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Sunday, January 20, 2013 am                Jesus Index

 

THE LIFE OF JESUS (43)
The Resurrection (3)
Theories Refuting the Resurrection Examined

                 We have been discussing the resurrection the past few lessons as we study the life of Jesus.  We have noted that the resurrection is a foundational doctrine of “Christianity.”  It is the doctrine that sets us apart from other world religions.  To deny the resurrection is to deny the purpose of Jesus coming and salvation through Him.  As one author said it, “The resurrection of Jesus Christ and Christianity stand or fall together.”[1]  There it is imperative that we are firmly convicted of the fact of His resurrection.  But it is also my hope that we can DEFEND that in discussion with others (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15).

Two weeks ago we noted the account and some of His appearances.  Last week we answered the question, “Did the resurrection occur?”  Today we want to examine some of the arguments of the skeptics who seek to refute the resurrection. 

I.                    Various theories about the resurrection

a.        A Spirit – Some say the appearances of Jesus were simply a vision or His spirit (i.e. ghost) or hallucinations.  They deny that His resurrection was a physical body.
ANSWER:

                                                   i.      in our last lesson we noted that Jesus did many things to PROVE it was His physical body – Consider Luke 24:39-43, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.  But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.”  Jesus ate food, He was clung to and handled by various disciples, including Mary Magdalene, He invited Thomas and the others to touch His wounds, they had conversations, etc.    NONE of this would be possible with a ghost or spirit.

                                                  ii.      We again note 1 John 1:1, a letter in which John challenges his readers to believe in the physically resurrected Jesus (1 John 2:22-23, 4:2-3)

                                                iii.      Also, the claims of His resurrection in the epistles and preaching of the kingdom referenced a physical resurrection – John 12:1 speaks of the body of Lazarus being “raised from the dead”.   The same wording was used of the resurrected body of Jesus – Acts 3:15, Rom. 4:24, Acts 13:29-30, Rom. 6:3-5, Col. 2:12, etc.

                                                iv.      Furthermore, the descriptions do not fit a vision or hallucination.  Such are usually individual occurrences, but Jesus appeared on several occasions to an entire assembly of people.  More than 500 at one time, the assembled apostles and others at least 3 times, Peter and fishermen as recorded in John 21, etc.

b.       Stolen by His disciples – recall how Matt. 28:11-16 finds the Jewish leaders bribing the soldiers to say this.
ANSWER:

                                                   i.      When we look at the spread of the gospel following His resurrection, it refutes that theory.  Why would those closest to Jesus die and sacrifice as they did for a lie?

                                                  ii.      Consider also the apostles who spent 3 years with Him continually.  How would ALL of them suffer and go to the grave without confessing the fraud?

                                                iii.      AND, it doesn’t explain His appearances after He arose!

c.        Stolen by His enemies – argued that the enemies (either Romans or the Sanhedrin) took the body to prevent it from being stolen by His disciples (because of His claims).
ANSWER:

                                                   i.      Why?  Again recall the concern of the leaders at the soldier’s report.  They bribed the soldiers to say the disciples stole the body.

                                                  ii.      Furthermore, they could have successfully refuted the teachings of His resurrection. 
They could have produced the body and ended the speculation right there.  With no body, this doesn’t stand.

                                                iii.      This does not explain the conversion of James, the brother of Jesus or Paul. 

d.       The wrong tomb theory – some have argued that the women went to the wrong tomb that was not occupied.   Perhaps because of darkness, they were at the wrong place.  When they arrived, they panicked and left. 
ANSWER:

                                                   i.      SEVERAL women saw where His body was laid.  Furthermore, when the resurrection was reported, Peter and John went there too.  Too many people for the wrong tomb.

                                                  ii.      The tomb belonged to Joseph – he would have known where it was.

                                                iii.      Had they gone to the wrong tomb, had they begun to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus, the Jews could have simply produced the body.

                                                iv.      Also, this does not account for the conduct of the Roman guard.

e.       The Swoon theory – says that Jesus never really died on the cross, but He swooned (went into a comatose state).  When He was taken down, His body lay in the tomb where the coolness, and perhaps medicinal qualities of the spices helped Him recover.  He then found His way out of the tomb and appeared to disciples, who insisted He had arisen instead of simply recovering. 
Answer:

                                                   i.      This is about as desperate of an argument one can make.

                                                  ii.      We have made several observations to demonstrate that Jesus was really dead.  The executioners, who were skilled in their craft verified His death with a spear in His side.  The thrust of the spear was intended to hasten death for, 1) merciful reasons or 2) so the soldiers could leave (because the condemned was dead and they had completed their job).  These soldiers verified to Pilate that He was dead. 

                                                iii.      His body was handled by Joseph and Nicodemus, and possibly some of the women, who would have known if he were dead or not.

                                                iv.      Furthermore, the degree of punishment He had endured, mentally, emotionally and physically would lend toward His death really occurring.

                                                  v.      Also His wounds, if you suppose that He awoke, would not permit him to roll away a stone, overpower the guard and perform other such feats requiring strength.  Consider in addition to this, the amount of blood loss that weakens the body, and the lack of food for the duration of His time in the grave (3 days and nights).

                                                vi.      His appearance as recorded is NOT one of a weakened state which would follow such severe injuries.  He walked for miles to Emmaus which would not have been possible with wounds on His feet.

                                               vii.      And let us not forget the claims He made that He would be crucified and arise.  You can add to these claims incredible prophecies such as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 which describe with details the degree of suffering he would endure.  I make this point for this reason: Imagine the odds of one who CLAIMED he would arise actually being the very rare exception to the effectiveness of this form of execution.

