Resurrection, Fact or Fiction? First Colony Bible Chapel Adult SS February 16, 2014
References The Bible using primarily King James and New American Standard translations The Big Book of Bible Difficulties Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe The Big Book of Bible Answers by Ron Rhodes Bible Problems And Answers by William Hoste and William Rodgers 2/16/2014 2
Importance of the Resurrection Numerically from Acts through Revelation 25 references to resurrection 36 references to raised from the grave Total 61 11 cross 14 crucified Total 25 2/16/2014 3
Importance of the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:13-19) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found [to be] false witnesses of God, because we witnessed against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 2/16/2014 4
Importance of the Resurrection 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep 2/16/2014 5
Importance of the Resurrection If no resurrection then Christ not risen If Christ not raised then preaching vain If Christ not raised then our faith worthless If Christ not raised then we are still in our sins 2/16/2014 6
Importance of the Resurrection If Christ not raised then dead in Christ have perished If hope in Christ in this life only then we are most miserable Since Christ is risen then first fruits of those who have died 2/16/2014 7
BIBLE EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION 2/16/2014 8
Sequence of the Resurrection An angel rolled away the stone before sunrise. Women who followed Jesus visited Jesus tomb and discovered him missing. Mary Magdalene left to tell Peter and John. The other women, remaining at the tomb, saw the two angels. Peter and John arrived at the tomb. Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb and Jesus appeared to her alone. Jesus then appeared to the other women. Those who guarded the tomb of Jesus reported to the religious rulers how the angel rolled away the stone. 2/16/2014 9
Sequence of the Resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter. Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus appears to disciples in upper room Without Thomas 8 days later Jesus appears to disciples in upper room With Thomas Jesus appears to fishing disciples at sea of Tiberias 2/16/2014 10
Sequence of the Resurrection Acts 1:3 To these He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over [a period of] forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 1Corinthians 15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 2/16/2014 11
Sequence of the Resurrection Jesus appeared: To many people Over long period of time Writers are eye witnesses Can t be discounted out of hand 2/16/2014 12
DISCIPLES MADE IT UP? 2/16/2014 13
Jesus Followers Predominately Jews Knew God s commandment and consequences regarding bearing false witness Preaching started in Jerusalem If tomb wasn t empty, big problem Earliest Jewish arguments admit to empty tomb The Toledoth Jesu, a compilation of early Jewish writings 2/16/2014 14
Jesus Followers Empty tomb discovered by women Not likely report if fiction Wouldn t suffer and die to perpetuate the lie One or more of the 500 witnesses would have come forward Something changed the disciples 2/16/2014 15
Early Written Records Paul writing 1 Corinthians 55 AD or earlier. Josephus writing in 93 AD He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life,.. Mark s account written within 7 years Too early to be legendary Burial and empty tomb accounts have grammatical and linguistic ties Indicating continuous story If burial accurate, empty tomb as well 2/16/2014 16
Passover Plot Written by Hugh J. Schonfield 1965 Educated at St Paul's School and King's College in London Humanist Pacifist Gospel accounts were different therefore inaccurate John s account most accurate Last one written! 2/16/2014 17
Passover Plot Jesus was a deeply religious Jewish man, probably wellversed in the teachings of the local northern sects such as the Nazarenes and Essenes. Growing up in biblical Galilee he had a skeptical and somewhat rebellious relationship to the hierarchy and teachings mandated by the authorities (the Pharisees) of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jewish Messianic expectation was extremely high in those times, matched to the despair caused by the Roman occupation of the land, and by their subjugation of the Jews. 2/16/2014 18
Passover Plot He was in many ways both typical of his times, and yet extraordinary in his religious convictions and beliefs, in his scholarship of the biblical literature, and in the fervency in which he lived his religion out in his daily life. He was convinced of his role as the expected Messiah based on the authority of his having been descendant from King David (the royal bloodline of David), and that he consciously and methodically, to the point of being calculating, attempted to fulfill that role, being eminently well-versed in the details of what that role entailed. 2/16/2014 19
Passover Plot He was convinced of the importance of his fulfilling the role perfectly (after all prophesy and expectation), and that he could not allow himself to fail, as that would undoubtedly lead to his being declared a false Messiah. He was perfectly aware of the consequences of his actions all along the way, and that he directed his closest supporters, the original twelve Apostles, unknowingly to aid him in his plans. He involved the least possible number of supporters in his plans ("need to know" basis), therefore very few knew of the details of his final plan, and even then only the least amount of information necessary. 2/16/2014 20
