Part 10:

The Outrageous Aftermath

““What happened after What happened after Jesus died and was Jesus died and was

buried? This is in some buried? This is in some ways the most important ways the most important historical question of all?”historical question of all?”

~ Ben Witherington III, ~ Ben Witherington III, Historian & TheologianHistorian & Theologian

““What happened after What happened after Jesus died and was Jesus died and was

buried? This is in some buried? This is in some ways the most important ways the most important historical question of all?”historical question of all?”

~ Ben Witherington III, ~ Ben Witherington III, Historian & TheologianHistorian & Theologian

““There is no evidence from any There is no evidence from any source at all to suggest that the source at all to suggest that the

Messiah was expected to rise from Messiah was expected to rise from the dead. Why would there be? the dead. Why would there be? The Messiah was expected to kill The Messiah was expected to kill other people and, if he suffered other people and, if he suffered

and died himself, by definition he and died himself, by definition he was not going to be regarded as was not going to be regarded as

the Messiah.”the Messiah.”

~ John Drane, Professor, ~ John Drane, Professor, University of Aberdeen, ScotlandUniversity of Aberdeen, Scotland

““There is no evidence from any There is no evidence from any source at all to suggest that the source at all to suggest that the

Messiah was expected to rise from Messiah was expected to rise from the dead. Why would there be? the dead. Why would there be? The Messiah was expected to kill The Messiah was expected to kill other people and, if he suffered other people and, if he suffered

and died himself, by definition he and died himself, by definition he was not going to be regarded as was not going to be regarded as

the Messiah.”the Messiah.”

~ John Drane, Professor, ~ John Drane, Professor, University of Aberdeen, ScotlandUniversity of Aberdeen, Scotland

““The Resurrection is the The Resurrection is the epicentre of belief.”epicentre of belief.”

~ Philip Yancey, Writer~ Philip Yancey, Writer

““The Resurrection is the The Resurrection is the epicentre of belief.”epicentre of belief.”

~ Philip Yancey, Writer~ Philip Yancey, Writer

““If the thing happened, If the thing happened, it was the central event it was the central event

in the history of the in the history of the earth.”earth.”

~ C.S. Lewis, Philosopher~ C.S. Lewis, Philosopher

““Everything turns upon the axis of Everything turns upon the axis of the Resurrection. If Jesus had not the Resurrection. If Jesus had not

been raised from the dead, we been raised from the dead, we never would have heard his name, never would have heard his name, just as we don’t know the names just as we don’t know the names of the thousands of Jewish rebels of the thousands of Jewish rebels

who were crucified at the hands of who were crucified at the hands of Rom. Jesus would have become Rom. Jesus would have become one more anonymous casualty of one more anonymous casualty of

Roman imperialism.”Roman imperialism.”

~ Mark D. Roberts, Philosopher~ Mark D. Roberts, Philosopher

““Everything turns upon the axis of Everything turns upon the axis of the Resurrection. If Jesus had not the Resurrection. If Jesus had not

been raised from the dead, we been raised from the dead, we never would have heard his name, never would have heard his name, just as we don’t know the names just as we don’t know the names of the thousands of Jewish rebels of the thousands of Jewish rebels

who were crucified at the hands of who were crucified at the hands of Rom. Jesus would have become Rom. Jesus would have become one more anonymous casualty of one more anonymous casualty of

Roman imperialism.”Roman imperialism.”

~ Mark D. Roberts, Philosopher~ Mark D. Roberts, Philosopher

““The Resurrection is not a The Resurrection is not a belief that grew up within belief that grew up within the church; it is the belief the church; it is the belief around which the church around which the church itself grew up. We must itself grew up. We must

understand the understand the difference.”difference.”

~ C.H. Dodd, Bible Scholar~ C.H. Dodd, Bible Scholar

““The Resurrection is not a The Resurrection is not a belief that grew up within belief that grew up within the church; it is the belief the church; it is the belief around which the church around which the church itself grew up. We must itself grew up. We must

understand the understand the difference.”difference.”

~ C.H. Dodd, Bible Scholar~ C.H. Dodd, Bible Scholar

““The empty tomb and the The empty tomb and the ‘meetings’ with Jesus, when ‘meetings’ with Jesus, when combined, present us with combined, present us with the only valid condition for the only valid condition for

the rise of the early Christian the rise of the early Christian movement. Nothing else movement. Nothing else

historians have been able to historians have been able to come up with has the power come up with has the power to explain the phenomena to explain the phenomena

before us.”before us.”~ N.T. Wright, ~ N.T. Wright,

Historian & TheologianHistorian & Theologian

““I submit that the best I submit that the best explanation for the explanation for the phenomenon of the phenomenon of the

missionary movement of the missionary movement of the early Church is that early Church is that

something indeed must have something indeed must have happened to Jesus’ body, happened to Jesus’ body, and he must have been in and he must have been in

personal and visible contact personal and visible contact with his followers after with his followers after

Easter.”Easter.”~ Ben Witherington III, ~ Ben Witherington III, Historian & TheologianHistorian & Theologian

““I submit that the best I submit that the best explanation for the explanation for the phenomenon of the phenomenon of the

missionary movement of the missionary movement of the early Church is that early Church is that

something indeed must have something indeed must have happened to Jesus’ body, happened to Jesus’ body, and he must have been in and he must have been in

personal and visible contact personal and visible contact with his followers after with his followers after

Easter.”Easter.”~ Ben Witherington III, ~ Ben Witherington III, Historian & TheologianHistorian & Theologian

““The early Christians did not The early Christians did not invent the empty tomb and invent the empty tomb and the ‘meetings’ or ‘sightings’ the ‘meetings’ or ‘sightings’ of the risen Jesus in order to of the risen Jesus in order to explain a faith they already explain a faith they already had. They developed that had. They developed that

faith because of the faith because of the occurrence, and occurrence, and

convergence, of these two convergence, of these two phenomena.”phenomena.”

