While I agree with Dan Brown and The DaVinci Code that Christianity is the biggest organized hoax ever perpetrated on Europe, this could make a major mess of post Roman European history. BUT, finding the body, heck, the entire family, kids included, could actually turn out to be the most compelling justification of basic Christian philosophy and thought. The Council of Nicea which by fiat turned a backwater crazy preacher into a god, was a politcal demonstration of the extent and degree that superstition ruled those scary and chaotic times. A modern day equivalent today would be to have the US Congress declaring that George Washington was not only a God, but the Second Coming of Christ. Sometimes, ancient history can be grand! I for one hope the claims can be justified. It puts Christianity on a much stronger, credible foundation for the coming centuries.

Jesus and Joseph were carpenters and would have had time to build coffins. Preparing a family tomb would not be out of the question. That way your loved ones would have a nice coffin and burial place ready so that they could be burried before sunset when the need arrose - as was Jewish law. Like fireman who lay out their equipment for use this find would prove they were prepared for the future.

What does this mean people who said that Jesus' body wasn't found where he was originally buried, and that he literally and physically ascended into heaven.

Dont we all share a litte of Jesus' DNA?

The plot thickens. First the Davinci Code. Now a cave and a "son". Next a DNA search for descendants. Then a "bloodline of Kings." Then a "legitimizing of a man", and where is he now? How perfect Biblical prophecy is! Watching it all unfold...

Which proves that Jews are indigenous to Israel.

Jesus Christ. there is absolutely no way that this could ever be true, no matter how strong the evidence, because is contradicts the inerrant bible ; )

This is not a new finding. The info first surfaced nearly 30 years ago when these "coffins" were found and was rejected then. Someone with an agenda is bringing this up again. Ask yourself this one question.....if Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Jesus' brother James, and Jesus' son Judah really lived, died, and were buried together in a family tomb in Israel years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus was supposed to have occured, don't you think someone would have recorded that info somewhere back then? And for those who say that this info was "hidden" by the Christian church so long ago, then wouldn't a church with the power and influence to hide such explosive info also have been able to hide the "coffins" / remains of Jesus too?

Just so that Christians do not loose begin to doubt their faith, the bible clearly teaches: (1) Jesus' body was not in the grave, that He rose bodily. (2) If this is a hoax, it is in very bad taste, and yes, Israel needs to keep friends not loose them. (3) "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not....... and For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be". Stand firm therefore, for these are perilous times, to deceive even the elect, if that where possible. He's coming back for His bride soon anyway. Happy Purrim.

For those of us fortunate enough to know Him, to have heard His voice, to have experienced His amazing faithfulness and power and even to have seen Him, this story is laughable. But it is also totally predictable. All those who really want the truth and are willing to hunble themselves before the Almighty can discover this. But time is running out on all of us.

