For a few months now, people have been asking me (and, more importunately, the BAR staff), “What does Hershel think?” referring to the notorious claim in a TV special that the Tomb of Jesus has been identified in the Talpiot neighborhood of Jerusalem.

I really had nothing to say. Fortunately, I would tell questioners, I was sunning myself in the Caribbean when the news broke and was unavailable for comment. If I had to tell my interlocutors more, I would say that I just don’t have a dog in this fight, so I have no views.

With the passage of time, however, I have developed some ideas that I can belatedly share with BAR readers.