did jesus really resurrect?

It is the Linchpin of the Jesus- Centered Worldview

Linchpin: pin inserted through the end of an axletree to keep the wheel on. 2.something that holds the various elements of a complicated structure together:

“Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith is also in vain. Moreover you are found to be falsewitnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised…….and if Christ has not been raised your faith is worthless: you are still in your sins. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men, most to be pitied.”

Paul -- 1 Cor 15: 12-17, 19.

“In early Christianity there emerged a confident, articulate faith where the resurrection moved from circumference to the center”

Dr. Evans

PETER’S TACTIC Discourse on Pentecost – Acts 2:22 ff Dialogue after healing lame man – Acts

3:15, Acts 4:10, Acts 10:40 ff“…God raised from the Dead, a fact to which we are witnesses” 3:15

PAUL’S TACTIC Paul at Antioch in front of Synagogue

Acts 13:30 Paul in front of Governor Festus, and

King AgrippaRead Acts 26 :23-32 “great learning” “uttering words of sober truth”

Christianity is Falsifiable

Faith Hangs on A Thread (Super Titanium, alloy thread)

We can set it up for Historical TestingMemories, Writings, Relics.

“History can only be known by probability”

KEY : Not merely bodily “resuscitation”

“Resurrection means going through death and into a new kind of bodily existence- happening in two stages- first with Jesus- then with his followers”

-N.T Wright

“Jesus rose bodily- but the new body possessed new unexpected characteristics”

1 Peter 3:16“but 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, yet with gentleness and reverence”

Apologia--  Definition 1.a formal, often lengthy, explanation and

defense of one's actions, beliefs, or motives.

(Robert Funk, John Dominique Crossan) 150 individuals 74 “Scholars”– “Fellows”

Voting in colored beads on 1500 sayings of Jesus.

Half unknowns, 18 – no pub.works, No European scholarship, do not have to be a

Biblical Scholar. Naturalistic presuppositions

“The Jesus Seminar represents an extremely small number of radically-fringe scholars who are on the far, far left wing of New Testament thinking. It does not represent mainstream scholarship” ---- Dr William Lane Craig

“This is not responsible, or even critical, scholarship. It is a self-indulgent charade.” –Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson (Emory)

A good Chunk of the Bible is full of Myths

Jesus only said 20% of what the Bible records him saying

Outside Non-Christian sources give us a better picture

blah….blah….blah…

Twelve Known Historical Facts

Concerning the Resurrection Events- (Basically All scholars agree on) -Dr. Gary R. Habermas

Liberty University

FACT # 1

Jesus of Nazareth Died By Crucifixion

FACT # 2 He was buried

“Nearly all NT scholars agree that the honorable burial by Joseph of Arimathea -a member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish Supreme Court) is one of the best established facts about Jesus” Dr. John A.T. Robinson

(Attested to in all 4 Gospels, including Mark – the earliest)

Why would Jesus followers throw Joseph into the story? (in a good way) Wouldn’t there have been hostility towards the Sanhedrin after what they had done! While they speak of themselves as being the deserters of the Messiah.

Violates criteria of Embarrassment

Unless they were recording the truth

1 COR 15:3-8 “For I delivered to you as of first importance

what I also received that Christ Died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that he appeared to more than 500 bretheren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James then to all the apostles; and last of all to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”

PAUL of TARSUS

VERY UNIQUE TEXT……

Consist (Non) Pauline Technical Words- (Delivered, Received)

Greek here is different than Paul’s other works- unique

He is obviously passing it on

- Organization of typical creed oral, confessional nature – ANTHEM 4 Parts (Crucifixion, Burial, Resurrection, Appearances)

Christ Death (30 A.D), Paul’s Conversion (33-35 A.D) Visited Jerusalem – James or Peter (35-38 A.D) Received

event (came before) independent ideas (came before) formulation of creed

Creed being recited 3-8 yrs after resurrection

“Wolfhart Penemberg has rocked modern skeptical German theology by building his theology…. On the historical evidence from this creed”

“The importance of this creed can not be

overestimated” ---Habermas, Moreland, Craig, Dodd

“The Creed meets all the demands of historical reliability that could possibly be made of such a text” German Historian Hans Von Copenhausen

Fact #3) Jesus death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope, believing that his life was ended

Fact # 4) The tomb was discovered to be empty just a few days later WOMEN at the Tomb points to Validity

1st to visit tomb, to receive resurrection news, proclaim to males

Matthew –women at crucifixion site. Lk –at site after crucifix.

