The Historicity of Jesus

Campus Commonwealth Academy
Apologetics Class
January 3-4, 2015
1
Lesson Outline

Did Jesus really exist?
Did the Resurrection really
happen?
2
Core Reading

3
Proving Jesus’ Historicity

 Address skeptic’s questions
 Identify the most reliable historical resource:
The Gospels
 Corroborate The Gospels with other
historians
 Verify the facts with Archaeological evidence
 Case Study: The Resurrection - the greatest
miracle!
4
The Value of Evidence

 Has the collection of
evidence really been
thorough?
 Which explanation
best fits the totality of
the facts? [Strobel]
 An argument without
evidence is merely an
assertion or opinion
[Koukl]
5
Types of Evidence

1. Eyewitness Evidence (the gospel accounts)
2. Documentary Evidence (preservation of the
gospels)
3. Corroborating Evidence (evidence outside of
the gospels)
4. Scientific Evidence (the role of archaeology)
5. Rebuttal Evidence (refuting opposing claims)
6
Sensational vs. Scholarly?

3 types of “scholarship”:
 Sceptical – biased to gain headlines, may be from
educated authors but written directly for public
rather than academic review
 Apologetic – defending the faith, may be from
educated authors but written directly for public
rather than academic review
 Mainstream – requires peer review, quality
assurance, contributes to the body of scholarly
knowledge
“The Christ Files,” John Dickson, 2010
7
Did Jesus Exist?

The Jesus Myth
Other Jesus Myths
The Gospel Record
The Historical Record
The Archaeological Record
8
Did Jesus Exist?

“Honest and accurate
testimony will
withstand scrutiny,
while false,
exaggerated or
misleading testimony
will be exposed”
9
What is the “Jesus myth”?

“In simpler terms, the historical Jesus did not exist. Or if he
did, he had virtually nothing to do with the founding of
Christianity."
Bart Ehrman, Did Jesus Exist? 2012, p. 12
3-fold argument from the 19th century:
1.
2.
3.
The New Testament has no historical value
No non-Christian 1st century references
Christianity’s pagan and/or mythical roots
10
How would you answer the
“Jesus myth”?

1. The New Testament has no historical value
11
How would you answer the
“Jesus myth”?

1. The New Testament has no historical value
 Assess the validity of NT historical references
 Identify archaeological corroboration
2. No non-Christian 1st century references
12
How would you answer the
“Jesus myth”?

1. The New Testament has no historical value
 Assess the validity of NT historical references
 Identify archaeological corroboration
2. No non-Christian 1st century references
 Evaluate non-Christian historical references
 Compare to references from other historical events
3. Christianity’s pagan and/or mythical roots
13
How would you answer the
“Jesus myth”?

1. The New Testament has no historical value
 Assess the validity of NT historical references
 Identify archaeological corroboration
2. No non-Christian 1st century references
 Evaluate non-Christian historical references
 Compare to references from other historical events
3. Christianity’s pagan and/or mythical roots
 Do parallelisms discredit or verify Christ’s historicity?
 Find unique teachings of Jesus
14
How would you answer the
“Jesus myth”?

If we apply to the New Testament, as we should, the same
sort of criteria as we should apply to other ancient writings
containing historical material, we can no more reject Jesus'
existence than we can reject the existence of a mass of pagan
personages whose reality as historical figures is never
questioned.
Michael Grant (1977), Jesus: An Historian's Review of the
Gospels
15
How would you answer the
“Jesus myth”?

 "modern critical methods fail to support the Christ-myth
theory”
 “no serious scholar has ventured to postulate the nonhistoricity of Jesus”
 the mythicists: "have not succeeded in disposing of the
much stronger, indeed very abundant, evidence to the
contrary”
Michael Grant (1977), Jesus: An Historian's Review of the
Gospels
16
Other “Jesus myths”

1993: Barbara Thiering's reinterpretation of
the New Testament: “the married, divorced, and
remarried Jesus, father of four, becomes the
"Wicked Priest" of the Dead Sea Scrolls”
2003: Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code:
Jesus had a secret wife, named Mary Magdalene,
and he fathered two children with her… the ‘Holy
Grail’ is the secret of Jesus’ bloodline
17
Are some Gospels missing?

