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This ad is sponsored by contributions by area Christians, Organizations, and Local Churches-For a specific list of which organizations have affiliated themselves with Resurrection Week call 847-1950.
Christians believe that Jesus was bodily resurrected in time and space
by the supernatural power of God.'The difficulties of belief may be great,
but the problems inherent in unbelief present even greater difficulties.
The theories advanced to explain the resurrection by “natural causes”
are weak; they actually help to build confidence in the truth of the resur
rection.
THE WRONG TOMB?
A theory propounded by Kirsopp Lake assumes that the women who
reported that the body was missing had mistakenly gone to the wrong tomb.
If so, then the disciples who went to check up on the women’s statement
must have also gone to the wrong tomb. We may be certain, however, that
Jewish authorities, who asked for a Roman guard to be stationed at the tomb
to prevent Jesus’ body from being stolen, would not have been mistaken
about the location. Nor would the Roman guards, for they were there!
If the resurrection-claim was merely because of a geographical mistake,
the Jewish authorities would have lost no time in producing the body from
the proper tomb, thus effectively quenching for all time any rumor resur
rection.
FOR THE RESURRECTION
*-r or centuries many of the world’s
distinguished philosophers have assaulted
Christianity as being irrational, superstitious,
and absurd. Many have chosen simply to ignore
the central issue of the resurrection. Others
have tried to explain it away through various
theories. But the historical evidence just can’t
be discounted.
A student at the University of Uruguay said to me, “Professor McDowell,
why can’t you refute Christianity?”
“For a very simple reason,” I answered. “I am not able to explain away
an event in history—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
How can we explain the empty tomb? Can it possibly be accounted for
by any natural cause?
A QUESTION OF HISTORY
After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, I have come to the
conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most
wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted on the minds of human
beings—or it is the most remarkable fact of history.
Here are some of the facts relevant to the resurrection: Jesus of Nazareth,
a Jewish prophet who claimed to be the Christ prophesied in the Jewish
Scriptures, was arrested, was judged a political criminal, and was crucified.
Three days after His death and burial, some women who went to His tomb
found the body gone. In subsequent weeks, His disciples claimed that God
had raised Him from the dead and that He appeared to them various times
before ascending into heaven.
From that foundation, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Em
pire and has continued to exert great influence down through the centuries.
LIVING WITNESSES
The New Testament accounts of the resurrection were being circulated
within the lifetimes of men and women alive at the time of the resurrec
tion. Those people could certainly have confirmed or denied the accuracy
of such accounts.
The writers of the four Gospels either had themselves been witnesses
or else were relating the accounts of eyewitnesses of the actual events. In
advocating their case for the gospel, a word that means “good news,” the
apostles appealed (even when confronting their most severe opponents)
to common knowledge concerning the facts of the resurrection.
F. F. Bruce, Rylands professor of biblical criticism and exegesis at the
University of Manchester, says concerning the value of the New Testament
records as primary sources: “Had there been any tendency to depart from
the facts in any material respect, the possible presence of hostile witnesses
in the audience would have served as a further corrective.”
IS THE NEW TESTAMENT RELIABLE?
Because the New Testament provides the primary historical source for
information on the resurrection, many critics during the 19th century at
tacked the reliability of these biblical documents.
By the end of the 19th century, however, archaeological discoveries
had confirmed the accuracy of the New Testament manuscripts. Discover
ies of early papyri bridged the gap between the time of Christ and existing
manuscripts from a later date.
Those findings increased scholarly confidence in the reliability of the
Bible. William F. Albright, who in his day was the world’s foremost bibli
cal archaeologist, said: “We can already say emphatically that there is no
longer any solid basis for dating any book of the New Testament after about
A.D. 80, two full generations before the date between 130 and 150 given
by the more radical New Testament critics of today.”
Coinciding
with the papyri
discoveries, an
abundance of
other manu
scripts came to
light (over 24,-
000 copies of
early New
Testament
manuscripts
are known to
be in existence
today). The
historian Luke
wrote of “authentic evidence” concerning the resurrection. Sir William
Ramsay, who spent 15 years attempting to undermine Luke’s credentials
as a historian, and to refute the reliability of the New Testament, finally
concluded: “Luke is a historian of the first rank . . . This author should
be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”
BACKGROUND
The New Testament witnesses were fully aware of the background
against which the resurrection took place. The body of Jesus, in accordance
with Jewish burial custom, was wrapped in a linen cloth. About 100 pounds
of aromatic spices, mixed together to form a gummy substance, were ap
plied to the wrappings of cloth about the body.
