Lesson Three Part 1 - Magis Center€¦ · LESSON THREE, Part 1: The Resurrection Video Comprehension 1. What are the three kinds of evidence for human transcendence covered in episode

Lesson Three—Part 1

Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J.

Happiness, Suffering and the Love of God

The Resurrection of Jesus

and Jesus’ Revelation of the Unconditional Love of God

The ResurrectionBy Claude LeBlanc, M.A., © Magis Center, 2017

LESSON THREE, Part 1: The Resurrection

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus, help us to understand what

the Resurrection reveals about you, and

what its significance is for us. Then, with

your help, may we help those who don’t believe or realize what you did for them.

Amen.


Take It Home Review: Pairing Sharing

Share your responses to My Identity, Dignity, and

Destiny with one other person.


Supplemental Video 1: “Pope Francis: Do You Believe Jesus is Alive?” Watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLgxLbBYXA4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLgxLbBYXA4


“If Jesus is alive, do you think that he will leave us to die and

not bring us back to life? No!

He is waiting for us, and because

he has risen, the power of his

resurrection will resurrect us all.”(From: “Pope Francis: Do You Believe Jesus is Alive?”)


Video Reflection: Large Class Sharing

Do you believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? If so, what

do you think is the best reason to believe? If not, what

evidence, if any, would convince you?


Watch Video Episode Three:

The Resurrection of Jesus

and Jesus’ Revelation of the Unconditional Love of God,

Part 1: The Resurrection,

taking notes on the handout:

Video Comprehension

Questions.


Video Comprehension

1. What are the three kinds of evidence for human

transcendence covered in episode two?


Video Comprehension



a) The tendency toward the spiritual, sacred, and religious.


Video Comprehension




b) The five transcendental desires for perfect and

unconditional truth, love, fairness, beauty, and home.


Video Comprehension




b) The five transcendental desires for perfect and

unconditional truth, love, fairness, beauty, and home.

c) Veridical evidence for the survival of the soul after

bodily death from near-death experiences (NDEs).


2. What is the fourth

kind of evidence for

human transcendence?





The Resurrection of

Jesus.





The Resurrection of

Jesus.

3. What was the

witnesses’ experience of the Resurrection

very similar to?





The Resurrection of

Jesus.

3. What was the

witnesses’ experience of the Resurrection

very similar to?

How those with NDEs

see deceased relatives.


4. How do those having

NDE’s perceive their own bodies?


4. How do those having

NDE’s perceive their own bodies?

They are embodied in

their most perfect form,

and emanate light and

love, even though no

longer physical. Just like

Jesus could go through a

closed door, a person’s body can go through walls, floors,

etc.


5. Because of their experience of the risen Jesus, what did 1st

century Christians, including Paul, insist?




In the resurrection of a spiritual body.





6. How did this belief differ from the belief of those Jews of

the time who believed in resurrection?







They believed in a resurrection that was only physical.








7. Why would believing in the resurrection of a spiritual

body have been very difficult for Jewish Christians?








7. Why would believing in the resurrection of a spiritual

body have been very difficult for Jewish Christians?

Belief in a physical-only resurrection had been a part of 2nd

Temple Judaism from the return from exile near the end of

the 6th c. B.C. to the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.


8. What is the order of the post-

Resurrection appearances St. Paul

mentions in his writings?





Peter, the Apostles (twice), 500

believers (all at once), James, the

Apostles (several times), then Paul.








9. Which appearances does St. Paul

omit, and why?








9. Which appearances does St. Paul

omit, and why?

Jesus’ appearances to women, because they couldn’t be official witnesses in 2nd Temple Judaism.


10. What

happened during

Jesus’ appearance to St. Peter?


10. What

happened during

Jesus’ appearance to St. Peter?

It was an

individual

experience in

which Jesus

verified what the

women had

already told him.


11. What happened

during Jesus’ first two appearances to the

Apostles (the first

without Thomas

present)?


11. What happened

during Jesus’ first two appearances to the

Apostles (the first

without Thomas

present)?

They noticed Jesus’ transformed body, and they thought they were

seeing a ghost; so Jesus shows

them the wounds in his hands

and feet and side.


12. What is the significance of St. Paul’s mentioning, “Most of the (500) are still alive, though some have fallen asleep”?


12. What is the significance of St. Paul’s mentioning, “Most of the (500) are still alive, though some have fallen asleep”?He is telling readers that they

can check out the claims of the

Resurrection for themselves;

they don’t have to believe him.





they don’t have to believe him. 13. Why were the witnesses to

the Resurrection ‘good’ witnesses?





they don’t have to believe him. 13. Why were the witnesses to

the Resurrection ‘good’ witnesses?