Additional “Christian” Writings
 52 ancient texts based upon the teachings of several
spiritual leaders
 Written from the 2nd to the 4th century AD
 Example: The Gospel of Thomas emphasizes the Gnostic
theme of knowledge as the key to salvation
 No Early Church Father quoted them and no Christian
denomination includes them in their canon
Any Doubts? Read them!
They are not similar to the New Testament
18
Debunking Da Vinci

Brown’s factual errors (The Christ Files, p.29)
 NT Gospels published 200 years before Constantine
 None of the “additional gospels” confidently date to
the first century or were considered for NT
inclusion by Constantine
 No Christian texts found with the Dead Sea Scrolls
 No ancient text suggests that Jesus married Mary
Magdelene or had children with her
 Nag Hammadi manuscripts are readily available to
the public in Cairo!
Good entertainment ≠ History!
19
The Gospel Record

Three Questions to Answer:
 Can the Gospels be used as reliable eyewitness
accounts?
 Why weren’t the Gospels written down right
away? Oral vs. Written Tradition
 Are there any earlier Christian records?
Can we trust the Gospel record?
20
The Gospel’s Origins

“Because of similarities in language and content, it
has traditionally been assumed that Matthew and
Luke drew upon Mark’s earlier gospel in writing
their own. In addition, scholars have said that
Matthew and Luke also incorporated some material
from this mysterious Q, material that is absent from
Mark.” [Strobel]
21
Eyewitness Evidence

Matthew (50-70 AD): eyewitness, used Mark and Q
Mark (50-60 AD): probably the earliest Gospel,
collaborated with eyewitness Peter
Luke (~60 AD): historical account from eyewitnesses
including Mark and Q
John (50-85 AD): most likely a later independent
Gospel account, also an eyewitness
“Q” (quelle or source) – used by Luke and Matthew
22
The Gospels

General agreement among scholars:
1. Mark was written before Matthew and Luke
2. Matthew and Luke broadly follow Mark’s
sequence and incorporate Markan material
into their gospels
3. John’s outline of events does not easily
dovetail with Mark’s or vice versa
- Barnett
23
Matthew: Eyewitness

 Source critics (practitioners of the science of Source
Criticism) see 3 threads in Matthew:
1. Mark: (90% of Mark in Matthew) ~50% of Matthew
2. “Q”: (shared with Luke) ~25% of Matthew
3. “M”: (unique Matthew material) ~25% of Matthew
Q: As one of the Twelve, Matthew was an eyewitness,
so why borrow from Mark?
24
Mark: Peter’s Eyewitness Account

 Second century church writers agreed that it was
Mark who wrote the second gospel, based on
information supplied by Peter:
1. Papias (AD 130) writing from Hierapolis in Asia
Minor
2. Justin (AD 150) writing in Rome
3. Irenaeus (AD 170) writing in Gaul
4. Clement (AD 180) writing in Alexandria
25
Mark: Peter’s Eyewitness Account

Peter says:
 Acts 2:32 “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all
witnesses of it.”
 Acts 3:15 “You killed the author of life, but God raised
him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.”
 1 Peter 5:1 “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow
elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who will also
share in the glory to be revealed.”
26
Luke: Eyewitness Compiler

Luke 1:1-4 “Many have undertaken to draw up an
account of the things that have been fulfilled among
us, just as they were handed down to us by those who
from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the
word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully
investigated everything from the beginning, I too
decided to write an orderly account for you, most
excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty
of the things you have been taught.”
27
Luke: Eyewitness Compiler

Barnett draws 3 inferences from the above passage:
1. Certain eyewitnesses compiled narratives about
Jesus
2. These were passed on to Luke who was not an
eyewitness
 2nd century writers (e.g., Papias, Irenaeus) agree
that Luke was not an eyewitness
3. Using eyewitness testimony, Luke compiled a more
comprehensive history
28
John as a “Witness”

