The historicity of Christ, including his death by crucifixion, is a fact that about as well attested as any in the ancient world. The evidence for Christ's existence is much stronger than that for Socrates, Alexander the Great, and numerous figures of ancient times whose historicity no one doubts. Historians are unanimous that Christ was born, that he developed a following, that he antagonized the Jewish and Roman authorities, and that he was put to death. But what about the resurrection?
"If Christ had not been raised," Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:17, "our preaching is useless and so is your faith." The resurrection is the most important event in Christianity. (For this reason, Easter is actually a more important holiday for Christians than Christmas.) Other religions such as Judaism and Islam may feature miracles but miracles are not central to their theology. Christianity, by contrast, is based on the miracle of the resurrection.
Since the nineteenth century, some biblical scholars have refused to accept the biblical account of the Resurrection because it was produced by people obviously biased in Christ's favor. Interestingly Christ's followers, by their own admission, did not expect the resurrection. Arriving three days after his death, the women brought spices to his tomb to anoint and preserve his body. Only then did they observe that the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty.
The fact of the empty tomb was admitted by the Roman guards and also by the Jewish magistrates, who told the Roman authorities that Christ's followers must have stolen the body. In Jewish polemic against Christianity, this has been the standard explanation for the empty tomb. Yet it is prima facie implausible, since how could a handful of female disciples have subdued Roman guards and moved the stone blocking access to the tomb?
The apostles were deeply skeptical about reports of a resurrection, and Christ had to appear to them several times before these doubts were dispelled. Paul writes that Christ "appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, although some have passed away." Paul here appeals to direct empirical evidence: the testimony of multiple witnesses who actually saw Jesus alive after his execution. Of this group, Paul says that many are still alive, which means they are in a position to refute him if what he is claiming is wrong. In the history of hallucinations, is there a single instance in which five hundred people all saw the same person--a figure known to them--and were all equally mistaken?
But is the testimony of the early Christians reliable? Well, let us see. The disciples became so convinced of what they had seen that their dirges of lamentation were replaced with cries of joy. Proclaiming Christ crucified and Christ risen, they launched the greatest wave of religious conversion in history. Historians tell us that the number of Christians increased from around 100 at the time of Christ's death to around 30 million by the early fourth century, when the Roman emperor himself converted to Christianity.
These conversions occurred in the teeth of fierce political opposition and the persecution of the greatest empire in the ancient world, the empire of Rome. The early Christians did not hesitate to identify themselves with a man who had been branded a traitor and a criminal. They endured imprisonment, torture, exile, and death rather than renounce their commitment to a resurrected Christ.
Imagine a disputed event in court where numerous eyewitnesses gave evidence of the same fact and stood by their testimony so firmly that they would be willing to endure life imprisonment or even the death penalty rather than say the contrary. Would any jury doubt that such people, who would have little to gain and everything to lose, were telling the truth?
"Yes," an atheist friend of mine conceded. "But aren't the radical Muslims also willing to die in order to get the virgins in heaven?" Perhaps so, but the two cases are not comparable. The radical Muslims are taking on faith that their actions will take them to an Elysian place where the virgins will be waiting. By contrast, the Christians who went to their deaths at the hands of the Romans did so because they refused to renounce an event in their own experience. Why would someone be willing to die for something that he knew to be a lie?
Even from a secular point of view, the evidence for Christ's resurrection is surprisingly strong. It might even be sufficient to convince an impartial jury in a court of law. The big question surrounding Good Friday and Easter is not: did all this happen? It did. The big question is whether we will let Christ into our hearts, so that he can raise us up on the day of judgment.
This Easter reflection is adapted from my book What's So Great About Christianity.
Reader Comments ( Page 7 of 56)
91. So no free will?
Observant - "The choice YOU make he already knows. regardless of the out come. You can't violate what he knows, any more than you can change what he already knows.
We are the ones who do not know what our choices will be until we make them."
Ryan Anderson at 4:49PM on Mar 21st 2008
92. 85. Observant; it's ok to say you don't know.
Ryan Anderson at 4:44PM on Mar 21st 2008
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For pride sake I will answer you.
The answer you are looking for is that some THINK it was added at a later date.
Do you think you are being crafty with these stupid questions?
Observant at 4:54PM on Mar 21st 2008
93. you're a godist. believe in miracles! i mean, afterall, jesus was god, right? he didn't need the mourning women. he just made the centurions on duty think he was thristy. When they rolled back the rock he flew outta there like a bat outta hell. ah, fresh air! he was going back to where he came from!good riddance earth.
also, dd, you do women a disservice discounting their ability to roll back a rock. a group of determined people can do anything. besides do YOU know the size/weight of this solid mineral door keeper? sounds like you're hip to this info. tell us the dimensions and measurements so we can calculate it on our comps.
the most important, the most salient fact, ever since you were abducted you believe in and promote your belief in aliens being and their attributes. who knows. i could be wrong. but the aliens told me they had proof god was dead.
boredwell at 4:54PM on Mar 21st 2008
94. LMFAO. Sorry Dinesh. Christ's resurrection was reported by a handful of men, only a couple of whom are believed by historians to have been at the alleged event. If that's enough evidence to prove that Jesus came back from the dead, we also have more than enough evidence to prove beyond any doubt that Bigfoot, UFO's the Lock Ness Monster, Chupacabras, Ghosts and just about any other imaginary creature or phenomenon that you've ever heard of exist.
There have been more people who claim to have seen the Risen Elvis in the Tabloids of the seventies than claimed to have seen the Risen Jesus in the New Testament.
