Now when Jesus rose {from the dead} early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. There is a cloud of witnesses in latter days, as in the 40-day period following the Resurrection. However, as set forth in the linked-articles below, Christian apologists maintain none of the alternative explanations are rationally compelling because none of the explanations adequately explain the totality of the evidence in the historical record: Since there are good reasons to believe God exists (more>>) and, therefore, could have supernaturally raised Jesus from the dead, and since none of the proffered alternative explanations adequately explain the historically documented accounts of Jesus being seen alive by multiple eyewitnesses after he had been crucified and buried, Christian apologists maintain it is reasonable to look for an explanation that does adequately explain all of the historical evidence, including the explanation that God supernaturally raised Jesus from the dead. Some suggest the female disciples who first found the empty tomb might have just had the wrong one, and the other disciples took advantage of that, concocting a Resurrection myth to explain the empty tomb. ", Biblical expert Bock flat-out stated, "These books are the best-attested pieces of ancient literature we possess. At the Impact 360 school in Pine Mountain, Georgia, Prof. Jonathan Morrow preps college-bound Christians in how to fight with the facts of their faith. To believe the events around that first Easter, you pretty much have to believe that Jesus did indeed exist and that the New Testament can be trusted. Growing in faith opens us to challenge. Introduction: A. I love stories of people who go from doubt to belief. The Psalms are a school of prayer for us. This author of Questioning the Bible explained, "Paul made the argument in I Corinthians 15, saying 'Look, you can test this: if the Resurrection didn't happen, Christianity is false. This story was originally published on April 1, 2018. In Israel, charges that someone sinned had to be confirmed by the word of two or more witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15).The apostle Paul instructed Timothy not to accept accusations against a fellow elder unless there were two or more witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19). Speaking of miracles, Morrow called on people to not dismiss them as casually as most folks do these days. Submitted by escamp on August 31, 2015 - 3:04pm. Jesus’ wounds seen; text implies Thomas touched the wounds. Mary Magdalene and … ), Did Jesus Rise from the Dead? "And this is why for many of the scholars will give I Corinthians incredible credence: because of its closeness. The first is the large number of witnesses of Christ after that resurrection morning. This is another radical departure from historic Christian teaching. As pointed out by Kenneth Boa and Robert Bowman, even Gerd Lüdemann, a skeptic and New Testament scholar, agrees Paul’s confessional statement recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 dates back to within two years of Jesus’ death. He explained, "The issue that's sometimes raised up: 'well, these books were written many decades later. McDowell told CBN News believing that takes more faith than simply accepting that Jesus really did rise from the dead. And when you look at the Resurrection evidence, it's pretty remarkable how strong it is, and that's why it's at the core of Christianity. ", CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW YOU CAN FIND PEACE WITH GOD. Indeed, following a two day debate over the evidence of the resurrection between Dr. [Ankerberg & Weldon, Ready With an Answer, pgs. Worshipped him; startled, frightened and thought they were seeing a spirit. However, as set forth in the linked-articles below, Christian, The witnesses were victims of group thinking or wishful thinking, The appearances of the resurrected Jesus were telegraphed images, The appearances of the resurrected Jesus were spiritual in nature, not physical, The appearances of the resurrected Jesus were visions, The appearances of the resurrected Jesus are a part of a later developed myth or legend, Someone else was substituted for Jesus before the crucifixion and the real Jesus appeared to the witnesses after the substitute’s body was buried, Jesus conspired to fake his death, or he otherwise survived the crucifixion (e.g., the Swoon Theory) and then subsequently appeared to the witnesses in a non-resurrected body, Since there are good reasons to believe God exists, and, therefore, could have supernaturally raised Jesus from the dead, and since none of the proffered alternative explanations adequately explain the historically documented accounts of Jesus being seen alive by multiple eyewitnesses after he had been crucified and buried, Christian. So, Christianity hangs on the Resurrection. [See, Kenneth Boa & Robert Bowman, 20 Compelling Evidences that God Exists, pg. 132-133 (1997) citing to Terry L. Miethe (ed. One of the earliest records of Christ's appearing after the resurrection … He was adamantly opposed to this movement. Women first to witness the resurrection. Whether you believe that or not, something took. Believers point to them as evidence of his resurrection and identity as Messiah, seated in Heaven on the right hand of God (the doctrine of the Exaltation of Christ). ", Morrow added, "The earliest disciples would have known - not just believed, but would have known - that either Jesus was who He claimed to be and was actually raised from the dead or they were making this thing up. 2. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 Paul fka Saul reported the resurrected Jesus had appeared to Peter aka Cephas, then the 12 disciples, then more than 500 brethren most of whom who were still alive and could be questioned, James (Jesus’ half-brother who was still alive and had been a previous skeptic) and finally to Paul himself (a Pharisee and a man who persecuted Christians until he had a face-to-face encounter with the resurrected Jesus). Peter preached this vigorously. Few events are as well attested as the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not. So, it's not as though these things could have been invented and no one would have challenged it. As summarized in the chart below, on all twelve (12) occasions Jesus was seen and he was probably heard. It never happened. They rejoiced after Jesus showed him his hands and feet. And if they knew it, then you'd have to say here were these men who not only died for a lie, but they knew it was a lie. This is the core message. The witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus included his disciples, several of his women followers, his brother James, and possibly his mother... First Witness to the Resurrection Who was the first person to see Jesus after his resurrection? And that's what you have. They believe He rose from the dead because that's what the earliest and best historical documents show, and that's what's the best explanation of the data.". The resurrection best explains the historical evidence of Jesus being seen alive in a resurrected body on at least twelve (12) separate occasions by more than 500 witnesses, including at least two skeptics (James the Just and Paul fka Saul) (See article above) Let … "When historians investigate this, in our modern mindset, there's this idea that 'Look, miracles are out of bounds.' Debunking this conspiracy idea, Morrow said, "Conspiracy theories unravel very quickly because people will eventually tell what they know. "In the Resurrection, where was the hardest place in the world to convince anyone it was true if it was false? Ten disciples and others (not including Thomas aka Didymus). According to the historical record, after Jesus’ death on the cross and his subsequent burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea, he appeared alive to more than 500 people, on twelve (12) separate occasions. Even more so than today because they were dying for it. As for the Scriptures, Prof. Darrell Bock of the Dallas Theological Seminary explained that any piece of a surviving ancient work is called a manuscript. 1621-1622(Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), Kenneth D. Boa and Robert M. Bowman, 20 Compelling Evidences That God Exists: Discover Why Believing In God Makes so Much Sense, pgs. ), Did Jesus Rise from the Dead? Bock imagined being with the disciples plotting how they'll push a false Resurrection. Peter said (Acts 2:31-32) he saw Jesus before the resurrection and "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact." And we have that in the Scriptures. Well, they had the same question in the New Testament times. '", Morrow summed up, "These claims to forgive sins sound crazy unless you're the Son of God, you're the Son of Man, you're the Messiah. ", Bock insisted, "The faith is very, very defendable. Most books that we work with in the ancient world have maybe at best a dozen manuscripts.". ... Peter and John were hiding somewhere waiting for "the dust to clear" after Jesus died on the cross. Jonathan Morrow is a defender of the faith, the literal meaning of "apologist." But he says Christians shouldn't just defend the faith and the Resurrection. 15:3). Because then it goes back to Peter, James, and John," Morrow said. Posted in Uncategorized and tagged "[For] the original witnesses [the resurrection of Jesus was] an immediate certainty., authentic witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, C.H. ", He summed up, "I think what Christians need to know is that there's really good reason why we believe what we believe, and the evidence is only getting better. We're preaching the same exact thing.' The Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon testified: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last … And the fact that all four (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) say it happened just gives it that much stronger evidence that it actually did happen.". Investigate this.' xiv (New York Harper & Row, 1987)]. ", The Resurrection Proves Jesus Was Who He Said He Was, Morrow said of Paul, "He understood why Jesus of Nazareth was different in the unique claims that He made, but that then those claims were authenticated through His Resurrection that said 'What I said is what is real. The Resurrection Debate, pg. You've got that radical transformation right at the heart of what's going on around that earliest Christian movement.". © 2021 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. Alleluia!" Twelve of those are non-Christian sources.". Jesus referred to this principle when urging believers to maintain good relationships within the Church (Matthew 18:16-17), a… That's why he mentions the eyewitnesses. That’s why we view every news story through the lens of faith. The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15 suggested doubters go talk to them. ", Morrow concluded, "It has all the ring of truth and not the ring of that conspiracy theory where they just made this thing up to invent their own religion.". Just like historians put great weight on eyewitness testimony, they also give more respect to early historical writings done close to the events they discuss. And in this context He showed them His hands and side. 655 (1999); John Ankerberg & John Weldon, Ready with an Answer, pg. And then Jesus appeared to him in James' own word, and he became the leader of the church of Jerusalem. 81 (1997); Kenneth Boa & Robert Bowman, 20 Compelling Evidences that God Exists, pg. The central message of Christianity is the historical event of Jesus Christ resurrection from the grave. Saying the disciples lied about Jesus' resurrection doesn't explain His post-Resurrection appearance before 500 people. The resurrection of Jesus, or anastasis, is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion at Calvary as first of the dead, starting his exalted life as Christ and Lord. Every single one now has been confirmed by archaeology. LOL. Did He really say this?' Morrow pointed out Jesus' doubting brother James was also instantly changed. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1. The Christmas Star – Fact, Fiction or Miracle? My Witness – The Resurrection 4-12-20. ", Morrow added, "One of the fascinating things about New Testament manuscripts: We have over 5,700 Greek manuscripts alone. Jesus offered for his body to be touched at least three times and he was definitely touched twice. Some doubters try to do away with all the post-Resurrection appearances by saying those who thought they were seeing, talking to and touching Jesus were all hallucinating, even the 500 Paul discussed in I Corinthians. "Then 18 years later he cross-checked himself again," Morrow said of Paul. ... And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. Verse Concepts. "These people were eyewitnesses, they were there, and it was early.". The apostle Paul made this claim to people living in Corinth knowing they could easily investigate the truthfulness of his claim because they lived in the area where the events occurred and eyewitnesses to the events were still alive and could be questioned. What accounts for that?". We were there.' They didn't recant that. Several of its arguments, however, are not directly relevant to this issue. Raised in the Spirit. Watch below. Jesus is our Passover in the Eucharist. Well, to have 500 people have the same hallucination would be 500 miracles equal to the Resurrection.". The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus are the reported earthly appearances of Jesus to his followers after his death and burial. "In I Corinthians 15, he goes 'Look, I met with them again and they added nothing to my gospel. If He could do that before the resurrection, how much more can we see it after the resurrection. Christ Is Risen. Jesus showed witnesses the scars from his crucifixion on two occasions and ate food with his disciples 3 – 4 times. He said, "James – the brother of Jesus —didn't follow Jesus during His earthly ministry; thought He was crazy. In Christian theology, the death and resurrection of Jesus are the most important events, a foundation of the Christian faith, and commemorated by Easter. And they wanted to know: 'Is this true? What this doesn't explain is how in a near-death state and with exceedingly crippling wounds, He could work His way out of tightly-wrapped, glued-on burial garments and then roll away the massively heavy stone sealed onto the tomb by the Romans. Greatest Murderer Turned to Greatest Missionary, "Saul of Tarsus was anything but a follower who believed in Jesus," McDowell said. And it was central to Christianity. And then with their opponents they would say, 'You were there, too. But Morrow added, "We shouldn't believe just any and every miracle. But he insisted, "You'd never make up a story that way. One of the greatest murderers into one of the greatest missionaries. There are 4 opinions on this “500 witnesses event”: Never Happened: Liberal scholars say that Saint Paul made this up to make it sound like there were plenty of witnesses to the resurrection. I Peter 3:18 states, The Catholic Christian cannot allow that the Apostle Paul would bear false witness within Divine Scripture. Even Jesus’ enemies knew that he had performed this miracle. Morrow said of that, "You've got living history. McDowell spoke of evidence that can help readers believe the words of Paul and other New Testament writers, like archaeological findings. And that's who He showed Himself to be. You've got the people who were there to cross-check whatever message is being put out there. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Over 500 people at one time saw Jesus after His resurrection.. Over a period of 40 days up to the day Jesus went back Home He was seen by, and talked to a number of individuals. How do you know He did that?' You saw Jesus do this; you heard Him do this.' This is what's called the Criterion of Embarrassment in historical Jesus studies: that you'd never make up the story this way. You must note that Jesus did not say, “flesh and blood.” He said, “flesh and bones.” This … 141 (1984); Norman Giesler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, pg. I challenge you to find others in history who that's true of. He told CBN News, "Investigating the Resurrection is a historical question that you can do with eyes wide open; it's not a blind faith kind of thing, like believing in the Easter Bunny or a lucky rabbit's foot. Livy, Herodotus, Tacitus, Thucydides - they all wanted eyewitness testimony to get back to the original. Then under this theory, He awoke in the tomb, got up and walked out. We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. "If you're going around preaching Jesus was physically raised from the dead and people knew where He was buried and knew where they could find His bones, that message wouldn't even get off the ground," insisted Bock, author of Truth Matters. However, the apostles were not the only ones who saw the risen Jesus. Index of the Eyewitness Accounts of Jesus’ Post-Death Appearances, To the women after they had been to the empty tomb. We, too, though we are not witnesses of Christ's actual resurrection, are so spiritually. 94-139 (Harvest House Publishers, 1997), Douglas K. Blount, The Apologetics Study Bible: Understand Why You Believe, “Can Naturalistic Theories Account for the Resurrection?” pgs. Not Smart to Lie Where Everyone Knows You're Lying. Morrow explained, "You see Peter with this radical transformation, going from coward to this courageous champion who's saying 'Look, here I stand, this is what I'm saying, this is what's true. That's what they all wanted. And so all the time that's often spent on the Resurrection makes sense because that really is the hub of the discussion. They accompanied Him to the cross and stood by during the Crucifixion. After his death on the cross, which was confirmed by the Romans, Jesus was kept inside the tomb which was covered by a large stone. You see, people today say, 'How do you know Jesus said that? Jesus calls us to follow and abide in him. ", McDowell agreed, saying, "James despised his brother. For instance, Strobel makes much of the fact that there are over 5,000 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament in existence, far more than any other ancient writings. 1 Cor. For several sound reasons He gave her an honored place among witnesses of the Resurrection. ", Morrow stated,  "What in the world would flip Paul - or actually, Saul of Tarsus - to Paul, the chief proclaimer in the early Church? OVER 500 WITNESSES Several very important factors arc often overlooked when considering Christ's post-resurrection appearances to individuals. And Paul is probably our earliest and best witness to that. Cleopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus. What the Jehovah’s Witnesses miss is that after His resurrection Jesus said, “Touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have,” (Luke 24:39). They trust what is recorded in sacred Scripture. You crucified this guy, but this is what He offered.' 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