 John 19:35 (ESV) “He who saw it has borne witness-his
testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the
truth-that you may also believe.”
 John 21:24 (ESV) “This is the disciple who is bearing
witness about these things, and who has written these
things, and we know that his testimony is true.”
29
Confident eyewitness perspective

Strobel, quotes scholar Dr. Gregory Boyd (author of
“Cynic Sage or Son of God? Recovering the Real Jesus
in an Age of Revisionist Replies”)
“The gospels have a very confident eyewitness perspective, as
if they had a camera there”
“Generally, if a source is considered reliable-and I would
argue that there are plenty of reasons to believe that the
gospels are reliable-it should be considered credible, even if it
can’t be confirmed by other sources”
30
The Gospels are reliable

“On the whole, the gospels are excellent
sources…they’re the most trustworthy, complete
and reliable sources for Jesus. The incidental sources
really don’t add much detailed information;
however, they are valuable as corroborative
evidence”
-Edwin Yamauchi, Ph. D
31
Oral vs. Written Tradition

 Why were the Gospels written down 30-60 years
after his death?
 Did Christians use Jewish mnemonics to memorize
Jesus’ teachings?
 Professor James Dun of U of Durham (UK) proposed
“informal, controlled oral tradition” passed down
through “Teachers”
 2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things you have heard me say in
the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people
who will also be qualified to teach others.”
32
Paul’s letters:
Earlier than the Gospels

Paul’s earliest letter is likely Galatians (45-48
AD)
This represents a gap of about 15 years after
Jesus’ death and resurrection
Or less…
Q: Anything major that you know happened about 15
years ago (9-11)?
33
Early Hymns

I. Philippians 2:6-11
I. Written <61 AD
II. The “Gospel”!
II. Colossians 1:15-20
I. Written <60AD
II. Theology Depth!
Let the message of Christ
dwell among you richly as
you teach and admonish
one another with all wisdom
through psalms, hymns, and
songs from the Spirit,
singing to God with
gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:16
34
1 Cor 15: An Early “Creed”

For what I received I passed on to you as of first
importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the
third day according to the Scriptures, and that he
appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he
appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and
sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though
some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all
the apostles…”
1 Corinthians 15:3-7
35
When Did Paul “Receive” 1 Cor 15?

 30 AD – Jesus’ crucifixion
 32 AD – Paul’s conversion
 35 AD – Paul meets apostles in Jerusalem
 Galatians 1:18 “after three years, I went up to
Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas”
 Likely scenario: Paul “received” the well-known
“creed” of 1 Co. 15 within 5 years of the crucifixion!
Q: What is the purpose of “Creeds”?
Q: Do we use them?
36
Close Proximity in time

“…A good case can be
made for saying that
Christian belief in the
Resurrection, though
not yet written down,
can be dated to within
two years of that very
event.” [Strobel
quoting Blomberg]
37
Proving Jesus’ Historicity

 Address skeptic’s questions
 Identify the most reliable historical resource:
The Gospels
 Corroborate The Gospels with other
historians
 Verify the facts with Archaeological evidence
 Case Study: The Resurrection - the greatest
miracle!
38
The Historical Record

“…if we want any details about Jesus’ life and
teachings, we must turn to the New Testament.
Extrabiblical sources confirm what we read in
the gospels, but they don’t really tell us anything
new.
The question then must be: how historically reliable
are the New Testament documents?”
[William Lane Craig]
39
NT material stands out

“We can have great confidence in
the fidelity with which this material
has come down to us, especially
compared with any other ancient
literary work.”
Bruce Metzger, Ph. D
40
The Purity of the NT

“The New Testament, then,
has not only survived in
more manuscripts than any
other book from antiquity,
but it has survived in a
purer form than any other
great book-a form that is
99.5 percent pure” [Geisler
and Nix, “A General
Introduction to the
Bible,” page 367]
41
Corroborating Evidence

Corroborate (Webster): to make
more certain; confirm.
This type of evidence deals with
whether ancient historians
confirm or contradict the New
Testament’s claims about Jesus’
life, teachings and miracles.
42
Non-Christian sources

“…The New Testament writers themselves are the
best reason for believing about the existence of Jesus.
However, there is other early information about
Jesus written by non-Christians. These nonChristian sources fall into two broad classes, Roman
and Jewish.”
[Is the New Testament History? Paul Barnett]
43
Corroborating Evidence

Roman Sources
 Pliny the Younger
 Tacitus
Suetonius
Jewish Sources
 Josephus
Rabbi Eliezer
Benediction
Twelve
44
Roman Corroboration

Pliny The Younger
 A Roman
 Nephew of Pliny the
Elder
 Letters from
Bithynia” (approx.
AD 112)
45
Pliny’s Complaints

 Pliny, an experienced administrator, complained to
Emperor Trajan about a movement involving “many
of all ages and every rank and also of both sexes.” He
further lamented the effect on “not the cities only,
but also the villages and the country.”
 “Based on what Pliny wrote there can be no doubt
about the existence in about AD 110 of a substantial
body of Christians in remote Bithynia. This is a fact
of history.”
[Barnett, “Is the New Testament History?”]
46
Roman Corroboration

Tacitus
 One of his main
works was “The
Annals”
 In AD 115 he
explicitly stated that
Nero persecuted the
Christians as
scapegoats after the
fire of AD 64
47
Jewish Corroboration

Josephus
 Born in AD 37
 Wrote The Antiquities of the
Jews (93 AD)
 Lived through the JewishRoman War of 66-73 AD
 A priest; a Pharisee
 Disliked by Jews, popular
among Christians
48
Jewish Corroboration

“He convened a meeting of the Sanhedrin and
brought before them a man named James, the
brother of Jesus, who was called the
Christ, and certain others. He accused them
of having transgressed the law and delivered
them up to be stoned.”
Josephus: The Antiquities
49
Jewish Corroboration

“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…”
Josephus: The Testimonium Flavianum
50
Corroborating Evidence

“…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…”
Josephus: The Testimonium Flavianum
51
Corroborating Evidence

“…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”
Book 18, Chapter 3,3, The Antiquities
52
Jewish Corroboration

Yamauchi observes: “…today there’s a
remarkable consensus among both Jewish and
Christian scholars that the passage as a whole
is authentic, although there may be some
interpolations… But even so, Josephus
corroborates important information
about Jesus.”
53
Other Corroboration

Other Sources
 Thallus (writings were around 52 AD )
 Phlegon (Greek author who wrote around 137
AD)
 Julius Africanus (wrote around 221 AD and
quoted Thallus)
 The books of the apostolic fathers (especially
the 7 letters of Ignatius)
54
Historical Comparison
Author
Date
Oldest Copy
Interval
Copies
Aristophanes
400 BC
AD 900
45
Aristotle
340 BC

1,300 years
AD 1100
1,450 years
5
Demosthenes
300 BC
AD 1100
1,400 years
200
Julius Caesar
50 BC
AD 900
950 years
10
Herodotus
435 BC
AD 900
1,350 years
8
Homer
800 BC
AD 100
900 years
643
Plato
360 BC
AD 800
1,150 years
15
Sophocles
415 BC
AD 1000
1,400 years
7
Thucydides
410 BC
AD 900
1,300 years
8
1500 BC –
500 BC
200 BC
300+ years
5,000
AD 125
50 years
8,000
Old Testament
New Testament
AD 50-90
55
Historical Comparison

“…we have better historical documentation for Jesus than
for the founder of any other ancient religion” [Yamauchi]
1. The Gathans of Zoroaster (1000 BC)
 Scriptures written after 3rd century AD – 1300 yr gap
2. The scriptures of Buddha (6th century BC)
 Biography written in 1st century AD – 700 year gap
3. The sayings of Muhammed (570-632 AD)
 Biography written in 767 AD – 150 year gap
56
Archaeological Evidence

