Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Hebrews 2:14-15
All of us want to lock the Door of Death, but we can’t. Each one of us is inexorably drawn by ...
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall crush your head, and you shall bruise His heel. Genesis 3:15
Here was the situation. God had created the most amazing place. We can’t really imagine it. There was no death. There was no evil. Everything flourished. Then Adam and Eve breached the one boundary God had set for them and everythi...
But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has r...
As [Peter and John] were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. Acts 4:1-3
When you are making a defense for...
f Jesus Rose from the Dead, then Jesus Was and Is Alive
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.&rdqu...
If Jesus Rose from the Dead, then the Tomb Would Have Been Empty (Theories Against)
Having laid a foundation of evidence for the empty tomb, and an understanding of the resurrection polemic and creed, we are now ready to deal with the theories that have arisen against it. There are many, and in some cases, highly overlapping. Here are the most prominent:
1. The disciples stole the body. F...
(#18) The Early Resurrection Creed
When we come to the apologetic or defense against the argument that the resurrection is merely legend or myth, there are two key formal elements that must be well understood. The first is the “resurrection polemic” and the second is the “early resurrection creed”. We looked at the resurrection polemic last time. Now, we want to exam...
(#17) The Resurrection Polemic
There are two key formal elements in the argument concerning the resurrection of Jesus. The first is the “resurrection polemic” and the second is the “early resurrection creed”. Both had been fully developed in the very early days of Christianity. And both must be understood by the Christian seeking to defend the resurrection of Christ a...
If Jesus Rose from the Dead, then (#16) the Tomb Would Have Been Empty
And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. Mark 16:6
Apart from the actual appearances of Jesus, the empty tomb is probably the greatest physical evidence of the resurrection of Christ that we have. L...
If Jesus Rose from the Dead, then (#15) He Must Have Been Dead and Buried
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… 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Mythicists and skeptics attempt to debunk Jesus in a number o...
