Steven Carr

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/115/story_11561_1.html

Witherington writes about the ossuary ' It would confirm that James existed, was someone important, and was the brother of another early Jew who was very important--Jesus.'

Presumably if the ossuary is false, that means that Witherington has no confirmation that James existed, or at least that Witherington has doubts that James existed.

After all , how could the ossuary have confirmed something that had already been confirmed?

Toto

This is an old story. Even the more up to date reference in the comments was posted here a few weeks ago.

But going back to that time, I suspect that Witherington would like you to think that other people had doubts about James' existence, which have now been put to rest (just like Pilates' existence was finally proved (when the monument with his name was found) to those unknown skeptics who had not read Josephus.

And once you get into the habit of realizing that dubious things can be true, you can move on to accept other dubious propositions.

Steven Carr

So the ossuary confirmed nothing?

What about the ossuary showing 'The language of the Holy family and the earliest Jewish Christians in Jerusalem was, as we have long thought, Aramaic, not Hebrew or Greek.'? Guess that is now up for grabs as well.

I was waiting for Witherington to write articles saying that there was now no confirmation that James existed. Slaps head for being so silly.

Toto

Silly you. Witherington believes the ossuary is genuine. Withingington believes that the Shroud of Turin is genuine 1st c. Palestinian, and that Jesus' blood can be extracted from it. He's not about to write that anything is subject to doubt.

Vivisector

I tend to doubt that Witherington is the kind of guy who's going to voice any sorts of doubts along these lines. The agenda seems to be set from the top of his institution, as indicated here .

This is a very small institution, in an even smaller community, in an extremely conservative part of the US. He'd probably be drawn and quartered in front of the local Wal Mart if he strayed too far from the Statement of Faith. Believe me, I know - I live about five miles from the place.

Lucretius

I like this piece on the second page of the article

So prior to his brothers resurrection James thought the miracles were phony stage magic ,his mother was a liar regarding the virgin birth and his father Joseph was a cuckold?

Steven Carr

Yes. He had grown-up watching his brothers literally Christ-like behaviour and never noticed anything unusual about the one person he knew that had never sinned, and had never (unlike all other Jews) made a sin offering, or prayed for forgiveness.

Lucretius

Its a wonder they let him cross the road on his own without someone holding his hand

Chris Weimer

not without Jeebus!