There are four evidences that argue for the reality of the Jesus' resurrection. The second is the evidence of Jesus' postmortem appearances. The postmortem appearances of Jesus to both individuals and groups of people, argue for the reality of the resurrection. Eye witness testimony is the most powerful kind and concerning Jesus' resurrection that's exactly what we have!
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. NLT
Question: Did you catch what Paul said in v.6? He said that most of the 500 people that Jesus appeared to were still living. In other words, Paul is saying: if you don’t believe me go interview the people yourselves!!! And this was possible for Paul wrote First Corinthians just 15-20 years after the death of Jesus when the majority of the witnesses to his resurrection were still alive. Think about it! How is it that this letter (1 Corinthians) has survived some 2,000 years and is still being circulated as true if these witnesses didn’t exist? Wouldn’t the letter be discredited and disregarded if no one could confirm that what Paul wrote was true?
Now even though we have powerful eye witness testimony confirming Jesus’ postmortem appearances by individuals and groups, those not comfortable with miracles have proposed an alternate theory - what they call the hallucination theory. The hallucination theory states: Jesus didn’t really resurrect from the dead. Peter, the other apostles, the group of 500, Jesus’ brother James and the apostle Paul all hallucinated that Jesus was alive. But let me ask you: How likely is it that well over 500 people all had the same hallucination?
Jesus appeared not just one time, but many times; not at just one place, but at a variety of places and under a variety of circumstances; not to just one individual, but to different persons; not just to individuals, but to various groups; not just to believers, but to unbelievers and even enemies. Again: How likely is it that they all had the same hallucination?
Also, if the 500-plus eyewitnesses did have the unprecedented experience of seeing the same hallucination, then why didn’t the Jewish or Roman authorities simply parade Jesus’ body around the city? That would’ve proved that everyone was simply hallucinating and that Jesus didn't actually rise from the dead. That would've put an end to Christianity once and forever. Well, they would have loved to do so, but they couldn’t because the tomb was empty!
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. NLT
Question: Did you catch what Paul said in v.6? He said that most of the 500 people that Jesus appeared to were still living. In other words, Paul is saying: if you don’t believe me go interview the people yourselves!!! And this was possible for Paul wrote First Corinthians just 15-20 years after the death of Jesus when the majority of the witnesses to his resurrection were still alive. Think about it! How is it that this letter (1 Corinthians) has survived some 2,000 years and is still being circulated as true if these witnesses didn’t exist? Wouldn’t the letter be discredited and disregarded if no one could confirm that what Paul wrote was true?
Now even though we have powerful eye witness testimony confirming Jesus’ postmortem appearances by individuals and groups, those not comfortable with miracles have proposed an alternate theory - what they call the hallucination theory. The hallucination theory states: Jesus didn’t really resurrect from the dead. Peter, the other apostles, the group of 500, Jesus’ brother James and the apostle Paul all hallucinated that Jesus was alive. But let me ask you: How likely is it that well over 500 people all had the same hallucination?
Jesus appeared not just one time, but many times; not at just one place, but at a variety of places and under a variety of circumstances; not to just one individual, but to different persons; not just to individuals, but to various groups; not just to believers, but to unbelievers and even enemies. Again: How likely is it that they all had the same hallucination?
Also, if the 500-plus eyewitnesses did have the unprecedented experience of seeing the same hallucination, then why didn’t the Jewish or Roman authorities simply parade Jesus’ body around the city? That would’ve proved that everyone was simply hallucinating and that Jesus didn't actually rise from the dead. That would've put an end to Christianity once and forever. Well, they would have loved to do so, but they couldn’t because the tomb was empty!
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