'Lost Tomb of Jesus' is old news, scholars say

Peter Smith, The Courier-Journal: For three decades, Joseph Trafton has been studying artifacts like the Dead Sea Scrolls, and he keeps up on what has been dug up in the Holy Land. So the Western Kentucky University professor was amazed at this week's breathless news reports on something scholars had known about for years -- a tomb near Jerusalem containing burial boxes engraved with names that appear to include Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

The uproar stems from a new documentary, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," which airs on the Discovery Channel -- and makes claims that challenge the traditional Christian belief in the Resurrection. But Trafton notes that most archaeologists have largely rejected the claims. The names Jesus, Joseph and Mary were common among ancient Jews, for example, and finding them in an ancient tomb is like going to Cave Hill Cemetery and seeing names like "John" and "Smith," said Joel Drinkard, professor of Old Testament, Hebrew and archaeology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. ... When the tomb was first discovered years ago, he said, it "may have gotten a brief notice in one of the journals somewhere, but no more attention until someone comes along and says, 'Here's a way I can sensationalize it.' I don't think it's accidental it comes just as we're leading up to Easter." [Read More]
See Also: The fruit of thy tomb
Rebuttal to the Claims of the Lost Tomb of Jesus

---

Tags: Christianity, Discovery Channel, James Cameron, Lost Tomb, Jesus Christ