Thank you for joining today as we seek God’s wisdom together. Let us begin with prayer. “Lord Jesus, I ask that you search our hearts and see if there be anything wicked in them. We ask that your Holy Spirit show us what you are saying to us today. I ask that the words on this page would jump out to us as you speak to our hearts and minds truth and life. In Jesus name, Amen.”
Hello Everyone,
My Friend once again brought a list of things that he contended put the Resurrection of Jesus in doubt. I addressed them and decided to put them here for you to see. For the bible says:
"To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble; 9not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing. 10For, “THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. 11HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. 12FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST EVILDOERS.” 13And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE IN DREAD, 15but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect; 16and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong (1 Peter 3:7-17, NASB)."
What the Word is Saying
Hello Friend,
You will have to agree that the way history is recorded is much different than when Jesus rose from the dead. They did not have crime scenes. They did collect DNA or blood evidence. Therefore, we are restricted to the evidence given by those who were eyewitnesses to the event. Back then they did not record everything that occurred as it occurred. It just was not the way that the world worked. To try and use current criteria to be the standard of evidence to a time when that standard did not exist is well disingenuous if you are really trying to find the truth.
1) The empty tomb is a key fact in regard to the resurrection of Jesus. The body was taken down from the cross because under Jewish Law the body could not be left on it after sundown. Though Romans used a different method as you say. Jesus was put to death under the Jewish Law and therefore the Jewish leadership were responsible for it( historical interpretation - John 19:31 - How does the Sabbath Explain why Jesus' Body had to be Taken Down? - Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange ).
2) The location of the tomb, while not currently known, was known then. The plot was owned by Joseph of Arimathea and Jesus was placed in it by him. The Jewish leadership were so concerned about it that they entreated Pilate to put guards around it and seal it shut. A task that Pilate delegated to them to accomplish (it is curious that although Jesus was accused of plotting to destroy the temple, the Jewish leadership knew that a resurrection event might occur). There was what is estimated to be a stone as large as 2 ton put in front of the tomb to seal it along with a wax seal bearing the mark of Pilate. They used 30 guards to put the stone in place and perform the security around the stone so the body could not be stolen. In fact, it has been suggested that Pilate put one of his best men in charge named Petronius
3) The fact that the written version did not materialize until decades after the events of Jesus’ life does not mean they are untrue. First of all, nearly all of His followers believed His return was imminent, so a written account was not needed. There focus was on spreading the gospel of Jesus to the lost not on the recording of history that to them was going to be ending very soon. Secondly, the facts about Jesus were not unknown to the Jewish world. Presumably most had encountered Him or at the very least knew of Him through word of mouth. Therefore, oral accounts would be sufficient to spread the word. IT is only after the passage of time and some of them began to be crucified that four people decided to make a written account of what occurred. Your insistence that the writers of the accounts are not the ones whose names are associated with them is misleading at best.
4) Written accounts of events were not signed by their authors at that time. It was not what was done in antiquity. Bart Ehrman who is a former Christian now an agnostic atheist does not dispute this fact as you do. He simply argues that the writers did not need to sign their work. They considered their accounts a continuation of the Histories of Judaism such as Chronicles and these are not signed by their authors either. May I point out that Bart also does not contest the authorship as we know them today either (Why Are the Gospels Anonymous? - The Bart Ehrman Blog ),
5) Just because the sightings of Jesus post resurrection are not written about outside of the Biblical accounts does not mean it did not occur. Certainly, you can see it was in the best interest of the Jewish Leadership to quash any such account because it implicated them in the brutal murder of their Messiah. Also, the Roman account would not be present either. First because it would mean that the Divine nature of Caesar then could be called into question. Secondly, it would tend to legitimize the divinity and Kingship of Jesus.
6) The lack of a non-biblical account of the earthquake is not unique either. Just in the last week there has been thousands of earthquakes surrounding the Volcano in Columbia and around 50 per day before that. Were you aware of that? I wasn’t until I saw the article online. An earthquake unless it topples a city or causes great destruction would not be written about in history. The sheer numbers of those events are such that it would be unhelpful. Therefore, because the earthquake mattered to the early Church it is recorded for us to read in the bible.
7) Finally, I point back to p66 and p75 which predate your supposed collusion occurring in the 4th century regarding the historical record to dispute that assertion.
8) The facts are against you sir. Repent and believe, confess Him as Lord and believe He rose from the dead and you will be saved. Then the truth of what I am telling you will be revealed to you by the Father. Jesus is, was, and always will be your only hope.
If you have not received Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I implore you to do so now. All He asks for is for you to accept the free gift He gave you. Therefore, humble yourself and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord of all. He alone is all powerful and you submit to His authority. Next you must believe He did what He did. That is; die on a cross and rise again from the dead. These are both actions of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for with evidence not seen. Meaning you believe even though you don’t have physical evidence to prove it. I know you made it to this page for a reason and the Holy Spirit is working on your heart. The Father has drawn you and He alone can reveal to you the truth of what I am saying. I know that He is now, and you need to take a step of faith and pray these words with me.
Right where you are; say these words out loud: “Jesus I confess that you are Lord of all, I yield my will to your will for you are greater than me. I believe you came to this world and lived a sinless life; I believe you suffered and died on cross for my sins, I believe they put your lifeless body in a tomb, and three days later you rose from the dead. I confess to you that I am a sinner and ask you to forgive me. I also ask that you send me your Holy Spirit to give me power to live a sanctified life and to lead me into all truth. In Jesus name, Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer, I urge you to contact us here so that we might come beside you and hold you up in prayer as you begin your journey with Jesus. I assure you that we have all been where you are. We may have committed different sins, but we are just as guilty, nonetheless. We all needed forgiveness and someone else supported us as we began our Journey with Him.
Thank you for joining me today as we searched the scriptures for What the Word is Saying. I pray that God will send His Holy Spirit into our lives anew and fill us again with His love and His purpose for us. So that we can fulfill the mission He left us in bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.
“Scripture quotations taken from the NASB (New American Standard Bible) Copyright 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” lockman.org.
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