Mar. 1: Bone-ified Jesus?

“Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones”

So the new big controversy is over some ossuaries that were discovered in 1980. There are those who claim these boxes hold the remains of Jesus of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene.

“Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones”

It seems to me that if the rumor was true that Jesus’ “disciples came during the night and stole him away while the Roman guards were asleep” (Matthew 12:13); that there was no resurrection as Christians have claimed for nearly 2,000 years; if those disciples were just a bunch of lying tomb-robbers trying to start a new religion, etc.,

Then it seems to me that they would have gotten rid of any evidence of a physical body in case someone came across the remains later and proved the whole claim to be a hoax. Why take a chance of being found out by leaving the evidence lying around? Had they been scheming they would have covered their tracks.

“Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones”

It seems to me that some folks bend over backwards to NOT believe the Bible. So the old question arises again, “what if the skeptics are right and I’m wrong?” Then I’ve spent my whole life believing a lie, trying to love and serve my fellow-man. But what if I’m right and they’re wrong? Then there is a God who has revealed Himself through creation, prophets, written scripture and clothing Himself in flesh to identify with humans and clarify His purpose and plans. What if the claims of the first Christ-followers are accurate?

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles…” (1 Corinthians 15:1-7)

“Don’t you hear the word of the Lord?”

I’ll take my stand on the historical accuracy of the Bible. There are no bones to find. Jesus was raised from the dead, but He didn’t die again. Eyewitnesses recount that…
“After his suffering, Jesus showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)“when he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. (Luke 24:50-51)
He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11)
Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” (Luke 24:50-52)

I don’t know whose bones are in the box, but I don’t for one second believe they are the bones of the Jesus of the gospels in the New Testament of the Bible.

~ Father, help me not to be seduced into disbelief by the latest claims of skeptics. While some say, “seeing is believing”, help me to hold to the conviction that “believing is seeing.” Amen.