The first book on the James Ossuary discovery—with new arguments for its authenticity. "A scientific detective story with extremely high religious stakes." —Time The discovery of a limestone burial box with the inscription "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" set the world of biblical archaeology abuzz. Could this be the first tangible proof of Jesus' existence? Hershel Shanks, celebrated for making biblical archaeology accessible to general readers, and Ben Witherington III, leading New Testament expert, reveal not only what the discovery means for understanding the Bible, but what it shows about the family of Jesus and the earliest Christians—and what it may mean for the most fundamental and deeply held beliefs of the church. "The simplest explanation is the likeliest . . . the James Ossuary is what it seems, the earliest recorded reference to Jesus of Nazareth." —The Wall Street Journal "Biblical archaeologists may have found their holy grail." —Newsweek "This could well be the earliest artifact ever found relating to the existence of Jesus." —The New York Times