Jump to content

Vendyl Jones

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vendyl Miller Jones(May 29, 1930 – December 27, 2010) was an AmericanNoahidescholar who directedarchaeologicalsearches forbiblical artifactssuch as theArk of the Covenant.

Biography

[edit]

Vendyl was born inSudan, Texas.He received hisbachelor's degreeindivinity,and amaster's degreeintheologyfrom theBaptist Bible Collegealso studying at theSouthwestern Baptist Theological Seminary,[1][2][3]He later took advanced studies at theBowen Biblical Museumunder Dr. & Mrs. William Bowen and Biblical Archaeologist,W.F. Albright.

Between 1955 and 1956, Jones was pastor of the Dungan Chapel Baptist Church located on the border ofVirginiaandNorth Carolina.Vendyl came to believe that many apparentlyanti-Jewishstatements in thegospelswere "omitted in more ancient manuscripts" basing this claim on the "marginal notes" of an unidentified Bible.

In October 1956, Jones resigned the pastorate and moved toGreenville, South Carolinawhere he began his studies in theTalmud-Torah(a children's elementary religious school) under Rabbi Henry Barneis. This education was augmented by learning with the lateRabbi Max Stauberof Spartanburg. As his knowledge increased, so did the realization that all of his earlier studies had been very incomplete. Jones eventually developed a distinctive religious outlook which was based on theNoahide Laws.This stresses the need forgentilesto follow the moral laws that Noah lived by, while Jews should continue to follow theMosaic Law.

Continuing his studies, Vendyl lectured for the Biblical Research Society from 1964 to 1967. He then established the Judaic-Christian Research Foundation, which later gave birth to the Institute of Judaic-Christian Research (IJCR), which has now become Vendyl Jones Research Institutes.

In 1964, theJournal of Near Eastern Studiesreported the 1952 discovery of theMarble TabletsinBeirut,Lebanon.That same year theCopper Scrollwas found in Cave #3 atQumran,West Bank,which listed the hiding places of 64 sacred articles which included theTabernacleand theArk of the Covenant.

Move to Israel

[edit]

In April 1967, Jones moved his family to Israel to continue his studies in the Department of Judaica atHebrew University.Here, Jones became involved in the archaeological aspects of Israel. He aided the Israeli army during theSix-Day War.His assistance was in the role of being a spotter, since his color-blindness allowed him to spot camouflage. After the Six-Day War, he was on the Steckoll/Haas excavation team at Qumran, authorized by theJordanianDepartment ofAntiquitiesbefore the war. Shortly thereafter, Vendyl's excavations were continued under Israeli authority through the status quo Law.

In the years following, Jones continued to work in the Judean wilderness with his friend and mentor, the latePessah Bar-Adon.Jones also worked atTel Debir(Kiryat HaSefer) with ProfessorMoshe KohaviandAnson Rainey;theUniversity of Tel Avivand the Citadel ofHerod the GreatinJerusalemwith Professor Hillel Geva.

After 1972, Vendyl conducted eight excavations at Qumran, involving over 300 volunteers and funded by individual supporters of VJRI. There has been no support nor funding from the government, foundations, or grants. Jones's methods, claims and qualifications have been disputed by academics such as Joe Zias and Robert Elliot Friedman, and Jones has been denied digging permits by the Israeli authorities.

Part of the Copper Scroll. The discovery of this item inspired Vendyl Jones to search for such items as the Holy Anointing Oil and the Temple Incense.

In 1988 an excavation team led by Jones found a smallHerodian periodjug in a cave near Qumran containing what was possibly balsamic oil, a type of oil which may have been used to anoint some Israelite kings.[4]Jones stated that this was the originalbalm of Gilead.[5]This was originally considered to be genuine and was publicised in the media.[6][7]

In the 1992 excavation, the VJRI team announced the discovery of a hidden silo in the bedrock that contained a reddish snuff-looking material that appeared to be organic in nature.[8][9]It was analyzed by Zohar Amar ofBar-Ilan Universitywho noted that "According to Jones, the site where the red material was found corresponds exactly to the description of the ‘‘Cave of the Column” referred to in the Copper Scroll. "Amar criticises Jones for being selective with his data, omitting material that challenges his claims. He concludes that the substance found by Jones" is a cleaning material known in the ancient Hebrew as "borit" [lye] which was produced in this region by the inhabitants of Qumran and was one of their industries. "[10]

Jones believed his archaeology to haveeschatologicalsignificance, and that when he found the ancient religious items he was looking for, God would be revealed to the world, all Jews will return to Israel, and there would be peace in theMiddle East.Also, Israeli democracy will be replaced by aSanhedrin,not unlike thegroup that was formed by various Israeli rabbis in 2004,and with which Jones was closely associated.[11]In May 2005, it was reported that he had consulted withKabbalistsand that he believed he would find the Ark of the Covenant by August 14, 2005, the anniversary of thedestruction of the Jerusalem Temple.However, as the date approached and passed he claimed that this was a misquote. He then hoped that a drill-hole bore would reveal the Ark's location in September, but was prevented from proceeding due to lack of funds and the need for another environmental study required by the government.