                                             viii.      Finally, if Jesus did not die then, WHEN did He die?  And you still have the issues of the lives of His disciples after His ascension. 

f.         Jesus was NOT crucified – some Muslims believe (cf. the Gospel of Barnabas) that Jesus was not actually crucified, but rather someone took his place on the cross.  They THOUGHT it was Jesus because the person who was crucified was altered (perhaps by God).  Some advance it was Judas, Simon the Cyrene, or perhaps a disciple of His.  There is NO more proof of this view than any other.  ANSWER:

                                                   i.      To answer such an argument I would simply ask, WHERE IS THE BODY that was crucified?  They could have exhumed the supposed body that took His place and proven it one way or another. 

                                                  ii.      The empty tomb is still recorded!

g.        Other views have also been advanced such as – [2]
1) the appearances of Jesus afterward were actually mistaken identity – but such could not be explained with the multitudes who saw Him on some 11 occasions, also it doesn’t answer the empty tomb;
2) God destroyed the body of Jesus, and what arose was a spiritual body and that at times He assumed a physical body.  But when you think about this, it makes the supposed physical appearances of Jesus after His death deceitful.   Furthermore, this requires 2 miracles (God dissolving the physical body, and then allowing Him to appear in another physical body) instead of the ONE miracle that states He arose;
3) They never visited the physical tomb of Jesus – the contention is that the spiritual form of Jesus appeared to them and from that they thought He had arisen and taught it without verification.  But, the enemies would simply produce the body.  And it doesn’t explain His physical appearances as discussed earlier in the spirit theory.

h.       MULTITUDES of theories have been presented to refute the resurrected body of Jesus – all fall short and most have discrepancies that are more incredible than simply accepting that Jesus DID arise!
For most of these theories, they would include the perpetration of great FRAUD which simply cannot explain their conduct after the fact! And as we have seen, such frauds can be exposed, but none were.

 

 II.                  Other observations

a.       Why is there so much opposition to the resurrection of Jesus?  Because if you refute the resurrection, you defeat Christianity!  It is that simple! And that is why there are so many critics – skeptics, atheists, Muslims, Orthodox Judaism, etc.  To validate their belief systems, they MUST refute the resurrection.   WE, on the other hand MUST accept the resurrection – or our faith is empty (1 Cor. 15:12-18).

b.       His enemies did not deny the resurrection - AS the gospel was preached throughout the empire, the resurrection would be a recurring theme, which in itself lends proof to the resurrection (constant emphasis on the resurrection shows the disciples believed it and were motivated by it). 
Yet it is interesting that the resurrection of Jesus is never refuted.  His enemies never refuted it!
In Acts 2, just a few weeks later, as Peter preached of the resurrected Jesus, there was no one denying it. 
Acts 25:18-19, Paul has been arrested and is in Caesarea awaiting travel to Rome.  He meets with Agrippa and tells him about what has happened.  He notes that Jews came from Jerusalem.  But, “When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed was alive.”
THEN, Paul speaks to Agrippa.  Acts 26:23-28 records Paul’s defense before Agrippa.  He explains his conversion and in vs. 23 he mentions the resurrection of Jesus.  Agrippa respond that Paul was “mad” because of much learning..  Paul says he is not and tells Festus that these things were NOT done in a corner (secretly).  He then asks Agrippa if he believed in the prophets saying, “I know you do.”  Then Agrippa says, “You almost persuade me to be a Christian.”  NOTICE Agrippa does NOT deny or refute what Paul said.  Instead he simply scoffs at Paul’s remarks (at worst). 
Unbelievers scoffed at the idea, but they did not refute it.
The enemies of Jesus and His followers did all they could to try and stop them, including persecutions, an intense pursuit and plots against Paul.  Why?  They could NOT disprove His resurrection stands as one of the primary reasons! 

c.        Jesus is mentioned in several external sources – there are many early, external sources that mentioned the teachings and life of Jesus.  While not all refer to His resurrection, they verify Christians and their belief in Him.  Their observations validate the existence of the disciples of Jesus.  With that we can turn to their beliefs which are recorded in scripture.  Again we emphasize the continued teachings on the resurrection. 
Some external writers alluded to the resurrection.  These sources include:[3]

                                                   i.      Tacitus (55-120 AD), a Roman historian spoke of Nero casting out Christians who followed Christ who suffered extreme penalty and “a most mischievous superstition” which resulted in Christianity spreading even to Rome. 
“Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called 'Chrestians' 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 Pilate, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular.”  Annals, 15:44

                                                  ii.      Josephus, (37-97 AD) wrote of Jesus having been crucified and died, but was not abandoned by His disciples.  [4]
Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”

                                                iii.      Lucian, a 2^nd century satirist spoke of misguided Christians who were convinced they are immortal for all time which explained their contempt for death.  Why do we believe this?

                                                iv.      Clement (round AD 95) in a letter to the Corinthians spoke of the resurrection of Jesus; Ignatius, in a letter to Trallians (110-115 AD) spoke of His resurrection, being dead.
Justin Martyr (around 150 AD) also spoke of his resurrection.

                                                  v.      These examples both pro and con would not exist if Jesus did not arise!

 

                What is the conclusion then?  When you examine all the evidence, the logical conclusion is that Jesus arose from the dead, as recorded in scripture.  All other theories are less credible.  “Christianity” is viciously attacked by worldly intellectuals and those whose perverted lifestyles cannot be defended if the Bible is true.  As Paul wrote in Romans 1:18, 24-25, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” …“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

                In every other faith system, you find the tombs of its leaders:  Muhammad’s tomb – occupied; Buddha’s tomb – occupied; Confucius’ tomb – occupied;  Jesus’ tomb – EMPTY! Looking toward eternity, where is your hope?  Think about it!