Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
DVD notes on theories & objections
The Swoon Theory
Jesus never really ______….He was wounded, placed in the tomb, and recovered.
OBJECTIONS:
1. Roman Soldiers were ______at killing. Scourging prior to the crucifixion allows them to control how long until death.
Some crucifixions lasted a day or two…Jesus’ lasted only ______. This indicates that His scourging was severe.
2. Crucifixion is death by suffocation… it becomes less & less possible to exhale. You can’t ______that.
3. He was stabbed in the side through his ______and cardiac tissue.
4. People who recovered from crucifixion were non-public figures who were hastily crucified on the side of the road and left for dead. Family or friends would rescue them at night.
By the time of Jesus they used ______to prevent this
5. ______(a non-Christian Roman historian) records that Jesus suffered crucifixion and died.
Hallucination Theory
Theory is that all ______when they saw the risen Lord
Objections =
There is no ______evidence for mass hallucination.
Plausible that one or two hallucinated but not many (Mary of Magdala, Peter, the Eleven, disciples on road to Emmaus, 500, St. Paul)
Various geography – Jerusalem, Galilee
Appearance to people who didn’t believe in him before the resurrection e.g. ______of ______
More objections to hallucination theory & “lost tomb”
Hallucination is a “______-______” theory i.e. if all these people were just hallucinating then the tomb should still contain the body.
They did not go to the wrong tomb…Jews had a custom of reburying the bones of their loved ones one year after their death. They know exactly where He was buried.
Also this was ______a common tomb
Joseph of Arimethea was rich and donated the tomb.
The word “______” indicated a round stone which was very unusual…only the rich had these. Most were square. You couldn’t miss this tomb
Stolen Body Theory
Theory = Jewish authorities said that His disciples stole the body…disciple steal body and bury it elsewhere then lied about the resurrection.
Objections =
______refutes this (Mt 28) says they made it up
Character of the Apostles (except John) – they were all ______who abandoned Him.
Hard to believe they would have the courage to face the soldiers guarding the tomb, steal the body, risk their own lives, and be ______to ______for a lie! 11 out of 12 are eventually martyred…for a lie?
More objections to stolen body theory
They receive no earthly personal benefit from lying e.g. they didn’t become rich men.
If His body was stolen we still need and explanation for the many witnesses of the resurrected Jesus. It is completely absurd to suggest 500 plus were in on a stealing of the body.
Resuscitation Theory
Resuscitation Theory
Theory is that Jesus rose but died ______like ______
Objections =
Jesus has a ______body not just a ______human body
His risen body is beyond natural
Passes through the tomb
Passes through locked doors
Passes through the burial cloths, the sight of which causes the beloved disciple to believe
Paul is blinded by sight of Him
Spiritual Resurrection Theory
Theory is that Jesus really rose but not bodily…like ______whom appears
Objections =
Where are the bones?
Many Jews believed in a bodily resurrection e.g. the Pharisees (see also 2 Macc 7)
Lk & Jn note Jesus as saying
See my ______
______my flesh and bones…a ghost has no flesh
Give me something to eat
St. Paul 1 Cor 15
What is sown a ______body is raised a ______body.
Greek = soma psychikon = soul-filled body to a soma pneumatikon = spirit-filled body.
This is NOT saying a physical body to a body-less spirit
N.T.Wright’s book “The Resurrection of the Son of God”
Greek words for resurrection = Anastasis and Egeiro always and only meant ______resurrection whether used by pagans or Jews and didn’t change until it was given a different meaning by the Gnostics
Conclusion
None of the alternate theories can be supported by data or eyewitness accounts.