Noahide Movement

[edit]

Vendyl Jones was active in theNoahidemovement, also known as Bnei Noach.[12][13][14]

While attempting to find or grow aRed heiferin order to revive the ancient temple rituals, Jones was an active member in the2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrinalong with RabbiYisrael Arielhead of The Temple Institute, and later worked with the President of the Sanhedrin RabbiAdin Steinzaltz.[15][16]Following this the "Sanhedrin Institute for Noahide Development" was established, with Vendyl leading it on behalf of the Noahides andYeshayahu Hollanderfor the Sanhedrin.[17]This movement was prominent in a court case brought before the Sanhedrin, where a German Noahide settler was living in a contested settlement nearSusya, Har Hevronand being evicted due to complaints by the Jewish settlers from nearbyBet Yatir,along with complaints by Arab former cave inhabitants in the vicinity who had been evicted. A Jewish convert and former Noahide Yakov Talia (formerly Jacobs Johannes from South-Africa) living in a nearby farm was summoned to intervene and support the settler, and although the Jewish settlers abstained from continued actions, the Israeli courts had the settlement dismantled. It was also instrumental in the Sanhedrin's attempt to solve the conflict between Iran and Israel, and The Sanhedrin's attempt to unify between theBedouins of Israeland the Israeli Jews.[18]

After his passing, the Noahide Nations organization, with the permission of his wife Anita Jones, created theVendyl Jones Scholarship Fund.[19]

Indiana Jones

[edit]

Jones also claimed to have been the subject of a movie script that was circulated in Hollywood, and which he claimed inspired the character ofIndiana Jones.[citation needed]He dedicates a chapter to the subject in his bookA Door of Hope: My Search for the Treasures of the Copper Scrollstating he never claimed to be the basis for Indiana Jones.[20][21][22]He states, "I cannot help that my name is Jones and that I happen to be looking for, among other things, the Ark... Admittedly, I have enjoyed the notoriety that the film created.. however I want to make it clear once and for all, that I have never stood up and declared, 'I am the real Indiana Jones.'"[21]

According to the story, a certainRandolph FillmoreArchived2013-12-06 at theWayback Machine,who had been on one of Jones's digs, wrote the first draft forRaiders of the Lost Ark;Vendyl became "Endy", then "Indy".[23][failed verification]According to the now defunct Vendyl Jones website: "In 1977, a young man volunteered for one of our archaeological digs. His name was Randy Filmore. He wrote a screenplay based on Vendyl's experiences and titled it"The Search for the Ashes of theRed Heifer."Upon returning to the States, Randy contacted Vendyl with the news that he'd found representation for his script in Hollywood. To this day, Vendyl has not heard from Filmore. When Vendyl recounts this story to the press, they often misinterpret it as a claim by Vendyl that he and Indy are the same. "[24][25]

However, accounts of the making of the film flatly contradict this.Philip KaufmanandGeorge Lucascame up with the idea of an archaeologist hunting for the Ark, while Indiana was the name of Lucas'sAlaskan Malamute.The character was to be named Indiana Smith after Nevada Smith (Steve McQueen's character in theeponymous film), and this was changed to Indiana Jones bySteven Spielberg.[26]In his book he adds, "did Fillmore's script make its way to the West Coast and into the hands of a producer who showed it to Kaufman? Did it cross the desk of Spielberg or Lucas? I really don't know, nor do I care."[21]

More recently, theFAQ sectionof Jones's web page has stated that, "It may be hard to believe but Vendyl has no connection with the popular motion picture character [Indiana Jones]. He has never received any money from the producers of the movie. And he's never asked."[27]

Other men more frequently identified as the inspiration for Indiana Jones areHiram Bingham III,Colonel Percy FawcettandRoy Chapman Andrews.[26][28][29]A Smithsonian Channel analysis concludes that the similarities to these men was indirect, with explorers like these serving as the model for heroes in adventure films of the 1940s and 1950s, which inspired writers like Lucas.[29]

Works

[edit]

In 1983, Vendyl publishedWill the Real Jesus Please Stand?.The book covers material he had previously released on cassette tapes addressing seven riddles of Israel and the Messiah.

In 2005 the bookA Door of Hope: My Search for the Treasures of the Copper Scrollwas published. In it, Jones discusses his childhood, move to Israel and digs for archaeological artifacts. He ends with stating that although he may not have found the lost ark, he found camaraderie with his co-workers and volunteers stating "...my search for the treasures of the Copper Scroll has allowed me to learn from some of the finest minds driven by the biggest hearts... maybe I found what I was seeking." (page 226)[20][21][22]

While running the Institute for Judaic-Christian Research, he published a newsletter,The Researcher,which went out to his supporters.

