bible … He got this guy Cameron, who made Titanic or something like that—what does this guy know about archaeology? I am an archeologist, but if I were to write a book about brain surgery, you would say, 'Who is this guy?' People want signs and wonders. Projects like these make a mockery of the archaeological profession." (Have Researchers Found Jesus Christ's Tomb? - Newsweek Beliefs - MSNBC.com Archived 2007-02-27 at the Wayback Machine)

These two archaeologists who worked on the site and handled these findings claim its none sense and that it is a pseudoarchaeological presentation by James Cameron based on disreputable conclusions and theories. In fact, “Stephen Pfann (University of the Holy Land) also thinks the inscription read as "Jesus" has been misread and suggests that the name "Hanun" might be a more accurate rendering.” (Matthews, Karen (2007-02-27). "Jesus tomb claim derided". Winnipeg Free Press. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-27.). 

In addition to the archaeologists involved in the finding, The Archaeological Institute of America disproves the assertions made about the lost tomb,  

and, “The Archaeological Institute of America, self-described on their website as "North America's oldest and largest organization devoted to the world of archaeology," has published online their own criticism of the "Jesus tomb" claim:

"The identification of the Talpiyot tomb as the tomb of Jesus and his family is based on a string of problematic and unsubstantiated claims [...] [It] contradicts the canonical Gospel accounts of the death and burial of Jesus and the earliest Christian traditions about Jesus. This claim is also inconsistent with all of the available information—historical and archaeological—about how Jews in the time of Jesus buried their dead, and specifically the evidence we have about poor, non-Judean families like that of Jesus. It is a sensationalistic claim without any scientific basis or support.” (AIA News - Has the Tomb of Jesus Been Discovered? Archived 2007-03-07 at the Wayback Machine)

Even the Washington Post debunked this lost tomb of Jesus, “he Washington Post reports that William G. Dever, who has been working as an archaeologist in Israel for 50 years, offered the following:

"I've known about these ossuaries for many years and so have many other archaeologists, and none of us thought it was much of a story, because these are rather common Jewish names from that period. It's a publicity stunt, and it will make these guys very rich, and it will upset millions of innocent people because they don't know enough to separate fact from fiction." (Cooperman, Alan (2007-02-28). "'Lost Tomb of Jesus' Claim Called a Stunt". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2007-03-01.) Indeed, there is Bar-Jesus in the New Testament, “They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.” (Acts 13:6-12), and in versions of the gospel Barabbas had the surname Jesus, “So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, "Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” (Matthew 27:17). Hence was Jesus our Lord was always called Jesus of Nazareth, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed,” (Acts 4:10) or Jesus Christ, “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38) to identify our Lord. 

In addition to the archaeologists and experts debunking the lost tomb theories, scholars in the 2007 documentary claim their words were twisted by Cameron and Jacobovinci:

“Most scholars interviewed in the docu-drama later protested against Cameron and Jacobovici, accusing them of distorting their words:

Archeologist Shimon Gibson (University of North Carolina at Charlotte) stated that he never claimed that Talpiot Tomb may be related to Jesus of Nazareth. In fact, he had clearly stated that he was very skeptical about that claim;

Epigrapher Frank Moore Cross (Harvard University) denied having claimed that the names on the ossuary were related to the family of Jesus of Nazareth, noting that those names were extremely common in the 1st century CE and that the statistics in the movie were unpersuasive.” ("The Fruit of Thy Tomb". National Review. 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2021-05-15.)

“Genetist Carney Matheson (Griffith University) denied supporting the idea that the Yeshua and Mariamne in the tomb were husband and wife, and that he had only stated that those two sets were not maternally related;”

“Biblical scholar François Bovon (Harvard Divinity School) denied having ever claimed that the Mariamne in the Talpiot Tomb is Mary Magdalene. (CNA. "Scholars revise conclusions about 'Jesus family tomb'". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2021-05-15.)

“Father Jerome Murphy-O'Connor (École Biblique) denied having supported the idea that the Talpiot Tomb is Jesus's family tomb and dismissed the movie as "a commercial ploy". ( "Jesus' tomb discovery dismissed". The Catholic Leader. 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2021-05-22.)