Jewish Society- Women’s testimony worthless. Primary witness? Market places, council –halls, law courts suitable only for men. (Put in well respected man- not women)

Testimony on par with that of a slave/ uneducated

Violates “criteria of Embarrassment” – should not mention if just inventing –Hurt agenda

FACT # 5) The Disciples had experiences which they believed were literal appearances of Jesus Jewish concept of rising from dead =

physical bodily resurrection Paul = Pharisee = physical resurrection,

soma (grk) =physical bodyHallucination theory- Hallucinations are individual

occurrences. Not seen by group. Usually caused by drugs or sleep

depravation. Need fertile, expectant, excited or

anxious mind- not apostles demeanor

Fact #6 The Disciples were transformed from doubters who were afraid to identify themselves with Jesus to bold proclaimers of his death and resurrection

Foxes’ Christian Martyrs of the World, Josephus, Clement Eusebius, Acts—Luke

-Stephen (stoned) Matthias (Stoned, Be-headed)

-Philip (crucified) Andrew (Crucified)-Mark (Dragged) Jude (crucified) Paul (sword)

-Peter (Crucified upside down) etc…..

(they also primarily died alone!!!)

So what – people die for things all the time – example Muslims

People will not die for something that they logically know to be untrue

Disciples were all in a position to know!!!

“ Now He that raised Him from the dead will raise us also; if we do His will and walk in His commandments”

“…..and may He grant unto you a lot and portion among His saints, and to us with you, and to all that are under heaven, who shall believe on our Lord and God Jesus Christ and on His Father that raised him from the dead.

“For every one who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is antichrist: and whosoever shall not confess the testimony of the Cross, is of the devil; and whosoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts and say that there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the firstborn of Satan.

Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians circa 120 A.D.

Disciple of John the Apostle - Irenaeus , Tertullian

Then, when he had been brought in, the proconsul asked him if he was Polycarp. And when he confessed, they would have persuaded him to deny, saying, Have respect unto thine age, and other things like these, as is their custom to say: Swear by the fortunes of Caesar; Repent; Say, Away with the Atheists. But Polycarp, when he had looked with a grave face at all the multitude of lawless heathen in the arena, having beckoned unto them with his hand, sighed, and looking up unto heaven, said, Away with the Atheists! And when the proconsul pressed him, and said, Swear, and I will release thee, revile Christ; Polycarp said, Eighty and six years have I served him, and in nothing hath he wronged me; and how, then, can I blaspheme my King, who saved me? Martyrdom of Polycarp-

FACT # 7) Message was center of preaching in the early church

Remember theCREED

“How do we explain the fact that the disciples went out into the Gentile world with the news that something had happened at the heart of Judaism, in the belief that this was not only relevant -but urgent for the whole world” Why cross traditional barriers!!!

Fact #8) This message was initially proclaimed in Jerusalem, where Jesus died and was buried shortly before

Fact #9) As a result of this preaching the church was born and grew --- encapsulated Roman Empire

*HUGE!!! Began in Jewish Society (permeated)

Hear o Israel – the Lord your God is ONE

Becomes Carpenter- Worship

Ain’t in Oprah environment!!

“granted that Jesus of Nazareth was certainly crucified as a rebel king, it is extremely strange that the early Christians not only insisted that he was actually the Messiah, but they reordered their worldview, their praxis, their stories, symbols, and theology around this belief.”

[After Jesus’ Death] “The disciples had two normal options open to them. They could simply have gone back to their fishing, glad to have escaped Jerusalem with their lives or switched to a different tactic, given up on messianism , and gone in for some form of private religion instead, whether of intensified Torah-observance, private gnosis, or something else. They clearly did not do that . They started a private religion going around the pagan world saying that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel as well as of the Pagans.”

