Lie #6: The Bones Of Jesus Have Been Found Part 1

The TV to splash the headline the bones of Jesus have been found in an old box in Jerusalem and expose of some bad archaeology and a look at how the critics of Christianity are marketing their wares in the media from the Moody church in Chicago running sir whose clear teaching helps us make it across to those who think they found the bones of Jesus have a real case to me what date the answer to your question is no, they do not have a strong case at all. You know, a few years ago it was said that the bones of Jesus had been discovered that even secularists have admitted that it was shoddy archaeology. We have every reason to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I'm so glad that we hear it running to winter totally committed to preaching the resurrected Jesus Jesus as God of very God, and you can help us get this message to many, would you consider becoming an endurance partner endurance partners are those who stand with us regularly with their prayers and their gifts thanks to you, we are able to continue and running to win is heard in 20 different countries of the world.

For more information. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com. Click on the endurance partner button or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337 and now let us listen as we communicate the gospel of Christ that indeed Jesus is risen. His bones have not been found while I'm here today to announce to you that the tomb was empty. No bones about it is been a lot of hype in the media because a tomb was found in 1980 in a suburb of Jerusalem, a tomb that was looked at by archaeologists who notice the biblical names but because of the commonality of the names paid little attention to it.

But now the tomb has been rediscovered, so to speak, and we find that it had 10 Aussie worries. By the way ossuary is really a limestone bone box. What happened in those days is that if you died, and if you are important enough, and if you had a tomb. Your flesh would disintegrate and then you were really buried in your bones were put into one of these ossuary's into one of the tombs for permanent safe keeping these boxes that held bones well. Even back in 1980. It was known that there were 10 ossuary's and Deb. Some of them have biblical names. The scenario is that when Jesus died on the cross, he was put into the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea and then afterwards he would've been reburied in the quote family tomb that we've been hearing about. And that's where his bones were the resurrection on this scenario is a hoax and Jesus Christ bones are somewhere in Jerusalem. Now it is said that of the 10 there were six that had inscriptions and that's why the tomb has garnered so much attention the following names. First of all, it has an inscription, Jesus son of Joseph and then Maruyama name of Mara. Supposedly Mary Magdalene, who was the wife of Jesus. According to this scenario, Maria, who is Mary the mother of Jesus met Tia Matthew, who doesn't fit and there is a Matthew of course it was a disciple of Jesus, but not a member of the family. Judah it says son of Jesus. He would've been the child that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had and then Josie, who is listed in the book of Mark is one of Jesus Christ half-brothers you know he did have have brothers and so the question is what is the possibility of all these names being together and not being the tomb of Jesus with his bones at one time in one of those ossuary's by the way, in the tomb. There were a number of skeletons way more than 20 that were found. Some of them on shelves and so forth, as those ancient tombs frequently have no there is another ossuary that we've heard a lot about it is the so-called James ossuary and in the book the family tomb of Jesus and the discovery channel special.

It said that this ossuary should really fit thereto and because James was also a half-brother of Jesus that would really up the ante so far as this being the tomb of Christ, but we can dispense with the James ossuary very quickly when it's pointed out that this ossuary was in existence and known about it was known about long before 1980 when the so-called family tomb of Jesus was excavated so it was known about before that time.

Furthermore, the dimensions of it. Do not fit the 10th ossuary that was in the tomb, which was not catalogued because according to those who founded it had no inscriptions. It was simply an ordinary one. And because ossuary's are so famous for popular I should say in Israel. It was simply disregarded and left out of the courtyard of the, the Museum so actually the 10th ossuary has been accounted for, but it is not the James ossuary. Also, you need to know that the person who purchased the James ossuary is actually on trial for forgery because at least part of the inscription was forged and then also you have the testimony of Eusebius who lived in the fourth century who said that James actually was very near the temple mound and for a period of time Christians visited his tomb so James does not belong there. The dimensions do not fit and we are left.

However, with the other names. What are the odds that indeed this is the tomb of Jesus. According to the book that was written. It says there's only one chance in 2.5 million that this could be wrong. The movie special was a little bit more modest and said one chance in 600 that this isn't the tomb of Jesus, James Cameron, who wrote the introduction to the book says that the evidence is irrefutable" piece together from physical evidence which cannot lie. So before I look at this irrefutable evidence. I do want to make a few comments to dispense with some nonsense.

That's what were going to do for the next few moments and and the nonsense that I would like us to address so that we can now lay it all aside as number one. The idea that if the bones of Jesus were discovered. It wouldn't make any difference to Christianity.