1 claim to be an historian. My approach to
Classics is historical. And I tell you that the
evidence for the life, the death, and the
resurrection of Christ is better authenticated
than most of the facts of ancient history . . .
E. M. Blaiklock,
Professor of Classics
Auckland University
fWBE THE GUARDS TELL ASLEEP (tVEN THOUGH IT WOULD COST THEM THEIR LIVES).
THEN HIS FOLLOWERS REMOVED THE TWO TON STONE AND STOLE HIS BOOT WITHOUT
WAKING UP THE GUARDS
After the body was placed in a solid rock tomb, an extremely large stone
was rolled against the entrance of the tomb. Large stones weighing approx
imately two tons were normally rolled (by means of levers) against a tomb
entrance.
A Roman guard of strictly disciplined fighting men was stationed to guard
the tomb. This guard affixed on the tomb the Roman seal, which was meant
to prevent any attempt at vandalizing the sepulcher. Anyone trying to move
the stone from the tomb’s entrance would have broken the seal and thus
incurred the wrath of Roman law.
But three days later the tomb was empty. The followers of Jesus said
He had risen from the dead. They reported that He appeared to them dur
ing a period of 40 days, showing Himself to them by many “infallible
proofs.” Paul the apostle recounted that Jesus appeared to more than 500
of His followers at one time, the majority of whom were still alive and who
could confirm what Paul wrote.
So many security precautions were taken with the trial, crucifixion, bu
rial, entombment, sealing, and guarding of Christ’s tomb that it becomes
very difficult for critics to defend their position that Christ did not rise from
the dead. Consider these facts:
FACT #1: BROKEN ROMAN SEAL
As we have said, the first obvious fact was the breaking of the seal that
stood for the power and authority of the Roman Empire. The consequences
of breaking the seal were extremely severe. The FBI and CIA of the Roman
Empire were called into action to find the man or men who were responsi
ble. If they were apprehended, it meant automatic execution by crucifix
ion upside down. People feared the breaking of the seal. Jesus' disciples
displayed signs of cowardice when they hid themselves. Peter, one of these
disciples, went out and denied Christ three times.
FACT #2: EMPTY TOMB
As we have already discussed, another obvious fact after the resurrec
tion was the empty tomb. The disciples of Christ did not go off to Athens
or Rome to preach that Christ was raised from the dead. Rather, they went
right back to the city of Jerusalem, where, if what they were teaching was
false, the falsity would be evident. The empty tomb was “too notorious
to be denied.” Paul Althaus states that the resurrection “could have not
been maintained in Jerusalem for a single day, for a single hour, if the emp
tiness of the tomb had not been established as a fact for all concerned.”
Both Jewish and Roman sources and traditions admit an empty tomb.
Those resources range from Josephus to a compilation of fifth-century Jewish
writings called the “Toledoth Jeshu.” Dr. Paul Maier calls this “positive
evidence from a hostile source, which is the strongest kind of historical
evidence. In essence, this means that if a source admits a fact decidedly
not in its favor, then that fact is genuine.”
Gamaliel, who was a member of the Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin,
put forth the suggestion that the rise of the Christian movement was God’s
doing; he could not have done that if the tomb were still occupied, or if
the Sanhedrin knew the whereabouts of Christ’s body.
Paul Maier observes that “. . . if all the evidence is weighed carefully
and fairly, it is indeed justifiable, according to the canons of historical
research, to conclude that the sepulcher of Joseph of Arimathea, in which
Jesus was buried, was actually empty on the morning of the first Easter.
And no shred of evidence has yet been discovered in literary sources, epig
raphy, or archaeology that would disprove this statement.”
FACT ^3: LARGE STONE MOVED
On that Sunday morning the first thing that impressed the people who
approached the tomb was the unusual position of the one and a half to two-
ton stone that had been lodged in front of the doorway. All the Gospel
writers mention it.
Those who observed the stone after the resurrection describe its posi
tion as having been rolled up a slope away not just from the entrance of
the tomb, but from the entire massive sepulcher. It was in such a position
that it looked as if it had been picked up and carried away. Now, I ask you,
if the disciples had wanted to come in, tiptoe around the sleeping guards,
and then roll the stone over and steal Jesus’ body, how could they have
done that without the guards’ awareness?
r ¥^here exists no document from the ancient
|a. world, witnessed by so excellent a set of
textual and historical testimonies . . .
Skepticism regarding the historical credentials
of Christianity is based upon an irrational bias.
Clark Pinnock,
McMaster University
FACT *4: ROMAN GUARD GOES AWOL
The Roman guards fled. They left their place of responsibility How can
their attrition be explained, when Roman military discipline was so excep
tional?