Generally there is no rational reason why - if Jesus got buried - he was not laid to grave the way Jewish did normally at this time. So this assumption makes it more easy what to look for and the whole more understanding: in ancient times, the deceased were usually buried together with personal goods in the belief that they would be useful during the deceased's journey to the next world. Jewish believed in resurrection - they would never - different to Romans and Greek - cremate the body! It would be gone for ever and could not - on the day of arrival of the Messias - resurrect. So they buried them in coffins. Jewish graves from Second Temple Period times had coffins and an collection of ancient artifacts, mainly glass, decorated oil lamps, cooking utensils and jewelry. Artifacts from this period in the Holy Land, the time of Jesus, are in great demand (you can imagine why). The imagination works... A piece from the time of Christ! Additionally it would be good to find something made of clay in such tomb, as archaeologists could find out the exact date (TL). Stone burial coffins, some with ornamentation or inscriptions are one of the robbers' favorite items, scattering bones in all directions and stealing the ornamented coffins. Unornamented coffins are usually left. Cemeteries were usually outside the city at an designated place. It was in the nature of the local people to be buried close to their 'idols' or 'heroes'. This means, around a tomb of a known, respected person (like a rabbi) a high density of tombs would be the consequence. Finding and entering a burial cave doesn't require much physical work. Most were covered with a small stone marking the entrance. Some of the bone boxes in Jewish burials were decorated in geometric and floral patterns, many inscribed with the deceased's name, family ancestry and livelihood. Unornamented coffins are today used as flowerpots in private homes and by collectors. The ornamented coffins are stolen and sold for a high price. The article leaves a lot of questions: anything else found in the tomb? If, what? Does it makes sense that so many family members are in the tomb? They actually would 'prove' that it would be Jesus as all others carry names related to him. But it does not make a sense because they rather would place him separate. Would someone make such a simple mistake inventing such story? I doubt. The earliest books from the new testament are from app. 60 AD. that means 30 years after Jesus died. So his 'brother' still could be alive and so his 'son' . People would still remember him... and are there any other toms found close by? He must have been a famous person with many followers and there must be many tombs around his (if). This leads us to the fact, that usually they wrote more on a coffin than just simply the name they wrote things important from their daily lives... so when finding the tomb of Jesus the place must be full of tombs mentioning that the buried bodies are 'followers of the Messiah' or similar. Nothing like this was mentioned... (in the article) additionally, tombs at this time were not as sophisticated as one might think... in Rome and other large cities were catacombs, Jerusalem was a rather small provincial city build between rocks and hills. Tombs were just below the surface. People just simply had not enough money to make sophisticated and overdecorated halls for the afterlife! Often just natural caves were used and sealed... After a while they got robbed and the empty cave was used again... chances to find that tomb I rather treat very limited and anyhow this or that way – I believe once found it will be empty. But just in case it is really his tomb if there is a cup inside it must have belonged to him and can be the Holy Grail!

That's a pity. Looks we are late... let's try to find the Arch of Noah...

I have translated the NT from ALL of the earliest source mss. up through the 4th century C.E. and you are greatly mistaken. The NT is NOT a historical source document. The NT is rife with thousands of post-135 C.E. Roman Hellenist rewrites. There is NO historical source attesting to any "real and salvific BODILY resurrection of Yeshua." The "Brit Khadashah" that you recommended is a modern translation based, basically, on the English, medieval King James Version of 1611, under the auspices of a misojudaic English king who completed the cleansing from England of all Jews. The only way that the NT could be valid is if it can be demonstrated a logical implication of the Jewish Bible. To the contrary, however, the Bible explicitly precludes the doctrines found in both the NT and the Quran (Koran). You'll find this indisputably proven in my website (below). No Christian, even seminarians and theologians, have been able to offer any credible disputation. You can't even read the Bible (it's Hebrew) yet you presume to exhort Jews to become like you. Educate yourself. I have to prepare for Shabbat so I won't be able to respond until after Shabbat. Paqid Yirmeyahu Israeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

no more, no less. Too bad the xtians have been so darn busy raising dead spirits all these 2,000 years and not focusing on the Here, Now, Creator and That Which Is, not that which was never and could never be. Pitiful. One billion hopes of raising the dead to the status of a *god* shot to hell.

Hello Paqid, I'm a C'ian trying hard not to scurry around. Like you I'll wait to see the programme and evidence produced. Previous attempts to disprove my faith have rarely carried a lot of weight though I find people will often believe anything they wish without any attempt to check facts. You are right, the body was missing from that heavily guarded tomb. The question is how? The Jews and Romans wanted him kept there (hence the guard) so that they could produce the body in the event of his disciples claiming He had risen from the dead..as He said He would. So they didn't move Him. The disciples were completely demoralised and in hiding, they were in no state to take on a military guard to steal the body...and what could be their motive for so doing. For them it was finished. But the body was gone and soon, the thing the authorities dreaded was happening. Jesus was alive..the report went round Israel and the church was born. I thank my God for the Jews. Through them we have the scriptures ( old and new Testament )and through them we have our Christ. Jesus was a Jew. His birth, life, teaching and works are attested in history. They are also in accord with Old Testament prophetic writngs, the manner of His death and Resurrection also. It seems to me that those who live in contradiction are those who were waiting for but who refused ( and still refuse ) to recognise their own Messiah. You still wait for Him. He will come very soon but it will be His second visit to this world. I hope you find Him before that happens. It would be enormously to your benefit.You would know what it is to become a completed Jew. He is still alive. I wish you well, I hope you will not be offended by this, I believe your Messiah and my Christ are one and the same. Shalom peace to you................Joe.

