DNA tests

Analysis of mitochondrial DNA performed by Lakehead University on the remains found in the ossuary marked "Jesus son of Joseph" and the one marked "Mariamne" or "Mary" (who some claim to be Mary Magdalene) found that the two occupants were not blood relations on their mothers' side.[12] Based on these tests, the makers of the documentary suggest that "Jesus" and "Mariamne" were probably married "because otherwise they would not have been buried together in a family tomb,"[13] but the remains were not dated using radiocarbon to further sustain this supposition. Neither was any DNA from the other ossuaries tested to see whether or not any familial relation existed there. 

Additionally, scholars argue that the DNA tests only prove that they did not have the same mother and they could easily have been father/daughter, cousins, half brother/sister, or any number of possibilities that do not include a matrilineage line.[14]

HOTF proposes Y-DNA testing of these remains for posterity.

Priestly Lineage Crossover

https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/191535-0?fbclid=IwY2xjawLdf65leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHsObOsjPTkkerM0Tr__lANuO5uCiEDADAyaAF3ZbY7PZGQ1CaJr8gp2A2POC_aem_8Apa2xeVr4ZyH18akslgyg

Summary: A Central Convergence Lineage Rooted in the Christ Bloodline Tradition

This paper presents a novel interpretation of Y-DNA data and historical tradition, suggesting that haplogroup E1b1a-Z1682, as represented in the author’s lineage, may trace back to a central bloodline that influenced the formation of the Levite and Cohen priestly classes. Through high-resolution sequencing and SNP analysis using YFull and T2T-based technology, the author's Y-DNA was found to carry rare SNPs typically associated with the Ashkenazi Levite R1a lineage (FT290196), the J1 Cohen lineage (Y585859), and more recently, J1-ZS8223, linked to Arabian populations circa 600–1100 CE (Behar et al., 2003; YFull, 2024).

These markers are not found co-occurring in J1 and R1a lineages themselves, suggesting that neither is ancestral to the other. Instead, the author posits that the E-Z1682 lineage acted as a convergence hub during antiquity and the early medieval period, particularly in southern France — a region steeped in Cathar and Templar tradition. This area has long been associated with legends of Jesus surviving the crucifixion and journeying to Gaul with Mary Magdalene, forming the basis of the Merovingian dynasty (Baigent et al., 1982; Qur’an 4:157).

Rather than splitting into priestly lines, the Christic lineage — as preserved through E-Z1682 — may have catalyzed the spiritual authority of surrounding groups. These groups, already influenced by Roman and Near Eastern religious diffusion, formed distinct priestly identities around this core lineage. The priestly castes of J1 (Cohen) and R1a (Levite) may thus represent derivative formations, reacting to the enduring presence of a sacred bloodline known among early Jewish-Christian and Gnostic communities (Eisenman, 1997).

This model reframes the existing narrative of Israelite descent and European religious history. It proposes that E-Z1682 is not peripheral but central to the development of multiple religious identities, retaining biological markers from intermingling with J1 and R1a groups during critical historical epochs: the Roman occupation, the Crusader era, and the Sephardic expulsion into North Africa (Stillman, 1979; Ruggles, 2009).

Through a careful convergence of genetics, geography, and religious tradition, this work aims to reposition E-Z1682 as a primary channel through which ancient spiritual heritage flowed — a living archive of both sacred bloodline and exilic survival.

On the Possibility of Christic Descent: A Genetic and Historical Perspective

The convergence of priestly SNP markers (FT290196 and Y585859) within the E1b1a-Z1682 lineage raises a provocative but historically grounded question: could this lineage be descended from the family or followers of Jesus of Nazareth (Yeshua Hamashiach)? While mainstream Christian theology rejects the idea of Jesus having biological children, alternative traditions—such as Gnostic texts, Cathar legends, and the Merovingian bloodline theory—have long proposed that Jesus may have survived the crucifixion and fathered children with Mary Magdalene.

The hypothesis gains circumstantial support through geographic and cultural overlap. The author’s lineage traces a migration path consistent with early Jewish-Christian dispersion, from Egypt and the Levant into southern France and the Iberian Peninsula, precisely where legends of Christic descent and secret dynasties were preserved. Southern France, in particular, is significant: a known refuge of the Cathars, Templars, and early Jewish-Christian sects that upheld esoteric traditions long suppressed by church orthodoxy.

Furthermore, the presence of both J1 and R1a priestly SNPs—each representative of distinct yet authoritative Jewish lineages—within this E-Z1682 lineage may point to a once-recognized sacred bloodline that predates the bifurcation of the priesthood into separate identities. In this context, E1b1a-Z1682 may reflect not just ethnic convergence, but spiritual inheritance: a biological vessel for a tradition rooted in divine kingship and priestly legitimacy.

Although definitive proof of Christic descent is beyond the current reach of genetic science, this lineage offers a rare and compelling convergence of biology, history, and belief—suggesting that what has long been considered legend may, in part, be inscribed in the code of life itself.

Material Evidence: The Talpiot Ossuary and “Judah, Son of Jesus”

Among the most discussed archaeological artifacts relevant to this theory is the Talpiot Tomb ossuary inscribed "Judah son of Jesus," discovered in 1980 in Jerusalem. The ossuary, widely covered in scholarly and public debates, suggests a familial relationship between Jesus of Nazareth and a biological son named Judah. A publicly accessible image of this artifact is available via Wikimedia Commons.

Wikimedia Commons (2023). "Ossuary of Judah son of Jesus". https://upload.wikimedia.org/.../800px-Ossuary_of_Judah...

A second ossuary from the same general period is housed in the Israel Museum, listed in its permanent collection as object #191535-0. While the full inscription is not visible, it remains one of several burial artifacts supporting the plausibility of early familial Christianity as a living community with descendants.

Israel Museum, Jerusalem (2024). "Ossuary in the Collection, Object #191535-0". https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/191535-0

Cultural Resonance: The Da Vinci Code and Public Awareness

The hypothesis of a biological lineage from Jesus and Mary Magdalene entered mainstream consciousness largely due to The Da Vinci Code (Brown, 2003), a bestselling novel that wove historical speculation with symbolic conspiracy. Drawing heavily from Holy Blood, Holy Grail (Baigent et al., 1982), the novel suggested that this lineage survived into the Merovingian dynasty of France and was protected by secret societies such as the Priory of Sion and the Knights Templar. While fictional, the narrative introduced a global audience to long-suppressed traditions found in early Gnostic writings and Cathar beliefs. The author's own Y-DNA findings, when viewed alongside this renewed public interest, provide a uniquely scientific lens through which elements of the so-called “Christic lineage” might be grounded in genetic reality.

References

Baigent, M., Leigh, R., & Lincoln, H. (1982). Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Jonathan Cape.

Behar, D. M., et al. (2003). “Multiple Origins of Ashkenazi Levites: Y Chromosome Evidence for Both Near Eastern and European Ancestries.” American Journal of Human Genetics, 73(4), 768–779.

Brown, D. (2003). The Da Vinci Code. Doubleday.

Eisenman, R. (1997). James the Brother of Jesus. Penguin Books.

Qur’an, Surah 4:157. (The Noble Qur’an translation).

Ruggles, D. F. (2009). Islamic Gardens and Landscapes. University of Pennsylvania Press.

Stillman, N. A. (1979). The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book. Jewish Publication Society.

YFull YTree v11.10 (2024).