Transcript Evidence for The Resurrection

Evidence for The Resurrection
Copyright © 2005 Harold C. Felder
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
II. What is the Evidence
III. What about the Alternate Theories
IV. What are the Implications of the Resurrection
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
A. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity is false
“For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised
either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you
are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in
Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to
be pitied more than all men.”
1 Corinthians 15:17-19
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
B. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, he was a false
prophet
“He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer
many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and
teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days
rise again.”
Mark 8:31
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
B. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, he was a false
prophet
“Then the Jews demanded of him, ‘What miraculous sign can you
show us to prove your authority to do all this?’ Jesus answered
them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’
The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,
and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had
spoken of was his body.’”
John 2:18-20
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
If, however, God did raise Jesus from the dead,
His message was confirmed by God.
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
II. What is the Evidence
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
A. Jesus died by crucifixion
1. The Jewish historian Josephus (ca. A.D. 37–ca. 100)
“When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the
highest standing amongst us, had condemned him to be
crucified . . . .”
(Antiquites 18.64)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
A. Jesus died by crucifixion
2. Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. 55?–117)
“Nero fastened the guilt [of the burning of Rome] and
inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for
their abominations, called Christians by the populace.
Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the
extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands
of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.”
(Annals 15:44)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
A. Jesus died by crucifixion
3. Mara Bar-Serapion” (ca. a.d. 73)
A letter currently housed in the British Museum, speaks of
Christ’s death, asking: “What advantage did the Jews gain
from executing their wise King seeing that from that very
time their kingdom was taken from them?”
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
A. Jesus died by crucifixion
4. Talmud (Probably late 2nd century)
“On the eve of Passover Yeshua was hanged. For forty days
before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried,
‘he is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery
and enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in
his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.’ But
since nothing was brought forward in his favour he was hanged
on the eve of the Passover.’”
(Sanhedrin 43a)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
1. They claimed it
Paul said the disciples claimed that Jesus rose from the dead
After writing of Jesus resurrection in 1 Cor. 15:3-8, Paul writes:
“For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be
called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by
the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not
without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but
the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they,
this [i.e. Jesus’ resurrection appearance] is what we preach, and
this is what you believed.”
1 Corinthians 15:9-11
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
1. They claimed it
Creeds
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was
buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the
Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the
brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some
have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the
apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one
abnormally born.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-5
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
1. They claimed it
Written Traditions
Apostolic Father Clement of Rome (A.D. 95) writes:
“Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the
resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and established in the word of
God, with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth
proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand”
1 Clement 42:3
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
1. They claimed it
Written Traditions
Apostolic Father Polycarp (written circa 110 AD)
“Paul himself, and the rest of the apostles. [This do] in the assurance
that all these have not run in vain, but in faith and righteousness, and
that they are [now] in their due place in the presence of the Lord, with
whom also they suffered. For they loved not this present world, but
Him who died for us, and for our sakes was raised again by God from
the dead.”
Pol. Phil. 9:2
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
2. They demonstrated their belief
After Jesus’ death the apostles were transformed from men who hid in
fear and denied Christ to men who boldly proclaimed their message
under persecution and unto martyrdom.
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
2. They demonstrated their belief
Apostolic Father Clement of Rome (A.D. 30–100 )
“Through envy and jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars [of the
Church] have been persecuted and put to death. Let us set before our eyes the
illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two,
but numerous labours and when he had at length suffered martyrdom,
departed to the place of glory due to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained
the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity,
compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he
gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness
to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west,and suffered
martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went
into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of patience.”
1 Clement 5:2-7
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
2. They demonstrated their belief
Ignatius bishop of the church in Antioch in Syria (martyred c AD 110)
“When, for instance, He came to those who were with Peter, He said
to them, “Lay hold, handle Me, and see that I am not an incorporeal
spirit." And immediately they touched Him, and believed, being
convinced both by His flesh and spirit. For this cause also they
despised death, and were found its conquerors.”
(Ign. Smyrn 3:2-3)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
2. They demonstrated their belief
Jewish Historian Josephus (writing circa 95 AD)
“Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he
assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the
brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and
some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed
an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to
be stoned”
(Antiquities 20.200)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
2. They demonstrated their belief
Early Church Father Tertullian (writing during the late first century)
“That Paul is beheaded has been written in their own blood. And if a
heretic wishes his confidence to rest upon a public record, the archives
of the empire will speak, as would the stones of Jerusalem. We read
the lives of the Cµsars: At Rome Nero was the first who stained with
blood the rising faith. Then is Peter girt by another, when he is made
fast to the cross. Then does Paul obtain a birth suited to Roman
citizenship, when in Rome he springs to life again ennobled by
martyrdom.”
(Scopiace 15)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
B. Disciples believed Jesus rose for the dead
2. They demonstrated their belief
There is no record of even an accusation being brought that any one of
the apostles ever recanted their story of seeing the resurrected Christ
even unto death.
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
C. The Conversion of the Church Persecutor Paul
1. The Conversion
“I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in
Christ. They only heard the report: the man who formerly
persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’
And they praised God because of me.”