Joe from Canterbury writes : "Jesus`s death and Resurrection is one of the most strongly attested and established facts of history. The supporting evidence, which I have researched, is conclusive". Thousands of books have been written on this issue but now, luckily, Joe has researched the issue himself and we can all finally put our minds at rest. Some people`s chutzpah is just unbelievable...

I don't agree that Christians are the only friends of jews. Remember Anti-semitism is born in Christian societies and even today anti-semitism is very common in many christian countries, they just don't pronounce it loudly anymore. Nowadays they seem to be friends with you cos now their #1 enemy is the arabs and other camel riders. They just say, "enemy of my enemy is my friend". So be aware, choose your friends wisely. Another thing i wanna tell you, majority of the people in Turkey are muslims and put aside being anti-israel, majority of the people support Turkey's alliance with Israel. So when you say "our only friends are christians" it is very unfair to millions of people in Turkey.

Iesus was not buried. He raised up on the Heavens.

And u will find nothing because Jesus has risen from the death....Whatever u try Christianity will remain against all odds...

Thinking people of earth: PLEASE go back up and reread my post #29 then come back here. I know I am a long-winded blow hard, but PLEASE humor me and do it. Then ask yourself: If they have to scrape your tongue or have you ejaculate into a paper cup to get your DNA, how did they get the DNA they claim belongs to Jesus, so they can compare against this? 1) DNA argument = Obvious fraud. You are NOT a fool. Do not let these liars call you a fool. Many above have asked "Why wait 30 years to bring us this?" 2) They waited until the right time to cause a big lover's quarrel between Christians and Jews to further weaken an already endangered species called "Israel". This is not a Purim joke. This is just another pathetic satanic attack on Israel. It's not even an attack on Jesus. You can see from our responses, it has NO impact on Christians' beliefs. 3) This is designed to make stupid Christians think all Israelis/Jews hate us to further inflame the argument number 2. Jews are smart people. Even if you think they suck and are evil, you have to admit they're pretty clever. They are also argumentative and opinionated. They love life. They would not give it up easily. 4) Yet ALL of Jesus Christ's apostles (immediate followers who were WITH Him) died really painful, ugly deaths for their CONTINUED faith in His Majesty, and they did so AFTER Jesus died. If they faked His death, why die for a liar? Do not freak out. Do not give in to hate. Remember Ephesians 6:12 of the Bible: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Those spirits HATE Israel. Don't help them by freaking out and hating your local Jew.

