The Indisputable Facts
Here are the documented facts that most evidence-based critical thinkers would concede:
· Jesus of Nazareth was a real person in history.
· He died in 1st-century Palestine by crucifixion.
· Numerous individuals and groups adamantly believed that he appeared to them alive after his confirmed death.
· The tomb was empty.
· The movement quickly spread, and thousands of these early Christians suffered brutal persecution, even tortuous deaths, for their testimony and unrelenting faith.
· Paul of Tarsus, a violent persecutor of the Jesus followers, became a steadfast believer and proclaimer of the resurrected Jesus.
The Most Probable Explanation
Which is the most likely explanation of the New Testament’s consistent claim of Christ’s resurrection? (1) Conspiracy theories (e.g., the body was stolen) do not reasonably explain the paralyzing fear of the pre-resurrection disciples replaced by the unrelenting faith of the same disciples post-resurrection. (2) Hallucination theories do not account for the empty tomb or for the numerous claims of eyewitness sightings at different times and places.1 (3) Swoon theories (Jesus didn’t really die on the cross)2 are contrary to any known historical records of Roman crucifixion—no known survivors! Neither do they account for a crucified victim supposedly recovering enough in three days to move a massive stone and convince people he had conquered death. (4) Myth theories do not reasonably account for any of the evidence. (5) Jesus having risen from the dead accounts for all the evidence: he was confirmed dead, the tomb in which his corpse was buried was later found empty, and numerous eyewitnesses were convinced they saw and interacted with Jesus afterwards, willing to suffer and die for their testimony.
The Will to Disbelieve
Unfortunately no amount of evidence, especially from the Bible, is going to satisfy those who are predisposed to dismissing biblical (supernatural) claims. If secular authors were held to the same critical scrutiny as biblical authors, no one could be certain that anyone in particular wrote or said or did anything in the distant past. If the historical evidence for Christ’s resurrection, including abundant eyewitness corroboration, is not enough to convince someone, how can he or she be sure about any historical event?
The bottom line is this: what is one’s standard of proof, and what presuppositions influence the evaluative process? If a person is limited to a strictly naturalistic worldview, then the possibility of God and supernatural occurrences is automatically ruled out from the start. But what if the evidence points beyond the natural world?
Conclusion
The Bible consistently makes historical claims about real people and events in actual places and times, presenting its case for either confirmation or falsification. If Jesus didn’t walk out of the tomb, the biblical record is a lie and “we are of all men the most pitiable” (1 Cor. 15:19). If, however, he did conquer death, it is the most significant event in all human history and it would be foolish to ignore it. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has radically shaped the course of history and countless lives and is as certain as any fact of history can be.
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 Hallucinations, as projections of a person's mind, do not explain why multiple persons on multiple occasions initially failed to recognize Jesus (Luke 24:13-32; John 20:11-18; 21:4-12), a fact that does not bolster the story if it were not true. In each account Jesus is eventually recognized through personal interaction.
2 This theory was popularized by Hugh J. Schonfield’s The Passover Plot (NY: Bantom Books, 1977 [20th printing]), convincingly refuted by Clifford Wilson, The Passover Plot Exposed (San Diego: Master Books, 1977).
Related Posts: Resurrection of Jesus Part 1, Part 2, Another Look at the Conspiracy Theory
Image credit: https://biologos.org/articles/one-reason-to-live-hope-in-the-resurrection
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