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People have tried to explain the
resurrection of Jesus away as a myth or even a con. Some
have claimed that the stories of Jesus’ resurrection are
copied from pagan stories. But if you read these pagan
stories you see that they are fundamentally different
from the story of Jesus’ resurrection. They were not
about real historical individuals but were symbols of
the crop cycle (the “death” of winter and the
“resurrection” of spring). They were not one-off events
but repeated constantly each year, linked with secretive
rituals.
Some have questioned whether the
tomb was really empty on the third day after Jesus’
crucifixion. But if it hadn’t been, the Jewish
leadership and the Roman military would soon have
displayed his dead body to disprove the Christian claims
which were a major problem to them both.
Instead the Jewish leadership put
around the story that the disciples had stolen the body,
which indicates they knew the tomb was empty. By the
way, this story is incredible. Firstly, Jesus’ disciples
were clearly honest, sensible people who were highly
unlikely to have been dishonest enough to make up such a
story. Secondly, are we really to believe that they
would be willing to be tortured and suffer terrible
deaths for a story they knew to be untrue?
The disciples said they saw the
risen Jesus, but could they have been hallucinating? The
problem with this idea is that hallucinations arise from
preconceived ideas already present in the mind. But,
first century Jews didn’t expect individual resurrection
and the disciples didn’t expect Jesus to rise. In fact,
to begin with, they refused to accept reports that he
had risen from the dead. Also it is highly unlikely that
500 people would all hallucinate at the same time. In
any case, hallucination doesn’t account for the empty
tomb.
But, if the
disciples didn’t steal the body, could someone else have
done so? Some people say the Jewish leadership or the
Romans stole the body. But, as I’ve already said, they
wanted to destroy Christianity and would therefore have
displayed Jesus’ dead body.
Another theory
is that Joseph of Arimathea (who got permission to bury
Jesus) stole the body. But Joseph was a respected member
of the Jewish ruling council who had everything to lose
by following Jesus. He wouldn’t do that for a lie. And,
as a follower of Jesus, he wouldn’t have allowed his
fellow-Christians to die terrible deaths for what he
knew was a lie.
But did some
unknown person steal the body? The question is, why
would someone do that? As we have seen, a follower of
Jesus wouldn’t have done so, nor would a loyal Jewish
person or Roman. Besides, the tomb had a military guard
on it to prevent anyone stealing the body!
Another suggestion is that the
disciples went to the wrong tomb by mistake! What, all
of them?! The Jewish authorities certainly knew which
tomb it was: they set a guard on it.
Another theory is that Jesus wasn’t
really dead and he revived in the tomb and stole away.
This theory requires us to believe that though Jesus was
flogged within an inch of his life (many died under such
flogging), was nailed to the cross for six hours losing
blood, was speared by an experienced Roman soldier yet
he survived! Not only that, he was totally bound in
tight grave clothes from neck to foot. The tomb was
sealed by a stone which took more than one man to move
and guarded by soldiers yet he got away! It also
requires us to believe that his disciples lied or
believed this half-dead man was conqueror of death, the
prince of life and that they were totally transformed by
this belief, even being willing to suffer and die for
it.
These theories are all incredible
and when you think of the impact Jesus has had on the
world for 2000 years (with 2 billion people currently
believing in him) there is only one credible conclusion:
Jesus rose from the dead, after dying a terrible death
for your sins and mine. Will you respond to him in
penitence, trust and love?
Tony Higton |
Do
We Believe in 3 Gods?
