Posted by Common sense, the facts surrounding the resurrection of Christ and more than 40 years of experience with Him have given me convincing proof that Christ is alive.
Here are just a few facts:
1. THE BIBLICAL RECORD
JESUS APPEARS OVER A 40 DAY PERIOD
Acts 1:2-3 “Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Spirit had given commands to the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom He also had shown himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen by them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:”
JESUS APPEARS TO FOLLOWERS
- To Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome Matt.28:1-10 Mk.16:11
- To the two on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35
- To the Apostles in Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-20
JESUS APPEARS TO OTHERS (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
- To Peter
- To the twelve
- To over 500 at one time (more than witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence)
- To James then to all the Apostles
- Then to Paul
2. THE HISTORICAL RECORD
The historical agreed-upon facts are indeed numerous. These facts can be researched and verified in history. The witnesses were real people who reportedly lived and died in that area and period of history. Consider too that they were afraid and in hiding, some of them were skeptical and initially did not believe, each of them claimed to have seen the risen Jesus for themselves, they risked their lives to tell their story, and not one of them ever recanted their claims.
EACH DISCIPLE PAID A TERRIBLE PRICE
No one pays the price these men paid to tell a lie. All of them, with the exception of John, died a martyr’s death: Here are just a few: Bartholomew was flayed to death with a whip in Armenia; Thomas was pierced with a sword; Peter was crucified upside down, Andrew was crucified on a cross; Luke was hanged by priests, Mark was dragged to death in the streets of Alexandria. Each of these men paid the price beyond human comprehension for their “lie.”
EACH DISCIPLE DIED ALONE
And yet, there does not exist one shred of solid evidence surviving 2,000 years of so many thoroughly – investigating critics. Search if you will, and you cannot discover one single record anywhere on the face of this earth where any one of these men ever wavered, ever changed their story, or ever recanted. They all went bravely to their terrible deaths telling the same story. The only intelligent conclusion any rational individual can come to is that there is no way these men could have been lying. They had to be telling what they honestly believed and experienced was true.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
This literal resurrection sets Christ apart from all other religious or spiritual leaders anywhere at any time. Consider the following facts; Jesus is the only one to ever love humanity so much as to give His life for them. He is the only one to ever come back from the dead to confirm his own teaching and the only one to ever continue performing miracles after his death.
He is the only one to still be able to impart his own life to others in any century! All other spiritual or religious leaders have passed on and cannot impart life they no longer possess.
THE ONLY UNBIASED RATIONAL CONCLUSION
If witnesses are telling the truth and they are telling exactly what they experienced and what they saw. You must now consider the only Jesus Christ in history, that is; if he is not insane, not a lunatic, or a phony, then He is who, and what He says He is, and that requires us to declare His divinity, there are no alternatives.
- Originally posted April 1, 2018
- Featured image by jspjournal.com
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