Something astonishing

by Editor · March 23, 2005

One Friday afternoon before the Jewish feast of Passover almost 2000 years ago there died a leader of a religious movement, crucified by the Romans. As the man’s friend, Joseph of Arimathaea, took him off the cross and laid the tortured body to rest, the story of the rabbi Jesus of Nazareth was expected to end.

The Nazarene preacher seemed set to slip into obscurity, like most other nonconformist religious leaders, self-proclaimed Messiahs and diverse charlatans of the day.

His supporters, those not based in the Jerusalem area, made their way back home, defeated and dejected.

Peter and others of the group around Jesus of Nazareth returned to their home province of Galilee, doubtless contemplating their future after the heady times of following their now dead master. Peter, who had been a successful personality in the fishing trade of Capernaum, might already have drafted a new business plan for future commercial ventures, when the depression over the events in Jerusalem would allow him.

As the despondent followers of Jesus the Messiah who seemed to promise so much and yet died on the rubbish dump called Golgotha dispersed, an exciting but soon forgotten chapter of religious fervour in Judaism seemed closed.

Then something inconceivable happened. The tomb in which Jesus’ lifeless, broken body had been interred was found empty, and the burial garments neatly folded.

Then the man who just days before had been tortured and publicly executed appeared in the flesh to women a curious choice of encounter if it was his intention to prove that he was alive, for women’s testimony was not considered credible.

He proceeded to meet hundreds of people, including his apostles. One of them, Thomas, was incredulous until he received positive proof that before him stood the risen Jesus.

Paul, a convert to the nascent Christian movement, visited Jerusalem three times within a few years of the death and resurrection of Jesus. For many years he lived in Antioch, to where many of Jerusalem’s incipient Christ-ians had migrated. In his first letter to the Corinthians, written long before the gospels, Paul notes that Jesus “appeared to over 500 of our brothers [and sisters], most of whom are still alive, though some have died” (1 Cor 15:6-7).

Students of what is often called the historical Jesus are sceptical about all manner of accounts of sayings and miracles attributed to Jesus in the Gospel. There is no consensus on the resurrection either.

Alas, all of the more than 500 witnesses are long dead and unavailable to consult in our academic pursuits. However, we can accept their testimony by common sense: it would have been a dangerous gambit for Paul to advertise hundreds of witnesses if he did not know that he could produce a credible number of them on demand.

Likewise, it is unthinkable that the apostles should have exposed themselves to the mortal dangers of propagating an already crushed messianic theology, and galvanise multitudes of others in following them on their thankless and materially rewardless course, unless something quite astonishing had happened.

Many of the first believers in Jesus’ divinity died for their conviction of having encountered the risen Christ in flesh and blood.

Who can doubt the Resurrection? And who can believe that one who can rise from the dead is not who he said he was: the Son of God, who by his death and resurrection offers us everlasting life?