FROM THE DEAD

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FROM THE DEAD?
DID JESUS RISE
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J D CROSSAN

• What happened to his body then? Most likelyit
  was barely covered with dirtand it was
  consumed by wild dogs.

Richard N. Ostling, Jesus Christ, Plain and
Simple, Time 10 Jan 1994, p.32-33
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J D CROSSAN

• His body was eaten by dogs at the foot of the
  cross.

David van Biema, The Gospel Truth? Time 8 April
1996
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OUR DAY IN COURT
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STICK TO FACTS
HONEST WITH EVIDENCE
SEEK BEST EXPLANATION
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WHAT IS HISTORY?

• EVENT
• SIGNIFICANT EVENT
• PROVABLE EVENT
• WRITING OR SPEAKING ABOUT PAST EVENTS
• WHAT MODERN HISTORIANS CAN SAY ABOUT THE PAST

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WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TOMB?
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WITNESS TESTIMONY 1

• JESUS OF NAZARETH DIED IN/NEAR JERUSALEM,
  EXECUTED AS A CRIMINAL UNDER PONTIUS PILATE

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LITERATURE CONFIRMATION

• Jesus founded Jewish-Christian sect
• Died on a cross in Palestine
• Executed under Pontius Pilate

TALMUD - Jesus born (out of wedlock) - Gathered
disciples - Made blasphemous claims about
himself - Worked Miracles (attributed to sorcery)
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ARCHEOLOGICAL CONFIRMATION

• 5 Porticoes of the pool of Bethesda by the Sheep
  gate (Jn 52)
• Pool of Siloam (Jn 91-7)
• Jacobs well at Sychar (45)
• Pavement where Pilate tried Jesus (1913)
• Solomons porch in the Temple precincts (1022-23)

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JESUS SEMINAR

• Jesus
• Was crucified
• In Jerusalem
• At Golgotha
• Under the reign of Pontius Pilate

Source http//www.faithfutures.org/JDB/jdb005.htm
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WITNESS TESTIMONY 1

• JESUS OF NAZARETH DIED IN/NEAR JERUSALEM,
  EXECUTED AS A CRIMINAL UNDER PONTIUS PILATE

Confirmed!
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WITNESS TESTIMONY 2

• JESUS BODY WAS PLACED IN A TOMB BY JOSEPH OF
  ARIMATHEA

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WHY BELIEVE THE STORY?

• Jewish Sanhedrin was prominent group in
  Palestine.
• If Joseph of Arimathea story was invented, it
  would have quickly been heralded as such.
• Mark claimed whole Sanhedrin voted to condemn
  Jesus (1455, 64 151)
• Why invent a good member of the Sanhedrin?
  Especially John!

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WHY BELIEVE THE STORY?

• Nothing special about Arimathea
• Acrosolia (bench tomb) not only existed, but
  were used by notoriety.

• The body of a criminal would defile other
  bodies in a tomb thus alone in a new tomb fits
  the circumstances.

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WHY BELIEVE THE STORY?

• No other burial
• tradition exists!

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WITNESS TESTIMONY 2

• JESUS BODY WAS PLACED IN A TOMB BY JOSEPH OF
  ARIMATHEA

Confirmed!
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WITNESS TESTIMONY 3

• THE TOMB WAS FOUND EMPTY

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MODERN APPROACHES

• Women found wrong tomb
• Empty Tomb was a later, Christian tradition
• Part of the legendary items that traditions
  have
• Resurrection did not mean physically, but
  spiritually

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DID WOMEN FIND WRONG TOMB?

• They witnessed the burial
• Peter and John also found empty tomb
• Roman Guards at the scene!
• Rumor would have been dispelled quickly by Joseph
  of Arimathea or others

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WHY BELIEVE THE STORY?

• Empty Tomb was part of the earliest preaching (1
  Cor 153)
• Best way to prove Christianity wrong produce the
  body!
• First witnesses were women while disciples hid in
  shame.
• Why make this up?

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A LEGENDARY ACCOUNT?

• Again they see three men come forth from the
  tomb, and two of them supporting one, and a cross
  following them and of the two the head reached
  unto the heaven, but the head of him that was led
  by them overpassed the heavens. And they heard a
  voice from the heavens, saying, Thou hast
  preached to them that sleep. And a response was
  heard from the cross, Yea.
• - Gospel of Peter 10

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WHY BELIEVE THE STORY?

• The preaching of the empty tomb and growth of
  the church began in JERUSALEM (the very place
  where the crucifixion took place).
• Early Jewish counter-argument was that the
  disciples stole the body (Mt 2813, 15), not
  that the tomb was full!
• The tomb of Jesus was never venerated as a
  shrine.
• Why not, if the empty tomb story was invented a
  generation later?

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WITNESS TESTIMONY 3

• THE TOMB WAS FOUND EMPTY

Confirmed!
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WITNESS TESTIMONY 4

• ALTERNATIVE THEORIES TO EXPLAIN THE EMPTY TOMB
• FAIL

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Swoon Theory?

• Jesus passed out on the cross and was later
  revived
• Jesus crucifixion and death is universally
  affirmed
• Roman method of execution makes it impossible
• Explain away presence of guards, spear in side,
  etc.
• Grave clothes, spices tomb toxic

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The Body Was Stolen?

• Motive?
• Guards at tomb made it impossible
• Cover 16 inches of ground
• Doubled the watch seal on tomb
• If 1 fell asleep on duty, all would be executed
• If official seal broken, all would be executed
• No evidence of guards put to death for broken
  seal or stolen body

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Resurrection not Physical?

• Acts 12 his angel
• OT Elisha.
• NT Lazarus. They knew what it meant to come back
  from the dead (4 days in tomb and stinks!)
• Denies evidence for the empty tomb!

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WITNESS TESTIMONY 4

• ALTERNATIVE THEORIES TO EXPLAIN THE EMPTY TOMB
• FAIL

Confirmed!
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WITNESS TESTIMONY 5

• JESUS APPEARED ALIVE
• AFTER HIS DEATH
• TO HIS DISCIPLES

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WHY BELIEVE THE STORY?

• Testimony of Paul (1 Cor 156-8)
• After that, he appeared to more than five
  hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of
  whom are still living, though some have fallen
  asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all
  the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me
  also, as to one abnormally born.

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WHY BELIEVE THE STORY?

• Appearance stories are numerous, some
  independent, and comes from various sources
• To women, to Peter, to the Twelve, at the Lake of
  Tiberius, to James, to Paul, to 500 brethren
• The appearances of Jesus are described as
  physical, historical appearances.
• Since physical resurrection was for the end of
  time, this is an oddity indeed!
• Subjective visions would lead to translation,
  not resurrection
• How could so many separate appearances stories
  all form so quickly into physical, tangible
  appearances?

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WITNESS TESTIMONY 5

• JESUS APPEARED ALIVE
• AFTER HIS DEATH
• TO HIS DISCIPLES

Confirmed!
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THE FIVE ARGUMENTS

• 1. Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem under Pontius
  Pilate
• 2. Jesus Body Was Placed In A Tomb By Joseph of
  Arimathea
• 3. The Tomb Was Found Empty
• 4. Alternative Theories to Explain the Empty Tomb
  Fail.
• 5. Jesus Appeared Alive After His Death to His
  Disciples

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THE VERDICT

• The Case is Plausible
• The Alternatives are Implausible
• The Facts fit the nature of the case
• The Testimony is Legitimate
• The best explanation for the five testimonies is
  that God raised Jesus from the Dead.

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• Why did Joseph let Jesus borrow his tomb?
• Because Jesus only needed it for the weekend!

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THE END!