“The stones cry out…”
Are the facts found in
Bible compatible with
what Archaeologists
discover?
Is the Bible a reliable
source for historical
information?
Pilate Inscription
Caesarea AD 30
57
Archaeology Confirms Historicity

Rylands Fragment
AD 125
John 18:31-33, 37
Manchester, UK
Manuscript evidence
for the canonical
gospels
58
Luke:
st
1
Class Historian

“The general consensus of both liberal and
conservative scholars is that Luke is very
accurate as a historian…archaeological
discoveries are showing over and over again
that Luke is accurate in what he has to say.”
Lee Strobel quoting McRay
59
Luke’s Historical Accuracy

“One prominent archaeologist
carefully examined Luke’s
references to 32 countries, 54
cities and 9 islands, finding not a
single mistake”
Geisler & Howe, “When Critics Ask”
60
Luke 3:1 Lysanias Tetrarch of
Abilene

Inscription from the time of Tiberius Caesar
(ruled from 14-37AD) names Lysanias as
tetrarch of Abila near Damascus. [Abila was the
capital city of the Roman district of Abilene]
For the salvation of the Au[gust] lords
and of [all] their household,
Nymphaeus, free[dman] of Ea[gle]
Lysanias tetrarch established
this street and other things.
61
John 5:2 Pool of Bethesda

“Now there is in Jerusalem
near the Sheep Gate a pool,
which in Aramaic is called
Bethesda and which is
surrounded by five
covered colonnades.”
 Excavated Pool about 40
feet below the ground
with 5 colonnaded
porches or walkways
62
John: Well, Pool, Pavement
John 4:12
Jacob’s Well

John 9:7
The Pool of Siloam
John 19:13
The Stone
Pavement
63
Archaeological Evidence

Australian archaeologist
Clifford Wilson:
“Those who know the facts
now recognize that the New
Testament must be accepted
as a remarkably accurate
source book.”
64
Summary:
What does the evidence reveal?

Scholars accept the historicity of Jesus
The Gospels are reliable eyewitness
accounts
Paul’s testimony dates from a few years
of the events
Historians corroborate the Gospels
Archaeology corroborates the Gospels
65
Case Study: Resurrection

Are Miracles Possible?
Resurrection Implications
Resurrection Facts
Resurrection Options
Resurrection Conclusion
 Reference for this Resurrection Argument: Jacoby, “Compelling
Evidence” and “True and Reasonable”
66
Are Miracles Possible?

Miracles would break the laws of
nature
The laws of nature cannot be
broken
Therefore miracles are impossible
67
Are Miracles Possible?

 Many claim to do miracles:
 Are they exaggerations? Is there any proof?
 Some discount Bible miracles, but accept
"paranormal phenomena”
 Witnessing a miracle does not guarantee future
obedience and can cause wrong motivations (Deut
8)
 Miracles can't convince a person who is unwilling
to be convinced! (Luke 16:31)
 Watch out for counterfeits! (2 Thes 2:9)
68
Biblical Miracles

 God, by definition, can perform miracles!
 Apostles as Con-Men/Tricksters/Magicians?
 Jesus' miracles were undeniable and accepted even by
his enemies (John 11:47)
 Jesus' followers were men integrity who performed
miracles publicly with no appeal for money (Acts 8:20)
 Miracles were not to stun or thrill, but to verify that
the teachings were from God (Mark 16:20)
 God wants our faith based on reason, not sensation!
69
Many convincing proofs

Luke’s observation about Jesus:
Acts 1:3 (NIV) “After his suffering,
he presented himself to them and
gave many convincing proofs that he
was alive.”
Jesus himself offered proof that he
had been raised from the dead
70
1 Corinthians 15

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
that Christ... was raised on the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter... then to the Twelve...
to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time... to
James ... to all the apostles, and ...to me also.
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and
so is your faith... More than that, we are then found to be false
witnesses about God. And if Christ has not been raised, your
faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those who have
fallen asleep [died] in Christ are lost. If only for this life we
have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men ... If
the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we
die." 1 Corinthians 15:3-32
71
Without Resurrection…