N.T Wright

The Early Christians changed the meaning of the phrase so radically so that it now referred to a state of political affairs but to an internal or spiritual one. They talked about a new heart, indwelling of the Spirit and so forth

Jew: Pagan Empire overthrown, Israel Liberated, Public event, YHWH in charge

Fact # 10) Sunday became primary day of worship!

“Worship on Saturday was so rooted in Judaism as a major social, cultural, religious and political landmark that to make an adjustment to it was not like a modern western person deciding to play tennis on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays…it was one of the elements that set Judaism apart…..the easiest explanation for all this is that the early Christians believed something had happened on the first Sunday morning”

Dr. N.T. Wright

Fact # 11) James, who had been a skeptic, was converted to the faith when he also believed he saw the resurrected Jesus

Not James the Son of Zebedee or James the Younger

Biological Son of Mary and JosephSkeptic? Mt 13:55, Mk 6:3, John 7:5 J.P.Moreland “ Highly embarrassing for rabbi’s

family to not accept him. No motive for Gospel writers to lie”

Became leader of Church in Jerusalem- Wrote Book of James

“Even the skeptical New Testament critic Hans Gras admits the conversion of James is one of the surest proofs of the Resurrection” William Lane Craig

If Jesus was bunk- would have handed torch to James!!

(no one would dare!!)

Fact #12) A few years later, Paul was also converted by an experience which he, likewise, believed to be an appearance of the risen Jesus

Christian hater Christian Martyr -too much evidence

to discuss!!!

THE TOMB OF JESUS was either…

Let’s put the right shoe on Cinderella…..

Dr Simon Greenleaf (1783-1853) Harvard professor of Law states:

“According to the laws of legal evidence used in courts of law, there is more evidence for the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ than for just about any other event in history”

“it was IMPOSSIBLE that the apostles could have persisted in affirming the truths they had narrated, had not JESUS CHRIST ACTUALLY RISEN FROM THE DEAD, . . ."(Simon Greenleaf, An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists by the Rules of Evidence Administered in the Courts of Justice, p.29).

Greenleaf’s Treatise on the Law of Evidence for many years was the standard American work on the subject

“Before we answer that question I think we need to ask another question..

Did Jesus of Nazareth Actually Rise from the dead?”

“Follow me here…..Jesus made unique claims that he is God”

“I believe that the historical reliability of the Resurrection is solid”

If this Dude actually rose from the dead…I am following that Guy….because He claimed to be God and backed it up

So it doesn’t matter what Scott Thinks!!!It matters what Jesus says on the Subject matter. He

says that……..(Insert GOSPEL PRESENTATION HERE)

(Put it on His BIG Shoulders) Our Faith is OBJECTIVE

“They[Non-believers] think you are recommending Christianity not because it is true but because it is good….they will at every moment try to escape from the issue ‘True of False’…….One must keep on pointing out that Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C.S. Lewis, 1945

“That they said in boast, ‘We killed Christ Jesus The Son of Mary, the Apostle of God’: But they killed him not, Nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, And those who differ Therein are full of doubts, With no (certain) knowledge, But only conjecture to follow. For of a surety they killed him not:- Nay, God raised him up Unto Himself; and God is exalted in Power, Wise; - And there is none of the People of the Book But must believe in Him Before his death; And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them”

Sura 4:157-159

“Christ the Son of Mary Was no More than an Apostle, many were the Apostles that passed away before Him…”

Sura 5:78

Who Was it that died on Cross? Pilate Simon of Cyrene Close Apostle Judas (Gospel of Barnabas) (Baidawi – 13th Century , Sunni)

Jesus did not rise the dead!!! Theology Behind Jesus not being Killed

God must intervene on behalf of Prophets Prophets must be vindicated If he didn’t intervene - he failed to protect his

prophet!!

Greg Koukl (STR)

Intellectual Emotional Anti-Supernatural

Presuppositions Apathetic (Stubborn Bull-

Headedness)

Jesus Christ = Jesus of Nazareth Christian = Jesus Follower Evangelism = Talking about Jesus’ good

news Faith = Trust Saved = Get right with God Sin = Greek archery term – Missing the

mark of God’s perfection God ain’t a Republican or a Democrat Ask questions to flesh- out Worldview Don’t debate – not goal- reason logically Incorporate – Jesus, Jesus, Jesus