You heard people say that Christians supposedly said that although it wouldn't affect my faith.

Some people who were interviewed said because after all, I just believe that Jesus arose spiritually. So even if they find his bones. I'm okay with it and this is the faith that I inherited in all go on believing nonsense. There are reasons why Jesus had to be raised physically in order for Christianity to be true. First of all, he predicted that he would be raised.

Secondly, that's the whole point of redemption.

I pray God that your whole body, soul, and his spirit will be preserved blameless until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Jewish notion of resurrection. In those days was physical resurrection.

The idea that you at this spiritual body that would be raised, but your physical body would be still in the tomb is a modern idea. Nobody would've accepted that. Furthermore, after he was raised. Jesus said to the disciples in Luke chapter 24 verse 39 because they were wondering whether or not he was a ghost. He said didn't touch me and see me because the spirit doesn't have flash and bones and then he says you have something to eat I'll eat a piece of fish with you to prove that I am fully resurrected. Now you see the body of Jesus was a resurrected body, its molecular structure was very different from his physical body, but there was continuity.

That's why, as we shall see. There was still a scar in his side from the sword and there were nail prints in his hands the idea that somehow you could have Christianity without the resurrection of Jesus is false. Listen to what the apostle Paul says, he says. And if Christ has not been raised in our preaching is in vain. Your faith is in vain and we are found to be misrepresenting God because we testified that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and then he goes on to say, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life we only have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be at eight to see the Christian who says that Jesus did not rise physically.

He does not understand the gospel and the Christian faith collapses if the true bones of Jesus were found. It's like Vance Hafner said if the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a myth, then we are myth taken.

We are mystified and we are miserable. All right.

Let's accept that. Let's lay all the cards on the table. Everything is at stake in this debate. Here's a parenthesis philosophically. Christianity is the only religion that can be falsified. All other religions are compatible with anything and everything and because Christianity is a historical religion. It really has a tremendous advantage over other options, but we are not putting our head in the sand copping out and saying well. He arose spiritually. Everything is on this table. Secondly, I have to dispense with the foolishness that the Bible should be held to a separate standard when the text is analyzed. James Cameron of Titanic fame who wrote the introduction to the book said this a compelling case has been made that Jesus never existed at all, but was a myth created to fulfill a specific need, and then he says, until now, there has been zero physical evidence of his existence, no fingerprints, no bones, no portraits done from life.

Nothing. Not a shred of parchment written from Jesus own hand what you mean. Let's go over this slowly.

Could you imagine what would happen to studies of history. If this were the standard that people would use.

What if we were to use this standard for Plato. For Aristotle, for Socrates or for Julius Caesar or for Pilate. Let's look at it, no fingerprints, no fingerprints, if we came across fingerprints how the world would we know that they were the fingerprints of Jesus fingerprints only work if you are able to compare you get booked at the police station and they take your fingerprints and then they go around looking trying to find them on the smashed window of a car that's the way fingerprints work fingerprints, no bones, no portraits done from life isn't that something. There was no artist who came up with a sketch of Jesus that asked that and then the sketch existed for 2000 years, and then not a shred of parchment written by Jesus own hand. Oh how terrible he goes on to say that the discovery of this tomb should be welcomed by Christians because after all we're doing you a favor because now we know he finally existed. Thanks, very, very, much there is a German scholar, the name of Helga Waterman, a classical scholar who teaches at Göttingen University in Germany, and this is what she says I have been shocked for many years concerning the manner in which the New Testament scholars treat their sources. They have managed to question everything. To such a degree that both the historical Jesus and the historical Paul are hardly discernible any longer. If classical scholars were to adopt their methods they could take their leave immediately. They would not have much to work with.

If classical scholars analyze their sources as critically as most New Testament theologians, they would have to close their files on Herodotus and Tacitus would have to close all the files of ancient literature when you get to the Bible. It's unique. I wish I had time to give you examples. There are dozens of them. In the book and in the Discovery Channel a special, but the whole idea is all yes yes you know the Bible says that he was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea we can accept that because it fits our theory will then what about the evidence for the resurrection know we can't accept that and on and on it goes. Cherry picking whatever fits whatever you want and leaving the rest. No book in history has been as meanly treated as the Bible.

It is been vilified. It is been chopped it has been cut up in every way imaginable, and it has been slandered and it death has been proclaimed, but the corpse never stays put, it's still there.

