Please turn in your Bibles this morning to John chapter 20 as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Last year we not only saw Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Hoax, I mean The Da Vinci Code, but it was also a major motion picture that tried to promote that Jesus did not die, and thus He did not rise from the dead, but was married and had a family. They denied the deity of Jesus and thus, another slam against our faith!
Now, here in 2007, right before we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, comes Titanic director James Cameron and Canadian journalist Simcha Jacobovici and their claims that they found the bones of Jesus, His wife Mary Magdalene, their son Judah as well as Mary the mother of Jesus and His step-father Joseph. In other words, they are claiming that they found the family tomb of Jesus! The book is called The Jesus Family Tomb and the Discovery Channel documentary called The Lost Tomb of Jesus aired on Sunday, March 4th of this year.
Let me share with you some of the statements that are being made about this and then we will look at what John tells us took place, since he was an eyewitness of these events and these men were not! But make no mistake about it, the media has jumped on their bandwagon bashing and discrediting the Christian faith, even though they say this is not their intention. But let me say this, their bandwagon’s wheels are falling off, but that won’t stop them from what they are saying!
On The Today Show, February 26, 2007 James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici were interviewed and here are some excerpts from that show:
Matt Lauer: “Is it the tomb of Jesus? A shocking new claim that an ancient burial place may have housed the bones of Christ and a son. This morning a Today exclusive that could rock Christianity to its core.”
Meredith Vieira: “It could be the greatest archeological find ever. Since the 1970s hundreds of tombs and thousands of ancient bone boxes have been uncovered in the holy land but now one tomb unearthed in Talpiot in 1980 is being regarded differently because it once held a box with this inscription: ‘Jesus Son of Joseph.’ While the Bible tells the story of Jesus and his resurrection this box could show physical evidence that he existed, was buried and that he had a son, Judah. Those are the claims in a new book from Emmy-winning investigative journalist Simcha Jacobovici and a documentary from Academy Award-winning director James Cameron.”
Vieira: “Journalist Simcha Jacbovici says this tomb discovered underneath what is now an apartment complex near Jerusalem may be the final resting place of Jesus Christ. And this limestone box, called an ossuary, could have held his actual bones.”
Vieira: “This ossuary may have held Maria’s or the Virgin Mary’s. This one is labeled Mary Amne which Christian scriptures says was Mary Magdalene’s real name. And perhaps most shocking of all the writing on this box translates to: ‘Judah Son of Jesus.’ If true the consequences are impossible to measure.”
Peter Sciretta tells us:
Titanic and Terminator director James Cameron has found Jesus Christ. And his son, we’re not kidding.
The director claims that he has scientific proof that Jesus Christ was never resurrected. At a New York press conference on Monday, Cameron will reveal three coffins, supposedly those of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother Mary and Mary Magdalene. While filming his new documentary with Simcha Jacobovici, they supposedly discovered the burial cave where Jesus and his family were buried near Jerusalem. And get this, Jesus was a father.
According to Time Magazine:
Let’s go back 27 years, when Israeli construction
workers were gouging out the foundations for a new building in
the industrial park in the Talpiyot, a Jerusalem suburb. of Jerusalem.
The earth gave way, revealing a 2,000 year old cave with 10 stone
caskets. Archeologists were summoned, and the stone caskets carted
away for examination. It took 20 years for experts to decipher
the names on the ten tombs. They were: Jesus, son of Joseph, Mary,
Mary, Matthew, Jofa and Judah, son of Jesua.
They found 10 ossuaries bearing inscriptions. Some were in ancient Greek and some were in Hebrew. One inscription said “Jesus, son of Joseph”, another said “Mara”, a common form of Mary, and another said “Yose”, a common form of Joseph.
But filmmakers claim to have “amassed evidence through DNA tests, archeological evidence and Biblical studies, that the 10 coffins belong to Jesus and his family.” They tested human material at a DNA testing facility in New York.
- Peter Sciretta, Gossip/Controversy, Documentary, 02/24.07
And lastly, this is from CBS News Interactive: Eye on Religion. We are told:
An Oscar-winning director is about to challenge the most elemental tenets of Christianity, claiming the bones of Jesus Christ were found in a Jerusalem tomb, but many archaeologists and clergymen have been quick to cast doubt on the movie’s assertions.