 Preaching is useless.
 Christians are liars.
 Christian faith is useless.
 Sins are still unforgiven.
 The dead have no hope of salvation.
 We are the most pathetic people in the world.
 Party, since life is short and has no meaning.
72
With the Resurrection…

Any miracle is possible.
Jesus’ prediction came true.
The claims of Jesus stand.
We have hope!
We must share our hope with others!
73
Resurrection Accounts

Matthew 27:26-28:15
Mark 15:15-16:14
Luke 22:63-24:12
John 19:1-20:28
74
Establishing Historical Facts

Historian’s Criteria for Establishing Facts:
Eyewitness account
Multiple sources
Authenticity and honesty (may be
embarrassing or difficult)
75
Resurrection Evidence

 Eyewitness account?
 Gospel authors = eyewitnesses
 Paul = eyewitness
 500 eyewitnesses (1 Cor. 15)
 Multiple sources? Gospels, Paul’s letters
 Authentic? (embarrassing or unlikely)
 Women as first eyewitnesses
 Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea
 Conversion of skeptical disciples, James, Paul
76
Resurrection Facts

77
Shifting Scholarly
Opinion?

“If you talked about the ‘empty tomb’ [30 years ago in
scholarly academic circles] there would be a lot of snickering
and nobody but the evangelicals who published in that area
would accept it. If you talked about resurrection appearances
of Jesus...everybody would have laughed. Today, the
majority of NT scholars, historians, theologians and
philosophers who publish in the area believe in the empty
tomb – almost two-thirds... Today, bodily resurrection is the
predominant view in the academy.”
Dr. Gary Habermas, Veritas Forum, Nov 2012
78
All a Big Hoax?

 Disciples created an elaborate hoax that grew into a legend
 Why?
 What possible motive would they have for lying?
 Why would they be willing to die for a lie?
 How?
 These “unschooled” fisherman fooled the Jews/Romans?
 When?
 So close to the events – others would have exposed them
 What?
 What type of men does that make the disciples?
79
Resurrection Options

A Big Mistake!
Tomb Occupied
Wrong Tomb
Hallucination
A Big Mystery:
Tomb Empty
Remiss:
Jesus was
Still Alive
Jesus Died
Removed:
Someone else
Removed Jesus
Disciples
Gardener
Robbers
Resurrected:
God Removed Jesus
He is Who He Claims
Romans
Jews
UFOs/Worms
80
A Big Mistake:
The Wrong Tomb?

 Disciples went to the wrong tomb and found it empty
 Sooner or later someone (Joseph of Arimathea, owner of
the tomb?) would have discovered the right tomb and
realized the mistake!
Wrong Tomb
Right Tomb
81
A Big Mistake:
Just a Hallucination?

 Eventually they would have found
the dead body of Jesus and
disproved the resurrection claims
 James (skeptic) and Paul (enemy):
wouldn’t be easy to fool!
 Paul stated that there were more
than 500 witnesses of the
resurrection -- a foolish claim if they
were still around to be questioned.
 The tomb was empty!
Hallucination
82
Resurrection Options

X
A Big Mistake:
Tomb Occupied
Wrong Tomb
Hallucination
A Big Mystery:
The Empty Tomb
Remiss:
Jesus was
Still Alive
Jesus Died
Removed:
Someone else
Removed Jesus
Disciples
Gardener
Robbers
Resurrected:
God Removed Jesus
He is Who He Claims
Romans
Jews
UFOs/Worms
83
A Big Mystery:
He’s Not Really Dead?

 Disciples and Roman executioners were confused
about whether Jesus actually died (John 19:23, 32-33)
 Jesus survived the whipping, torture, and crucifixion
with a spear thrust into his heart (John 19:34)
 He spent 36 hours in the tomb covered in 75 pounds
of ointments (John 19:39), with no food or water!
 Jesus revived, got up, rolled the stone away,
overpowered the Roman guards, walked miles and
miles on pierced feet…
84
A Big Mystery:
He’s Not Really Dead?

