4 Crumbs of Fool’s Gold About the Resurrection of Jesus

 

Last Sunday, Easter Sunday, I attached this article, condensed from “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ” by Dr. Jack L. Arnold of Third Millennium Ministries, as a bulletin insert.

from ligonier.org
from ligonier.org

It is one thing to reject the resurrection fact; it is quite another to try to explain away the biblical record. Men have tried to explain the empty tomb in a number of ways:

The “wrong tomb” theory: Some say that the women who found the tomb empty were at the wrong tomb. There were four women. If the ladies made a mistake about the tomb, then so did the angels, for they were in the tomb.

The “swoon” theory: Some say that Jesus only swooned on the cross, and was not really dead when placed in the tomb. Is it logical that Jesus, after having been beaten to a pulp and crucified with a horrible wound in his side, could have survived for 36 hours in a cold, damp tomb with no food, water, or medical care? Would He have had enough strength to wiggle out of a mummy-like burial wrapping and remove the heavy rock covering of the grave?

The “disciples” or “stolen body” theory: Some say that Jesus’ disciples took the body of Jesus away. How did they get past the guards? The disciples were skeptical and in unbelief. They had no real reason to steal the body. Would the disciples later preach a lie? Would they be beaten, jailed and martyred for what they knew to be a fairy-tale?

The “spiritual resurrection” theory: Some who want to retain the Bible but to dismiss the resurrection argue that the resurrection was only spiritual. To suggest that the resurrection was only spiritual is to deny the Bible’s historicity and/or its clear teaching.

T
hese arguments fail to satisfy normal human intelligence and reason. Christ appeared to people at least 15 times after his resurrection. He appeared to individuals and groups, to men and women separately and corporately, and to 500 people at one time. A lawyer, practicing today, would have no trouble winning a case if he could produce such an array of witnesses.

The changed lives of the disciples after the resurrection attest to the reality of the resurrection. After Christ’s death on the cross the disciples were despondent, disillusioned, and at the point of despair. Yet later, they had become men who endangered their lives for the person of Christ and went everywhere teaching the death and resurrection of Christ. Thomas, Peter, James were men convinced that what Christ said was true!

Three thousand souls were saved on the Day of Pentecost. Had any of these doubted the resurrection, they could have walked a short way and examined the tomb or they could have talked to the Jewish leaders or the disciples.

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