JESUS REALLY ROSE BODILY FROM THE DEAD!

- Developed by Josh McDowell, "Evidence That Demands A Verdict"

"If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." (I Cor. 15:17)

Ignatius was a pupil of the Apostle John. Ignatius was a Bishop in the early church at Antioch, living from A.D. 50-115. He stressed the fact of Christ's life and death and resurrection as he wrote a letter while he was traveling from Antioch to the coliseum in Rome where he would be martyred. He was to be thrown to the wild beasts in the arena for his faith in Christ. He writes, "He was crucified and died under Pontius Pilate. He really, and not merely in appearance, was crucified, and died in the sight of beings in heaven, and on earth, -and under the earth. He arose also again in three days.... He really died, and was buried, and rose from the dead..."

The resurrection of Jesus was witnessed by many people. Eye witnesses include Matthew, Nark, Luke, Peter, and the disciples, as veil as many others. Paul says in I Corinthians 15 that Jesus appeared to over 500 people at once, and most of them were still alive when he wrote the letter. (I Corinthians is accepted by scholars as being written by Paul as early as A.D. 56 with oral tradition to A.D. 49 and 40.) Mark was written not many years after Christ died, and most scholars believe it is based on an oral tradition dating as early as 44 A.D. This oral tradition would then be in Aramaic, straight from Peter himself. Also note in Acts 1 that when a disciple was chosen to take the place of Judas one of the prerequisites was that he be an eyewitness of the resurrection of Christ. There were obviously various people who had seen the resurrected Christ besides the disciples and these candidates. Remember, Jesus appeared to them and taught them for 40 days! (Acts 1:3)

THEORIES TO DISPROVE THE RESURRECTION:

1. Deliberate invention-

Some think that Christians deliberately made the story up. The problem with this is that they believed it all with such intensity, and lived up to what they talked about. Even Eusebius who was a Jew writing history for the Romans at that time wrote of the Christians with high respect even though it would win him no popularity with Rome to do so! Imagine Peter dying upside down on a cross rather than denounce a story he had made up! Think of all the other disciples who died for their faith. No sign at all in all of literature has ever given any indication that someone made this up, or that someone of the over 500 witnesses ever told anyone that they had just made it up. Remember too that all the written accounts were written during the lifetime of the people who saw them. If they were not true, there would be so many people to expose the hoax that it could never have survived!

2. It is just legend-

But legends and stories develop many years after the fact, with no eyewitnesses to dispute them. But these things were all written down and talked of by these leaders only a short period of years after Christ's death. Besides, the accounts of the resurrection are not at all like legend. Legend tends to make things neat and storylike. The detail and authenticity of the accounts are outstanding to those who study ancient manuscripts! For example, the disciples would have made themselves to be believing heroes with lines like, "I knew, of course, Jesus would rise again." Furthermore note that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, a lady first of all (women had little respect then), and one whom Jesus had cast demons out of, and who traditionally was formerly an adulterer before following Jesus. Legend would have had Jesus appear first to Peter who was the leader of the early church. Or to Mary the mother of Jesus, thereby supporting the Mariology that developed. Yet Jesus speaks first to Mary Magdalene!

3. The disciples stole the body-

Few hold this story any more today. In fact the other theories are also basically abandoned, such as the swoon theory. For reasons given above, and the argument sooner or later someone would have told that they did indeed steal the body would have gotten out. But there is no trace of any rumor from early Christians that the disciples stole the body. Only the original shock that he was gone from the tomb, and later, that he was risen.

4. The Jewish or Roman authorities stole the body-

Why in the world would they?.' What would their motive be? If they had they would have said they did, or produced a body to prick the bubble of the Christians.

5. Jesus did not really die, he just swooned

Even non Christian critics can't go along with that. As one non Christian says, It is impossible that a being who had stolen half-dead out of the sepulcher, who crept about weak and ill, wanting medical treatment, who required bandaging, strengthening, and indulgence, and who still at last yielded to his sufferings, could have given 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... by no possibility have changed their sorrow into enthusiasm, have elevated their reverence into worship. Besides this he would have had to free himself from the spice filled grave clothes which were wrapped around him, roll away a stone three women felt unable to tackle, terrify the Roman guards, and walk miles on pierced and wounded feet!

FURTHERMORE CONSIDER:

1. The Christian church is world wide, a tremendous historical force to be built on a hoax.

2. Since the early Christian church was almost all Jewish with a strong worship tradition, it had to take a deep and startling event to change the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday.

3. Christ had foretold the whole thing! This is clear. Not to have met his predictions after his death would have made him out to be both a liar and a fool. Certainly not a Lord worthy of allegiance! People don't make claims like that without being mocked,--or , if true, worshipped!

4. The change in the disciples lives before and after the resurrection of Christ was great! Now mere unlearned men, fisherman, are powerful, bold, and wise leaders of the church, as it spreads like a roaring fire throughout the world.

Many men have had the experience of the lawyer who wrote Who Moved the Stone? He started out to disprove the resurrection of Christ, and while carefully gathering his evidence became convinced that Jesus did rise from the dead! The evidence is abundant!

Further Reading: Evidence That Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell