Vendyl Jones
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Vendyl Miller Jones (May 29, 1930 – December 27, 2010) was an American
Noahide Noahidism () or Noachidism () is a Monotheism, monotheistic Jewish religious movements, Jewish New religious movement, religious movement based upon the Seven Laws of Noah and their traditional interpretations within Orthodox Judaism. Accordin ...
scholar who directed
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
searches for biblical artifacts such as the
Ark of the Covenant The Ark of the Covenant,; Ge'ez: also known as the Ark of the Testimony or the Ark of God, is an alleged artifact believed to be the most sacred relic of the Israelites, which is described as a wooden chest, covered in pure gold, with an e ...
.


Biography

Vendyl was born in
Sudan, Texas Sudan is a city in Lamb County, Texas, Lamb County in Texas, United States. Its population was 958 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. History According to ''The Handbook of Texas'', the area where the town is now located was once gran ...
. He received his
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in
divinity Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine
, and a
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
in
theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
from the Baptist Bible College also studying at the
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a Baptist theological institute in Fort Worth, Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It was established in 1908 and is one of the largest seminaries in the world. It i ...
,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)
Raider of the Lost Artifacts
Karen Boren,
Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...
, June 25, 1992 (Deseret News website)
He later took advanced studies at the Bowen Biblical Museum under Dr. & Mrs. William Bowen and Biblical Archaeologist,
W.F. Albright William Foxwell Albright (May 24, 1891– September 19, 1971) was an American archaeologist, biblical scholar, philologist, and expert on ceramics. He is considered "one of the twentieth century's most influential American biblical scholars." ...
. Between 1955 and 1956, Jones was pastor of the Dungan Chapel Baptist Church located on the border of
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. Vendyl came to believe that many apparently
anti-Jewish Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
statements in the
gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
s were "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 to
Greenville, South Carolina Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...
where he began his studies in the Talmud-Torah (a children's elementary religious school) under Rabbi Henry Barneis. This education was augmented by learning with the lat
Rabbi Max Stauber
of 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 the
Noahide Laws In Judaism, the Seven Laws of Noah ( he, שבע מצוות בני נח, ''Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach''), otherwise referred to as the Noahide Laws or the Noachian Laws (from the Hebrew pronunciation of "Noah"), are a set of Universal morality, ...
. This stresses the need for
gentile Gentile () is a word that usually means "someone who is not a Jew". Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, sometimes use the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is generally used as a synonym for ...
s to follow the moral laws that Noah lived by, while Jews should continue to follow the
Mosaic Law The Law of Moses ( he, תֹּורַת מֹשֶׁה ), also called the Mosaic Law, primarily refers to the Torah or the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. The law revealed to Moses by God. Terminology The Law of Moses or Torah of Moses (Hebrew ...
. 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, the
Journal of Near Eastern Studies The ''Journal of Near Eastern Studies'' is an academic journal published by the University of Chicago Press, covering research on the ancient and medieval civilisations of the Near East, including their archaeology, art, history, literature, ling ...
reported the 1952 discovery of the
Marble Tablets Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphosed ...
in
Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
,
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. That same year the
Copper Scroll The Copper Scroll ( 3Q15) is one of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in Cave 3 near Khirbet Qumran, but differs significantly from the others. Whereas the other scrolls are written on parchment or papyrus, this scroll is written on metal: copper mixed ...
was found in Cave #3 at
Qumran Qumran ( he, קומראן; ar, خربة قمران ') is an archaeological site in the West Bank managed by Israel's Qumran National Park. It is located on a dry marl plateau about from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near the Israeli ...
,
West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
, which listed the hiding places of 64 sacred articles which included the
Tabernacle According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle ( he, מִשְׁכַּן, mīškān, residence, dwelling place), also known as the Tent of the Congregation ( he, link=no, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ōhel mō‘ēḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), ...
and the
Ark of the Covenant The Ark of the Covenant,; Ge'ez: also known as the Ark of the Testimony or the Ark of God, is an alleged artifact believed to be the most sacred relic of the Israelites, which is described as a wooden chest, covered in pure gold, with an e ...
.


