3. to the body? What happened

4. Who is this Jesus? Historical conclusion Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish teacher, lived in Israel in the first century he was executed by the Romans in around 30 AD the records of his life in the New Testament are historically well attested

5. The Garden Tomb, Jerusalem What happened to the body? The crunch question:

6. The Garden Tomb, Jerusalem The crunch question: What happened to the body?

7. Inside the tomb The crunch question: What happened to the body?

8. Inside the tomb The crunch question: What happened to the body?

9. The crunch question: Abraham – buried in Hebron Mohammed – buried in Medina Gautama – ashes in 8 parts around NE India Jesus ?

10. What happened to the body? The crunch question: Where did the rumours of Jesus ’ resurrection come from?

11. What happened to the body? The crunch question: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

12. 1.He didn’t die on the cross, but recovered in the tomb 2.The disciples stole the body, and then pretended that Jesus had been raised to gain followers 3.The authorities moved the body to prevent it becoming a focus – this was misunderstood by the disciples 4.He was raised from death What happened to the body? Possible explanations

13.  Moslem belief – Jesus (Issa) too special to die, replaced by someone who looked like him. He will return at the end of the age  rationalist belief – if he was seen alive, he couldn’t have died! What happened to the body? He didn’t die?

14.  expertise of Roman soldiers  “blood” and “water” from Jesus’ side when speared by Roman soldier  soldiers motivated! - capital penalty for failing to ensure death by crucifixion  how did he move the stone? (2 tons) What happened to the body?  how did he look Messiah-like?! He didn’t die?

15.  rational – dead people aren’t raised!  explains the authorities’ failure to produce a body What happened to the body? Disciples stole it?

16.  armed guard at tomb  stone to move  disciples scared  would they have been willing to die for a trick or hoax? What happened to the body? Disciples stole it?

17.  fears about what Jesus had foretold  BUT when rumours of resurrection began, surely they would have produced the body? What happened to the body? Authorities moved it?

18. The changed disciples What happened to the body?

19. The changed disciples What happened to the body? Gordon’s Calvary / Garden Tomb Gordon’s Calvary / Garden Tomb Church of Holy Sepulchre Church of Holy Sepulchre ? Pentecost ? ? Pentecost ? 1 km

20. The changed disciples What happened to the body?  the disciples transformed  the authorities impotent  thousands of conversions in a few days  the rapid spread of belief in the face of persecution

21.  different occasions and people - so not mass hallucination  to many people at various times - more than 500 on one occasion (this claim made in living memory)  not to the highly strung or emotional!  Jesus ate and drank with the disciples after he was raised What happened to the body? Mass Hallucination?

22.  victory! …  over the worst that human beings could do … executing the only perfect human being who ever lived, the person of God himself  over death … the consequence of sin What happened to the body? Resurrection meaning

23. What happened to the body? Conclusion

24. “When you have eliminated every other possible alternative, whatever remains – no matter how implausible – must be the truth” Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes What happened to the body? Conclusion

25. “In its favour as living truth there exists such overwhelming evidence, positive and negative, factual and circumstantial, that no intelligent jury in the world could fail to bring in a verdict that the resurrection story is true” Lord Darling (former chief justice of England) What happened to the body? Conclusion Countless millions have experienced the risen Christ

26. What happened to the body? Conclusion Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again! Hallelujah!