Lesson 9:Lesson 9:The Resurrection The Resurrection of Jesus Christof Jesus Christ

I. The Resurrection: I. The Resurrection: At the HEART of the At the HEART of the

GospelGospel

•Horrible Death

• Empty Tomb

•Appearances of Jesus After His Burial

•Record of Women as First Witnesses

•Transformation of Disciples

Horrible DeathHorrible Death1.1. Heavy loss of Heavy loss of bloodblood..

2.2. When His side was pierced, blood When His side was pierced, blood and water flowed out.and water flowed out.

Horrible DeathHorrible Death1.1. Heavy loss of Heavy loss of bloodblood..

2.2. When His side was pierced, blood When His side was pierced, blood and water flowed out.and water flowed out.

3.3. Soldiers didn’t break His Soldiers didn’t break His legslegs..

Horrible DeathHorrible Death4.4. Pilate asked for Pilate asked for assuranceassurance

(from the centurion) that Jesus (from the centurion) that Jesus was dead.was dead.

5.5. He was wrapped completely in He was wrapped completely in bandages and laid in a tomb.bandages and laid in a tomb.

Horrible DeathHorrible Death4.4. Pilate asked for Pilate asked for assuranceassurance

(from the centurion) that Jesus (from the centurion) that Jesus was dead.was dead.

5.5. He was wrapped completely in He was wrapped completely in bandages and laid in a tomb.bandages and laid in a tomb.

6.6. Non-Christian sources confirm the Non-Christian sources confirm the Crucifixion of Jesus.Crucifixion of Jesus.

Empty TombEmpty Tomb1.1. The Jews through history have admitted that the The Jews through history have admitted that the

tomb was empty. They only give reason for the tomb was empty. They only give reason for the tomb’s vacancy—belief in the empty tomb is tomb’s vacancy—belief in the empty tomb is assumed.assumed.

Trypho, a Jew, said in the second century: Trypho, a Jew, said in the second century:

““One Jesus, a Galilean One Jesus, a Galilean deceiverdeceiver, … we crucified, but , … we crucified, but his disciples his disciples stolestole him by night from the tomb, him by night from the tomb, where he laid when unfastened from the cross, and where he laid when unfastened from the cross, and now deceive men by asserting that he has risen from now deceive men by asserting that he has risen from the dead and ascended into heaven.” (the dead and ascended into heaven.” (Dialogue with Dialogue with Trypho, by Trypho, by Justin Martyr)Justin Martyr)

Empty TombEmpty Tomb2.2. Christianity could not have originated in Christianity could not have originated in

JerusalemJerusalem within a few weeks of the within a few weeks of the supposed Resurrection if there were no supposed Resurrection if there were no empty tomb. empty tomb.

Why not? No one would have believed the Why not? No one would have believed the resurrection if there were no empty tomb, resurrection if there were no empty tomb, seeing the resurrection was first preached in seeing the resurrection was first preached in Jerusalem (the very city in which the body Jerusalem (the very city in which the body had lain) within a few had lain) within a few weeksweeks of the of the Crucifixion and burial.Crucifixion and burial.

EEmpty Tombmpty Tomb3.3. Other explanations for the empty Other explanations for the empty

tomb are not reasonable.tomb are not reasonable.

a.a. ““The disciples stole the body.”The disciples stole the body.”

But…the disciples would have had But…the disciples would have had to sneak by or overpower the to sneak by or overpower the Roman guard outside the tomb. Roman guard outside the tomb.

–And if the disciples stole the And if the disciples stole the body, they died for what they body, they died for what they knew was a knew was a lielie..

Can we trust the apostles to Can we trust the apostles to have told the truth?have told the truth?• Peter, crucifiedPeter, crucified• Andrew, Andrew, crucifiedcrucified• Matthew, by the Matthew, by the

swordsword• James, son of James, son of

Alpheus, Alpheus, crucifiedcrucified• Philip, Philip, crucifiedcrucified• Simon, Simon, crucifiedcrucified

• Thaddaeus, Thaddaeus, killed by killed by arrowsarrows• James, brother of Jesus, James, brother of Jesus,

stonedstoned• Thomas, Thomas, spear thrustspear thrust• Bartholomew, crucifiedBartholomew, crucified• James, son of Zebedee, James, son of Zebedee,

the swordthe sword

““Nothing in law so convinces Nothing in law so convinces courts and juries of the courts and juries of the truthfulness of a story as the truthfulness of a story as the fact that a man’s life has been fact that a man’s life has been consistentconsistent with such story.” with such story.”Henry Barnett, attorney.Henry Barnett, attorney.

