Evidence that Builds Faith

Proof of the Resurrection

Gary Habernas, author of “The Risen Jesus and the Future Hope”, has completed the most comprehensive investigation to date on what scholars believe about the Resurrection. He collected more than 1400 of the most critical scholars’ works on the subject of the Resurrection.

He reports that virtually all scholars from the most liberal to the most conservative agree that the following points concerning Jesus and Christianity are actually historical facts:

• Jesus died by Roman crucifixion
• He was buried in a private tomb
• Soon afterwards the disciples were discouraged, bereaved, and despondent having lost hope
• Jesus’ tomb was found empty very soon after internment
• The disciples had experiences they believed were actual appearances of the risen Jesus
• Due to these experiences, the disciples’ lives were thoroughly transformed, and were even willing to die for their beliefs
• The proclamation of the Resurrection took place very early, from the beginning of church history
• The disciples’ public testimony and preaching of the Resurrection took place in Jerusalem where Jesus had been crucified and buried shortly before
• The Gospel message centered on preaching the death and Resurrection of Jesus
• Sunday was the primary day of gathering and worshiping
• James, the brother of Jesus and a skeptic before this time, was converted when he believed he also saw the risen Jesus
• Just a few years later Saul of Taurus (Paul) became a Christian believer due to an experience that he also believed was an appearance of the risen Jesus

The skeptic’s theories

• Were the disciples deceived by hallucinations?
  • Hallucinations are not experienced by groups but individuals
  • Jesus did not appear just once to one person, but many times to a great number of people
  • The empty tomb cannot be explained by a hallucination
• The disciples went to the wrong tomb
  • If the disciples went to the wrong tomb, the authorities would have directed them to the right tomb and paraded Jesus’ body around the city
  • If the disciples did go to the wrong tomb, the theory does not explain how the risen Jesus appeared 12 different times
    • Mary Magdalene
      • John 20:10-18
      • Saw
      • Heard
      • Touched
      • Empty tomb
    • Mary Magdalene & other Mary
      • Matthew 28:1-10
      • Luke 24:1-12
      • Saw
      • Heard
      • Touched
      • Empty tomb
      • Grave clothes
    • Peter & John
      • John 20:1-10
      • Saw
      • Heard
      • Grave clothes
    • Two disciples
      • Luke 24:13-35
      • Saw
      • Heard
      • Ate with Jesus
    • Ten apostles
      • Luke 24:36-49
      • John 20:24-31
      • Saw
      • Heard
      • Saw the wounds
      • Ate with Jesus
    • Eleven apostles
      • John 20:24-31
      • Saw
      • Heard
      • Saw the wounds
    • Seven apostles
      • John 21
      • Saw
      • Heard
      • Ate with Jesus
    • All apostles
      • Matthew 28:16-20
      • Mark 16:14-18
      • Saw
      • Heard
    • 500 brethren
      • I Corinthians 15:7
      • Saw
      • Heard
    • James
      • I Corinthians 15:7
    • All apostles
      • Acts 1:2-4
      • Saw
      • Heard
      • Ate with Jesus
    • Paul
      • Acts 9:1-9
      • I Corinthians 15:8
      • Saw
      • Heard
• Swoon or apparent death theory
  • Jesus didn’t really die, but came near death and then revived in a cold tomb
    • His friends and enemies alike believed He was dead
    • The spear thrust into His side to ensure death
    • Roman soldiers believed him to be dead and, therefore did not break His legs
    • Even if He were not dead when He went into the tomb, how could a badly beaten and wounded person remove the huge stone and escape unnoticed by 16 guards
• Disciples stole his body
  • Is it realistic to think that the disciples would deceive the people by this act and knowing that it was a lie be willing to die to defend the lie?