Passover Plot The culmination of his plan was to be his death (the crucifixion), his resurrection and his reign as the true kingly and priestly messiah, not in heaven but on earth the realized king of the Jews. 2/16/2014 21
Passover Plot Jesus fulfilled prophecies by his own human strength Conspired with Joseph of Arimathea Lazarus Anonymous young man Took drugs that feigned death Didn t linger on cross 2/16/2014 22
Passover Plot Joseph of Arimathea moved body to tomb Soldier ruined plan with a spear Revived but ultimately died Body stolen and disposed of Later sightings mistaken identity 2/16/2014 23
Passover Plot Revealed Jesus strong moral character and actions Unlikely He would turn to deceit Prophecies beyond His control Birth place (Micah 5:2) Born of Virgin (Isaiah 7:14) Identity of forerunner, John the Baptist (Malachi 3:1) 2/16/2014 24
Passover Plot Revealed Jesus had no control over exact timing of crucifixion Need just a few hours on the cross Counted on the Sabbath timing Romans professional executioners Blood and water proved death 2/16/2014 25
Passover Plot Revealed Lots of participants in body prep and tomb sealing (Matthew 27:59-61) And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave. 2/16/2014 26
Passover Plot Revealed Lots of participants in body prep and tomb sealing (Mark 15:46-47) And [Joseph] bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the [mother] of Joses were looking on [to see] where He was laid. 2/16/2014 27
Passover Plot Revealed Roman professional armed guards Appearances were clearly Jesus Wounds Intimate details Close encounters 2/16/2014 28
Swoon Theory Jesus did not die on the cross Simply fainted No death = no resurrection Cool tomb revived him He let himself out of tomb Only evidence The short time Jesus spent on the cross Legs were not broken 2/16/2014 29
Swoon Theory Revealed Problems Romans didn t know that Jesus wasn t dead Romans and Jews didn t detect the deception Jesus bound in dark tomb Jesus too weak to roll the stone aside Jesus too weak to overcome the Roman guards Disciples stupid enough to believe that Jesus had raised himself 2/16/2014 30
Swoon Theory Revealed Conclusions Romans were professional executioners Romans and Jews both watching the proceedings very closely Slipping fainted man past them very difficult Jesus beaten so that He no longer resembled a man Jesus too weak to Carry his cross Roll back the stone Overcome the guards 2/16/2014 31
Wrong Tomb All simply went to the wrong tomb It was empty Women went to wrong tomb They had just been there the evening before Peter and John went to wrong tomb Wrong tomb had empty grave clothes and turban placed as if body had left Angel appeared at wrong tomb Roman seal put on wrong tomb Romans guarded the wrong tomb 2/16/2014 32
Three Days? How could Jesus have been in the tomb 3 days since He was crucified on Friday and rose on Sunday? Gospels are clear that Jesus crucified on Friday before sundown Day before Passover Sabbath Sundown considered start of next day Any part of a day was considered a whole day 2/16/2014 33
Three Days? Babylonian Talmud tells us a portion of a day is as the whole of it We count part of Friday, all day Saturday, part of Sunday Jews counted 3 days and 3 nights 2/16/2014 34
Support of Empty Tomb Historical reliability of details Paul s testimony supports empty tomb Empty tomb part of Mark s source material Very old Story is simple and lacks legendary development Disciples could not have preached the resurrection in Jerusalem Earliest propaganda against church presupposes empty tomb 2/16/2014 35
Support of the Empty Tomb Resurrection is best explanation of empty tomb Resurrection appearances Paul s testimony proves the disciples saw appearances of resurrected Christ Gospel accounts are historically reliable Resurrection appearances were physical, bodily appearances 2/16/2014 36
Hallucinations Theory All Jesus appearances were hallucinations Same hallucinations came to: The tomb guards The women The disciples Paul The 500 James 2/16/2014 37
Hallucinations Theory Revealed Hallucinations cause by: Normal grief related hallucinations Group hallucination Paul s guilt Conversion disorder Can a group experience the same hallucination at the same time? Most psychologists dispute that possibility 2/16/2014 38
Hallucinations Theory Revealed Conversion disorder Psychological profile Most frequently in Women Adolescents Young adults Less educated People with low IQ Combat personnel 2/16/2014 39
Hallucinations Theory Revealed Doesn t fit Mary, Peter, John, Paul, etc. (John 20:16-17) Jesus *said to her, "Mary!" She *turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus *said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God. 2/16/2014 40
Hallucinations Theory Revealed (John 20:27) Then He *said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing. 2/16/2014 41
Hallucinations Theory Revealed (Luke 24:40-43) And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them. 2/16/2014 42
So What? The resurrection is an important foundation to our faith. The evidences for the resurrection are overwhelming Alternate explanations for empty tomb are not reasonable Encourages us with hope for personal resurrection 2/16/2014 43
Next Week Is God the author of evil? Are the Jehovah s Witnesses correct about their translation of John 1:1? Did Jesus think of himself as less than God? Did Christ empty himself of his divinity while on earth? Gerard Figurelli 2/16/2014 44