There are four evidences that argue for the reality of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. The first is the evidence of the empty tomb.
When the soldiers who had been guarding Jesus’ tomb reported to the chief priests that an angel had rolled away the stone and that Jesus’ body was missing, they told the soldiers, “...You are to say: His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” Matthew 28:13 NIV In giving this response, the chief priests confirmed that Jesus' tomb was indeed empty, which supports the disciples claim that he rose from the dead.
Why would the disciples steal the body and then lie about it? What was their motive? If stealing Jesus’ body got them prestige, wealth or increased social status then we can logically account for why they stole Jesus’ body and claimed he rose from the dead. But did the disciples get any of these things? No! As a reward for their belief in and preaching of Jesus’ resurrection they were tortured and flogged, and they finally faced death by some of the cruelest methods then known:
I think this whole explanation (that Jesus’ disciples stole his body) is a strong argument in favor of the resurrection. After all - this fabrication was invented to account for an empty tomb - and the empty tomb supports the disciples claim that Jesus rose from the dead.
When the soldiers who had been guarding Jesus’ tomb reported to the chief priests that an angel had rolled away the stone and that Jesus’ body was missing, they told the soldiers, “...You are to say: His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” Matthew 28:13 NIV In giving this response, the chief priests confirmed that Jesus' tomb was indeed empty, which supports the disciples claim that he rose from the dead.
But let’s consider the chief priests version of what happened...If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead and their account for what actually happened is correct, we have some serious questions to ask that resurrection critics have absolutely no answer to. For example...
Why would the disciples steal the body and then lie about it? What was their motive? If stealing Jesus’ body got them prestige, wealth or increased social status then we can logically account for why they stole Jesus’ body and claimed he rose from the dead. But did the disciples get any of these things? No! As a reward for their belief in and preaching of Jesus’ resurrection they were tortured and flogged, and they finally faced death by some of the cruelest methods then known:
- Peter, Andrew, James son of Alphaeus, Philip, Simon and Bartholomew were crucified.
- Matthew and James son of Zebedee were killed by the sword.
- Thaddaeus was shot to death with arrows.
- James, the brother of Jesus was stoned to death
- Doubting Thomas was killed with a spear
Even critics can’t believe that the disciples would die for a lie that they knew was a lie. Misguided people may die for a lie they think is the truth, but they will not die for a lie they know is a lie. And the New Testament writers were in a position to know the real truth about the resurrection (i.e. if they had stole the body they would’ve known their claim that Jesus resurrected from the dead was a lie).
Therefore, I ask you: What answer can resurrection skeptics give for why the disciples would steal the body and then lie about it? There is none!!! Here’s three more perplexing questions that shoot holes in the credibility of the story that Jesus’ disciples came at night and stole the body while the guards were sleeping...
Therefore, I ask you: What answer can resurrection skeptics give for why the disciples would steal the body and then lie about it? There is none!!! Here’s three more perplexing questions that shoot holes in the credibility of the story that Jesus’ disciples came at night and stole the body while the guards were sleeping...
1. How likely is it that all the Roman guards fell asleep while on duty when the punishment for doing so was death?
2. How likely is it that the Roman guards stayed asleep while a huge stone was rolled away which would’ve broke the seal they had placed on it?
3. Finally, if the Roman guards were sleeping as the Jews claimed, then how would the sleeping guards have known that the disciples came stole the body?
I think this whole explanation (that Jesus’ disciples stole his body) is a strong argument in favor of the resurrection. After all - this fabrication was invented to account for an empty tomb - and the empty tomb supports the disciples claim that Jesus rose from the dead.
No comments:
Post a Comment