RESURRECTION

1 Corinthians 15

1 Corinthians 15:1–11 “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”

What is a jury?

How many people are on a jury?

When someone has committed murder…how many of the 12 have to vote for the judge to sentence the guilty to death? All of them

We trust the judicial system to carry these things out.

12 Disciples, but also more than 500 hundred eye witnesses

INTERESTING EVIDENCE AND FACTS

20-25k NT vs Homer’s Illiad Manuscripts 1-2K

Tiberius Ceaser AD 14-37, Jssus’ ministry AD 30-33

“Tiberius was the most powerful man in the world of his day. Jesus was one of the poorest, belonging to the peasant class as a Jewish carpenter. He even died the most shameful death, a slave’s death, on a cross during Tiberius’ reign. Yet we have far more reliable written sources and closer to the time of Jesus’ actual life and death than this Caesar of Rome."

C.S. Lewis said Jesus was either a liar, lunatic, or Lord.

NO DISPUTE HE EXISTED AND WAS CRUCIFIED.

SO WHAT DO UNBELIEVERS SAY ABOUT THE RESURRECTION - 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Sadducees vs Pharisees

Greek View - Greeks held that not even the gods were able to recreate flesh that had been lost to decay, fire or consumption. The notion of a general resurrection of the dead was therefore apparently quite preposterous to the Greeks.

Some say they hallucinated - Not a plausible medical explanation. Doesn’t happen in mass.

Lack of time for a legend…eye witnesses were still alive

Women were the first witnesses

The Resurrection did not fit Jewish or Greek ideas at the time

Earliest known opposition:

Matthew 28:11–15 ESV

While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this dayi.

VIDEO

https://youtu.be/23UNLLbOS3w?si=IeX36aiLvz3SWA_Y

John 20:29–30 “Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Without the resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:12–19 “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”