Move to Israel

In April 1967, Jones moved his family to Israel to continue his studies in the Department of Judaica at
Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
. Here, Jones became involved in the archaeological aspects of Israel. He aided the Israeli army during the
Six-Day War The Six-Day War (, ; ar, النكسة, , or ) or June War, also known as the 1967 Arab–Israeli War or Third Arab–Israeli War, was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab world, Arab states (primarily United Arab Republic, Egypt, S ...
. 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 the
Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
ian Department of
Antiquities Antiquities are objects from antiquity, especially the civilizations of the Mediterranean: the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt and the other Ancient Near Eastern cultures. Artifacts from earlier periods such as the Meso ...
before 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 late
Pessah Bar-Adon Pessah Bar-Adon (Hebrew: פסח בר-אדון; b. 1907, d. 1985) was a Polish-born Israeli archaeologist and writer. Early life Born Pessah Panitsch in Kolno, Poland, to a Zionist, Haredi family, he was educated in a Jewish orthodox school and i ...
. Jones also worked at Tel Debir ( Kiryat HaSefer) with Professor Moshe Kohavi and
Anson Rainey Anson Frank Rainey (January 11, 1930 – February 19, 2011) was professor emeritus of ancient Near Eastern cultures and Semitic linguistics at Tel Aviv University. He is known in particular for contributions to the study of the Amarna table ...
; the
University of Tel Aviv Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...
and the Citadel of
Herod the Great Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renov ...
in
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
with 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. In 1988 an excavation team led by Jones found a small Herodian period jug 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. Jones stated that this was the original
balm of Gilead Balm of Gilead was a rare perfume used medicinally, that was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, and named for the region of Gilead, where it was produced. The expression stems from William Tyndale's language in the King James Bible of 1611, and has c ...
. This was originally considered to be genuine and was publicised in the media. 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. It was analyzed by Zohar Amar of
Bar-Ilan University Bar-Ilan University (BIU, he, אוניברסיטת בר-אילן, ''Universitat Bar-Ilan'') is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is Israel's second-largest academic i ...
who 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" nowiki/>lye.html"_;"title="lye.html"_;"title="nowiki/>lye">nowiki/>lye">lye.html"_;"title="nowiki/>lye">nowiki/>lyewhich_was_produced_in_this_region_by_the_inhabitants_of_Qumran_and_was_one_of_their_industries." Jones_believed_his_archaeology_to_have_eschatology.html" "title="lye">nowiki/>lye.html" ;"title="lye.html" ;"title="nowiki/>lye">nowiki/>lye">lye.html" ;"title="nowiki/>lye">nowiki/>lyewhich was produced in this region by the inhabitants of Qumran and was one of their industries." Jones believed his archaeology to have eschatology">eschatological Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that negati ...
significance, 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 the Middle East. Also, Israeli democracy will be replaced by a Sanhedrin, not unlike the 2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, group that was formed by various Israeli rabbis in 2004, and with which Jones was closely associated. In May 2005, it was reported that he had consulted with
Kabbalists Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "receiver"). The defin ...
and that he believed he would find the Ark of the Covenant by August 14, 2005, the anniversary of the destruction 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

Vendyl Jones was active in the
Noahide Noahidism () or Noachidism () is a Monotheism, monotheistic Jewish religious movements, Jewish New religious movement, religious movement based upon the Seven Laws of Noah and their traditional interpretations within Orthodox Judaism. Accordin ...
movement, also known as Bnei Noach. While attempting to find or grow a Red heifer in order to revive the ancient temple rituals, Jones was an active member in the 2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin along with Rabbi
Yisrael Ariel Rabbi Yisrael Ariel (, born Yisrael Stieglitz in 1939) was the chief rabbi of the evacuated Israeli settlement of Yamit in the Sinai Peninsula during the years when the Sinai was controlled by Israel, and the founder of the Temple Institute (''Ma ...
head of The Temple Institute, and later worked with the President of the Sanhedrin Rabbi Adin Steinzaltz.Jones speeking in 1979 about the quest for the red heifer
(Audio, Apostilic Archive channel on YouTube)
Kabblist Blessed Jones: Now's the time to find the lost Arc
Editorial of
B'Sheva ''B'Sheva'' () is a weekly Hebrew language newspaper published in Israel. The first issue of ''B'sheva'', published by Arutz Sheva, appeared on July 19, 2002. It is distributed free on Thursdays in religious population centers. Readership The p ...
news, May 20, 2005 (
Israel National News ''Arutz Sheva'' ( he, ערוץ 7, lit=''Channel 7''), also known in English as ''Israel National News'', is an Israeli media network identifying with religious Zionism. It offers online news articles in Hebrew, English, and Russian as well as l ...
website)
Following this the "Sanhedrin Institute for Noahide Development" was established, with Vendyl leading it on behalf of the Noahides and Yeshayahu Hollander for the Sanhedrin. This movement was prominent in a court case brought before the Sanhedrin, where a German Noahide settler was living in a contested settlement near
Susya, Har Hevron Susya ( he, סוּסְיָא) is a religious communal Israeli settlement in Area C of the West Bank. Located near but not atop the ancient Jewish village and synagogue in the archaeological site of Susya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Ha ...
and being evicted due to complaints by the Jewish settlers from nearby Bet 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 the Bedouins of Israel and the Israeli Jews. After his passing, the Noahide Nations organization, with the permission of his wife Anita Jones, created the ''Vendyl Jones Scholarship Fund.''