James Cameron’s “The Lost Tomb of Christ,” which the Discovery Channel will run on March 4, argues that 10 ancient ossuaries – small caskets used to store bones – discovered in a suburb of Jerusalem in 1980 may have contained the bones of Jesus, according to a press release issued by the Discovery Channel.
In fact, the astounding claim is that the entire Holy Family was buried in a vault, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips. Astounding, critics say, because Jesus’ family was famously poor and such tombs were the fashion of the wealthy.
One of the caskets even bears the title, “Judah, son of Jesus,” hinting that Jesus may have had a son. And the very fact that Jesus had an ossuary would contradict the Christian belief that he was resurrected and ascended to heaven.
- CBS News Interactive: Eye on Religion
What is the big deal about this? What is all the fuss about? So they found the bones of Jesus, so what? Folks, it is a big deal if that is what they found! Paul had this to say to us in I Corinthians 15:17-19, “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”
The Amplified Bible puts these verses like this “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is mere delusion [futile, fruitless], and you are still in your sins [under the control and penalty of sin]; And further, those who have died in [spiritual fellowship and union with] Christ have perished (are lost)! If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.”
In other words, Paul is saying that it is a big deal, if Christ did not rise from the dead, if He is still in the tomb, then we might as well close the doors and go home. Folks, don’t go anywhere, there is nothing to fear, as we will see. But the point here is that our faith is built upon God becoming flesh, dwelling among us, being offered up as a perfect sacrifice on the cross of Calvary and on the third day rising from the dead! If it didn’t happen, then our faith is worthless. You see, it is the heart of the Gospel message as Paul said, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” I Corinthians 15:3-4.
And listen carefully to what John tells us in I John 2:20-27, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”
In other words, we have the Holy Spirit teaching us the truths of God that is found in the Word of God. Because of that we should not be deceived by the lies of the Devil, by these doctrines of demons that lead people away from the eternal life that is only found in Jesus! Folks, let’s read what really took place that morning and then we will look at why this story perpetrated upon us by these men, James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici is just a fish story. And let me ask you this, do you know the difference between a smart fish and a dumb fish? Dumb fish always take the bait! Folks, I want you to clearly see this morning, that the resurrection of Jesus is a fact, the evidence is overwhelming. With that said, let’s begin reading in John chapter 20, starting in verse 1 and see what the Lord has for us as we study His Word on this resurrection morning!
Now, our faith stands or falls upon this story, is it true or is it false? Let me say this, the enemy tries to attack the resurrection of Jesus because it is the heart of the Gospel. Thus, if you pierce the heart, you have destroyed the faith!
John tells us that early on that Sunday morning, before sunrise, Mary Magdalene, the one whom Jesus delivered from seven demons, came to the tomb with another Mary and Salome, and when they arrived they found the tomb empty. They thought that someone stole the body of Jesus so they ran back and told Peter and John of what they found.
And as Peter and John arrived, John got there first, they found the tomb just as the women had said and they left seeing but not fully understanding what took place.
Mary remained at the tomb, overwhelmed because of what had taken place, in her mind they stole His body! And as she was weeping two angels tried to comfort her but she is not comforted, why? Because only Jesus can fill that void, only Jesus can comfort a broken heart! And Mary, maybe hearing something behind her turns and she sees a man and thinks this is the gardener. Now it seems strange, why didn’t she recognize Jesus?
Some argue that it was dark and she was crying so she couldn’t tell. But I don’t think that is the issue. I believe He still bore the marks of the crucifixion. He is disfigured. In Isaiah 52:14-15 we are told, “Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.” The Living Bible puts these verses like this, “Yet many shall be amazed when they see him-yes, even far-off foreign nations and their kings; they shall stand dumbfounded, speechless in his presence. For they shall see and understand what they had not been told before. They shall see my Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there. So shall he cleanse many nations.”
You see, He still bears the marks of the crucifixion; we have seen that in His resurrected body! The nail prints in His wrist and feet, the spear hole in His side, the marks of the crown of thorns on His head, the marks of the scourging on His back, His face so badly beaten that He does not even resemble a man. That is why she did not recognize Him, I believe. Then how did she finally recognize Him?
