Friday, March 16, 2012

Israeli cleared of faking Jesus’ brother’s Burial Box


By Nigel Tomes

Jerusalem Judge acquits Antiquities Collector of Forgery—

Does that mean the ‘James Ossuary’ is for Real?

Remember the famous “James Ossuary”? Promoters hailed it as the first artifact directly linked to Jesus Christ. It’s the bone box which allegedly held the remains of the Apostle James, also known as “James the Just,” the half-brother of Jesus, leader of the Jerusalem Church and author of the New Testament epistle bearing his name. Reportedly the ‘bone box’ was excavated from a cave near Jerusalem around 1987 and dated around 60 AD. Ten years ago, amid a fanfare of publicity, the box arrived in Toronto. The Royal Ontario Museum [ROM] trumpeted the first world-wide public exhibition of the ‘James Ossuary,’ asking provocatively, Is this the first tangible link to the existence of Jesus? The stunt worked; 100,000 people trudged Toronto’s snowy streets to the ROM. What they saw was a limestone burial box with “scratch marks” on the side. They were informed this “chicken scratch” was Aramaic, saying, “Yaakov bar Yoseph Achui de Yeshua.” Translated into English, it’s “James son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.”



Shipping Didn’t Match Hype

Yet there were suspicions from the start. When it arrived in Toronto, the limestone box was poorly wrapped for an artifact said to be worth $2million. The owners shipped it by airfreight from Israel to Hamilton, ON., via New York, then had it trucked to the ROM. On arrival it was found to have several cracks, including one running through the “brother of Jesus” part of the inscription. The shipper’s treatment didn’t seem to match the hype. Do you wrap a “priceless antiquity” in bubble wrap, plop it into a FedEx box and send it airfreight?


“Jehoash Inscription”--direct evidence of Solomon’s Temple?

When the James’ Ossuary returned to Israel, its owner, an Israeli antiquities dealer named Oded Golan was charged with forging the famous inscription. Other spectacular artifacts owned by the same dealer were also denounced as fakes. The “Jehoash Inscription,” tablet is purportedly carved in Hebrew script describing Jehoash, the king of Judah’s (2 Kings 12) renovations to the Jewish Temple, originally built by Solomon nearly 3,000 years ago. If authenticated it would be the first direct physical evidence of Solomon’s Temple, destroyed by Babylon around 600 BC.

The Israeli Antiquities Authority which oversees all archeological excavations in Israel conducted an investigation which led to Israel’s Justice Ministry charging Mr. Golan with forgery, along with 3 associates. Police seized tools, substances and half-finished objects from Golan’s home and warehouses they claimed were raw materials for faking antiquities. Mr. Golan was indicted on 15 counts, accused of 44 crimes including forgery, fraud and deception related to the bone box & other alleged ancient artifacts. The most serious charge carried a 7-year sentence. Golan spent 18 months under house arrest, reportedly for witness tampering. The case dragged on for 7 years.


The Jerusalem Judge’s Verdict—Not Guilty of Forgery

Finally this week the Jerusalem judge issued his verdict. On Wed., March 14, 2012, Judge Aharon Farkash issued his verdict to the crowded Jerusalem courtroom. The judge acquitted Mr. Golan on all the serious charges, including forgery, fraud and deception. He was found guilty on 3 minor charges of illegal antiquities dealing and possession of stolen antiquities. The judge completely exonerated Mr. Golan of forging the James Ossuary, the Jehoash Inscription and other artifacts.

News headlines blared the result--“Antiquities collector acquitted of forgery charges in ‘James ossuary’ case,” announced the Globe & Mail,Israeli court clears collector of faking Jesus-era box,” declared the Associated Press. “Israeli cleared of forging Jesus' brother's burial box relic,” trumpeted the UK Independent.


Reactions to the Verdict

Not surprisingly, Mr. Golan was “delighted at the complete and total acquittal I have received here today.” He claimed vindication, because “We brought experts from all over the world who testified that the inscriptions on the items...suspected of being fakes are completely authentic,” Golan said. The judge wasn’t so complimentary, noting, “the absolute truth was not a guiding light for Golan.”

The judge’s verdict also thrilled Toronto film-maker, Simcha Jacobovici. He declared himself an “unwavering supporter” of Oded Golan’s innocence and the authenticity of the James Ossuary. In 2004 Jacobovici made a documentary entitled James, Brother of Jesus, backing Golan’s claims; it aired on the Discovery Channel. He’s now planning a sequel detailing the forgery trial.