There's 1/3 myth we have to do away with and that is that the Gnostic Gospels should be given preeminence over and above the New Testament Gospels is a you can't have a theory like this tomb theory, you can have a book like the da Vinci code, unless the Gnostic Gospels are treated with sacred infallibility. Whatever they say. That's really the truth. Now these Gnostic Gospels that tried to combine Greek philosophy and Christianity are not historical documents. They have no verification.

Historically, they have no direct tie to the apostles, but they are taken to be the ones that tell you the real hidden truth and so it is that these theories are based on such things as the Gnostic Gospels, as we shall see in just a moment. I know what you might be thinking you might be saying to yourself pastor Luther this is old history. The Gnostic Gospels were talked about during the days of the da Vinci code many years ago, but I have news for you.

The Gnostic Gospels are actually used in our universities today to try to undermine the New Testament.

That's what I have written a book entitled slandering Jesus six lies that people tell about the man who claimed to be God.

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It's time now for another chance for you to ask pastor Luther a question about the Bible or the Christian life. The New Testament has 27 books but some people wonder why there aren't more piggy was instrumental in MW YFG in Ashland, Virginia. She has this question. What are your feelings about the Gospels. According to Mary Magdalene, Thomas and Judas. Why were these books not added to the New Testament. I'm so glad that you asked that question, Peggy, and I am ready with an answer. You know during the days when the da Vinci code was news. I wrote a book entitled the da Vinci deception and the da Vinci code as you will remember, is basically based on this Gnostic Bible. Now I have a copy of the Gnostic Bible and it is just as thick as our regular Bible and it has all of these Gnostic books you mentioned only a very few of them. So why is it that these aren't in the Bible.

Let me give you a couple of reasons. First of all, they are so furious, that is to say they are false writings for a couple of reasons. First of all, when you read them you notice how different they are from the New Testament, you know, the New Testament has names of places of people in relationship to Jesus. It also has set references to the Sea of Galilee and mountains and so forth when you will find is that these books refer to known historical events of these books actually were written by gnostics. Now that word Gnostic comes from the word knowledge.

They believed that they had hidden knowledge and much of this knowledge was derived from a mystical view of the world.

Many of them were followers of Plato. So what they tried to do is to harmonize the New Testament with platonic writings and that's basically what the Gnostic Gospels really are. One thing that we know and every scholar admits, for example, is that their authorship is not genuine. That is to say nobody believes that Thomas actually wrote the book of Thomas on.

Nobody believes these sorts of references what scholars generally say is that they attributed their Gospels to somebody who was famous so that people would read them.

Of course when the New Testament says I Paul am writing this, we believe very deeply that it is authentic that Paul wrote these books you have no such assurance in the Gnostic Gospels and the bottom line is this the late date. You know that the New Testament, by and large, is a reference to eyewitness accounts, you know, John was there when Jesus was crucified and when he was raised and so forth. The Gnostic Gospels occurred about 150 to 200 years after our regular Gospels were written so as a result, you find a lot of speculation, but you have no historical verification. Let me put it to you this way whose account of the say George Washington, would you want to believe somebody who knew George Washington who saw him who interacted with him or somebody who speculated about Washington hundred and 50 years after he lived and tried to combine his beliefs with some philosophy that meant something to somebody so that's what we are really confronted with. You may be aware of the fact that recently. It is been said that Jesus might've been married because there was some kind of a reference to Jesus and Mary Magdalene in a small scrap of manuscript that existed and that manuscript also goes back to about the third or fourth centuries. So of course it is furious that we do not have any assurance that it is based on historical fact we have Matthew Mark Luke and John with some rather detailed accounts of Christ and yet of course there's no reference to Jesus marrying anyone, and most of us would believe that that would've been impossible because of who Jesus was and all of the theological implications.

The 27 books that we have in the New Testament they were accepted by the church over a period of time and does. Since that time, no book has had a serious claim to the canon. Yes, there have been those who have wanted to add to the New Testament, but when you read the books that they want to add even when you read them you don't get the sense of divine inspiration, and furthermore many of these books contradict the 27 books of the New Testament so we need to believe that God preserved his word and most assuredly the Gnostic Gospels are not the word of God. If you don't believe me just pick up a Gnostic Bible and begin to read them and you'll see that they are filled with many foolish ideas and they simply do not have the earmarks of authenticity. Thank you Peggy for your question.

Thank you Dr. Luther for helping us understand which books belong in the New Testament. If you'd like to hear your question answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask pastor Luther or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, Illinois 6061 for the truth of the resurrection of Jesus is transforming its enemies will do anything to suppress it. Next time I'm running to win more on it anxious to an ancient city and on the purported evidence that Jesus never rose from the dead.

Thanks for listening. This is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the Moody Church