In John chapter 10 we are told, “ . . . the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:3b-4, 27.
You see, as He spoke to her she recognized His voice and she knew it was the Lord and she wrapped her arms around Him. But she needed to let go and go and tell others, but what? That He is dead? No, that He is RISEN! That is the resurrection story folks, and I will show you why the evidence points to this being true in a minute. First I want to show you why these bones that were found in Jerusalem are not the bones of Jesus! You see, as Father Thomas Williams said, “Well Christianity really stands or falls with the fact of Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead and that he physically ascended into Heaven.”
Chuck Missler gives to us some background information on what this is all about and has some interesting comments on this subject. He tells us:
The Talpiot tomb was originally discovered in 1980. It is a large tomb that contained ten ossuaries (an ossuary is a chest that holds skeletal remains). Archaeologists say there is nothing extraordinary about the tomb, but filmmakers believe they have made a discovery that will shake the very foundations of Christianity. They believe the tomb contained the remains of Jesus of Nazareth, as well as his mother Mary, his father Joseph, and other family members. They also speculate that one of the ossuaries found in the tomb contains the remains of Mary Magdalene. According to the filmmakers, their “discovery” supports clams that Jesus and Mary Magdalene where married and may have had children.
When the Talpiot tomb was originally excavated more than 26 years ago, the ossuaries were taken to the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum outside of the Old City of Jerusalem. Joe Zias, who was the curator for anthropology and archeology at the museum from 1972 to 1997, personally numbered the Talpiot ossuaries. Zias has criticized on the Discovery Channel documentary saying, “Projects like these make a mockery of the archeological profession.” He further stated that the show’s producers have “no credibility whatsoever.”
Of the ten ossuaries found in the tomb, six of them had inscriptions. Although in some cases, the “inscriptions” appear to be little more than crudely scratched names. The names archeologists found carved on ossuaries in the Talpiot tomb were: Jesus son of Joseph, Maria, Mariamene, Matthew, Judas son of Jesus, and Jose (a diminutive of Jospeh). Producers of the documentary believe that Mariamene (or Mary) is in fact Mary Magdalene. However there is no evidence directly connecting Mary Magdalene to the Mary in the tomb. Furthermore, scholars are quick to point out that these were all very common names. The name Mary is one of the most common of all ancient Jewish female names. In fact, during the first century, nearly 25 percent of women in Jerusalem, for example, were called Miriam or some derivative of that name. Even the name “Jesus” was a popular name in the first century; it has been discovered in at least 98 other tombs and on 21 other ossuaries.
Ben Witherington, a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, commented on the documentary saying, “Unfortunately, this is a story full of holes, conjectures and problems. It will make good TV and involves a bad critical reading of history. Basically, this is old news with a new interpretation. We have known about this tomb since it was discovered in 1980. There are all sorts of reason to see this as much ado about nothing.”
- Chuck Missler
Also, in 1980 Professor Amos Kloner was the individual responsible for the dig which took place at Talpiyot, the location of the tomb. In regards to Jacobovici & Cameron’s film he told The Jerusalem Post the following:
“It makes a great story for a TV film,” “But it’s impossible. It’s nonsense,”
Professor Kloner was also reported by Ynetnews with stating the following:
“I refute all their claims and efforts to waken a renewed interest in the findings. With all due respect, they are not archeologists.”
Folks, please understand that is not a Christian making these remarks, and he would have everything to gain in saying this was true, but since it is not, it is not supported by the archeological evidence, he refutes it!
Jack Kinsella said:
One of the filmmakers, Simcha Jacobovici, told a press conference that there was enough mitochondrial DNA for a laboratory in Ontario to conclude that the bodies in the “Jesus” and Mary Magdalene” ossuaries were not related on their mothers’ side.
From this, Mr. Jacobovici deduced that they were a couple, because otherwise they would not have been buried together in a family tomb.
That seems to be a rather broad deduction.
The filmmakers also claim that the other “Mary” found in the tomb was the mother of Jesus, that another was of His brother, Joseph, and another contained the bones of “Judah, son of Jesus.”
