(NOTE: The article previously in this space about the bone-box of James written by Gordon Govier in "Christianity Today" may be viewed on their website under the title "Stunning New Evidence That Jesus Lived").
I quote from a Special 2003 New Year's Edition of National Newsletter, "Together", "Networking Canadian Christian Leaders" in which its author, Richard Long, writes about his own investigation into this news-breaking story of the recent discovery in Israel of the bone-box of "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus."
I shall now quote Richard's article as he has written it.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE JAMES OSSUARY?"
As soon as I caught the news item about the possible discovery of the bone box of James the brother of Jesus on the evening CNN news, I knew it was significant. When I heard it was coming to Toronto, I determined to pay whatever it cost to see it with my own eyes. Prayerfully, I stood studying it asking the Holy Spirit to show me anything that was on His mind. Carefully I have clipped all the news I could read about it, sensing that the Lord was trying to get my attention. Below are some of my thoughts. ************************************************************
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE JAMES OSSUARY?
Is there any significance to the "James Ossuary"? I ask the question beyond the obvious significance which was explained by international news networks and front page headlines back in October of 2002. Does it have any greater meaning to the Church? If we have ears to hear, is there more that the Spirit is saying to us?
First, here's a quick review of what happened. In mid October, Hershel Shanks, editor of Biblical Archaeology Review announced the discovery of an ossuary which he said "may be the most important find in the history of New Testament archaeology. It has implications not just for scholarship, but for the world’s understanding of the Bible."
The reason it was so important was the words etched on the side in Aramaic: "Ya'akov bar Yosef akhui di Yeshua" which translated is "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus".
The Biblical Archeological Review devoted their Nov-Dec. 2002 issue to the James Ossuary. You can read that article at http://www.bib-arch.org/. The opening words of the article state, "The Aramaic words etched on the box’s side show a cursive form of writing used only from about 10 to 70 A.D., according to noted paleographer André Lemaire of the École Pratique des Hautes Études (popularly known as the Sorbonne University) in Paris, who verified the inscription’s authenticity. The ossuary has been dated to approximately 63 A.D."
What is an ossuary?
Explaining the nature of ossuaries, the Royal Ontario Museum website says, "During the Herodian period in Jerusalem (37 BCE - 70 CE), there had been a growing belief in the coming of a Messiah and the associated idea of resurrection of the dead, as advanced by the Pharisees. It was important to keep an individual’s bones together, while allowing the flesh (which carries a person’s sins) to decay. Also, cemetery space in the rocky landscape of Jerusalem was scarce and there was the rule of "same-day" burial. To this end, it became common practice to place a corpse in a crypt for a year or so, to allow the flesh to disintegrate. The bones were then gathered and transferred to a stone box (ossuary) inside the family crypt to make way for the more recently dead."
"The quality of the ossuaries produced in Jerusalem declined dramatically in 70 CE following the massacre of many Jews at the time of the destruction of the Temple by the Romans. Those that survived or returned lacked the resources to quarry the best stone. The practice ceased in 135 CE with the failure of the Bar Kokhba revolt of the Jews against the Roman occupation." http://www.rom.on.ca/
Mystery owner revealed in Toronto
At first the owner of this famous antiquity did not want to be identified. Meanwhile the very first public showing of the ossuary was announced for the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, to coincide with an international meeting of Biblical scholars in mid November. When the box arrived, to everybody's shock, there were new cracks in the artifact, and so it garnered even more international coverage. Eventually the owner, Oded Golan (51) from Tel Aviv, made the trip to Canada and started taking interviews and addressed the convention.
He told a crowd of about 300 Biblical scholars gathered for his presentation, that a recent and highly complex statistical analysis using the most conservative data, showed that not more than three men living in Jerusalem from 20 B.C. to 70 A.D., could have fit all the criteria necessary to have had their names appear on the relic.
To do the math, Professor Camil Fuchs, head of Tel Aviv University's Department of Statistics and Operations Research in the School of Mathematical Sciences, made estimates on the number of adult Jewish males named James, who had a father named Joseph and a brother named Jesus during the period. Then he added in literacy rates (because of the inscription on the box) and the affordability factor; how many of those men came from families or communities that could have afforded the custom of ossuary burial (a costly practice by the standards of the day).
Fuchs less conservative estimates arrived at the conclusion that only one person could be "James son of Joseph brother of Jesus", and that is the man who was known as James the Just, a leader in the early church and the brother of Jesus Christ.
Well there was considerable debate about the authenticity of the ossuary. It continues to rage on as skeptics suggest it was a forgery, or that at least the inscription was made later. The Biblical Archaeology Society arranged for a private viewing of the bone box by two dozen scholars. Harvard University’s Frank Moore Cross, acknowledged as the dean of epigraphers (specialists in ancient writing), declared that the inscription was written by one hand. Two Israeli government scientists did a microscopic examination of the artifact's inscription and surface patina. They concluded the box is ancient and there's no evidence of modern tampering.
