We live and die; Christ died and lived! (John Stott)
Thinking about the musings from Day 65: Resurrection Theories – Part 5 – Continued.…
I would submit to you that when considering the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, one must be open to the counter arguments. I would further submit to you that as I conclude the 5th of the major counter arguments that are out there, the choice should be clear on your final decision regarding this matter.
In order to finish off the Conspiracy Theory regarding the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, it is important to continue where we left off in Day 65: Resurrection Theories – Part 5 – Continued., and the claim made by Eusebius of Caesarea, the author:
Let us band together to invent all the miracles and resurrection appearances which we never saw and let us carry the sham even to death! Why not die for nothing? Why dislike torture and whipping inflicted for no good reason? Let us go out to all the nations and overthrow their institutions and denounce their gods! And even if we don’t convince anybody, at least we’ll have the satisfaction of drawing down on ourselves the punishment for our own deceit.
In other words, Eusebius of Caesarea is making the claim that the disciples conspired to lie about the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
How would the disciples be able to conspire to pull off arguably the number one conspiracy theory in the history of mankind?
If the disciples were considering the Conspiracy Theory in order to explain away the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, there were two potential issues that would have to be accept regarding themselves:
1) Either the disciples were deceived by Jesus of Nazareth regarding his resurrection or;
2) They were themselves deceivers regarding his resurrection.
Where the disciples deceived or were the disciples deceivers?
Is there any documented evidence that would corroborate deception by either Jesus of Nazareth of his disciples?
For sake of argument, assume that the second issue is proven true and that the disciples themselves were the deceivers. If true, how would you explain the next two questions?
1) How would they be able to live with themselves knowing that they did this?
2) How would you be able to live with yourself if you knowingly conspired with the disciples?
Next, consider these 6 items that would have to take place for the Conspiracy Theory to work:
1) You just can’t take the body of Jesus of Nazareth, lying in a tomb, guarded by Roman soldiers. Consider that these soldiers are under penalty of death if these soldiers fail their job, which is to guard his tomb…in order for the Conspiracy Theory to work;
2) You would have to bribe these Roman soldiers so that they will let the disciples take the body. Consider how many potential soldiers are at and around the tomb that would need to be bribed…in order for the Conspiracy Theory to work;
3) The disciples would have had to have gotten into the tomb and removed the body with absolutely no witnesses observing them. Consider that there must have been other people in addition to the Roman soldiers both immediately around or in the general area of the tomb…in order for the Conspiracy Theory to work;
4) Several people would then have to conspire to carry or drag the body from the original tomb, to an undisclosed location where no one would ever find it, in order to claim that Jesus of Nazareth was resurrected. Consider the amount of people that would be needed to move the body from the tomb to its new and final resting place, a place that no one would ever know about…in order for the Conspiracy Theory to work;
5) In order to have the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth appear legitimate, outsiders would need to be involved, so as to reduce the bias factor surrounding his disciples since they were so close to all that had just occurred. Consider the potentially hostile individuals, (to the disciples, the Roman soldiers, etc), that would be required to be a part of this…in order for the Conspiracy Theory to work;
6) These outsiders that the disciples convince to re-bury the body of Jesus of Nazareth, if found out, would have their social, economic, and overall lives of not only them, but their families, utterly and completely destroyed. Consider the risks that all of these individuals would be willing to take on, for a lie regarding the faked resurrection…in order for the Conspiracy Theory to work;
I am not a math person. Never was and never will be. If you know someone who is good at math and more specifically, with odds and statistics, perhaps you can show them these 6 items in order for the Conspiracy Theory to work.
After showing them these 6 items, ask them a simple question:
What are the mathematical odds that all 6 of these items would be successful?
Next, please consider the following in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 (KJV):
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
And from Acts 1:3 (KJV):
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Now, based on the above verses, Jesus was seen after he died by:
1) Cephas, then;
2) Of the twelve then;
3) Above 500 at once then;
4) James, then;
5) All of the apostles then;
6) ‘He was seen of me also’.
All happening over the course of forty days.
Finally, based off of the claims made in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 (KJV) and Acts 1:3, please consider the last two items that would have had to have taken place in order for the Conspiracy Theory to work:
1) How is it possible that 1, (Cephas), then 12, then 500, then James, then all of the apostles, then ‘he’, over a period of 40 days, all saw the exact same thing regarding the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, if the resurrection never happened?
2) How is it possible that over 500 people, all different ages, gender, occupations, social, economic and educational levels, on multiple days, at multiple times, all saw the exact same thing?
(Feel free to go back to your math friend as well and ask them about the statistical odds regarding these two questions….)
So, let’s summarize the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth with two statements:
1) The Gospels. The resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as written in the 4 Gospels from the Middle East over 2,000 years ago, or;
2) The Conspiracy Theory. The idea that the 12 disciples of Jesus of Nazareth stole his body and lied about the resurrection.
Now, a question for you to consider:
Which set of facts takes more faith to believe in?
Maybe the answer is more obvious than you ever realized.
Do not feel discouraged if you are still having a difficult time believing what to make regarding the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Do not feel discouraged if you are still confused even after reading even more about the Conspiracy Theory. Instead, embrace the idea that there is more to learn and more to accomplish in your life.
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 25:8 KJV)
Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?
Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 66: Resurrection Theories Part 5 – Conclusion.
If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.
Please feel free to go back to where all of this began: