Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

03Jul 2021 by admin

There was no mention of Jesus’ death/resurrection in places you would expect

If Jesus died, his brother James would have mentioned it James was Jesus’ younger brother and it is kind of odd to note that he said nothing about the death in his family and yet, this was supposed to be one of the fundamental pillars of Christianity, of which he was one of the earliest leaders [after Jesus]. No mention in other places The minor writers of the New Testament, James and Jude do not mention a resurrection, and in the epistle of John it is not explicit. Christian response: Argument from silence We cannot say that something did not happen if it is not mentioned. Even if it is mentioned, Muslims can still reject it. The death of Jesus was mentioned throughout the four gospels, yet Muslims reject it.…

03Jul 2021 by admin

God would not let Jesus (or His chosen ones in general) be killed

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

How would God allow His prophet to die such a horrible death? The Bible teaches that God will save His anointed, Jesus. (Psa 20:6 NIV) Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Christian response This verse does not teach that God will save Jesus so that he did not have to die. It is simply a Psalm of David to sing of how God will save His people. (Psa 20:1-5 NIV) For the director of music. A psalm of David. May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. {2} May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support…

03Jul 2021 by admin

Jesus taught that he would not die

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

Jesus did not die because Jonah did not die To examine how Jonah is related to all of this, we have to study some background. When Jesus’ audience asked him to give them a sign, Jesus replied with the following: (Mat 12:39-40) He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. {40} For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Critics argue that because Jesus compares his stay in the tomb to that of Jonah in the belly of the fish, and Jonah did not die, therefore Jesus…

03Jul 2021 by admin

Jesus and the angels told Mary that he was not dead

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

Luke 24:5 “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” The angels at the tomb testified that Jesus was alive. Therefore Jesus did not die. John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go instead to my brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” When Jesus said that he had not yet ascended to the Father, he meant that he had not yet died. Jesus was described as alive, not because he didn’t die, but because he rose from the dead. This is clear from the following verses. Luke 24:6,7 “He is not here, but is risen! Remember how he spoke to you while…

03Jul 2021 by admin

Jesus was constantly in disguise and hiding

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

Jesus always hiding After three days and three nights he is seen, not by the public, but only by his disciples. He avoids the light of day and only meets them under the cover of darkness at night. If he had been given a new and eternal life after his first death, why was he hiding from the eyes of his enemies? The only reason would be that Jesus had not died and was still in that earthly body. Christian responseJesus did not disguise himself for fear of the Jews. On the contrary, we read in the bible that after his resurrection, he appeared to many people. In Matthew 28:9, he appeared to two women, in Luke 24:13‑15, two disciples, in Luke 24:34 Simon Peter, in John 20:19, John 20:26…

03Jul 2021 by admin

Jesus managed to escape the guards

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

The tomb was guarded by temple guards, not Roman soldiers. One critic says that Christians “transform temple guard to soldiers, and make these soldiers into Roman soldiers. Then fill pages expounding the efficiency of the Roman military machine; that it can never be caught napping or caught off-guard!” The implication is that if the people guarding the tomb were temple guards, it would be easier for Jesus to escape. I do not know how Deedat came to the conclusion that the guard placed at the tomb were temple guards. The records cannot be clearer that the guards placed at the tomb were soldiers. (Mat 27:65) “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” (Mat 28:2-4) There was a violent earthquake, for an angel…

03Jul 2021 by admin

Jesus managed to survive the crucifixion

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

SWOON THEORY This theory states that Jesus did not die on the cross but merely swooned (ie fainted). He later recovered and appeared to his disciples who thought he had resurrected. Refutation But if we assume that Jesus was crucified, how could he have survived the ordeal of the crucifixion? Jesus was severely whipped and then nailed to the cross. Hanging by the arms after some time, the Romans further pierced his side with a spear. Now, having gone through whipping, where Jesus’ back is almost laid open, having his arms and feet pierced, having a spear thrust in his side, being taken down and washed, then plastered with many pounds of spices, would Jesus still be alive? But suppose for argument’s sake that he was alive, do you really…

03Jul 2021 by admin

Jesus was unwilling to die so God would surely rescue him

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

Jesus seeks for physical protection by asking his disciples to buy swords. Luke 22:35-38 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing ,” they answered. {36} He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. {37} It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’ ; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfilment.” {38} The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.” “That is enough,” he replied. Critics say that Jesus called on his disciples to carry swords because he was not prepared…

03Jul 2021 by admin

Jesus knew he would not have to die on the cross

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

Jesus made no mention of his redemptive death when asked about the way to eternal life Critics say that Jesus was not even aware that he has to die for the sins of mankind. When Jesus was asked what is the way to salvation, he made no mention of the fact that his death would be necessary to atone for the sins of mankind. (Matthew 19:16-26) Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” {17} “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” {18} “Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do…

03Jul 2021 by admin

Jesus’ disciples stole the body of Jesus

Attempts to explain away death and resurrection

Others have suggested that the disciples stole the body. We wonder how they could have rolled away the large stone and take the body away without alerting the Roman guards who were outside guarding the tomb. Still others say that maybe the women, overcome by grief, went to the wrong tomb in the dimness of the morning. But if this is true, why didn’t the Pharisees go to the right tomb and produce the body? Surely this would kill Christianity in the cradle like they wanted.