JESUS CHRIST AND THE RESURRECTION

THE RESURRECTION: PROOFS

John 20:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10

Jesus Christ was brutally murdered, and then kindly buried in a borrowed tomb. His friends and loved ones had to work quickly and were unable to finish the job because the sabbath was pressing upon them. So, he rested, his body not fully treated until the first day of the week. The language of the gospel writers indicate that the Lord’s friends and relatives rested also, and then early on the first day of the week, just before dawn arose to go to the tomb. One can only imagine their grief. One can only imagine their confusion, bewilderment, and for some shame.

Chronology of Resurrection day

B.F. Westcott, an Episcopalian scholar of the 19th century, suggested this chronology of events on the day of resurrection.

Ø  After 6pm Saturday – after the sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, purchased some spices for burial – Mark 16:1

Ø  Very early Sunday morning – The Lord Resurrected from the tomb, followed by an earthquake, the descent of the angel, the opening of the tomb. – Matthew 28:2-4

Ø  5 am – Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, probably with others, start for the sepulcher in the twilight. Upon coming in sight of the open tomb, Mary Magdalene turns at once to report to Peter and John. – John 20:1ff

Ø  5:30 am – Her companions arrive at the tomb when the sun had risen. – Mark 16:2 A vision of an angel. Message to the disciples. Matthew 28:5ff, Mark 16:5 ff

Ø  6 am – Another party, among whom is Joanna, come a little later, but still early in the morning – Luke 24:1. A vision of “the two young men.” Words of comfort and instruction. -Luke 24:4

Ø  6:30 – The visit of Peter and John – John 20:3-10. Peter and John leave. Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb, and sees two angels – John 20:11-13 About the same time, the second company of women carry their tidings to the apostles – Luke 24:10

Ø  7 am – The Lord reveals Himself to Mary Magdalene – John 20:14-18, Mark 26:9 Not long after He reveals Himself to the first company of women, charge to the brethren to go to Galilee – Matthew 28:9

Ø  4-6 pm – the appearance to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus – Luke 24:13, Mark 16:12

Ø  After 4pm – An appearance to Peter – Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5

Ø  8 pm – the appearance to the eleven and others – Luke 24:36, Mark 16:14, John 20:19

The bloody event called the Crucifixion was temporarily the end of the disciples hopes. Not one of them thought, “It’s ok, He’ll be back in three days.” Not one said, “Well, at least he is in heaven with God.” They were not looking for the coming kingdom, they were downcast. They did say, “we had hoped that this was the one who would redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21) Implying the understanding, “he has been crucified, so he can’t have been.” The cross in the Roman world of that time symbolized who was in power. The Romans ran the place and anyone who got in the way would be “taken care of” usually in a most dreadful manner. Crucifixion meant that the kingdom hadn’t come, (even though in this case it really meant that it had.) In those days the crucifixion of a “would be Messiah” meant that he was not the Messiah. Hope for the disciples had crumbled into ashes.

It was truly a dark day when Jesus was hung on the cross, when He died, and was buried. But we understand that Jesus was in the grave only three days.  And rose on the 3rd day, then a few short weeks later ascended back to heaven. There are several proofs for this grand history changing event.

EYEWITNESSES AS EVIDENCE

v MARY MAGDALENE - JOHN 20:1-18 - Resurrection, early morning – at the tomb of Jesus- Mary talked with Jesus, did not recognize him at first

v OTHER WOMEN – MATTHEW 28:1-10 - Resurrection early morning - Somewhere between tomb and Jerusalem- held Jesus by feet and worshiped him

v TWO DISCIPLES – MARK 16:12-13 - Resurrection afternoon - On the road to Emmaus- they walked, talked and ate with Jesus

v SIMON PETER – LUKE 24:34, 1 CORINTHIANS 15:5 - day of resurrection

v TEN OF THE TWELVE – LUKE 24:36-53, JOHN 20:19-24 - Resurrection evening – A room with shut doors, Jesus invited them to handle him, to see his flesh and bone. He ate fish and honey in front of them

v ELEVEN OF THE TWELVE – JOHN 20:26-31, MARK 16:14 – Eight days after resurrection, Apparently the same room as the previous meeting, Thomas present and shown Jesus’ hand and side

v SEVEN OF THE TWELVE - JOHN 21:1-14 - on the shore of the sea of Tiberias (Galilee) After the 7 had fished all night catching nothing, Jesus gave the directions from the shore they caught a multitude of fish recognized him and they went ashore, and Jesus ate with them.

v MORE THAN 500 BRETHREN - 1 CORINTHIANS 15:6 – Probably took place in Galilee 40 days after the resurrection, near Bethany

v JAMES - 1 CORINTHIANS 15:7

v ELEVEN APOSTLES AT THE ASCENSION - MARK 16:14, LUKE 24:50-51, ACTS 1:3-11

v PAUL - 1 Corinthians 9:1, 15:8 – Near Damascus – Paul was on his way to persecute the church

v JOHN – Revelation 1:9-18 Between 81-96 – Isle of Patmos – Jesus appeared, spoke to John, touched John

Frank Turek and Norman Giesler in their excellent book, I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FAITH TO BE AN ATHEIST record:

“If ‘extraordinary’ means more than usual, that is exactly what we have to support the Resurrection. We have more eyewitness documents and earlier eyewitness documents for the Resurrection than any other even in the ancient world. Moreover, these documents include more historical details and figures that have been corroborated by more independent and external sources than anything else from the ancient world.