"Is God trying to get our attention about something"
While this is a situation that can probably not be determined one way or the other with absolute certainty, it definitely became the archeological story of the year, if not the century. It's because of this public focus that some of us have been wondering, "Is God trying to get our attention about something"
At one of the regular pastors' groups that I attend in Toronto, the subject naturally came up. A couple of my colleagues had already been to see it at the public exhibit in the ROM. One of them had already preached a message on James the brother of Jesus and was starting a study of the New Testament letter. Some of the thoughts I will enlarge on below, came out of that discussion and discernment process.
I did go to see the James Ossuary myself. It cost an extra $10.00 to enter a plain room in the middle of which there is a simple glass podium housing the small limestone box. Around the walls are the comments of the museum's curators. Here's some of those extracts they posted ...
James, Bishop of Jerusalem
"This same James, who was the first bishop of Jerusalem and
known as Justus, was considered so holy by the people that they
earnestly sought to touch the hem of his clothing."
Jerome.
Commentary on Galatians, 396: 1.19
In the Christian tradition, James was the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. Clement, the man who replaced Peter as bishop of Rome, wrote to him as "James, bishop of bishops, who rules Jerusalem, the holy church of the Hebrews." He was visited in 58 CE in Jerusalem by Paul who referred to him as "the Lord’s brother." He was sometimes referred to as James the Just.
"Convening the judges of the Sanhedrin, (Ananus) brought before them a man called James the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ, and certain others. He accused them of having transgressed the law, and condemned them to be stoned to death." Flavius Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews, 20: 9.1
James was martyred in Jerusalem in 62 CE after refusing to deny to the High Priest and the Pharisees that Jesus was the Messiah. According to Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian writing in the late first century CE, James’ death was influenced in part by the general lawlessness of Jerusalem at the time and was questioned by many people. In later Christian accounts, James is lured up to the pinnacle of the Temple to address the crowds, and is thrown down by the Pharisees. He was not killed by the fall. James lay on the ground asking forgiveness of God for his attackers and was stoned and beaten to death with a club.
The Lord’s Brother?
"Then after three years, I (Paul) went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother." Bible. New Testament, Galatians 1:18-19
The curators leave it an open question.
Here are my questions ...
1. Is the Spirit calling us to take a closer look at James the brother of Jesus?
If He is, then perhaps it is a call to think more clearly about the Jewishness of Jesus, and Jewishness of the early church. James, a Jew, was the predominant leader in the church in Jerusalem, and obviously influential throughout the whole movement wherever it spread.
Actually many of us have already been doing a lot of thinking about this. Not only are there a number of new books out there on this topic, but also many "prophetic" voices have been challenging us to re-embrace the nature of the church before there was the great parting of the ways between Jewish and Gentile believers in the early 2nd century.
Efforts like the "Towards Jerusalem Council II" have been telling us that we need to receive again the Messianic Jewish believers into the Church - the Body of Messiah, and rediscover what we lost when we rejected them almost 1900 years ago. (For more on the International Reconciliation Coalition see http://www.reconcile.org).
Also, if the Spirit is saying take another look at James, perhaps it is time to look at some of the teachings, which he, under the influence of the Spirit, brought to the early believers. Martin Luther was wrong. As many of you know, Luther didn't appreciate the book of James, thinking it contradicted his recovered doctrines of grace. In fact, James teaches us how to live by grace, and what a life of faith behaves like if it is genuine.
If all we were to do was to start obeying his call to "keep a tight rein on our tongues" (James 1:26) we would have a radically different church culture. And there is so much more. Perhaps the themes of the book of James are particularly needed at this time in the life of the Church.
Another thought about James:
2. Is the Lord trying to tell us something about our future?
James was known for a couple of characteristics which are going to be qualities needed in the 21st century church. The preacher in me would love to elaborate on these three points, but I will resist the urge.
A: James was a righteous man. So much so that he was given the nickname "James the Just". The Church could use a re-emphasis on holiness as the godlessness around us multiplies. Conflict with the ruling world system will then become inevitable.
B: James was a bishop. Authority is something we have misunderstood for a long time. James carried out his office with a natural authority. We need a restoration of true authority and government in the Church. While there is a lot being written and taught about "apostolic authority", we need to consider how it really worked itself out in a local city-church like Jerusalem, which was the first model. Healthy city-wide eldership was obviously in place.
