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Tuesday 14 April 2009

Evidence of Jesus' Resurrection

As far as Jesus' resurrection is concerned, Christians can only put up very weak evidence. For non-believers, these pieces of evidence are no evidence at tall. They are evidence only after you have accepted the resurrection of Jesus. Frankly speaking, it is hopelessly impossible to prove Jesus' resurrection. Either you accept it, or you don't.
Most of the evidence appears in the four gospels. The Shroud of Turin is the best known extra-biblical "evidence" of the authenticity of Jesus' Passion and Resurrection. However, carbon dating has ruled out the claim that it is a first century relics. Modern men are not alone in being skeptical. Jesus' contemporaries also tried to discredit the claims of the apostles. So, let us return to the gospels.
First, let us look at the empty tomb. Matthew tells us that the chief priests and Pharisees demanded Pilate to seal the tomb to make sure that the apostles were not able to steal the corpse of Jesus. Pilate complied (Matthew 27:63-66). Yet, the tomb was later found to be empty. A guest who appears in a BBC documentary suggests that wild dogs had entered the tomb and eaten the corpse inside. He has forgotten the sealed stone that blocked the entrance to the tomb.
Let's call up the witnesses. The first witness must be the angel mentioned in the gospels. However, we cannot summon this angel to bear witness again. So, this angel can only be dismissed.
Then came the group of women, including Mary Magdalene. In ancient time, women witnesses were inadmissible in any court of the law. It is interesting that the evangelists bothered to include them. Women are an important component in the Christian communities throughout the ages. Their presence and contributions could not be ignored by the evangelists. Women, instead of men, have been awarded the honour to be the first witnesses of resurrection, the foundation of Christianity. This is the will of God.
Let's turn to Peter and his speech we read today in Acts. This Peter has been totally transformed. He used to be a fisherman, presumably uneducated. Yet, even before Pentecost, he demonstrated amazing knowledge of the Psalms in the selection of a successor to the vacancy left behind by Judas (Acts 1:20). In the first proclamation of Christianity to the world, Peter did it again with extensive quotations from the Psalms.
After defending the charge of drunkenness, Peter continued to prove the resurrection of Jesus. His audience had witnessed for themselves the miracles worked by Jesus who met his tragic death on the cross in the hands of lawless men (Acts 2:23). Peter claimed that God had risen Jesus from the dead because Jesus was Christ and according to the prophecy of David, Christ would not see corruption of his body (Acts 2:25b-28). The last point Peter made was that they all were witnesses.
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses (Acts 2:32).
Therefore, Jesus' resurrection hinges on the witnesses of the apostles. Either you accept it, or you don't.
Not all Christians are blessed with encountering the risen Jesus. St. Paul, a fervent Pharisee who before his conversion had persecuted the Christians, was one such blessed one. He became one of the founding fathers of Christianity. For most believers, they have to rely on the witnesses of generations of Christians after the apostles. Upon them, they need to build up a personal relation with the risen Jesus in order to continue and grow in their faith. This is the essence of Christianity which has transformed the history of humanity ever since. This transformation, we will continue until the end of time.

Dear Jesus, in celebrating your resurrection, let us courageously bear witness to those who will accept your redemption. We know very well that many will reject our witnesses. But for the few who will accept, we pray that your peace will reside in them. Amen.

Appendix:
I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will dwell in hope.
For thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let thy Holy One see corruption.
Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou wilt make me full of gladness with thy presence.
προορώμην τὸν κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διὰ παντός, ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού ἐστιν ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ.
διὰ τοῦτο ηὐφράνθη ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐππ̓ ἐλπίδι,
ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν.
ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς, πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου.
(Acts 2:25b-28)
προωρώμην τὸν κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διὰ παντός, ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού ἐστιν, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ.
διὰ τοῦτο ηὐφράνθη ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐπ̓ ἐλπίδι,
ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν.
ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς, πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου, τερπνότητες ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ σου εἰς τέλος.
(Psalm 15:8-11 LXX, 16:8-11 MT).

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