Answering the most common objections to the Resurrection of Jesus (Level 2 discussion)

Before reading below, I recommend you read my earlier post - A positive case for the Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

RESPONDING TO OBJECTIONS TO THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS:

There is extensive, strong, and sound evidence that Jesus of Nazareth bodily rose from the dead early in the fourth decade of the first century A.D.

To summarize from my previous post, the five historical facts for the resurrection include (but are not limited to):

1. Jesus died by crucifixion.

2. Jesus’ disciples believed that he rose and appeared to them.

3. The church persecutor Paul was suddenly changed.

4. The skeptic James, brother of Jesus, was suddenly changed.

5. The tomb was empty.

In responding to common objections to the resurrection, one only needs to compare counter-arguments to these established “facts” to see if coherence can be maintained. Is there a better explanation for the facts other than that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Let’s compare seven common objections:

Objection 1: Jesus was lying – This objection does not explain facts 2, 3, 4, & 5.

Objection 2: Jesus was crazy – This objection does not explain facts 2, 3, 4, & 5.

Objection 3: The resurrection originated as a legend or a myth – This objection does not explain facts 2, 3, 4, & 5.

Objection 4: The body was stolen – This objection does not explain facts 2, 3, & 4.

Objection 5: The witnesses went to the wrong tomb – This objection does not explain facts 2, 3, & 4. (On the surface, it explains fact #5, although not “The Jerusalem Factor” or enemy attestation.)

Objection 6: Jesus only appeared to have died – This objection does not explain facts 1, 2, 3, & 4. (Obviously, this objection ignores fact #1. Furthermore, it is hard to conceive of facts 2, 3, & 4 being coherent with this objection, since a nearly-dead Jesus would hardly inspire such a life-change and the birth of Christianity.)

Objection 7: Jesus’ followers were hallucinating – This objection does not explain facts 3, 4 & 5.

The claim that Jesus of Nazareth did, in fact, rise from the dead is clearly the best explanation to account for the widely established historical facts. If the resurrection happened, it matters. “The world is a different place from what it would be if did not happen. The person who makes the statement is committed to living in this different world, this newly envisioned universe of discourse, imagination and action.”[1]

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[1]N.T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 714.