TaborBlog

The long-awaited edited volume of papers from the Princeton Theological Seminary 2008 Jerusalem Conference on the Talpiot Jesus Tomb is now available for ordering here. This volume, containing papers on all perspectives on the interpretation of the contents of the “Jesus family tomb,” promises to be a game-changer in terms of the ongoing academic discussion.

The Tomb of Jesus and His Family?
Exploring Ancient Jewish Tombs Near Jerusalem’s Walls

James H. Charlesworth, editor
PAPERBACK; Coming Soon: 12/31/2012
ISBN: 978-0-8028-6745-2

About twenty-five years ago archaeologists discovered a tomb near Jerusalem that contained a family’s ossuaries — limestone bone boxes commonly used in ancient Near Eastern burial customs — inscribed with some familiar New Testament names: Mary, Joseph, James, Mary Magdalene, and Jesus. The Discovery Channel produced a film investigating “The Lost Tomb of Jesus,” raising interest among the public and specialists alike. Could this actually be the tomb of Jesus and his family?

In January 2008 an international congress of scholars met in Jersualem to discuss this question. This volume presents their findings. Covering the archaeological facts about this discovery, Jewish burial customs during the late Second Temple period, first-century inscriptions, the Talpiot tomb, the James ossuary, the Holy Sepulcher, Hazon Gabriel, and beliefs about burial and the afterlife within Second Temple Judaism, these essays offer expert perspectives on a much-publicized topic.

Contributors:
Mordechai Aviam
James H. Charlesworth
Claude Cohen-Matlofsky
April D. DeConick
Binyamin Elizur
Casey D. Elledge
Mark Elliott
Howard R. Feldman
Joseph A. Fitzmyer
Camil Fuchs
Shimon Gibson
Rachel Hachlili
Eldad Keynan
Kevin Kilty
Amos Kloner
Israel Knohl
Wolfgang E. Krumbein
Andre Lemaire
Lee Martin McDonald
Charles Pellegrino
Stephen Pfann
Petr Pokorny
Jonathan J. Price
Christopher A. Rollston
Amnon Rosenfeld
Jane Schaberg
Andrew Sills
Mark Spigelman
James D. Tabor
Ada Yardeni
Konstantinos Th. Zarras