This parsed post will consider, dissect and respond to the documentary “The Lost Tomb of Jesus.”
Hereinafter DSC denotes “The Discovery Channel.”
This parsed essay is divided into the following segments:
Part 1: Introduction and Utterly Absolute Unquestionable Certainty Part 2: Sensationalistic Claims – The Hype is Ripe Part 3: Let the Debate Begin…Without Us Part 4: Deoxyribonucleic Acid Part 5: Statistical Probability Part 6: Theological Considerations – The Resurrection and the Ascension Part 7: Odd and Unfounded Assertions Part 8: Some Academics Dare to Disagree Part 9: Erudite Elucidators?
Part 10: The James Ossuary and Concluding Musings
On March 4, 2007 AD “The Lost Tomb of Jesus,” a documentary produced by James Cameron and directed by Simcha Jacobovici, aired on the “The Discovery Channel” (hereinafter DSC) which describes it as, “Part archaeological adventure, part Biblical history, part forensic science, part theological controversy.”1
The documentary revolves around the discovery, in the 1980s, of a tomb that contained 10 ossuaries (bone boxes) that date to circa 2,000 years ago. The site was surveyed by archaeologist Shimon Gibson who also drew the layout plan. The ossuaries where described by L.Y. Rahmani in “A Catalogue of Jewish Ossuaries.” The ossuaries were found in the Talpiot region of Jerusalem, the “Talpiot Tomb,” or “Tomb of Ten Ossuaries,” included the following inscriptions:
Ossuary 80/500 – Mariamne e Mara
Ossuary 80/501 – Yehuda bar Yeshua
Ossuary 80/502 – Matia
Ossuary 80/503 – Yeshua bar Yosef
Ossuary 80/504 – Yose
Ossuary 80/505 – Maria
“It doesn’t get bigger than this. We’ve done our homework; we’ve made the case; and now it’s time for the debate to begin.”2
How does the documentary begin? By making this statement,
“Leading scientists and theologians have not reached agreement on the meaning of this archeological discovery and questions remain. We invite viewers to apply their own judgments and interpretive skills.”
Interesting, I thought that we were constantly told that making judgments and interpretations were bad things-but alas.