Death

[edit]

On December 27, 2010, Jones died from throat cancer. His funeral took place in Grandview, Texas.[30]

References

[edit]
  1. ^Vendyl was reported in interviews to have received a master's degree from a Baptist higher education institution. This is verified by his third degree received from the Hebrew University program which cooperates with theAmerican Institute of Holy Land Studiesused by a consortium of many North American theological seminaries and Christian colleges and universities.
  2. ^Archaeologist Vendyl Jones Speaks About His Research and Discoveries,Lali Dzhanashvili, Baruch College (The City University of New York) Newspaper, October 27, 2003 (The Ticker website)
  3. ^Raider of the Lost ArtifactsKaren Boren,Deseret News,June 25, 1992 (Deseret News website)
  4. ^Patrich, Joseph; Arubas, Benny (1989). "A Juglet Containing Balsam Oil(?) From a Cave Near Qumran".Israel Exploration Journal.39(1/2): 43–59.JSTOR27926136.
  5. ^Ben-Yehoshua, Shimson; Borowitz, Carole; Hanus, Lumir Ondrej (2012)."Frankincense, Myrrh, and Balm of Gilead: Ancient Spices of Southern Arabia and Judea".Horticultural Reviews.39.ISBN9781118100585.
  6. ^Times, Joel Brinkley, Special To The New York (1989-02-16)."Balsam Oil of Israelite Kings Found in Cave Near Dead Sea".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2016-03-09.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^National Geographic Magazine October 1989 Vol 176 No 4.National Geographic Society. 1989-10-01.
  8. ^"Spiritual Significance of the Incense".www.jewishmag.co.il.Retrieved2016-03-09.
  9. ^Paul Tweed (2011-08-08),Temple Scroll Cave and Incense Cave 1992 Excavation,archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-15,retrieved2016-03-12
  10. ^Amar, Zohar (March 1998). "The Ash and the Red Material from Qumran".Dead Sea Discoveries.5(1): 1–15.doi:10.1163/156851798X00208.JSTOR4193076.
  11. ^Sanhedrin Moves to Establish Council For NoahidesArutz Sheva29/9/2005
  12. ^"Broadcast 1 Part 1 – Noahide pioneers".Noahide World Center.Retrieved2016-03-09.
  13. ^noahidenations (2015-09-11),B'nai Noah Throughout History,archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-15,retrieved2016-03-09
  14. ^"vendyl jones".roshpinaproject.com.Retrieved2016-03-09.
  15. ^Jones speeking in 1979 about the quest for the red heifer(Audio, Apostilic Archive channel on YouTube)
  16. ^Kabblist Blessed Jones: Now's the time to find the lost Arc,Editorial ofB'Shevanews, May 20, 2005 (Israel National Newswebsite)
  17. ^Rabbi Yeshayahu Hollander with the Vendyl Jones(Noahide World Center channel, YouTube)
  18. ^(In Hebrew)Bedouins from the South and Rabbis attempt to connect the nations,Yitzhak Tessler, October 14, 2009,Makor Rishonnewspaper (Israeli NRG website)
  19. ^"VENDYL JONES SCHOLARSHIP FUND".www.noahidenations.com.Retrieved2016-03-09.
  20. ^ab"Vendyl Jones".lightcatcherbooks.com.Retrieved2016-03-09.
  21. ^abcdJones, Vendyl (2005-03-01).A Door of Hope: My Search for the Treasures of the Copper Scroll. page 143 - 146.Lightcatcher Books.ISBN9780971938854.
  22. ^ab"Door of Hope".Goodreads.Retrieved2016-03-09.
  23. ^"Other Religious Topics | Watchman Fellowship, Inc".
  24. ^"F A Q s".1998-01-11. Archived fromthe originalon January 11, 1998.Retrieved2016-03-09.
  25. ^Masqueraders of the Lost ArcMark Seal, August 1992,Texas Monthly(Texas Monthly website)
  26. ^ab"Log into Facebook".Archived fromthe originalon 2003-12-07.{{cite web}}:Cite uses generic title (help)
  27. ^"Mụ mụ mãi phạn bả 2 tuế nhi tử bảng sàng thượng, vấn kỳ nguyên nhân khóc trứ thuyết: Phạ suất hạ lai - thâm quyến thị tam hòa thịnh điện tử hữu hạn công tư".
  28. ^http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2005-09-22-peru_x.htm
  29. ^ab"Smithsonian Channel: Telling America's Stories".Archived fromthe originalon 2013-02-02.Retrieved2013-01-03.
  30. ^Fendel, Hillel (2010-12-27)."Noahide Archaeologist Vendyl Jones Passes Away".Israel National News.Retrieved2 January2011.
[edit]

News items and interviews

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vendyl_Jones&oldid=1256552519"