They had nothing to gain and

everything to lose.


14. What dilemma did St. Paul set up to demonstrate how

‘good’ of a witness he was?



‘good’ of a witness he was?On the one hand, he says that if he believes that Jesus is

the Son of God, and he is lying about the Resurrection, he

is lying to God, and is the worst of all men.



‘good’ of a witness he was?On the one hand, he says that if he believes that Jesus is

the Son of God, and he is lying about the Resurrection, he

is lying to God, and is the worst of all men.

On the other hand, he says

that if he didn’t believe, then why would he be

willing to be rejected,

persecuted and

suffer.


15. How is the gift of the Holy Spirit connected to the

Resurrection?


15. How is the gift of the Holy Spirit connected to the

Resurrection?

Because of the Resurrection, Jesus is able to send the Holy

Spirit to the Apostles, who are able to perform miracles

through the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus.


16. N. T. Wright, in The Resurrection of the Son

of God, asks: “Can we extrinsically verify early Christians were performing miracles through

the power of the Spirit in the name of Jesus?”




the power of the Spirit in the name of Jesus?”He says “Yes”, because:a) All other messianic movements, from about

100 B.C. to 70 A.D., in which there were persecutions and

the messianic figures were executed, including John the

Baptist, quickly fell apart after their deaths;








b) Christianity grew very quickly after Jesus’ death; and








b) Christianity grew very quickly after Jesus’ death; and c) Jesus remained the leader of the movement.


17. What conclusion does N. T. Wright draw

from this evidence?



from this evidence?

Because the Apostles were healing people in

Jesus’ name, he had to be risen in order for that to happen.



from this evidence?



18. Why did Wright say the Apostles’ preached the individual, spiritual Resurrection of Jesus even though it

conflicted with 2nd Temple Judaism’s teachings?



from this evidence?



18. Why did Wright say the Apostles’ preached the individual, spiritual Resurrection of Jesus even though it

conflicted with 2nd Temple Judaism’s teachings?They knew Jesus had risen. He had appeared to them many

times, taught them that they were destined for the same

resurrection, and had received the power of the Holy Spirit.


Supplemental Video 2: “Historical Resurrection of Christ? NT Wright responds”, Watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0Dc01HVlaM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0Dc01HVlaM


“The only way you can explain the rise of the early Christian belief that

Jesus was raised is that there really

was an empty tomb, (and) they

really did meet Jesus alive again

in a transformed body.”(From: “Historical Resurrection of Christ? NT Wright responds”)


19. What did St. Paul say about the importance of the

Resurrection to Christianity?


19. What did St. Paul say about the importance of the

Resurrection to Christianity?

“If Christ is not risen from the dead, then our preaching is in vain, your faith is worthless, and all who have died in

Christ have died in their sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:14).


20. What gives us a hint of spiritual resurrection and the

unconditional love of God?




Near-death experiences.





21. Because of this evidence

(a sense of the sacred,

spiritual, and religious; the

five transcendentals; near-death experiences; and the

Resurrection of Jesus) what can we be assured of?





21. Because of this evidence

(a sense of the sacred,

spiritual, and religious; the

five transcendentals; near-death experiences; and the

Resurrection of Jesus) what can we be assured of?

That we are spiritual beings destined for the same

resurrection as Jesus, and called to live with him in

unconditional love for eternity.


Supplemental Video 3: “Jesus' Resurrection: Why is it important and the Evidence Required”, Watch at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDlkrBU8dj8&t=120s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDlkrBU8dj8&t=120s


“If Jesus is dead, Christianity is a religion that worships a dead man

with an insane group of followers

rather than a group of people

who worship the risen Lord.

Therefore, it is super-important that

this historical claim has a case.”(From: “Jesus' Resurrection: Why is it important and the Evidence Required”)


Small Group Activity

Discuss the Reflection and Discussion Questions

chosen by your teacher, then share your thoughts

with the class.


Take it Home

Complete the handout, What is God Like? for the next

session.


Closing Prayer

Lord, we thank you for showing us the

evidence for your Resurrection. May it

still our doubts and calm our fears about

you, and help us to deepen our hope in

our own resurrection. Amen.

See You Then!

Next time we’ll cover Lesson Three, Part 2:

The Love of God

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Lesson Three Part 1 - Magis Center€¦ · LESSON THREE, Part 1: The Resurrection Video Comprehension 1. What are the three kinds of evidence for human transcendence covered in episode