Ed W at 4:58PM on Mar 21st 2008
95. "2. "How could a handful of female disciples have subdued Roman guards and moved the stone blocking access to the tomb?" --Dinesh D'Souza
Who says that any body was ever missing from any tomb besides a couple of Jesus closest followers, and why should we believe them anymore than we'd believe a coule of the Waco Wackos if they started claiming that Koresh has Risen from the dead?
Ed W at 4:59PM on Mar 21st 2008
96. 90. So no free will?
Observant - "The choice YOU make he already knows. regardless of the out come. You can't violate what he knows, any more than you can change what he already knows.
We are the ones who do not know what our choices will be until we make them."
Ryan Anderson at 4:49PM on Mar 21st 2008
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Hes not making the choice for you people it is your free will to chose, he simply knows ahead of time what choice you will make. Then you can set back and watch it unfold.
Observant at 4:59PM on Mar 21st 2008
97. Observant; I don't think I'm being crafty, but I think you are getting frustrated. I will be happy to admit I have no idea what was in the original "gospels". Just like you don't.
However, here are facts.
1) the earliest manuscripts of Mark do not include 16:8-20.
2) the writings of early Church Fathers (Clement, Origen, etc) give no indication of the existance of Mark 16:9-20
In all probability, Mark is the first Gospel.
It's interesting to me that the earliest versions of the earliest gospel don't include the resurection.
To your other post, if "god" knows for even a nano second what I am going to do, then there is no free will because that means that from the point she knows to the point I act, I cannot change my course.
Have a great equinox.
Ryan Anderson at 5:01PM on Mar 21st 2008
98. We only have reports from a handful of people who claimed to have actually seen Jesus in either the risen or pre-risen state, and the overwhelming majority of the people who co-existed with him (the Jews)were apparently unimpresssed by his magic show.
Ed W at 5:04PM on Mar 21st 2008
99. Who says that any body was ever missing from any tomb besides a couple of Jesus closest followers, and why should we believe them anymore than we'd believe a coule of the Waco Wackos if they started claiming that Koresh has Risen from the dead?
Ed W at 4:59PM on Mar 21st 2008
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If you were driving down the interstate at 75 mph.And a voice came over the radio and said the bridge ahead of you was out,. why should you believe the voice on the radio.
Observant at 5:05PM on Mar 21st 2008
100. ATHEIST
Reply to: Why are christians told that we have to accept so many different forms of beliefs while the very beliefs that we hold dear and the fact that we do believe is so openly and freely despised? (end)
I rarely listen to what other people tell me.
On the other hand, I do like to find the Correct Answer.
There are several major problems with your Christian faith.
(1) A group called the Pharisees had been trying to sell a belief in a General Resurrection at the End of the World for 200 years. The only guy who got really excited about the resurrection of Jesus was Paul, and only because he could use the story to prove his previous beliefs were correct.
(2) The part about Jesus coming back from the dead appears to be quite a late addition. The only story that was actually debated was The Empty Tomb. And "The Empty Tomb" was actually a play written and performed by the early church to explain what resurrection was. Because in 60 AD, nobody had ever heard of it.
(3) Christianity says those who reject christ will be thrown into a fiery pit created to punish angels who followed Lucifer in a rebellion. To buy that, you need (a) angels (b) Satan (c) angels who think God needs to be replaced... and about a dozen other idiotic....
My point is, Christianity is complete and utter NONSENSE. You need to see that.
for the record, I don't accept any of the other nonsense religions either.
William Hays at 5:06PM on Mar 21st 2008
101. However, here are facts.
1) the earliest manuscripts of Mark do not include 16:8-20.
2) the writings of early Church Fathers (Clement, Origen, etc) give no indication of the existance of Mark 16:9-20
In all probability, Mark is the first Gospel.
It's interesting to me that the earliest versions of the earliest gospel don't include the resurection.
To your other post, if "god" knows for even a nano second what I am going to do, then there is no free will because that means that from the point she knows to the point I act, I cannot change my course.
Have a great equinox.
Ryan Anderson at 5:01PM on Mar 21st
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These are not facts, they are opinoins at best.
You have a lot to learn.
Observant at 5:09PM on Mar 21st 2008
102. ATHEIST
"The Empty Tomb"
Just for the record, Jesus was never placed in a tomb.
His body was left on the cross to be eaten by wild animals and birds. Part of the Roman punishment for "Treason" was not handing the body over to the relatives, but tossing it in a mass grave.
"The Empty Tomb" was a play written by the early church. The author had never been to Jerusalem. He used a story about Jesus visiting a young boy named Lazaras, who had spent the night in a tomb as part of an initiation rite. changed the story around so Jesus was in the tomb instead of Lazarus.
Once you understand that the people who start an End of the World cult are Dishonest, then it's easy to accept that ALL the stories are simply LIES.
William Hays at 5:11PM on Mar 21st 2008
103. ATHEIST
reply to: These are not facts, they are opinoins at best.
You have a lot to learn.
__________
Actually, dimwit, it's pretty easy to check the early mss. to see if Mark 16: 8 - 20 is there.
Why do you say it's only an opinion?
Oh, wait. You're going to say the same thing, no matter what you read.
do you take dumb pills?
William Hays at 5:13PM on Mar 21st 2008
104. It seems like the percentage breakdown might reflect the percentage of Dinesh opposers (who deny the Resurrection), compared to the Dinesh supporters (who agree with Dinesh that Jesus and the Resurrection are accurately described in the Bible).
I find it strange that so many Dinesh opposers frequent his blog. I don't frequent blogs written by people who oppose my beliefs.
Rev 3:16 at 5:21PM on Mar 21st 2008
105. And Rev, you're proud of that?
Great...I'm sure you have a well-rounded knowledge of the world.
Paul at 5:22PM on Mar 21st 2008