It is almost funny - Same arguement today as 2,000 years ago - Was Jesus Christ really who he claimed, the Son of God, was or just a false prophet? Today a site has been found - okay. Is it REALLY that of Jesus Christ? No. Not using the Bible as a source, I will use other (Jewish and Roman) recorded history: #1. Jesus was crucified for "breaking the laws" and was killed. Witnesses saw it and history can validate it BUT how is it explained that hundreds of people reported seeing him AFTER the crucifiction without marks of his torture? Historians have documented this, AT THE TIME. (Flavius Jospehus) It is recorded that those who thought they had killed him prepared to do "damage control" and ordered his tomb sealed (any one breaking the seal would be killed - easily verified order) and ordered armed guards to protect it from "grave robbers." Question: Despite a heavily guarded tomb with Roman soliders (those who were combat seasoned and ready to kill) who were under a threat of death if they slept on duty... after hearing reports of Jesus seen alive, they found an empty tomb. How could Jesus's followers have gotten past the soliders, removed the body without any reports of violence? Fishermen beating up a legion of Roman soliders? Hardly. Question: Did someone else lie to conceal the information? Why were the soliders not executed for disobeying orders and loosing the body? NO record of this... Not to mention an excuse of how the body was removed - after all the seal was broken and the body was gone. Recorded history says they investgated the tomb and it was empty. #2. Jesus was seen days AFTER the crucifiction without a mark on his body. How is that possible? He was seen walking around Jerusalem, not recovering in a bed at home but walking around town by hundreds. Three days in a sealed tomb, no food, water or medical assistance or plastic surgeons, he was still seen and it too, was recorded (and historically preserved) and not just by "his people" the apostles. Did those who saw the resurected Jesus lie too? Besides the damage of the crusificition, a sword in the side, how could he have gotten past the multiple beatings that he took and be walking a few days later? #3The newly called "Christians" were being hunted down for believing Jesus Christ as being the Son of God and telling others what they saw - The Apostles died for it. Question: Who dies for a lie? Especially one that could have been easily walked away as false AT THE TIME. They died for telling others about prophey fulfilment and that they had seen the resurected Jesus Christ #4. IF Jesus was so hated, especially with the persecution happening, WHY would he or his family stick around Jerusalem to be eventually buried? Why didn't those who had him crucified go after him to "finish the job?" NO where in historical documents does it state they searched for him walking around during 40 days in Jerusalem. On the contrary, they began hunting down ALL who were telling the news... WHY? #5. IF Jesus had a son, that act alone proves he was NOT the Son of God. Funny, there is NO mention of this AT THE TIME. Documents of the TIME never claimed he had wife or children - Why the ommission by independant sources if this were such a political hot potato of the day? This detail would have ended all the controversy on the spot... Have they found a burial site? Probably. Did they find the one containing Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God? No. Because he rose from the grave and doesn't need one. The only reason for all of it is that he IS exactly whom he claimed to be, the Son of God. Will the non believers use this "most significant archeological find" to spin this nonsense into justifing thier own belief that Chrisitanity is false - Beyond a shadow of doubt, YES. What this "find"does is point to the nearing return of Jesus, also as predicted in the Bible - Yes. The strong deception of the last generation is beginning...

Come on!!! And the tomb of Moses was recently discovered in Utah. Scripture says that the tomb of Jesus was "hewn out of rock". Also Jesus was buried in burial clothes, which he later folded in the tomb after he rose from the dead. Jesus is Messiah.

This is nothing but another attempt to throw Christians off guard, but do not be decieved. Jesus did die, of his own accord, and did rise again showing his power over the grave. In response to John's statment (comment #13)-- Jesus did resurrect in his bodily, physical, form that is why when he appeared to the disciples he asked them for something to eat. He was showing them that he was not some spirit but it was really him, in the flesh (see Luke 24:36-43). I like what Aaron says (comment #2) concerning the coffin. It's true the method of burial in the 1st century A.D. was not as we know it today, with coffins. Rather the person was rapped in linen and embalmed with spices so that the body would not smell. Then the person was placed in a tomb carved out of the rock which was sealed with a stone (size was determined by wealth). This process was used in order to keep the wild animals from digging up and eating the body. Approximately 1 year later one or multiple family members would return and the body (now decayed to bones) in small box called an ossuary with the bones of his/her ancestors. Distinguishing between these bones would be rather difficult. Furthermore, even if Jesus were to be found buried somewhere it would certainly not be in the same tomb as Mary Magdalene since she was not part of his family (Magdalene means 'from Magdala'). Also where would the initial DNA come from to test the bones against. Let me guess they found the nail that pierced his wrist, or the spear that pierced his side, or maybe even part of his beard which was ripped from his face. Some say that Jesus was, "a good man," but the truth is Jesus must be either Liar, Lunatic, or LORD. Would a 'good man' lie, or would a liar hold fast to nonsense through till death? Could a Lunatic possess the capacity to sustain such a beating, or obtain such wisdom as Jesus spoke with in the midst of the same? Jesus claimed to be God without a doubt (John 8:58; Luke 22:70-71), and for this he recieved the death sentence, but he went to Cross under his own power so that all may have life and that more abundantly. We, Christians, we don't have the luxury of being wrong. If a doctor is wrong; you're short and arm, big deal. If a lawyer is wrong; you go to jail for life; whoopty do. If an electrician is wrong; your house burns down--find a new one. If we, if Jesus, is wrong--people go to Hell, FOR ETERNITY. God does not send people to hell for there sin. He allows, painstakingly so, people to go to Hell who have chosen to regect the only provision for their sin, JESUS! *For those who don't believe in eternity: divide 22 by 7, what do you get? 3.14 or more specifically, pi, correct? Tell me, if you would, the whole extension of that number. You can't, it goes on forever! Eternity does exist, where will you live for the rest of it?