 Jesus Developed an elaborate con to trick people:
 Convinced his disciples that he conquered death and
rose from the dead
 Taught them to pass on the resurrection hoax to others
 Asked his followers to give up their lives for a lie
 Led millions of people to suffer “in his name”
 The Remiss Theory refutes itself
 This theory is totally out of character for Jesus
 You can’t trick Roman executioners
 The disciples weren’t part of an elaborate hoax
85
A Big Mystery
Who Stole the Body?

 Deceitful Disciples
 Assume the disciples stole the body and then
spread a lie
 Stealing and lying in violation of Jesus’ teachings
 Then they gave their lives and were martyred for a lie
 Men may give their lives for a worthy cause, but this
would mean that these men of extraordinary character
not only sacrificed themselves for a lie, but also sent
thousands of men to their grave for a lie
 Declare that Disciples are not Deceitful!
86
A Big Mystery
Who Stole the Body?

 Early Bird Gardener
 If the gardener stole the body, broke the seal of
Pilate (Matthew 27:66), and overpowered the
Roman guards, he committed a serious crime
against the Roman state.
 Why?
 If he were a friend to the Christians, would he not
produce the body to save them from persecution?
 If he were against the Christians, would he not
produce the body to stop the rapid spread of
Christianity?
 Grant the gardener the benefit of the doubt!
87
A Big Mystery
Who Stole the Body?

 Thoughtless Thieves
 Grave robbers typically look for
valuables, not corpses!
 What motivation would thieves have
for risking their lives to overpower the
Roman soldiers and steal a corpse?
 Case dismissed!
88
A Big Mystery
Who Stole the Body?

 Rebellious Romans
 The Romans had no motivation to steal the body and
produce a stir that would launch the Christians into a
world-shaking growth spurt!
 The soldiers were put to death for letting this happen!
 Release the Roman Regiment!
89
A Big Mystery
Who Stole the Body?

 Jealous Jews
 Now we are getting absurd!
 The Jews would be the last ones to aid
the Christian movement by creating the
circumstances for promoting a "myth" of
the resurrection!
 If they took they body, all they would
have to do to stop the movement was to
produce the body and prove that it was
all a hoax
 Judge the Jews innocent!
90
A Big Mystery
Who Stole the Body?

 UFOs or Worms?
 Since we are examining all of the absurd possibilities,
let's also dismiss the claims of science fiction writers
and non-scientific types that the body was removed by
aliens or eaten by starving worms in a 36-hour period
 Come back to earth!
91
Resurrection Options

X
A Big Mistake:
Tomb Occupied
Wrong Tomb
Hallucination
A Big Mystery:
The Empty Tomb
X
Jesus was
Still Alive
Disciples
Gardener
Robbers
Jesus Died
Removed:
Someone else
Removed Jesus
X
Resurrected:
God Removed Jesus
He is Who He Claims
Romans
Jews
UFOs/Worms
92
Mystery Solved:
Must Be a Resurrection!

The tomb: occupied or empty?
 We saw that it was certainly empty
Jesus: dead or alive in the tomb:
 We saw that he was dead
The body: removed by others or resurrected
by God himself?
 No one could not have taken the body
 God must have resurrected Jesus!
93
Mystery Solved:
Must Be a Resurrection!

The Disciples: Hallucinators or Holy Spirit
Believers
The Church: Resurrection Driven or Liars?
94
Mystery Solved:
Must Be a Resurrection!

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but
now he commands all people everywhere to
repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the
world with justice by the man he has appointed
[Jesus]. He has given proof of this to all men by
raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)
95
Motivation…

Relationship with God is personal, therefore…
 It requires a personal relationship to understand
 Not email, friend request, or poke… he sent us!
 It challenges the very fiber of our beliefs
 Hard to admit our ignorance
 It judges us sinners in need of forgiveness
 Give up our sin!
 It demands a response… Jesus is Lord!
96