Part 10: The Outrageous Aftermath

“What happened after Jesus died and was buried? This is in some ways the most important historical question of all?” ~ Ben Witherington III, Historian & Theologian “What happened after Jesus died and was buried? This is in some ways the most important historical question of all?” ~ Ben Witherington III, Historian & Theologian

“There is no evidence from any source at all to suggest that the Messiah was expected to rise from the dead. Why would there be? The Messiah was expected to kill other people and, if he suffered and died himself, by definition he was not going to be regarded as the Messiah.” ~ John Drane, Professor, University of Aberdeen, Scotland “There is no evidence from any source at all to suggest that the Messiah was expected to rise from the dead. Why would there be? The Messiah was expected to kill other people and, if he suffered and died himself, by definition he was not going to be regarded as the Messiah.” ~ John Drane, Professor, University of Aberdeen, Scotland

“The Resurrection is the epicentre of belief.” ~ Philip Yancey, Writer “The Resurrection is the epicentre of belief.” ~ Philip Yancey, Writer

“If the thing happened, it was the central event in the history of the earth.” ~ C.S. Lewis, Philosopher

“Everything turns upon the axis of the Resurrection. If Jesus had not been raised from the dead, we never would have heard his name, just as we don’t know the names of the thousands of Jewish rebels who were crucified at the hands of Rom. Jesus would have become one more anonymous casualty of Roman imperialism.” ~ Mark D. Roberts, Philosopher “Everything turns upon the axis of the Resurrection. If Jesus had not been raised from the dead, we never would have heard his name, just as we don’t know the names of the thousands of Jewish rebels who were crucified at the hands of Rom. Jesus would have become one more anonymous casualty of Roman imperialism.” ~ Mark D. Roberts, Philosopher

“The Resurrection is not a belief that grew up within the church; it is the belief around which the church itself grew up. We must understand the difference.” ~ C.H. Dodd, Bible Scholar “The Resurrection is not a belief that grew up within the church; it is the belief around which the church itself grew up. We must understand the difference.” ~ C.H. Dodd, Bible Scholar

“The empty tomb and the ‘meetings’ with Jesus, when combined, present us with the only valid condition for the rise of the early Christian movement. Nothing else historians have been able to come up with has the power to explain the phenomena before us.” ~ N.T. Wright, Historian & Theologian

“I submit that the best explanation for the phenomenon of the missionary movement of the early Church is that something indeed must have happened to Jesus’ body, and he must have been in personal and visible contact with his followers after Easter.” ~ Ben Witherington III, Historian & Theologian “I submit that the best explanation for the phenomenon of the missionary movement of the early Church is that something indeed must have happened to Jesus’ body, and he must have been in personal and visible contact with his followers after Easter.” ~ Ben Witherington III, Historian & Theologian

“The early Christians did not invent the empty tomb and the ‘meetings’ or ‘sightings’ of the risen Jesus in order to explain a faith they already had. They developed that faith because of the occurrence, and convergence, of these two phenomena.” ~ N. T. Wright, Historian & Theologian “The early Christians did not invent the empty tomb and the ‘meetings’ or ‘sightings’ of the risen Jesus in order to explain a faith they already had. They developed that faith because of the occurrence, and convergence, of these two phenomena.” ~ N. T. Wright, Historian & Theologian

“How does God deal with evil? He did not abolish the fact of evil: He transformed it. He did not stop the crucifixion: He rose from the dead.” ~ Dorothy Sayers, Writer & Theologian “How does God deal with evil? He did not abolish the fact of evil: He transformed it. He did not stop the crucifixion: He rose from the dead.” ~ Dorothy Sayers, Writer & Theologian

“Ultimately, nothing forces people to believe, nothing compels them to accept Jesus as Redeemer. However, a great deal about Jesus invites individuals to freely accept him and his message, especially the evidence for the resurrection.” ~ Thomas Zanzig, Catholic Scholar “Ultimately, nothing forces people to believe, nothing compels them to accept Jesus as Redeemer. However, a great deal about Jesus invites individuals to freely accept him and his message, especially the evidence for the resurrection.” ~ Thomas Zanzig, Catholic Scholar

“At the cross, Jesus broke the power of sin. At the resurrection, Jesus broke the power of death. Both need to be broken. If you solve only the problem of sin, then we’d all love one another, but death would haunt every relationship. If you solve only the problem of death, then we’d live forever in hatred.” ~ Paul E. Miller, Bible Scholar “At the cross, Jesus broke the power of sin. At the resurrection, Jesus broke the power of death. Both need to be broken. If you solve only the problem of sin, then we’d all love one another, but death would haunt every relationship. If you solve only the problem of death, then we’d live forever in hatred.” ~ Paul E. Miller, Bible Scholar

“Christ reigns over all the world. And yet, even after the resurrection, he is recognized by the marks of the nails on his hands and feet and the wound in his side. He is a monarch who died on a cross, a ruler who serves, a leader who calls his followers not servants but friends.” ~ William C. Placher, Theologian “Christ reigns over all the world. And yet, even after the resurrection, he is recognized by the marks of the nails on his hands and feet and the wound in his side. He is a monarch who died on a cross, a ruler who serves, a leader who calls his followers not servants but friends.” ~ William C. Placher, Theologian

“Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. ~ Luke 24:26-27 (NRSV) “Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. ~ Luke 24:26-27 (NRSV)

DOING THE MATH Empty Tomb + Sightings = Faith Empty Tomb – Sightings = Theft Sightings – Empty Tomb = Ghost DOING THE MATH Empty Tomb + Sightings = Faith Empty Tomb – Sightings = Theft Sightings – Empty Tomb = Ghost

Part 10: The Outrageous Aftermath