But seriously, check this out: www.biblewheel.com

If Jesus was married it's hard to imagine it not being documented in the scriptures. Considering what his mission was it doesn't seem logical that he would have taken a wife and he certainly did not have an illegitimate child. The filmmakers must have had a difficult time getting funding for this one.

...in order for someone to have a burial place, isn't one of the prerequisites that he or she should have EXISTED in the first place. So far, other than a few missives written based on hearsay by second- or third-hand "witnesses" at least half a century following the crucifixion (or, cruciFICTION, more like), I have not been presented with any evidence that this "jesus" personality ever lived. Oh, and don't try the Josephus shtick--that's been discredited a million times over.

How do I know your fine response wasn't written by a little child in Phoenix, Arizona pretending to be you? Have you tried to prove that Abraham existed? Moses? Noah? How about proving that Charles Darwin existed? And while I'm ranting, did you know that Darwin abandon his own theory of Evolution and became a Christian? Did you know he did it some 20 years before his death? Not on his deathbed out of fear like you might think. And your beloved "truth loving" evolutionist friends are hiding that secret like the Vatican hides whatever is hidden in their precious vault. I will not follow a God or a man who has to deceive in order to stay in power, even if I think he actually exists. Such trickery is cowardly and beneath my contempt. If I were God, I would not be a lying coward. That is why I reject Islam, for Muhammed orders Muslims to lie, cheat, steal and kill, just like cowardly Satan. Satan is the father of all lies. So why does Muhammed spread lies like manure? Why not be upright and ever-truthful, like GOD? That is why I reject evolution, for they lie and claim evolution is a fact, though every branch of science disproved it over 20 years ago, and all TOP scientists agree with me. Blessed am I, for I am hated and reviled for Jesus Christ's sake, and for the TRUTH. Blessed is Israel for the same reason. Woe unto the human or spirit who lies or purports as truth something which cannot be absolutely ascertained. God will judge you. Again, I reiterate that this "finding" of a coffin is an attack on ISRAEL, not Jesus. Funny how nobody searches for a tomb to disprove Muhammed or Buddha or anybody but Jesus. Funny how the same liars who say Jesus never existed are always the same ones funding the search for his tomb. If he never existed, how could he be buried? Who funded this archaeologist. Prove my theory wrong if you can.

Touchy subject. In my opinion thats and never was the Gospel anyway. In order for the "Kyriakos / Church" (false creation to replace Israel the MAN Neh. 9, which was to become the New / kainos MAN ). To Gentiles he became their ICONIC G-d, in body form. To Israel G-d's Son. Yeshua really came to bring the world closer in fellowship to the True G-d of Abraham Issac and Jacob...not get peopel to heaven....bring heaven to them. I view idolatry of flesh and blood, in varrying degrees on both sides. THERE IS NO MAGIC BLOOD. It was always about a true repentant heart.

Wouldn't that be convient for anti christians, especially with a group from the far left side (Oscar-Emmy) winners) to end the Historial knowledge of Our Lord and Savior's observed risen was fantacy. That would end Christian influence on values, morals and ideas that has helped man's life hear on earth with the Ten Comandments and the truths found in the Holy Bible. Since over 500 people did see the risen Lord these diggers have a tough road ahead of them and from my perspective is just another attempted stab as before they denied historical figures such as David. People wolud not be held accountable for their actions and life styles choice and practices such as abortion with womens choice over ridding her child life. Atheisem is a growing rage as secular huminism advances, while at the same time inteligent design moves ahead and Darwinism is proven wrong. I am sorry for humankind move by the elite who are trying to indotrinate citizens that their way-the goverment can provide all things so you don't need to think!