Resurrection on Trial
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Matthew 27:62-28:20
Matthew 27:62-28:20
Jesus, one of the most controversial people ever spoken of in history. When we look at history there are many writers outside of scripture that speak of Jesus Christ. Some speak well, some do not but the fact that Jesus was a real person. Who walked this earth and caused great controversy in Israel is irrefutable. The question isn’t whether Jesus lived and died…but did Jesus die and live.
I want to look today at the different internal proofs that we can see within scripture to show the authenticity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Can we trust the bible manuscripts as an accurate account of history?
Homer: 2,000/ Plato:7/ Aristotle: 49/ Caesar: 10/ Tacitus: 20/ New Testament: 6,000 Greek + 24,000 including translations in other languages
Lets just say that we are confident in the biblical manuscripts that we get our modern bible from.
Evidence for the resurrection:
The Gospels
The gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written well within the lifetime of anyone who would have been there for the resurrection and would have “called Mark on the carpet” for lying.
In Matthew the Jews make up a false report.
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.”
The Jewish leaders knew of the impact that the risen Lord would have. They heard it from the mouth of the Roman guards themselves about what had happened, yet they paid off the guards rather than repenting.
They preached the resurrection in Jerusalem
If you are going to make up a story, don’t go to the place where people know Jesus, don’t go where they can walk outside the city and see His tomb.
The inclusion of Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Joseph was a member of the sanhedrin. Basically the supreme court, but with more power in the time of Jesus.
By including Joseph they have showed that it was a reputable man who laid Jesus in the tomb, then the tomb had Roman Guards place in front of it until Christ was raised, no time to steal a body.
The tomb was never made into a sacred shrine
In those days, the tombs of holy men were made into shrines. The fact that this never happened shows that there was nothing in the tomb to pay respect to.
The tomb was discovered by women.
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
In today’s culture we wouldn’t think anything of this. But the bible wasn’t written to our culture, it was written to a 1st century Jewish culture where people wouldn’t believe the word of a women.
If it was a made up tale it would have been someone who people would believe the testimony of.
This also shows God’s love for women. Out of everyone who He could have made His resurrection know to, He chose these women.
No one had anything to gain
The Jews didn’t want Jesus to rise.
The Romans had nothing to gain by Him rising
All the disciples recieved was continuous persecutions and in the end, death. They didn’t receive wealth or power but they were all willing to give their lives for this testimony. Because they knew it to be true.
Eyewitnesses
Eyewitnesses
Besides all the cultural facts that we can find in scripture, the other thing we don’t want to disregard is the evidence of eyewitness accounts.
“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
Even in our culture witnesses will greatly sway a jury, even if the evidence is iffy at best, if you have one witness it has been proven that the jury will probably side with you.
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.
Why do we disregard this testimony? Because it happened so long ago?
Why do we push this point?
Why do we push this point?
Everything hinges on the resurrection.
If Jesus didn’t rise, then we follow a crazy, homeless, unemployed carpenter who wandered around the desert for 3 years.
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
If Christ didn’t raise, then this is all futile, and we should be pitied.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
We have the evidence in scripture, we have eye witness accounts and we have the evidence of what He is doing in our very lives.
The question is what will you do with the evidence, the fact of Christ rising? Will you live like there is not God and suffer His judgement.
Or will you accept His sacrifice for Your sin. That He already suffered punishment so you don’t have to, if only you repent and have faith in Him. For HE IS RISEN!!