James’ Ossuary—a “prized artifact to the world of Christianity”

Hershel Shanks, described as “the world’s most influential amateur biblical archaeologist,” and editor of the Biblical Archaeology Review, was (and remains) an advocate for the ossuary’s authenticity. Mr. Shanks was delighted with the judge’s decision, insisting the ossuary is probably authentic. He declared it to be a “prized artifact to the world of Christianity.”


“The ossuary...a physical connection to the historical Jesus”

A good number of Christians will probably also respond positively. The Globe & Mail declared, “The verdict will be welcomed by those who hope that the ossuary will finally provide a physical connection to the historical Jesus.” The Globe said the initial claims for the James Ossuary fired the imaginations of millions of Christians around the world, who believed that it represents tangible proof of Jesus’ family. Here at last, such Christians feel, is ‘hard evidence’ that a key New Testament figure really existed! Similarly many Jews could interpret this verdict as confirming the “Jehoash Inscription Tablet” as physical evidence from the First Jewish Temple & verifying the biblical account of King Solomon & his heirs. Yet, these conclusions are premature & misguided.


“The science available...not enough to prove the alleged fraud”

“This is not to say that the inscription...is true & authentic”

Explaining the significance of his verdict, the Jerusalem judge said, “The prosecution failed to prove beyond all reasonable doubt...that the ossuary is a forgery and that Mr. Golan or someone acting on his behalf forged it.” “The indictment...accused Golan of faking antiques in different ways. For certain items, I decided that it was not proven, as required in criminal law, that they were fake,” said the judge. But, he continued, “There is nothing in these findings which necessarily proves that the items were authentic.” So, what was established? “All that was determined was that the means, the tools and the science available at present, along with the experts who testified, was not enough to prove the alleged fraud [by Mr. Golan or his agents] beyond reasonable doubt,” the judge explained. He stressed the trail’s verdict does not imply the ossuary’s inscription is authentic. “This is not to say that the inscription on the ossuary is true and authentic and was written 2,000 years ago,” the judge said. “We can expect this matter to continue to be researched in the archaeological & scientific worlds and only the future will tell.” He sent the issue of the artifacts’ genuineness back to scientists and scholars.


Proof of Criminal Wrong-doing vs. Proof of Authenticity

It’s important to recognize what was at issue in the criminal trial because some will mistake the verdict as establishing the artifacts’ authenticity. Mr. Golan and his associates were accused of forging certain elements of these artifacts. In the case of the James Ossuary, the prosecution claimed Golan took a genuine, but common, ossuary inscribed with the words “James, son of Joseph,” and added the words “brother of Jesus,” thereby turning it into a find of global importance and vast worth.

The judge determined that the prosecution “failed to prove beyond all reasonable doubt [1] that the ossuary is a forgery, and [2] that Mr. Golan or someone acting on his behalf forged it.” Both points had to be established. Clearly if the prosecution failed to establish forgery [1] the second point isn’t proven. But (more importantly) if point [1] is established, but point [2] “that Mr. Golan or someone acting on his behalf forged it,” isn’t proved, then the verdict is also “not guilty.” Based on this distinction, Butler University Prof. James F. McGrath points out, the judge’s verdict “is not a scientific…assessment of the authenticity…of the ossuary or some or all of the inscription on it. It is an assessment of the evidence for specific persons [Mr. Golan & Co.] having forged it.” The criminal case rests on both these issues. However, in contrast, the crucial issue of authenticity depends solely of the first question—[1] Is the ossuary inscription attributed to “James…brother of Jesus” a forgery?

Tel Aviv University Professor, Yuval Goren explains “Since the verdict is not guilty, it means the accused had…very good lawyers but also there was no legal way to connect between them and the fraud. But it doesn't really change…the scientific conclusions because they are unrelated,” Dr. Goren insisted. “I think the scientific data still stands for itself,” he said, explaining, “the materials covering the inscription were not created in the natural processes typical of the Judean mountains area over the last 2,000 years,” said Mr. Goren, rejecting their authenticity.

Eric M. Meyers of Duke University concurs that the failure to prove forgery "in no way means that they are authentic. The burden of proof that falls on the prosecution in a criminal case must rise to a high level of proof beyond reasonable doubt…The fact that the defendants have been acquitted thus does not end…the quest to decide authenticity. This leaves much opportunity…to believe that these artifacts are not authentic & to question their provenance."


