Resurrection of Jesus Christ: Real Hope or Hopeless Illusion?

Something happened… Definite change in disciples’ behaviorDefinite change in disciples’ behavior Disciples’ claims of appearances of JesusDisciples’ claims of appearances of Jesus The absolute fact of the Empty TombThe absolute fact of the Empty Tomb

What happened? 5 Theories: 1.Christianity (Jesus died & truly rose) 2.Hallucination (Jesus didn’t rise; apostles were deceived) 3.Myth (Apostles were sincere myth-makers) 4.Conspiracy (Apostles were deceivers) 5.Coma (Jesus didn’t die)

Responses: “Coma” Theory 1.Jesus could not have survived Roman crucifixion 2.No breaking of legs> = already dead 3.Apostles’ respond to a risen and not a barely alive Jesus 4.Roman guards overpowered by a faint, half-dead man? 5.Stone moved by same?

Responses: “Coma” Theory 6.If simply still alive, where did he go?... How did he remain unnoticed? 7.Coma theory turns into conspiracy or hallucination theory, since disciples claim he was truly risen.

Responses: Conspiracy Theory 1.Apostles died for this belief that they had seen, touched & experienced the Risen Jesus 2.Apostles not that clever, creative or intelligent 3.Apostles’ character—shown in words & deeds– makes it highly improbable 4.No motive to lie; no selfish gain

Responses: Conspiracy Theory 5.If a lie, where was the body? Stolen? How, with guards & stone? (highly improbable!) 6.Body still in tomb? Preaching of Resurrection in Jerusalem impossible 7.Apostles could never have outwitted all the Jewish & Roman authorities

Responses: Hallucination Theory 1.Too many witnesses! 2.Witnesses are sane, moral, honest & simple saw Risen Christ at once! 4.Hallucinations last minutes/hours… not 40 days 5.Hallucinations happen only once except to the insane 6.Appearances not only unexpected, but not believed at first by apostles themselves

Responses: Hallucination Theory 7.Hallucinations do not eat… Jesus did, on more than one occasion 8.Disciples touched Him 9.Disciples (sane) had extended conversations with Risen Jesus, several times 10.Disciples could never even have believed an hallucination w/out empty tomb

Responses: Hallucination Theory 11.If disciples spread this story, J’s body would have been presented; if they stole it, we’re back to conspiracy theory 12. H theory only explains appearances… not empty tomb, rolled away stone and no corpse of Jesus

Responses: “Myth” Theory 1.Literary style of Gospels is not myth 2.Not enough time for myth to develop; eyewitnesses can dispute it 3.Myth theory has 2 layers: Historical Jesus, then mythical Jesus of Gospels; problem: no evidence for first 4.“Inconvenient truth” of women as 1 st witnesses

Responses: “Myth” Theory 5.New Testament stress that it is not myth! 6.By internal & external evidence, we know the gospels to be written by the Apostles & companions & not by later “myth-makers”