“Shimon Gibson later published an essay together with Amos Kloner, stating that he believes that the Tomb of Jesus is in the Holy Sepulchre, not in the Talpiot Tomb.” (Gibson, Shimon; Kloner, Amos. "The Talpiot Tomb Reconsidered: The Archaeological Facts")

The DNA Evidence also debunks this lost tomb being Jesus’ and Mary’s:

“Darrell Bock, a New Testament scholar and research professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary points out some of the inconsistencies, including: "If Jesus' family came from Galilee, why would they have a family tomb in Jerusalem?"( "No Need to Yell, Only a Challenge for Some who Need to Step Up and Could (expanded)". 2007-02-27. Archived from the original on 2007-03-04. Retrieved 2007-02-28.)

“Ben Witherington III points out an inconsistency related to the James Ossuary. He points out that the James Ossuary came from Silwan, not Talpiot. In addition, the James Ossuary had dirt on it that "matched up with the soil in that particular spot in Jerusalem." In his opinion, this is problematic, because "the ossuaries that came out of Talpiot came out of a rock cave from a different place, and without such soil in it." Therefore, he believes that it is difficult to believe that the one known family member of Jesus was buried separately and far away from Jesus' family.” (Witherington, Ben (2007-02-26). "The Jesus Tomb? 'Titanic' Talpiot Tomb Theory Sunk from the Start". Retrieved 2007-02-28.) 

“In addition, during the trial of antiquities dealer Oded Golan there has been testimony from former FBIagent Gerald Richard that a photo of the James ossuary, showing it in Golan's home, was taken in the 1970s, based on tests done by the FBI photo lab. This would make it impossible for the James Ossuary to have been discovered with the rest of the Talpiot ossuaries in the 1980s.” (Laidlaw, Stuart (2007-02-26). "Jesus tomb claim sparks furor". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2007-02-28.)

“With reference to the DNA tests, Ben Witherington III wrote in his blog: "[T]he most the DNA evidence can show is that several of these folks are interrelated…. We would need an independent control sample from some member of Jesus' family to confirm that these were members of Jesus' family. We do not have that at all."[11] This quote clarifies the fact that the documentarians do not believe they have tested the DNA and have proven it to be Jesus. They simply used DNA testing to prove that the "Jesus son of Joseph" and the "Mariamne" in this tomb were not maternally related (i.e. that they did not have the same mother or grandmother). The film asserted that this DNA evidence suggests they were probably spouses. Critics contend they could have been paternally related (e.g. father and daughter, or grandfather and granddaughter), or related by someone else's marriage. Mariamne could just as well have been the wife of one of the other two males in the ossuary.

“In the televised debate following the airing of the film, Ted Koppel pressed Jacobovici on the same question and received the same response. According to the authors of one blog, "the response is manifestly disingenuous. The question, in fact, necessarily arises whether the team or one of its members decided not to proceed with any further DNA tests. Such tests may have revealed that none of the ossuaries are related—hence defeating the underlying presupposition that the crypt was in fact a family tomb, and thereby eliminating any valid basis at all for producing and showing the film."

“There is no information on analyzing relation of "Mary" and "Jesus son of Joseph" or any other tomb occupants. In Jewish tradition of the time, after one year, when bodies in rock-cut tombs were decomposed, bones were collected, cleaned and then finally placed in an ossuary. Due to this conduct there is no real assurance that what film-makers have really examined are remnants of "Mariamne e Mara" and "Jesus son of Joseph."

The Lost Tomb of Jesus like Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code are slanderous fictions meant to caste doubt on the Gospels, and lead people away from The Truth, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephasa and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). This pseudoarchaeological and pseudohistorical lost tomb is simply a tool by the serpent to lead people astray, “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2).  This Lost Tomb presented by Cameron is like the Ancient Aliens histories on The History Channel, meant to draw viewers and make money, but based not on fact or substantiated findings, but conjecture and conspiracy theories. Amen

Acknowledgements:

I wanted to thank Wikipedia for compiling all the quotes shared in this post. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Tomb_of_Jesus)