O. J. Simpson’s Murder Trial—a Parallel

Perhaps it’s helpful to consider a parallel--O. J. Simpson’s Murder Trial. In 1994 ex-football star and actor, O. J. Simpson was tried for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. The prosecution had to prove beyond reasonable doubt that [1] Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were murdered and [2] O. J. Simpson was the murderer. Simpson was acquitted; the prosecution failed to convince the jury of points [1] and [2]. However, the fact remains that Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman were murdered—point [1]. In this case the “not guilty” verdict arose from point [2]; the prosecution failed to convince the jury of Simpson’s personal responsibility. But the “not guilty” verdict doesn’t necessarily invalidate point [1]—the 2 victims were murdered. Observers apply the same logic to the James’ Ossuary case. So, does the judge’s acquittal mean the ‘James Ossuary’ is genuine? The answer is clearly, “No.”

The O. J. Simpson case also illustrates different standards of proof. Simpson was found “not guilty” of murder in his criminal trial. Yet, in the later civil case, Simpson was found liable for damages in their wrongful deaths. The required standard of proof was lower. Similarly most experts might agree that the James Ossuary’s inscription is probably forged, even though it can’t be established “beyond all reasonable doubt.”


A Tragic Day for Biblical Archaeology”—Prof. James E. West

Quartz Hill School of Theology Prof. James E. West is outspoken in his “Reaction to the Golan Verdict.” He says, “I’m dismayed that the court wasn’t able to see or that the prosecution wasn’t able to prove that Golan’s activities not only defrauded people by means of his promulgation of fraudulent artifacts, but that Golan has harmed the field of archaeology in incalculable ways.” Dr. West concludes his, “Reaction” by saying, “It may have been a good verdict for Golan personally—but for the field of ‘biblical archaeology,’ this is a sad day, a bad day, and in truth, a tragic day.”


The Twilight Zone where Fact merges with Fiction

The trial verdict is disappointing to scientists seeking to establish facts in biblical archaeology. It highlights the limitations of current scientific methods to distinguish between genuine artifacts and ingenious fakes. There is clearly a considerable “grey zone” where it’s difficult (perhaps impossible) to detect fraud. However, for those who operate in the “twilight zone” where fact merges with fiction, the trail verdict still provides a “happy hunting ground” to make sensational claims. Should we be surprised that the Toronto investigative journalist and film-maker, Simcha Jacobovici was “delighted” with the decision?


Something for Everyone

In 2007 Jacobovici released a book entitled The Jesus Family Tomb. It promulgates the discovery of “Jesus’ Family Tomb” containing ossuaries (bone boxes) dating from the first century on which (allegedly) are inscribed the names of "Jesus, son of Joseph," "Mary," "Joseph," "Judah," "Magdalene," and "Matthew." He also produced a documentary on the same theme titled The Lost Tomb of Jesus with Hollywood film great James Cameron (Titanic, Terminator) which aired on The Discovery Channel.

Taken together with the James Ossuary, the Jesus Family Tomb provides something for everyone. For Christians seeking relics which support the Bible’s record there’s the James Ossuary—(supposed) “concrete proof” that Jesus’ half-brother really existed. On the other hand, for atheists and skeptics there’s The Jesus Family Tomb containing a bone-box for “Jesus, son of Joseph”—Jesus’ coffin--“solid proof” that Jesus did not rise from the dead! Even Dan Brown, author of the Da Vinci Code, couldn’t ask for better input. This stuff sells books, movies, exhibits and artifacts!


Last year Jacobovici unveiled 2 nails purportedly excavated from the alleged burial cave of the Jewish high priest, Caiaphas, that Jacobovici said likely were used to crucify Christ. Yeah sure! How did Jacobovici establish they were “likely were used to crucify Christ”? Did they have the initials “JC” etched into them? There are probably enough “nails from Christ’s cross” in shrines and cathedrals around the globe to make a battle-ship. There are so many relics of “wood from Christ’s cross” that, gathered together, they’d make a forest! But some people will buy the book, see the movie and believe it! We Christians should base our belief on the Bible, not on the latest sensational claims of best-selling books, movies on Discovery Channel or newly discovered ancient artifacts.

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