Scriptorium Daily
Don’t accept any nonsense about this story. Ask the most important question: “Is it true?”
If it is true, then death has been conquered.
To put it mildly that would be more important than anything else you will consider today.
Crucified men in the first century didn’t survive Roman torture and roll away the stone of their guarded grave to live again unless something amazing had happened.
First-century people were not credulous dupes, ready to believe in anything. If you doubt that, read the account in Mark again. The friends of Jesus had too little faith, not too much. They were afraid and did not understand what was happening. It was hard for the women of Easter to believe, because it was such a huge event.
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Jewish women expected a resurrection at world’s end, but of all men and not just one. This empty tomb and this God-Man was unexpected.
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If you don’t believe Jesus is alive, then you have failed to follow the facts to the proper conclusion.
Jesus actual resurrection is a fitting ending to His extraordinary life. It was unexpected at the time, but makes sense, perfect sense, in retrospect.
Extraordinary claims may require extraordinary evidence, but for this Man to conquer death was not so extraordinary.
He was extraordinary and this was just the final extraordinary thing He did.
Jesus actual resurrection explains the empty tomb, the compatible (but not identical) reports of eye witnesses, the existence of the Gospels, and the Church.
The Gospel accounts contain details that fit the times, make theological points, but are not overly theological. If their only purpose was theological, then why the details such as the name of Joseph of Arimathea (almost surely historical) who helped bury Jesus?
Skeptics like to point to the difficulty of a total harmony of the Gospel accounts, but scholars note that it can be done and that eye witness accounts are often difficult to harmonize. It is only the carefully fabricated lie that is perfect from one “witness” to the next. (more)
