How could Christianity develop and believe in a crucified, cursed, carpenter as their long-awaited promised Messiah? It’s imperative that we all learn to defend the facts of our faith, not just share our feelings anymore. I discovered that there are many reasons for accepting the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as a historical fact. Who would go to a bloody painful death if it could be avoided simply by denying a lie? He came from Nazareth, a tiny village in Galilee, a remote landlocked principality. (Robert H. Stein, 1977), The Shroud of Turin and its Significance for Biblical Studies (Gary R. Habermas, 1981), The Shroud of Turin: A Rejoinder to Basinger and Basinger (Gary R. Habermas, 1982), Knowing that Jesus’ Resurrection Occurred: A Response to Stephen Davis (Gary R. Habermas, 1985), Review of William Lane Craig’s Book, The Historical Argument for the Resurrection of Jesus During the Deist Controversy (Gary R. Habermas, 1988), Resurrection Claims in Non-Christian Religions (Gary R. Habermas, 1989), Jesus’ Resurrection and Contemporary Criticism (+ Part II) (Gary. Think Divinely – Did the Gospel Writers ‘Embellish’ What They Witnessed? If it didn’t happen then what are we doing?! The Spanish Flu of 1918 Affected My Family in a Mysterious Way, Being Other-Minded: a lost virtue in American Culture, Expressive Individualism Could be America’s Undoing, Think Divinely – 5 Doubt-filled Questions Every Christians Can Answer, http://thinkdivinely.com/cliffsnotes-apologetics-1-a-bare-bones-defense-of-the-resurrection/. [9] Martin Hengel says, “A crucified messiah, son of God or God must have seemed a contradiction in terms to anyone, Jew, Greek, Roman or barbarian, asked to believe such a claim, and it will certainly have been thought offensive and foolish” (Crucifixion John Bowden trans. They are not irreconcilable but they remain. He was crucified, a brutal and humiliating form of execution reserved for the lowest orders to deter subversives, troublemakers, and slaves like those who followed Spartacus” (Paul W. Barnett, “Is the New Testament Historically Reliable?” 228-29 in In Defense of the Bible). “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” 1 Cor. If Jesus rose the Kingdom of God and new creation has broke into this broken world. They are not irreconcilable but they remain. How Do We Know Jesus Was Raised From the Dead? This is one of the absolute bare essentials. 2:24). [9-17-18], Seidensticker Folly #31: Jesus’ Burial Spices Contradiction? 326). I discovered Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ, Josh McDowell’s The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict, and McDowell’s A Ready Defense. Over the last five years, Dr. Habermas has tracked these texts, which were written in German, French, and English. Plus, He would then be a deceiver which greatly conflicts with His amazing ethical teachings. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. Objective historical evidence. Specializing in Resurrection-of-Jesus Research Billions profess to believe in the historical existence, death, and supernatural resurrection of Jesus. Lucian, a Greek writer of the 2nd century, mentions the crucifixion of Jesus as well (The Death of Peregrine, 11-13). Jn. It was something he preached everywhere he went. This sadly still happens. [10] Plus, the expectation was a king in the vein of David. This is very significant, because to be hung on a tree, to be crucified, was to be cursed in the eyes of the Jews. However, discrepancies remain. Paul and the Gospel writers all identify and give names of multiple people that were said to be eyewitnesses of the resurrection. God raised Jesus from the dead — has the best explanatory power. The Risen Jesus: a Jewish Perspective ( Fortress Press, 1977,. 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