John Mulligan’s Easter Sunday lesson was “Faith Founded on Fact, part 2”, Answering the Challenges to the Resurrection of Jesus. As we learned last week, the accounts of the resurrection are based in specific, historical data, but non-believers have alternate theories to try to disprove it. There are five main explanations for the empty tomb, but there are responses to each one that refute these theories.
One theory is that Jesus didn’t die at all, that he simply fainted and came to in the tomb. However, the crucifixion torture that Jesus endured is well documented. He would not only need to ‘come to’ afterwards, he would then need to move the boulder blocking the entrance, escape the Roman soldiers guarding the cave, and then appear to his disciples in seemingly perfect health. This particular theory is harder to believe than the idea of resurrection.
Another theory is that his body was stolen, but the disciples had neither motivation nor ability to steal and hide the body. In fact, they were persecuted for their beliefs; why would they suffer like that for a lie?
There is also the idea that everyone went to the wrong tomb, but there were far too many eyewitnesses who saw where and how Jesus was buried to give this any serious credence. Yet another unlikely theory is that it was a case of “mass hallucination” which hardly deserves any serious thought.
Finally, there is the church fabrication theory, claiming that the early church simply invented the resurrection story. However, the gospels were written within 30 years of the resurrection; many of the witnesses were still living and would have dispelled such a lie. Also, the believers were all scattered due to their persecution; they had no organization to manage such a creation. And again, due to persecution, they had no motive to do so.
With some thoughtful analysis, we see that there are 3 fundamental flaws in every alternate explanation:
No evidence exists for alternate explanations
Actual evidence argues against the alternate explanations
Alternate explanations take more faith to believe than resurrection
The reality is that our faith is founded on facts. Death has been defeated and the resurrection of believers is certain. As the hymn says, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”
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