Empty TombEmpty Tombb.b. ““Maybe the Jewish or Maybe the Jewish or RomanRoman

authorities removed the body.”authorities removed the body.”

But if they had removed it, they would But if they had removed it, they would have have producedproduced it for everyone to it for everyone to see. Why?see. Why?

c.c. SwoonSwoon Theory Theory

More More incredibleincredible than a than a resurrectionresurrection

Appearances after the Appearances after the ResurrectionResurrection1.1. In 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, Paul In 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, Paul

gives a list of some of those who gives a list of some of those who saw Christ:saw Christ:

PeterPeter

The TwelveThe Twelve

500 brethren at 500 brethren at once, most still once, most still alive when Paul alive when Paul wrote thiswrote this

JamesJames

Paul himselfPaul himself

Appearances after the Appearances after the ResurrectionResurrection2.2. The Gospels also record the The Gospels also record the

testimony of others who saw testimony of others who saw Christ after He had been Christ after He had been crucified.crucified.

Why should we believe the Why should we believe the testimony of these early testimony of these early Christians who said they saw Christians who said they saw Christ?Christ?

Record of Women as the Record of Women as the FirstFirst Witnesses Witnesses

Transformation of Transformation of DisciplesDisciplesPeterPeter

PaulPaul

James, Jesus’ brotherJames, Jesus’ brother

•Horrible Death

• Empty Tomb

•Appearances of Jesus After His Burial

•Record of Women as First Witnesses

•Transformation of Disciples

H…

E…

A…

R…

T…

II. What Happens When II. What Happens When One Examines the One Examines the

Evidence Objectively?Evidence Objectively?

A. Simon Greenleaf—professor A. Simon Greenleaf—professor of law at Harvard in the 1800sof law at Harvard in the 1800sHis three-volume work His three-volume work A Treatise on the A Treatise on the Law of Evidence Law of Evidence has been considered by has been considered by the Supreme Court to be the greatest single the Supreme Court to be the greatest single authority on legal evidence.authority on legal evidence.

He said, “If the evidence for the resurrection He said, “If the evidence for the resurrection was set before any unbiased courtroom in was set before any unbiased courtroom in the world it would be judged to be an the world it would be judged to be an historical historical factfact—Jesus Christ rose from —Jesus Christ rose from the dead!”the dead!”

B. Lord Lyttleton and Gilbert B. Lord Lyttleton and Gilbert West, friends at OxfordWest, friends at Oxford•Lyttleton tried to prove Saul was Lyttleton tried to prove Saul was never converted.never converted.

•West tried to prove Christ never rose West tried to prove Christ never rose from the dead.from the dead.

•What happened after each What happened after each independently looked at the evidence independently looked at the evidence and then came back together?and then came back together?

III. Other III. Other Evidence for the Evidence for the

ResurrectionResurrection

WWorship on Sunday by orship on Sunday by the early Christian Jewsthe early Christian Jews

EEasteraster

Art of the early Art of the early ChristiansChristians

RResurrection is consistent with the esurrection is consistent with the lifelife of Jesus. of Jesus.

The resurrection bonds remarkably The resurrection bonds remarkably well with all of Jesus’ life.well with all of Jesus’ life.

GGospel Creed of 1 Cor. 15 ospel Creed of 1 Cor. 15 dates very dates very earlyearly

The first few verses of 1 Cor. 15 are The first few verses of 1 Cor. 15 are a a creedcreed that was given to Paul in the that was given to Paul in the mid-mid-thirtiesthirties, just a few years after , just a few years after the resurrection. This creed the resurrection. This creed presents the basic facts of the death presents the basic facts of the death and resurrection of Christ, with a list and resurrection of Christ, with a list of people who saw Him resurrected.of people who saw Him resurrected.

UUnique exaltation of Jesus nique exaltation of Jesus after the resurrection.after the resurrection.

Immediately after the resurrection, Immediately after the resurrection, Jesus was Jesus was worshippedworshipped as Lord as Lord of Life.of Life.

EExistence of the xistence of the Christian ChurchChristian Church

IV. What Does the IV. What Does the Resurrection Prove?Resurrection Prove?

That Jesus is who He That Jesus is who He claimedclaimed to be to be—the Son of God, God in —the Son of God, God in the flesh.the flesh.

It also confirms the It also confirms the AtonementAtonement..

It shows that He can overcome It shows that He can overcome deathdeath..

V. Application of V. Application of LessonLesson

Prepare for the trial next session.Prepare for the trial next session.

Share the HEART and WE ARGUE Share the HEART and WE ARGUE acrostics with someone.acrostics with someone.