Justin, in Digest #49, mentions all the offenses that required the death
penalty. The fear of their superiors’ wrath and the possibility of death meant
that they paid close attention to the most minute details of their jobs. One
way a guard was put to death was by being stripped of his clothes and then
burned alive in a fire started with his garments. If it was not apparent which
soldier had failed in his duty, then lots were drawn to see which one would
be punished with death for the guard unit’s failure. Certainly the entire unit
would not have fallen asleep with that kind of threat over their heads. Dr.
George Currie, a student of Roman military discipline, wrote that fear of
punishment “produced flawless attention to duty, especially in the night
watches.”
FACT #5: GRAVECLOTHES TELL A TALE
In a literal sense, against all statements to the contrary, the tomb was
not totally empty—because of an amazing phenomenon. John, a disciple
of Jesus, looked over to the place where the body of Jesus had lain, and
there were the grave clothes, in the form of the body, slightly caved in and
empty—like the empty chrysalis of a caterpillar’s cocoon. That’s enough
to make a believer out of anybody. John never did get over it.
The first thing that stuck in the minds of the disciples was not the emp
ty tomb, but rather the empty grave clothes—undisturbed in form and po
sition.
FACT #6: JESUS’ APPEARANCES CONFIRMED
Christ appeared alive on several occasions after the cataclysmic events
of that first Easter.
When studying an event in history, it is important to know whether
enough people who were participants or eyewitnesses to the event were
alive when the facts about the event were published. To know this is obvi
ously helpful in ascertaining the accuracy of the published report. If the
number of eyewitnesses is substantial, the event can be regarded as fairly
well established. For instance, if we all witness a murder, and a later police
report turns out to be a fabrication of lies, we as eyewitnesses can refute it.
OVER 500 WITNESSES
Several very important factors are often overlooked when considering
Christ’s post-resurrection appearances to individuals. The first is the large
number of witnesses of Christ after that resurrection morning.
One of the earliest records of Christ’s appearing after the resurrection
is by Paul. The apostle appealed to his audience’s knowledge of the fact
that Christ had been seen by more than 500 people at one time. Paul remind
ed them that the majority of those people were still alive and could be ques
tioned. Dr. Edwin M. Yamauchi, associate professor of history at Miami
Llniversity in Oxford, Ohio, emphasizes: “What gives a special authority
to the list (of witnesses) as historical evidence is the reference to most of
the five hundred brethren being still alive. St. Paul says in effect, ‘If you
do not believe me, you can ask them.’ Such a statement in an admittedly
genuine letter written within thirty years of the event is almost as strong
evidence as one could hope to get for something that happened nearly two
thousand years ago.”
Let’s take the more than 500 witnesses who saw Jesus alive after His
death and burial, and place them in a courtroom. Do you realize that if each
of those 500 people were to testify for only six minutes, including cross-
examination, you would have an amazing 50 hours of firsthand testimo
ny? Add to this the testimony of many other eyewitnesses and you would
well have the largest and most lopsided trial in history.
HOSTILE WITNESSES
Another factor crucial to interpreting Christ’s appearances is that He
also appeared to those who were hostile or unconvinced.
Over and over again, I have read or heard people comment that Jesus
was seen alive after His death and burial only by His friends and followers.
Using that argument, they attempt to water down the over
whelming impact of the multiple eyewitness accounts. But that
line of reasoning is so pathetic it hardly deserves comment. No
author or informed individual would regard Saul of Tarsus as
being a follower of Christ. The facts show the exact opposite.
Saul despised Christ and persecuted Christ’s followers. It was
a life-shattering experience when Christ appeared to him.
Although he was at the time not a disciple, he later became the
apostle Paul, one of the greatest witnesses for the truth of the
resurrection. ,
The argument that Christ’s appearances were only to fol
lowers is an argument for the most part from silence, and ar
guments from silence can be dangerous. It is equally possible
that all to whom Jesus appeared became followers. No one ac
quainted with the facts can accurately say that Jesus appeared
to just “an insignificant few.”
HALLUCINATIONS?
Another attempted explanation claims that the appearances of Jesus af
ter the resurrection were either illusions or hallucinations. Unsupported
by the psychological principles governing the appearances of hallucinations,
this theory also does not coincide with the historical situation. Again, where
was the actual body, and why wasn’t it produced?
DID JESUS SWOON?
Another theory,
popularized by Venturi-
ni several centuries ago,
is often quoted today.
This is the swoon the
ory, which says that Je
sus didn’t die; he merely
fainted from exhaustion
and loss of blood.
Everyone thought Him
dead, but later He resus
citated and the disciples
thought it to be a resur
rection.