C: James was a martyr. He wasn't the first James to be martyred, but he died a heroic and challenging death. If the Church in our day is going to make the kind of impact that will truly change the world then the same kind of courage will need to mark our lives. May we also have the grace to forgive those who persecute us as we reach out to them with our last breath.
3. Is there a challenge being issued to us as Gentile believers?
It seems to me that the way in which things developed around the re-discovery of the James Ossuary are quite unique and curious. It makes me think something more is going on here.
Here was an artifact that needed to be brought out of its obscurity. Oded Golan said that back in the spring he invited French scholar Andre Lemaire (a Catholic) to his apartment to examine a different ossuary in his collection, and that at the time, Lemaire also took a look at the James ossuary. Golan said he has one of the largest private antiquities collections in the world and that he owns dozens of burial boxes and he was unaware of the potential importance of the find because he knows little about Christian tradition. "I certainly didn't tie it to the family of Jesus of Nazareth," he said.
So, it took a Gentile Christian to reveal the real value of the treasure in the hands of an Israelite.
Seems to me that that is our challenge. As Paul said, it is "the Gentiles who will make Israel envious", so they will rediscover the value of the treasure they have in their Messiah. And "how much greater riches will their fullness bring!" (Romans 11: 11-12)
It's going to happen some day, and contrary to what we have thought, when it happens it will be an easier process for them than it was for us. "How much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!" (Romans 11:24)
4. Is this a signal that the Lord is turning the corner and that the time for the natural branches is at hand?
If it is, then I believe that those of us who are Gentile believers will continue to have a role to play in showing Jewish people what they have had under their noses, or on their balconies all along. They need our help.
Do you know why the James Ossuary broke on its way to Canada? Apparently the Jewish owner didn't trust the expert advice offered to him and decided to wrap it himself. It took the experts at the ROM to put it back together again. I've seen their work. It's quite magnificent.
Perhaps there is something in this about how the Lord wants to use Canadians in this historic reconciliation process that has been going on in our land in the last few years. I refer to the effort the Canadian Church has made to repent for it's anti-Semitism, and the grace that God has given us to bring a measure of restoration already.
But on the grander scheme of things ....
I have a strong feeling that the Lord is trying to say to the whole Body of Christ/Messiah that we need each other at this momentous time in history.
First, that the rediscovery of the James Ossuary means it is time for the Church to receive the Jewishness of the early church's heritage. Secondly, that the Jews need the Gentile Church's involvement as they begin to discover the greatest treasure of their heritage, namely JESUS, THE BROTHER OF JAMES...
Richard Long
Together Ministries
Box 12, Millgrove,
Ontario, L0R 1V0
905-690-8777.
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I, Doreen Palmer, author of this website, have written a few things I have learned about the box, what the Bible says about the man James, and what the historian Josephus wrote about him. I would like to share them with you.
1. I believe that God has kept this box hidden for a time in history when unbelief would be rampant. Our faith is bolstered when we find that scholars are convinced that inside the box indeed do lie the bones of "James, son of Joseph, the brother of Jesus" as the Aramaic inscription on the box reads.
2. Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 identify a man James as the brother of Jesus.
3. It was not a practice at that time to include names of brothers or sisters on burial inscriptions.
4. Acts 1:14 tells us that James was among the group gathered at Pentecost (the day the Christian church was born).
5. Galatians 1:18-19 tells us that when the Apostle Paul went up to Jerusalem to talk to Peter he said, "I saw none of the other apostles except JAMES, THE LORD'S BROTHER."
6. Acts 12:17 tells us that this is the James who presided over the Christian council in Jerusalem - a group of leaders who assisted the early churches resolve controversial issues.
7. There are nine complete verses in Acts 15:13-21 where we can read James' advice to these leaders.
8. We have proof other than the Bible that James was indeed the brother of Jesus Christ/Messiah. This proof was written by the historian Josephus in "Jewish Antiquities" A.D.62 as recorded in a book "Josephus, The Essential Writings," - a translation by Paul L. Maier:
JOSEPHUS WROTE:
"Ananus...convening the judges of the Sanhedrin, BROUGHT BEFORE THEM A MAN NAMED JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS WHO WAS CALLED THE CHRIST, and certain others. He accused them of having transgressed the law, and condemned them to be stoned to death."
Josephus wrote this in A.D.62 - the year James is said to have died.
So James was a very real person both in the biblical and historical records, as was Jesus Christ. And these records have sufficient grounds to be posted around the bone-box currently at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada. Its first public showing coincided with an international meeting of 300 Biblical scholars in mid-November where the Jew who owns it, Oded Golan from Tel Aviv, addressed the convention.
We all need to study the book which James wrote. He speaks volumes to us who talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk. The reality of James' bones having once been stored in that box is like a sword of truth cutting into our hearts to humble us before a holy God.