Indiana Jones

Jones also claimed to have been the subject of a movie script that was circulated in Hollywood, and which he claimed inspired the character of
Indiana Jones ''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a fictional professor of archaeology, that began in 1981 with the film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark''. In 1984, a prequel, '' Th ...
. He dedicates a chapter to the subject in his book ''A Door of Hope: My Search for the Treasures of the Copper Scroll'' stating he never claimed to be the basis for Indiana Jones. 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.'" According to the story, a certai
Randolph Fillmore
who had been on one of Jones's digs, wrote the first draft for ''
Raiders of the Lost Ark ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. It stars Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronal ...
''; Vendyl became "Endy", then "Indy". 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 the Red 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."Masqueraders of the Lost Arc
Mark Seal, August 1992,
Texas Monthly ''Texas Monthly'' (stylized as ''TexasMonthly'') is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Downtown Austin, Texas. ''Texas Monthly'' was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy and has been published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. since 1998 and is ...
(Texas Monthly website)
However, accounts of the making of the film flatly contradict this.
Philip Kaufman Philip Kaufman (born October 23, 1936) is an American film director and screenwriter who has directed fifteen films over a career spanning more than six decades. He has been described as a "maverick" and an "iconoclast," notable for his versati ...
and
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
came up with the idea of an archaeologist hunting for the Ark, while Indiana was the name of Lucas's
Alaskan Malamute The Alaskan Malamute () is a large breed of dog that was originally bred for its strength and endurance to haul heavy freight as a sled dog and hound. It is similar to other arctic breeds such as the husky, the spitz, the Greenland Dog, Canad ...
. The character was to be named Indiana Smith after Nevada Smith (
Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...
's character in the eponymous film), and this was changed to Indiana Jones by
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
. 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." More recently, th
FAQ section
of Jones's web page has stated that, "It may be hard to believe but Vendyl has no connection with the popular motion picture character ndiana Jones He has never received any money from the producers of the movie. And he's never asked." Other men more frequently identified as the inspiration for Indiana Jones are
Hiram Bingham III Hiram Bingham III (November 19, 1875 – June 6, 1956) was an American academic, explorer and politician. He made public the existence of the Inca Empire, Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in 1911 with the guidance of local indigenous farmers. Late ...
, Colonel Percy Fawcett and
Roy Chapman Andrews Roy Chapman Andrews (January 26, 1884 – March 11, 1960) was an American explorer, adventurer and naturalist who became the director of the American Museum of Natural History. He led a series of expeditions through the politically disturbed C ...
.http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2005-09-22-peru_x.htm 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.


Works

In 1983, Vendyl published ''Will 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 book ''A Door of Hope: My Search for the Treasures of the Copper Scroll'' was 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) While running the Institute for Judaic-Christian Research, he published a newsletter, ''The Researcher'', which went out to his supporters.


Death

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


News Items and Interviews


BBC News Real 'Raiders of the lost Ark

Israel National News: Kabbalist Blesses Jones: Now´s the Time to Find Holy Lost Ark


* The People: A Million a Minute

* Quest: The Search for the Ark of the Covenant (documentary film)
IMDB
* The Strange Search for the Ashes of the Red Heifer - The Biblical Archaeologist, 199
The Biblical Archaeologist
* Searching for Biblical Treasure - Radio interview with George Noon

* Interview with Vendyl Jones
Israel National Radio
* Vendyl Jones's Search For The Lost Ark
Associated Press (Video)
* From the Pulpits of Tennessee to the Desert of Israel: Legacy of Spiritual Maverick Vendyl Jones Lives On
Breaking Israel News
* Masquerader of The Lost Ark: Is a renegade Texas archaeologist the real Indiana Jones?
Texas Monthly, 1992
*
"Finding the Lost Ark" by David Margolis


References


External links


"sohbet"

Vendyl Jones website
(now defunct, link to archive.org version) {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Vendyl 1930 births 2010 deaths Biblical archaeologists American archaeologists American explorers Noahides People from Lamb County, Texas American Christian religious leaders Dead Sea Scrolls Deaths from throat cancer Deaths from cancer in Texas American Christian Zionists