Evidence for the Resurrection - Part 2

Evidence for the ResurrectionMaking the Case that Jesus Rose From the Dead

EVERYTHING

What’s at Stake?

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your

faith is also empty.

What’s at Stake?

And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins! Then also

those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

What’s at Stake?

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Positive ?

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?

“He Lives” Hymn Lyrics

He lives within my heart.

Is this positive evidence?

Yes, but it is NOT persuasive evidence.

So what persuasive evidence do we

have?

Christianity is rooted in

history.

Also Remember…

measured investigated tested

THERE ARE 4 CENTRAL, HISTORICAL FACTS

THAT SUPPORT THE CLAIM THAT JESUS

ROSE FROM THE DEAD

FACT #1:After His Crucifixion, Jesus was

buried in a tomb by Joseph of Arimathea.

FACT #1: After His Crucifixion, Jesus was buried in a

tomb by Joseph of Arimathea. Why Does This

Matter?

FACT #1: After His Crucifixion, Jesus was buried in a

tomb by Joseph of Arimathea.

Why Does This Matter?

1. Location of tomb known 2. Burial story very early tradition 3. Joseph of Arimathea inclusion

“The burial of Jesus in the tomb is one of the earliest and best-attested facts about Jesus.”

- John A. T. Robinson of Cambridge University,

FACT #2:On the Sunday following the crucifixion,

Jesus’ tomb was found empty by a group of his women followers.


1. Earliest Source Material 2. Simple and Lacks Embellishment 3. Women’s testimony worthless

““By far most exegetes hold firmly to the reliability of the biblical statements concerning the empty tomb.””

- Jacob Kremer, Astrian specialist in the resurrection

FACT #2: On the Sunday following

the crucifixion, Jesus’ tomb was found empty

by a group of his women followers.

FACT #3:On multiple occasions and under various

circumstances, different individuals and groups of people experienced appearances of Jesus

alive from the dead.


1. Multiple Resurrection Claims 2. Independent Resurrection Claims 3. Conversion of Jesus’ brothers

“It may be taken as historically certain that Peter and the disciples had experiences after Jesus’ death in which Jesus

appeared to them as the risen Christ.”

-Gerd Ludemann, Critic of the historical resurrection story

FACT #3: On multiple occasions

and under various circumstances, different

individuals and groups of people experienced

appearances of Jesus alive from the dead.

FACT #4:The original disciples believed and preached that Jesus was risen from the dead despite their having little to gain and much to lose.

FACT #4: The original disciples

believed and preached that Jesus was risen

from the dead despite their having little to

gain and much to lose.


1. Hope gone after Jesus’ death 2. Nothing to gain much to lose 3. All disciples died to proclaim this!

“That is why, as a historian, I cannot explain the rise of early Christianity unless Jesus rose again, leaving an empty

tomb behind him.”

- NT Wright, British Theologian and Author

DESPITE ALL THIS, THE DISCIPLES DEVOTED THEIR

LIVES AND DEATHS TO PREACHING THE MESSAGE OF

THE RESURRECTION

“Some sort of powerful, transformative experience is required to generate the sort of movement

earliest Christianity was.”

- Luke Johnson, a New Testament scholar ,Emory University

So what best explains these 4 historical facts?

FACT #1: Jesus was buried.

FACT #2: Women found the tomb empty.

FACT #3:

FACT #4:

Multiple, separate accounts of Jesus alive.

Disciples preached the resurrection despite, pain, rejection and death.

GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD

Is “God raised Jesus from the Dead” the best explanation of these facts, or

are there others?

What other theories exist to explain the resurrection of Jesus?

There are 5.

Five Theories about the

Resurrection of Jesus Christ

1. Jesus died,Jesus didn’t rise,

the apostles hallucinated the whole thing.

The disciples just thought that Jesus rose from the dead in their own minds.




the apostles devised a fable.

The disciples spread the message of the resurrection of Jesus simply as

a myth or a story, not meant literally.




the apostles made up the whole thing.

The disciples did not believe that Jesus rose from the dead and intentionally

deceived others into believing that He did.



4. Jesus did not die(Swoon Theory).

Jesus was tortured and almost died, but was taken off the cross alive and

later resuscitated.