The scope of the conspiracy that would [be] necessary to pull off a hoax of this magnitude? No smaller than an entire generation of Jerusalemites, including the hostile Jewish authorities, the Romans, the Jewish converts and those Jews who reviled Jesus as a blasphemer.
The inhabitants of the tomb, according to the filmmakers, were clearly identified by the inscriptions on their caskets. How does one keep the identity of a family tomb in the middle of Jerusalem a secret from those who lived around it? If they are identifiable in 2007, how could they have remained anonymous to their contemporary neighbors?
Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Matthew Joses and Judah presumably died at different times. Did they have funerals? How could it be that six separate Jewish funerals could take place in the heart of Jerusalem without anybody knowing who was being buried?
- James Kinsella
And think about this. To verify that this is the DNA of Jesus do you know what you need? You need a sample of Jesus’ DNA, a control sample that you can compare it to, and of course, we do not have that. So this is not evidence that this DNA is that of Jesus!
And Ron Cantrell makes these points:
The first clue leading to a reality check are the credentials of those claiming the discovery. There are no valid archaeologists attached to the project. Filmmakers who can easily pull together $3 to 4 million U. S. and run off into the sunset of speculation should not be treated with the same honor as are careful archaeologists who have paid the price of believability. One such Professor commented on this find as far back as 1980.
“There is no likelihood that Jesus and his relative had a family tomb,” Kloner said. “They were a Galilee family with no ties in Jerusalem. The Talpiot tomb belonged to a middle-class family from the 1st century CE.”
Clear thinking is so refreshing in our muddled era. One only has to imagine a Nazareth family with tombs in Jerusalem to figure out how absurd this story really is. No one in the first century would travel with a dead body for several days to a family tomb.
- Ron Cantrell
And Andre Holwerda tells us:
. . . the Mariamne found in the other was Mary Magdalene, as the film supposes. In fact, the Bible does not once call Mary Magdalene “Mariamne”. The producers of the film have derived this name from certain Gnostic and apocryphal books, including the Acts of Philip, the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, which have not been accepted as inspired texts and have been show to be late 3rd and 4th century forgeries. It has also been convincingly demonstrated that nether Philip, nor Thomas, nor Mary Magdalene had any part in the writing of these texts. Nor were they written under the guidance or directorship, whether direct or indirect, of ANYONE who was alive during the time of Jesus or the Apostles. As for the DNA evidence, since the researchers have no other sample of either Jesus’ or Mary Magdalene’s DNA with which to make comparisons, there is no way they can discern, with any certainty, the true identities of these individuals.
- Andre Holwerda
Dr. Tony Beam makes these points, and they are so obvious and yet, why do so many people believe these lies? Listen to what he has to say:
Jacobovici claims to have DNA evidence to back up this fiction. That’s interesting since in order to verify the claim he would have to have a viable, preserved sample of DNA from Jesus or one of His family members. Concerning the DNA evidence, Ben Witherington III, professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary says, “In order for them to establish a positive claim that these are Jesus’ relatives, you have to have control samples to compare it to, but we have no such objective control samples.”
- Dr. Tony Beam
And finally, Dr. Randall Price has this to say regarding this find:
It is highly unlikely that Joseph, who died earlier in Galilee, was buried in Jerusalem, since the historical record connects him only to his adult hometown of Nazareth or to his ancestral home of Bethlehem. Moreover, the traditional tomb of Mary (the mother of Jesus) is in Ephesus, where Christian tradition says she lived with John after he was released from his exile on the island of Patmos.
“In light of all the incredible number of problems with the recent claim that Jesus’ grave has been found, the time-honored, multi-faceted evidence for the bodily resurrection of Jesus is more convincing than ever. Even the early opponents of the Christian message acknowledge that Jesus’ tomb was empty. And the evidence for Jesus’ bodily resurrection appearances has never been refuted.” – Dr. Gary Habermas (Research Professor, Liberty University and expert on the resurrection of Jesus and author of The Case for the Resurrection).
