HOW STRONG IS THE EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS FROM THE DEAD?

“ 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, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

“Faith in the resurrection is the very keystone of the arch of Christian faith, and, when it is removed, all must inevitably crumble into ruin.” H P Liddon.

Mark 15:33 – 16:8

“Women’s testimony was regarded as so worthless that they weren’t even allowed to serve as witnesses in a Jewish court of Law. In light of this, it’s absolutely remarkable that the chief witnesses to the empty tomb are these women…”

1. The Empty Tomb: there were eye-witnesses to the empty tomb, but here the evidence for the resurrection is of a more circumstantial nature. 2. Those who saw the resurrected Jesus, spoke with Him, touched Him etc: Here we are talking more of eye witness evidence.

THE EMPTY TOMB

“All but four of the major world religions are based on mere philosophical propositions. Of the four that are based on personalities rather than a philosophical system, only Christianity claims an empty tomb for its founder.”

THE EMPTY TOMB

“All but four of the major world religions are based on mere philosophical propositions. Of the four that are based on personalities rather than a philosophical system, only Christianity claims an empty tomb for its founder.”

11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

THE WITNESSES TO THE RESURRECTION

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 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. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

To Mary Magdalene, John 20:14 To women returning from the tomb, Matt 28:9,10 To Peter later in the day, Luke 24:34 To the Emmaus Disciples, Luke 24:13-23 To the Apostles, Thomas absent, Luke 24:36-43 To the Apostles, Thomas present, John 20:26-29 To the seven at the Lake of Tiberius, John 21:1-23 To 500+ believers on a Galilean mountain, 1 Cor 15:6 To James, 1 Cor 15:7 To the eleven, Matt 28:16-20 At the Ascension, Acts 1:3-12

After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.

13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.

33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

“ 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead— whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

“…isn’t plausible because it contradicts certain laws and principles to which psychiatrists say visions must conform.”

WERE THEY ALL FRAUDS AND LIARS?

Simon Greenleaf “Let [the Gospel’s] testimony be sifted, as it were given in a court of justice on the side of the adverse party, the witness being subject to rigorous cross-examination. The result, it is confidently believed, will be an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability and truth.”

Frank Morison

Lee Strobel

Sir Lionel Luckhoo “To which may I humbly add I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer appearing in many parts of the world and am still in active practice. I have been fortunate to secure a number of successes in jury trials and I say unequivocally the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

Lord Darling “No intelligent jury in the world could fail to bring in a verdict that the Resurrection story is true.”

How strong is the evidence for the resurrection? OVERWHELMING!