5. Jesus died,and 3 days later rose from

the dead.

The classic Christian view on the resurrection.

Theory #1:

Jesus rose from the dead.

Theory #2:

Disciples hallucinated the resurrection

Theory #3:

Theory #4:

Disciples fabricated a myth

Theory #5:

Jesus didn’t actually die on the cross

Disciples intentionally deceived people

So how do we decide who wins?

We put them to the test(s).

What tests?

McCullagh lists five tests which historians use in determining what is the best explanation for given historical facts

Five tests to determine the best

explanation for historical facts.

1. Explanatory ScopeExplanatory scope refers to how many facts a theory explains. A theory has more explanatory scope than another

if it explains more things.

NOT explantory scope



2. Explanatory PowerExplanatory power refers to how

probable the explanation of the facts is. Is it the most likely conclusion from

these facts?



3. PlausabilityHow likely is this theory when

compared to the what we know about the historical context?



4. Is it Ad hoc?Ad hoc means formed, arranged or

done for a particular purpose only. It also means contrived or faked.



5. Is it better than its rivals?When we take all the explanations

together is it the best one compared to its peers?

Test #1:

Is it the best explanation of our options?

Test #2:

Does it explain all the facts we have?

Test #3:

Test #4:

How probable or likely is the explanation?

Test #5:

Was it made up just for this purpose?

Does it fit what we know about the context?

So let’s put our theories to the test

Theory #1:

Jesus rose from the dead.

Theory #2:

Disciples hallucinated the resurrection

Theory #3:

Theory #4:

Disciples fabricated a myth

Theory #5:

Jesus didn’t actually die on the cross

Disciples intentionally deceived people

Explain all the facts? 1. The Disciples Hallucinated

2. 500+ Other witnesses (besides disciples) saw Jesus at the same time.

Is it probable?

Does it fit what we know?

Made up just for this?

Best option we have?

1. Hallucinations are individual

3. Hallucinations don’t usually last 40 days, and don’t repeat themselves

4. It would have been easily disproven if the body was still in the tomb.

X

X

X

X

Explain all the facts? 2. The Disciples Fabricated a Myth

Is it probable?



2. There are details included but not explained in the gospels.

1. The gospel accounts sound nothing like ancient mythology

3. There was not enough time for a myth to develop (too many living witnesses who could have disproven it)

Does it fit what we know?X

X

Explain all the facts? 3. The Disciples intentionally deceived people

Is it probable?



Does it fit what we know? 2. Their lie took place in a terrible location because all the places were close by and could be investigated by anyone.

1. The disciples have nothing to gain by deceiving people except rejection, torture & death.

3. When rejection, banishment & unthinkable torture came on the disciples, not one cracked and said it was a hoax. Not one.

Explain all the facts? 3. The Disciples intentionally deceived people

Is it probable?




The "cruncher" in this argument is the historical fact that no one, weak or strong, saint or sinner, Christian or heretic, ever confessed, freely or under pressure, bribe or even torture, that the whole story of the resurrection was a fake a lie, a deliberate deception.

Even when people broke under torture, denied Christ and worshiped Caesar, they never let that cat out of the bag, never revealed that the resurrection was their conspiracy. For that cat was never in that bag. No Christians believed the resurrection was a conspiracy; if they had, they wouldn't have become Christians.” - Peter Kreeft

X

X

X

X

X

Explain all the facts? 4. Jesus Didn’t Die on the Cross

Is it probable?



Does it fit what we know? 2. It would have been impossible for Jesus to heal in a way that matched people’s accounts of seeing him, and what they did afterward.

1. Nobody survives crucifixion. Heavily motivated Roman soldiers made sure of it. Yet they did not break the legs of Jesus.

3. How could someone tortured as badly as Jesus move a 300+ stone without anyone noticing?

X

Explain all the facts? 5. Jesus Rose From the Dead

Is it probable?




Jesus was buried.

Women found the tomb empty.

Multiple, separate accounts of Jesus alive.

Disciples preached the resurrection despite, pain, rejection and death.

We have a solid foundation for the trust we place in

Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the

resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in

heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to

be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:3-5

Now let us live each day in this hope!

Education

Evidence for the Resurrection - Part 2