~ N. T. Wright, ~ N. T. Wright, Historian & TheologianHistorian & Theologian

““The early Christians did not The early Christians did not invent the empty tomb and invent the empty tomb and the ‘meetings’ or ‘sightings’ the ‘meetings’ or ‘sightings’ of the risen Jesus in order to of the risen Jesus in order to explain a faith they already explain a faith they already had. They developed that had. They developed that

faith because of the faith because of the occurrence, and occurrence, and

convergence, of these two convergence, of these two phenomena.”phenomena.”

~ N. T. Wright, ~ N. T. Wright, Historian & TheologianHistorian & Theologian

““How does God deal with How does God deal with evil? He did not abolish the evil? He did not abolish the fact of evil: He transformed fact of evil: He transformed

it. He did not stop the it. He did not stop the crucifixion: He rose from the crucifixion: He rose from the

dead.”dead.”

~ Dorothy Sayers, ~ Dorothy Sayers, Writer & TheologianWriter & Theologian

““How does God deal with How does God deal with evil? He did not abolish the evil? He did not abolish the fact of evil: He transformed fact of evil: He transformed

it. He did not stop the it. He did not stop the crucifixion: He rose from the crucifixion: He rose from the

dead.”dead.”

~ Dorothy Sayers, ~ Dorothy Sayers, Writer & TheologianWriter & Theologian

““Ultimately, nothing Ultimately, nothing forcesforces people to believe, nothing people to believe, nothing compels them to accept compels them to accept

Jesus as Redeemer. Jesus as Redeemer. However, a great deal about However, a great deal about Jesus Jesus invitesinvites individuals to individuals to freely accept him and his freely accept him and his message, especially the message, especially the

evidence for the evidence for the resurrection.”resurrection.”

~ Thomas Zanzig, ~ Thomas Zanzig, Catholic ScholarCatholic Scholar

““Ultimately, nothing Ultimately, nothing forcesforces people to believe, nothing people to believe, nothing compels them to accept compels them to accept

Jesus as Redeemer. Jesus as Redeemer. However, a great deal about However, a great deal about Jesus Jesus invitesinvites individuals to individuals to freely accept him and his freely accept him and his message, especially the message, especially the

evidence for the evidence for the resurrection.”resurrection.”

~ Thomas Zanzig, ~ Thomas Zanzig, Catholic ScholarCatholic Scholar

““At the cross, Jesus broke the At the cross, Jesus broke the power of sin. At the power of sin. At the

resurrection, Jesus broke the resurrection, Jesus broke the power of death. Both need to power of death. Both need to be broken. If you solve only be broken. If you solve only the problem of sin, then we’d the problem of sin, then we’d

all love one another, but death all love one another, but death would haunt every relationship. would haunt every relationship. If you solve only the problem If you solve only the problem

of death, then we’d live forever of death, then we’d live forever in hatred.”in hatred.”

~ Paul E. Miller, Bible Scholar~ Paul E. Miller, Bible Scholar

““At the cross, Jesus broke the At the cross, Jesus broke the power of sin. At the power of sin. At the

resurrection, Jesus broke the resurrection, Jesus broke the power of death. Both need to power of death. Both need to be broken. If you solve only be broken. If you solve only the problem of sin, then we’d the problem of sin, then we’d

all love one another, but death all love one another, but death would haunt every relationship. would haunt every relationship. If you solve only the problem If you solve only the problem

of death, then we’d live forever of death, then we’d live forever in hatred.”in hatred.”

~ Paul E. Miller, Bible Scholar~ Paul E. Miller, Bible Scholar

““Christ reigns over all the Christ reigns over all the world. And yet, even after world. And yet, even after

the resurrection, he is the resurrection, he is recognized by the marks of recognized by the marks of the nails on his hands and the nails on his hands and feet and the wound in his feet and the wound in his

side. He is a monarch who side. He is a monarch who died on a cross, a ruler who died on a cross, a ruler who

serves, a leader who calls his serves, a leader who calls his followers not servants but followers not servants but

friends.”friends.”~ William C. Placher, ~ William C. Placher,

TheologianTheologian

““Christ reigns over all the Christ reigns over all the world. And yet, even after world. And yet, even after

the resurrection, he is the resurrection, he is recognized by the marks of recognized by the marks of the nails on his hands and the nails on his hands and feet and the wound in his feet and the wound in his

side. He is a monarch who side. He is a monarch who died on a cross, a ruler who died on a cross, a ruler who

serves, a leader who calls his serves, a leader who calls his followers not servants but followers not servants but

friends.”friends.”~ William C. Placher, ~ William C. Placher,

TheologianTheologian

“Was it not necessary that the

Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?"

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them

the things about himself in all the scriptures.

~ Luke 24:26-27 (NRSV)

“Was it not necessary that the

Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?"

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them

the things about himself in all the scriptures.

~ Luke 24:26-27 (NRSV)

DOING THE MATH

Empty Tomb + Sightings = Faith

Empty Tomb – Sightings = Theft

Sightings – Empty Tomb = Ghost

DOING THE MATH

Empty Tomb + Sightings = Faith

Empty Tomb – Sightings = Theft

Sightings – Empty Tomb = Ghost

Part 10:

The Outrageous Aftermath