Chris Weimer

The usual excuse is that either a) the brother's are half-brothers of Joseph's previous marriage, or b) they're actually cousins.

Cege

I've always been told that Protestants take the NT references to Jesus' younger brothers (they're named) and sisters (they're not) literally, as the half-siblings resulting from the marriage of Joseph and Mary. Roman Catholics are taught that Mary was born without sin (Emmaculate Conception), conceived without sin while a virgin and remained a virgin (Eternal Virgin), until the end of her life on earth (she didn't die) when she ascended bodily to heaven much as Jesus was described as doing. RC believes the 'brothers and sisters' mentioned to be not physically related but as known fondly in the relationship of Christianity.

The way I understand the inscription on the 'James ossuary' to be unusual is that it notes both father Joseph and brother Jesus. If it could be shown to have come from the same 'tomb of Jesus' that contains the ossuaries found there, then the combination of family names in a single tomb becomes even more unusual and statistically infrequent.

The names aren't unusual for people of 1st century Palestine, but it's the combination of the same names supposedly from the same family of the NT Jesus in one tomb that make the ossuaries and the tomb noteworthy.

Bracer

I know that. I'm asking if anyone can point to a copy of the picture of Golan, with the James ossuary, from 1976.

Although honestly, at this point it doesn't really matter and it's purely out of curiosity. Even if the picture is authentic and shows the entire inscription:

1) Then the James ossuary couldn't possibly be from the "Talpiot tomb" because the tomb wasn't even opened until 1980.

2) The picture wouldn't prove anything about the authenticity of the James ossuary in any case. All the picture would prove is that the forgery existed as far back as 1976, and that it took Golan nearly 25 years to get up the cajones to actually try to sell the thing. Heck, for all we know it was one of the first things he ever tried to fabricate, and he was so tickled with the result he couldn't resist a Kodak Moment.

I'm outta here...