Skeptic David Fried
rich Strauss—certainly
no believer in the resur
rection—gave the death
blow to any thought
that Jesus revived from a swoon: “It is impossible that a being who had
stolen half-dead out of the sepulchre, who crept about weak and ill, want
ing medical treatment, who required bandaging, strengthening and indul
gence, and who still at last yielded to His sufferings, could have given to
the disciples the impression that He was a Conqueror over death and the
grave, the Prince of Life, an impression which lay' at the bottom of their
future ministry. Such a resuscitation could only have weakened the impres
sion which He had made upon them in life and in death, at the most could
only have given it an elegiac voice, but could by no possibility have changed
their sorrow into enthusiasm, have elevated their reverence into worship.”
THE BODY STOLEN?
Then consider the theory that the body was stolen by the disciples while
the guards slept. The depression and cowardice of the disciples provide
a hardhitting argument against their suddenly becoming so brave and dar
ing as to face a detachment of soldiers at the tomb and steal the body. They
were in no mood to attempt anything like that.
The theory that the Jewish or Roman authorities moved Christ’s body
is no more reasonable an explanation for the empty tomb than theft by the
disciples. If the authorities had the body in their possession or knew where
it was, why , when the disciples were preaching the resurrection in Jerusa
lem, didn’t they explain: “Wait! We moved the body, see, He didn’t rise
from the grave”?
And if such a rebuttal failed, why didn’t they explain exactly where Je
sus’ body lay? If this failed, why didn’t they recover the corpse, put it on
a cart, and wheel it through the center of Jerusalem? Such an action would
have destroyed Christianity—not in the cradle, but in the womb!
&.\THE RESURRECTION IS A FACT m ■* >
Professor Thomas Arnold, for 14 years a headmaster of Rugby, author
of the famous, History of Rome, and appointed to the chair of modern his
tory at Oxford, was well acquainted with the value of evidence in deter
mining historical facts. This great scholar said: “I have been used for many
years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the
evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one
fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence
of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign
which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.”
Brooke Foss Westcott, an English scholar, said: “Taking all the evidence
together, it is not too much to say that there is no historic incident better
or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ. Nothing but
the antecedent assumption that it must be false could have suggested the
idea of deficiency in the proof of it.”
REAL PROOF: THE DISCIPLES’ LIVES
But the most telling testimony of all must be the lives of those early
Christians. We must ask ourselves: What caused them to go everywhere
telling the message of the risen Christ?
I f the New Testament were a collection of
secular writings, their authenticity would
generally be regarded as beyond all doubt.
F. F. Bruce
Manchester University
Had there been any visible benefits accrued to them from their efforts—
prestige, wealth, increased social status or material benefits—we might log
ically attempt to account for their actions, for their wholehearted and to
tal allegiance to this “risen Christ.”
As a reward for their efforts, however, those early Christians were beat
en, stoned to death, thrown to the lions, tortured and crucified. Every con
ceivable method was used to stop them from talking.
Yet, they laid dbwn their lives as the ultimate proof of their complete
confidence in the truth of their message.
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
How do you evaluate this overwhelming historical evidence? What is
your decision about the fact of Christ’s empty tomb? What do you think
of Christ?
When I was confronted with the overwhelming evidence for Christ’s
resurrection, I had to ask the logical question: “What difference does all
this evidence make to me? What difference does it make whether or not
I believe Christ rose again and died on the cross for my sins?” The answer
is put best by something Jesus said to a man who doubted—Thomas. Jesus
told him: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father but through Me” (John 14:6).
On the basis of all the evidence for Christ’s resurrection, and consider
ing the fact that Jesus offers forgiveness of sin and an eternal relationship
with God, who would be so foolhardy as to reject Him? Christ is alive! He
is living today.
You can trust God right now by faith through prayer. Prayer is talking
with God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words
as He is with the attitude of your heart. If you have never trusted Christ,
you can do so right now.
The prayer I prayed is: “Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying
on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and trust You as my
Savior. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make
me the kind of person You want me to be. Thank You that I can trust You.”
AN OFFER TO YOU
Would you like more information about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the reliability of the Scriptures,
or on building lusting, meaningful relationships? You can get a complete catalog featuring books, cassette tapes,
films and videos by Josh McDowell by writing.
The Josh McDowell Ministry, Resource Center, Box 1000, Dallas, TX 75221, or, by calling toll-free
1-800-2 22-JOSH
MAYBE JESUS DIDN'T DIE. MyWBE HE JUST PASSED OUT ON
THE CROSS, THEN WOKE UP IM THE TOMB. PUSHED OVER
THE TWO-TON STONE, OVERPOWERED THE ROMAN SOLDIERS,
AND ESCAPED,