- Dr. Randal Price
Let me ask you this in light of what we have seen. Do you think they would accept without comment any ‘documentary’ that purports to prove that Mohammed was a myth? Let me ask you this. How many documentaries have you seen carried by the mainstream media that even dare to advance the theory that Mohammed and the Koran are the inspiration for Islamic terror? Why don’t we see that? Because Mohammed and Allah and Buddha, and Confucius and the others are no threat to the god of this world, Satan! But Christ is and thus the attack! But what about the evidence proving that the resurrection happened? Let’s look at that now.
In I Corinthians 15:5-11 we are told, “and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”
Here it is folks; it all comes down to this, eyewitness testimony that they saw the risen Christ! Not one person, or two, or three or ten or hundred but over five hundred had seen Him. You see, Paul wrote that some were still living and could speak of what they saw and thus, if you didn’t believe what Paul said, you could check it out for yourself, you could ask them if they had seen the risen Christ! In fact, that is John’s point in I John 1:1-4, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life — the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us — that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”
Listen carefully folks to how important the resurrection is to us, as Spurgeon tells us, “The fact is, that the sliver thread of resurrection runs through all the blessings, from regeneration onward to our eternal glory, and binds them together.” Look at how it is played out in our lives:
Most of you remember Houdini, the great magician. Houdini claimed that on the 50th anniversary of his death he would come back from the dead. Thus, on that date a group of his followers gathered together at his gravesite in San Francisco waiting for him to return, and they waited, and waited and nothing happened, maybe he got lost? You see, the tomb of Jesus is empty; He did rise from the dead. Not only did Christ rise from the dead but we too will rise from the dead one day, we will get new bodies for our spirit and soul to dwell in!
And think about this for a minute folks. The Jewish religious leaders, those that were against Jesus, if they could have come up with the body of Jesus or shown that He did not die but was living in Jerusalem, and not only living there, but He was married and had children, don’t you think they would have made that known? Of course they would have because it would have put an end to the followers of Jesus, it would have destroyed their faith. And yes, men will die for what they believe to be true, but many of the disciples of Jesus died horrible deaths for their faith, and they would not have died for a lie, especially if Jesus was living the good life and they were being persecuted!
The noted scholar, Edwin Gordon Selwyn, says: “The fact that Christ rose from the dead on the third day in full continuity of body and soul - that fact seems as secure as historical evidence can make it.”
Thomas Arnold, cited by Wilbur Smith, was for fourteen years the famous headmaster of Rugby, author of the famous three volume History of Rome, appointed to the chair of modern history at Oxford, and certainly a man well acquainted with the value of evidence in determining historical facts. This great scholar said:
The evidence for our Lord’s life and death and resurrection may be, and often has been, shown to be satisfactory; it is good according to the common rules for distinguishing good evidence from bad. Thousands and tens of thousands of persons have gone through it piece by piece, as carefully as every judge summing up on a most important cause. I have myself done it many times over, not to persuade others but to satisfy myself. I have been used for many years to study the histories of others times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose from the dead.”
For those of you who have asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, to cleanse you of your sins, I pray that your faith is strengthened and that you are not ashamed to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others for it is the power of God unto Salvation to all who believe.
For those of you who don’t know the Lord, I pray that before you leave here this morning that you ask him to forgive you of your sins and to be Lord of your life. As soon as you do that you are a child of God. If you make that commitment here this morning, come and see me afterwards and I would like to give you some material to help you grow in the Lord and to encourage you in your new faith.
Folks, Christ has risen from the dead and we rejoice in that fact for in it our sins have been removed and the sting of death is gone! For He is the firstfruits of the harvest of souls that is to come, those that will be raised in glory! It is as Paul said in Romans 6:5, “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.”
Don’t believe the words of men and reject the Word of God that has been under the microscope for years and has stayed the test of time. The Bible remains and these men have gone back to the dust of the earth. As I close this morning, let me leave you with this. When we were in Israel and visited the tomb where Jesus was laid for those three days, there is a sign outside this tomb and it reads, “He is not here, He is risen!” And I will tell you this, from my own experience and from watching others who go into that tomb to look, they check it out and you know what they find? No, not the bones of Jesus, why? Because HE IS NOT THERE, HE IS RISEN! What a glorious day and what a glorious Lord we have. May we rejoice in the salvation He brings to us through Jesus!