The discovery of a centuries-old limestone box has stirred intense debate among historians and scholars. Some believe this artefact may have belonged to one of Jesus Christ’s brothers.
Let’s take a closer look at this intriguing find.
The box, known as the James Ossuary, was acquired by antiques collector Oded Golan in 1976. What made it special was an inscription that read: “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” These names are well-known from biblical texts, where Jesus’ brothers—James, Jude, Simon, and Joses—are mentioned. The ossuary became the center of speculation about whether it once held the remains of James, the brother of Jesus.
When the ossuary was revealed to the public in 2002, it sparked a heated debate. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) claimed the inscription was a forgery, casting doubt on its authenticity. A committee of scholars examined the inscription and concluded it was fake, a finding that was reported by Biblical Archaeology.
However, not everyone agreed. Dutch scholar Pieter van der Horst criticized the IAA, suggesting the committee members were biased against the artefact’s authenticity.
After a long trial that lasted seven years, Golan and others were cleared of any wrongdoing or forgery. This left the question of the ossuary’s authenticity still open.
Bible scholar Dr. Ben Witherington III argued that the combination of names on the ossuary made it unlikely to be about anyone other than James, Jesus’ brother. He suggested that if Jesus’ crucifixion had ended his story, no one would want to be associated with him on an ossuary.
Recently, Oded Golan spoke about new scientific tests on the box and its inscription. He stated that chemical tests confirmed the inscription’s authenticity, suggesting it was engraved thousands of years ago.
Golan concluded that when all the evidence is considered, this ossuary is one of the most important historical discoveries, not only in Israel but in history.
