Are
genetic defects - Book
of Daniel
|
P9 Selflessness
of the early followers of Jesus, their heroic death and spiritual fortitude,
their iron believe in the resurrection of Christ
are indisputable proofs of divine
nature of Jesus. Did
the resurrection of Jesus actually take place?
According to the Jewish funeral rite the body of Jesus was wrapped up in the linen cloth - shroud (we will talk about it later). On the body and linen cloth they put about 50 kg. aromatic substances as some sticky mixture (John.19:39-40). The body was put into a stone tomb (Mat.27:60), the entrance into it was closed by a huge stone (with the weight about 2 tons), which was moved with the help of system of levers (Mark 16:4). Known by their discipline the Roman soldiers were put to protect the entrance. The guard sealed the entrance of the tomb by the Roman seal. Anyone, who would try to remove a stone, inevitably would damage the seal and would draw the anger of the law upon himself. But the body disappeared. The huge stone was not simply moved, but it was moved aside from the massive tomb. The guard ran away. (In the work of the historian Jastin there is a list of 18 acts for which a soldier of the guard would be punished by death penalty. Among them there is case if a sentry falls asleep or voluntarily leaves the post). No one would believe – neither for a day, nor for an hour to the stories about the resurrection, if the absence of the body in the tomb had not been established as the fact known to all. The tomb , where Jesus had been put really turned to be empty. Till now no hint on the witness was found – neither in literary sources, nor in epigraphy, no in archeology, which would deny this conclusion. Could
it be a some natural reason? The
Christians consider that the supernatural force coming from God had revived Jesus
physically in time and space. Of course, it is difficult to believe it. But not
to believe it means to face the problems, the solution of which is more
difficult. Atheists look for material explanations and are at a deadlock. McDowell considers all the possible
versions of atheists , with the help of which they tried to prove that the
resurrection was nothing but a forgery. Among these versions are: 1. Not that tomb. The authorities would take the body out of the real burial place, and the rumors about the resurrection would come to the end. Is the appearance of Christ a
hallucination? However the hypothesis is in the contradiction with the psychological
laws which are governing visual hallucinations. 2. Theory of a faint. As through Jesus didn’t die but simply lost His consciousness and then came to Himself and everybody decided that He was resurrected. But it can’t be that a man in a half dead state kidnapped from a tomb, who couldn’t stay on his legs because of weakness, who needed a medical help, bandaging, a treatment suddenly made such an impression on his disciples: the impression of a man who had overcome the death, a Sovereign of Life. This impression became the basis of all their future sermons. 3.
Version of stealing of the body:
the disciples stole the body, while the guard was sleeping (it was Mathew
.28:1-15 who spoke about these rumors). Despondency and cowardice of the
disciples are powerful arguments against this theory: how could they suddenly
become so brave and resolute to steal the body from the tomb from under
soldiers’ very nose? They were not in such mood to undertake something similar
to that. Besides, this hypothesis does not give even a hint for the explanation
of their amazing transformation from suppressed despaired run-aways into the
witnesses, whose courage couldn’t be broken by any torments. «
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and
the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not But
as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on his name »
(John 1:9-12). |