(Galatians 1:22-23)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
C. The Conversion of the Church Persecutor Paul
1. The Conversion
“For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be
called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
(1 Corinthians 15:9)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
C. The Conversion of the Church Persecutor Paul
1. The Conversion
Paul recounts is conversion experience in Acts 9,22,26
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
C. The Conversion of the Church Persecutor Paul
2. Suffering and Martyrdom
“Are
they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am
more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been
flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five
times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I
was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I
spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the
move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger
from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in
danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I
have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known
hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and
naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for
all the churches”
(1 Corinthians 11:23-28)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
C. The Conversion of the Church Persecutor Paul
3. Martyrdom
Clement of Rome (1 Clem 5:2-7)
Polycarp (Pol. Phil. 9:2)
Tertullian (Scorpiace 15)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
C. The Conversion of the Church Persecutor Paul
Resurrection expert Dr. Gary Habermas surveyed almost 30 years of
German, French, and English scholarship and writes “virtually all
scholars recognize Paul’s testimony that he had an experience that he
believed was an appearance of the risen Jesus”
(Dr. Gary Habermas and Michael R. Licona, The Case for the Resurrection Jesus, 74)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
D. The Conversion of the Skeptic James
1. Conversion
“When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him,
for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
(Mark 3:20)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
D. The Conversion of the Skeptic James
1. Conversion
“Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘You ought to leave here and go to
Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one
who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are
doing these things, show yourself to the world.’ For even his own
brothers did not believe in him.”
(John 7:3-5)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
D. The Conversion of the Skeptic James
2. James Later Became a Leader in the Church of Jerusalem
Acts 15:12-21
Galatians 1:19
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
D. The Conversion of the Skeptic James
3. Martyrdom
Jewish Historian Josephus (writing circa 95 AD)
“Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he
assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the
brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and
some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed
an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to
be stoned”
(Antiquities 20.200)
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
E. The Empty Tomb
Accepted by 75% of Scholars
If the tomb wasn’t empty, the Jewish leaders and Roman officials would
have simply produced the body of Jesus
The early explanation that the disciples stole the body would not have been
necessary unless the tomb was empty
It would not make sense to list women as the first witnesses unless it was
true
Evidence for The Resurrection
II. What is the Evidence
Summary of the Evidence
1. Jesus Died by Crucifixion
2. The Disciples Believed that Jesus Rose from the Dead
3. The Conversion of the Church Persecutor Paul
4. The Conversion of the Skeptic James
5. The Empty Tomb
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
II. What is the Evidence
III. What about the Alternate Theories
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
A. Legend
1. The disciples never claimed that Jesus rose from the dead.
This was added later
a) The original disciples claimed resurrection from the beginning
b) Paul and James claimed to have seen the risen Jesus
c) This theory provides no evidence
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
A. Legend
2. Resurrection in other religions
a) These alleged parallel accounts are vague and unlike Jesus’ resurrection
b) Accounts lack evidence and can easily be accounted for by
opposing theories
c) Accounts cannot explain the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
B. Fraud Theory
1. The Disciples Lied or Stole the Body
a) Disciples really believed the resurrection
b) Conversions of Paul and James are based on appearances
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
C. Wrong Tomb Theory
a) Does not account for the appearances to the disciples
b) Paul and James were not convinced by empty tombs but by appearances
c) No sources suggest wrong tomb
d) Burial by Joseph indicates tomb’s location was known
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
D. Apparent Death Theory (Swoon)
1. According to an article in the March 21, 1986 Journal of the American
Medical Association, survival was highly unlikely
2. Paul experience “Glorious” Appearance
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
E. Hallucination Theory
1. Hallucinations are not group occurrences, but individual (like dream)
2. Does not explain the empty tomb
3. Does not explain the conversions of Paul and James
4. Too many personal variances
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
F. Biased Testimony
1. Paul and James were both unbiased
2. Eliminates virtually all history
3. Bias does not require distortion
4. Does not explain the evidence
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
G.Discrepancies in the Gospel Accounts of the
Resurrection Makes the Entire Story Suspect
1. At most, calls inerrancy into question, not resurrection
2. Historical conclusions are not made this way
3. Differences may indicate Gospels are independent accounts of
resurrection and, therefore, provide multiple attestations
4. Many, if not all, tensions in accounts can be answered
Evidence for The Resurrection
III. What about the Alternate Theories
Conclusion
1. All natural explanations fail
2. Only the fact of the resurrection can account for all of the data
Evidence for The Resurrection
I. Why is the Resurrection Important
II. What is the Evidence
III. What about the Alternate Theories
IV. What are the Implications of the Resurrection
Evidence for The Resurrection
IV. What are the Implications of the Resurrection
A. All Other Religions that Deny the Resurrection Must be Wrong
B. Serves as a Confirmation of Christ’s message
Evidence for The Resurrection
IV. What are the Implications of the Resurrection
B. Serves as a Confirmation of Christ’s Message
1. About Himself
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.” (John 14:6 )
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in
me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25 )
Evidence for The Resurrection
IV. What are the Implications of the Resurrection
B. Serves as a confirmation of Christ’s message
2. About Salvation
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 )
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 )
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 )
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’”
(Romans 10:9 )
Evidence for The Resurrection
The End
Copyright © 2005 Harold C. Felder