Post by Caroline on Feb 24, 2017 13:03:02 GMT -5
There are four historical facts related to the Christian claim of the resurrection of Jesus that are widely accepted by historians today, believers and non-.
The debate is over the best explanation of these facts. Some of the theories that have been offered follow. But none of them has the explanatory power and scope as the explanation offered by Christianity which is that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Hallucination theory
There are numerous problems with this theory. Here are three: First, Jesus is recorded as having appeared to multiple individuals and groups in various locations at various times in various circumstances. It's unreasonable to believe they all had hallucinations and hallucinated the same thing. Secondly, the gospel accounts, which have been shown to be very credible, record real, physical appearances. And thirdly, it doesn't explain the empty tomb.
Wrong tomb
Some suggest that the disciples went to the wrong tomb. But the tomb belonged to a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin (Joseph of Arimathea) so would have been known to the Jews. If the disciples had gone to the wrong tomb the Jewish authorities would have produced Jesus' body to prove he hadn't risen. This theory also cannot account for the multiple post-mortem appearances.
Swoon theory
This proposal claims that Jesus did not die but only seemed to be dead and became resuscitated in the tomb. The theory has several fatal flaws. First, a torturous Roman crucifixion, especially after a brutal scourging, ensured death and they were so skilled and experienced at it they were highly unlikely to mistake death for apparent death. Second, Jesus was embalmed by several of his disciples with 75 lbs. of bandages and spices. It's doubtful if he was actually alive they would not have noticed.
Third, even if he was still alive in the tomb, he had been so beaten and stabbed - not just the nails in his wrists and feet but a sword in his side - if he didn't bleed to death he would never have had the strength to unwrap himself, move the 2-ton stone away from the entrance, get by the Roman guards, and convince his frightened followers that he was dead and now he's alive.
Jesus' body was stolen
This explanation proposes that Jesus' disciples or others took his body from the tomb. But this is untenable in light of the other evidence. Why would so many of his disciples willingly go to their deaths for their faith if they well knew he did not actually rise? Furthermore, that would have made them liars, which is inconsistent with what we can glean of their character from the records.
And what reason would his enemies have had to steal the body? If they had, they certainly would have produced it to make his followers look bad. This theory also fails to account for the appearances.
A substitute Jesus
This is the explanation offered by Muslims because the Quran claims Jesus was not really crucified. They propose that someone like Judas was killed in his place. But this is not sustainable in light of the absence of any evidence for it, and the presence of multiple witnesses to the crucifixion who knew Jesus, including his mother, whom we are to believe did not catch on to the switch. This would also require us to believe that Jesus was lying when he predicted his death and resurrection, and deceived his followers with fake nail and spear wounds.
Some have even suggested that we believe (without evidence) that Jesus had an identical twin brother who stole Jesus' body from the tomb then presented himself as Jesus to the disciples.
The only explanation that is able to adequately account for the four historical facts cited above is that Jesus really did rise from the dead.
- Jesus’ burial
- the discovery of his empty tomb
- his post-mortem appearances
- the origin of the disciples’ belief in his resurrection.
The debate is over the best explanation of these facts. Some of the theories that have been offered follow. But none of them has the explanatory power and scope as the explanation offered by Christianity which is that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Hallucination theory
There are numerous problems with this theory. Here are three: First, Jesus is recorded as having appeared to multiple individuals and groups in various locations at various times in various circumstances. It's unreasonable to believe they all had hallucinations and hallucinated the same thing. Secondly, the gospel accounts, which have been shown to be very credible, record real, physical appearances. And thirdly, it doesn't explain the empty tomb.
Wrong tomb
Some suggest that the disciples went to the wrong tomb. But the tomb belonged to a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin (Joseph of Arimathea) so would have been known to the Jews. If the disciples had gone to the wrong tomb the Jewish authorities would have produced Jesus' body to prove he hadn't risen. This theory also cannot account for the multiple post-mortem appearances.
Swoon theory
This proposal claims that Jesus did not die but only seemed to be dead and became resuscitated in the tomb. The theory has several fatal flaws. First, a torturous Roman crucifixion, especially after a brutal scourging, ensured death and they were so skilled and experienced at it they were highly unlikely to mistake death for apparent death. Second, Jesus was embalmed by several of his disciples with 75 lbs. of bandages and spices. It's doubtful if he was actually alive they would not have noticed.
Third, even if he was still alive in the tomb, he had been so beaten and stabbed - not just the nails in his wrists and feet but a sword in his side - if he didn't bleed to death he would never have had the strength to unwrap himself, move the 2-ton stone away from the entrance, get by the Roman guards, and convince his frightened followers that he was dead and now he's alive.
Jesus' body was stolen
This explanation proposes that Jesus' disciples or others took his body from the tomb. But this is untenable in light of the other evidence. Why would so many of his disciples willingly go to their deaths for their faith if they well knew he did not actually rise? Furthermore, that would have made them liars, which is inconsistent with what we can glean of their character from the records.
And what reason would his enemies have had to steal the body? If they had, they certainly would have produced it to make his followers look bad. This theory also fails to account for the appearances.
A substitute Jesus
This is the explanation offered by Muslims because the Quran claims Jesus was not really crucified. They propose that someone like Judas was killed in his place. But this is not sustainable in light of the absence of any evidence for it, and the presence of multiple witnesses to the crucifixion who knew Jesus, including his mother, whom we are to believe did not catch on to the switch. This would also require us to believe that Jesus was lying when he predicted his death and resurrection, and deceived his followers with fake nail and spear wounds.
Some have even suggested that we believe (without evidence) that Jesus had an identical twin brother who stole Jesus' body from the tomb then presented himself as Jesus to the disciples.
The only explanation that is able to adequately account for the four historical facts cited above is that Jesus really did rise from the dead.
