RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ

THE RESURRECTION

of

Jesus Christ

 

 

1. EVIDENCES OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST

 

A. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH  (NT CHURCH

 

2. THE CHRISTIAN DAY  (SUNDAY)

 

3. THE CHRISTIAN BOOK  (NEW TESTAMENT)

 

4. THE EMPTY TOMB

 

5. THE EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNTS

 

 

II. THEORIES TO EXPLAIN AWAY THE RESURRECTION

 

1. THE THEFT THEORY  (The “They stole Him” Theory, i.e. His disciples.  Cf. Matthew 28:11-15)

 

 

11  Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

12  And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

13  Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole Him away while we slept.

14  And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

15  So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

 

 

1. Not refuted by Matthew it is so ludicrous.
2. The ethical and psychological impossibility

1. This would mean that the disciples were perpetrators of a deliberate lie that was responsible for misleading tens of thousands and ultimately causing their death.  This is out of character for all we know of these men.
2. They also suffered torture and martydom for their statements and belief that He was alive—resurrected from the dead.  

 

Josh McDowell points out that “men will die for what they believe to be true, though it may be false.  They do not, however, die for what they know is a lie.  If ever a man tells the truth, it is on his deathbed.  And if the disciples had taken the body, and Christ was still dead, we would still have the problem of explaining His alleged appearances.”

3. The alleged appearances

 

2. THE “THEY MOVED HIM” THEORY  (I.E., THE JEWS/ ROMANS)

1. This is unreasonable in light of the fact that they had placed a guard at the tomb.
2. The silence of the authorities despite the fact that they tried to silence the apostles.

 

 

Acts 4:1  And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2  Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3  And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

14  And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15  But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

16  Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

17  But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

18  And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

29  And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

30  By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Acts 5:25  Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

26  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey

God rather than men.

30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

40  And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

42  And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

 

 

Rather than all the aggravation they could have simply produced the body of Christ closed the mouths of these fanatics once and for all.

 

3. THE GRIEF THEORY,  or THE WRONG TOMB THEORY

1. Again, we have the silence of the authorities.
2. Inconceivable that Peter and John would have made the same mistake.
3. This was a private burial ground, not a public cemetery.
4. Simple solution: Take the grieving individuals by the hand and lead them to the right tomb.

 

4. THE SWOOOON THEORY

1. Inconceivable.
2. Incredible.
3. Impossible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indeed, 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.

—B.F.Wescott.

5. THE HALLUCINATION THEORY

 

1. Hallucinations generally occur in people who tend to be vividly imaginative and of a nervous makeup.  (These appearances were to all sorts of people.  Men, women, doctors, lawyers, fishermen, tax collectors, etc.)
2. Hallucinations are extremely subjective and individual.  No two people have the same experience.  (Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, to the disciples as a group, and to five hundred assembled brethren.)
3. Hallucinations usually occur only at particular time and places, and are associated with the events fancied.  (Jesus appeared in Jerusalem and in far away Galilee; He appeared indoors and outdoors; and, He appeared in the morning, afternoon, and evening.)
4. Generally these psychic experiences occur over a long period of time with some regularity.  (These sightings occurred only during a period of forty days and then abruptly stopped.  No one ever claimed that they happened again in the same manner.)
5. In order to have an experience like this, one must so intensely want to believe that he projects something that really isn’t there and attaches reality to his imaginations.  (The fact is these disciples were convinced against their what they believed.  They had believed Him to be dead and struggled to know what to do with their lives.  As a matter of fact when they did see Him they thought they were seeing a ghost.)  

To hold this theory one must completely ignore the evidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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 of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

9  For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

11  Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

12  Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

16  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

18  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

20  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

29  Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

30  And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?

31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

32  If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

34  Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

35  But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

36  Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

37  And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

38  But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

39  All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

40  There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

41  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

42  So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

43  It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51  Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.