“Skeptics don’t demand “extraordinary” evidence for other extraordinary events from history. For example, few events from ancient history are more extraordinary than the accomplishments of Alexander the Great. Despite only living 33 years Alexander achieved unparalleled success. He conquered the civilized world at the time from Greece to India and South to Egypt. But how do we know this about Alexander? We have no sources from his lifetime or soon after his death. And we only have fragments of two works from about 100 years after his death. The truth is we base nearly everything we know about the “extraordinary” life of Alexander the Great from historians who wrote 3-500 years after his death!” This is just one example of contrast that could be listed of hundreds of events and people of that time frame. To doubt the resurrection based on evidence would force one, if they are honest, to doubt most of ancient history.

“According to William Lane Craig we have two accounts of Hannibal crossing the Alps, neither account agrees in any secondary or minor detail, the only thing agreed is that Hannibal did accomplish such a feat. But both accounts are otherwise incompatible and irreconcilable.””

WILLINGNESS TO DIE FOR THE TESTIMONY

Historian Michael Licona captures the key point:

“After Jesus’ death, the disciples endured persecution, and a number of them experienced martyrdom. The strength of their conviction indicates that they were not just claiming Jesus had appeared to them after rising from the dead. They really believed it. They willingly endangered themselves by publicly proclaiming the risen Christ.”

THE TWELVE APOSTLES:

Andrew - crucified

Bartholomew - beaten then crucified

James, son of Alphaeus - stoned to death

James, son of Zebedee - beheaded

John - exiled for his faith; died of old age

Judas (not Iscariot) - stoned to death

Matthew - speared to death

Peter - crucified upside down

Philip - crucified

Simon - crucified

Thomas - speared to death

Matthias - stoned to death

(source: Fox's Book of Martyrs)

THE DISCIPLES’ DOUBT

Thomas is famous because of his doubt. John 20:24-25 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So, he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

This often obscures the fact that the other disciples had doubts also…Luke 24:9-11 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.  11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.

THE ABSENCE OF REBUTTAL TO EARLY TESTIMONY

Many have asked the question, if this resurrection, was a hoax, where is the rebuttal? There is not one recorded contemporary with the disciples who died for their testimony is available to demonstrate a contradictory conclusion. In Acts 2 Luke records Peters sermon, there was no refutation given by the Jews present to his bold proclamation.

In Acts 25 Festus explains to Agrippa the central issue of debate between the Jews and Paul. “a certain dead man, Jesus, who Paul asserts is alive…” The Jews made all kind of personal attacks on Paul, but avoided the main problem, their silence speaks louder on this subject than the noise they made attacking Paul. One man said, “the silence of the Jews is louder than the voice of the Christian.” Another says “The simple disproof, the effective challenging of the fact of the resurrection at that time could have dealt a death blow to Christianity.

EARLY PREACHING

Some today argue that “none of the disciples or later Christian preacher bothered to point to the Resurrection.

Peter’s Pentecost sermon - Acts 2:24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

Paul’s Sermon in the Synagogue in Pisidia - Acts 13:28-31 And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.  29 Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.  30 But God raised Him from the dead.  31 He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.

THE EMPTY TOMB

Simply the outstanding evidence is that of the empty tomb. One can go to the grave of Mohammed, Buddhi, Even the great men of faith in the Bible have tombs and burial spots, but the tomb that Jesus Christ was buried in is empty. No body. No remains. No DNA evidence.

THE GRAVE CLOTHES

John 20:6-7 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

It is reasoned that a grave robber, or someone trying to hide a body and establish an elaborate scheme to dupe people into following a new religion, would not take the time and care to fold the handkerchief that had been around his head.

No robbers would ever have rewound the wrappings in their original shape, for there would not have been time to do so. They would have flung them down in disorder and fled with the body.

THE GUARD AT THE TOMB – Matthew 27:62-66

Matthew 28:11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.

The guard’s testimony was not questioned. Commentator RCH Lenski states: “the message of Jesus’ resurrection was delivered up to the high priests through their own witnesses. The guard’s testimony was accepted as being entirely true.”

THE EARLY TIME OF THE WRITTEN ACCOUNTS

1 Co 9 & 15 – Paul wrote 1 Corinthians early in his work. Most bible scholars think the things he mentioned in chapters 9 & 15 were learned from his years in the desert as mentioned in Galatians. This would likely mean these facts regarding the resurrection were assimilated within 10 years from the resurrection. And Paul offers the ability to verify by interviewing some who were still alive as he wrote about 20 years later.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8  For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  4  and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,  5  and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.  6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.  7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.  8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

THE LORD’S SUPPER

The Lord’s Supper – Is a remembrance/memorial of his death, but it seems from Acts 2:46 that the early Christians were “glad” when they remembered. Acts 2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, Rather than meeting to celebrate his teachings, or his perfect moral life, or his miracles. They and we meet to remember his death and do so with joy. His sacrifice lead/leads to a much greater victory, in part the fact that he defeated death.

BAPTISM

Christians then and now, have what could be called an initiation ceremony – baptism. Christians broke from Jews along this line as well. In the religion of the Jews, one was to be circumcised to become a Jew formally. But that was no longer required in Christianity. Christians upon their belief in the resurrection of Jesus, repentance of their sins, confession of said belief, must be baptized. And this baptism represents some very significant principles. Romans 6:1-6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?  3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  5  For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,  6  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. The apostle Paul is correct, if the resurrection never happened our faith is vain (1 Cor. 15:14). But thanks be to God, baptism does matter. We have the great privilege of having our old self die off and being given a new life.