In the Gospel of Thomas, ‘The disciples said to Jesus, “We know
that you are going to leave us. Who will be our leader?” Jesus said to them,
“No matter where you are, you are to go to James the Just, for whose sake
heaven and earth came into being.” Logion 12 (SV)
A Messianic Seal from the Christian church in ancient Jerusalem has been rediscovered after
2,000 years. This ancient symbol was found on Mount Zion. It is believed to have been
created and used by the Jewish believers who called themselves Nazarenes in the
first Messianic Church. Three companies -- Olim
Creative Products of Tiberias, News About Israel (NAI) of Jerusalem, and Christian Floral Delivery
of Colorado -- jointly announced the
discovery of this ancient symbol, which has been copyrighted by NAI. It
consists of three separate but integrated symbols: a menorah at the top, a star
of David in the middle, and a fish at the bottom. In each of the renditions of
the three-part symbol the star is created by interlacing the stand of the
menorah with the tail of the fish.
The Messianic Seal was found etched or inscribed on
eight ancient artifacts. The artifacts were presented to Ludwig Schneider,
editor in chief of NAI's magazine Israel Today, in 1990. They came from
Tech Otecus, an elderly monk who lived as a hermit in
the Old City of Jerusalem. Otecus
said that in the 1960's he had personally excavated about 40 artifacts bearing
the Messianic Seal from an ancient grotto located in the immediate vicinity of
the Upper Room on Mount Zion. What was once the main entrance to the grotto is
now covered with a jail-like heavy wire mesh enclosure. Its door, leading down
into the ancient baptismal place, is tightly secured with a heavy chain and
lock. According to Schneider, the last
remaining entry to the grotto was sealed shortly after he excitedly told thepriests at the local monastery
about the discovery of the Messianic Seal. Schneider photographed eight artifacts which were given to him
by Otecus, and showed the pictures to the curator of
the Israel Museum. "When he had carefully
studied my pictures," Schneider recalled, "the curator immediately
promised me that these artifacts and their unique symbol were an important
find. He told me that the museum already had seen other artifacts bearing the
same three-part symbol from some other sources he did not specify."
According to Bob Fischer, president of Olim Creative
Products and co-author with local historian and artist Reuven
Schmalz of their book, The Messianic Seal of the
Jerusalem Church, the ancient three-part
symbol has, since 135 AD, been suppressed by various Israeli groups or
agencies, such as the Israel Museum and Orthodox rabbis in the Old City of
Jerusalem, while simultaneously being buried for these nearly two millennia by
the church. According to Fischer, at least two of the eight artifacts
were obviously ceremonial pieces which may well have been used by James the
Just, the brother of Jesus, who is said to be the first Bishop of the church,
or perhaps even by one or more of the Twelve Apostles. One of the eight
artifacts is a brick-sized block of well-worn local marble. This piece bears an
etched version of the Messianic Seal with a Taw (the last letter in the ancient
Hebrew alphabet that looks exactly like a sign of the cross) in the eye of the
fish symbol, as well as the ancient Aramaic lettering proclaiming the use of
this artifact as a stand to hold a vial of anointing oil. The ancient Aramaic
is transliterated as, "La Shemen Ruehon" (For
the Oil of the Spirit). Another of the eight artifacts is a small,
almost intact, vial which could well have sat on top of the marble stand.
Commenting on what he characterized as the "monumental
importance" of this archaeological discovery, Fischer said, "Beyond the historical background of the
Nazarenes, the first Jewish believers who founded the Jerusalem Church, the
Messianic Seal itself proclaims to the world the pervasive Jewishness
of Jesus Christ and the decidedly Jewish foundation and roots of the church
founded in His name. The Messianic Seal of the Jerusalem Church," Fischer continued,
"strikes at the very roots of anti-Semitism while proclaiming a compelling
message that restores unity: Jew with Jew, and Jew with Gentile. The importance
of this discovery cannot be minimized. The Messianic Seal is not only just the
key to understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls, it can and should shake the foundations of the church and orthodox
Judaism with its incredible message of unity and love. It breaks down barriers
that have existed for millennia and points the way toward restoration."
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