Apologetics Part 5: Evidence for the resurrection

(SLIDE 1) “Did Jesus Rise from the Dead? — A Historical, Logical, and Theological Case”

Primary Sources: McDowell · Strobel · Keller

• Evidence That Demands a Verdict — Josh McDowell
• The Case for Christ — Lee Strobel
• The Reason for God — Timothy Keller

Class Overview (90 Minutes Total)

1. Opening & Framing the Question — 10 min

2. The Historical Jesus & Reliability of the Sources — 20 min

3. The Evidence for the Resurrection — 40 min

4. Responding to Modern Objections — 15 min

5. Q&A & Practical Application — 5 min

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(Slide 2) 1. OPENING & FRAMING THE QUESTION 

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A. Why the Resurrection Matters

• Christianity rises or falls on the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:14–17).
• 1 Corinthians 15:14–17 (NLT)
• ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. ¹⁵ And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. ¹⁶ And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.
• Unlike many religions, Christianity makes a historical claim that is testable. It is not just blind faith in what some book says or some tradition that has been handed down to us.

(Slide 3) B. What Historians MUST Answer

The consensus among modern historians even atheist is that:

1. Jesus died by Roman crucifixion.
2. His disciples believed they saw Him alive.
3. The Christian movement exploded instantly based on resurrection preaching.

The question becomes:
What best explains these facts? The burden of proof is not just on the Christian but the non believer to give an alternative explanation for how the church could have grown so fast. The only way exponential growth like this usually happens is through military conquest and there was no nation or army that was Christian for the first 300 years.

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(Slide 4) 2. THE HISTORICAL JESUS & SOURCES 

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A. Reliability of the New Testament Documents

(McDowell, Strobel)

1. Manuscript Evidence

• NT has 5,800+ Greek manuscripts, with tens of thousands in other languages.
• Closest manuscript copies appear within decades, not centuries. (see session 3)

(Slide 5) 2. Archaeological Corroboration

(McDowell includes extensive archaeology)

• (Slide 6) Pontius Pilate inscription.
•  The stone is a carved limestone block (approx. 82 cm × 68 cm × 20 cm) bearing a Latin inscription that includes “PONTIUS PILATUS … PRAEFECTUS IUDAEAE”
•  It was discovered in 1961 at the theatre-steps of Caesarea Maritima, Israel, where it had been reused as part of the stairway.
•  The original stone is held by the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
• (Slide 7) Yohanan’s crucified skeletal remains (first-century execution confirmation).
•  In 1968 a tomb at Giv’at HaMivtar (north Jerusalem) yielded an ossuary inscribed “Yehohanan son of Hagqol.”
•  Inside the ossuary was a heel-bone pierced by an iron nail (with fragment of wood still attached)
•  The ossuary and the bone are displayed at the Israel Museum.
• (Slide 8) Ossuaries, synagogue remains, Nazareth village archaeology.
•  Excavations in and around modern Nazareth have uncovered first-century Jewish village remains: tombs with ossuary fragments, pottery and lamps from the Early Roman period.
•  Most notably, a courtyard house beneath the Sisters of Nazareth Convent was identified by archaeologist Ken Dark and team as likely a typical Jewish home in Nazareth in the time of Jesus.
•  These findings help confirm the existence of Nazareth as a small Jewish settlement in the early 1st century, countering earlier skeptical claims.

3. (Slide 9 ) Non-Christian Sources Mentioning Jesus

• (Slide 10) Tacitus (Annals, AD 115)
• “Christus, from whom the name [Christian] had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome.”
•  Jesus (called Christus) really existed.
•  He was executed (“the extreme penalty” = crucifixion).
•  Executed under Pontius Pilate during Tiberius’ reign.
•  His followers quickly spread throughout the empire.
• (Slide 11) Josephus (Antiquities, AD 93)
• “At this time there was Jesus, a wise man…
  He did surprising deeds and was a teacher of people who received the truth with pleasure.
  He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks.
  And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him at first did not cease.
  And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.”
• (slide 12) 2^nd Josephus quote
• Antiquities 20.9.1:
• “…he brought before them the brother of Jesus who is called the Christ, whose name was James…
•  Jesus was a real Jewish teacher.
•  Known for “surprising deeds” (miracles?).
•  Had both Jewish and Gentile followers.
•  Was crucified by Pilate.
•  His followers continued after His death.
•  Jesus had a brother named James.
•  Jesus was known as “the Christ” even to non-Christians.
•  Early Christians were a recognizable group.
• (Slide 13) Pliny the Younger (AD 111)
• “They affirmed, however, that the sum of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath…
  …I judged it necessary to find out what the truth was by torturing two female slaves who were called deaconesses. But I discovered nothing else than a depraved and excessive superstition.”

What this confirms:

• Early Christians worshiped Christ as God.
• Christian gatherings were already structured (“fixed day,” “deaconesses”).
• Rome recognized Christianity as a distinct movement.
• Pliny considered Christians numerous and widespread.

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3. THE EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION

(Slide 14) A. FACT 1 — Jesus Died by Crucifixion

Evidence:

• Roman execution expertise.
• Skeletal remains of crucified victims.
• Medical studies show asphyxiation/shock.
• Ancient sources (Tacitus, Josephus) affirm His death.

Why this matters:

• Refutes theories like “swoon” or “near death.”
• Jesus could not have survived crucifixion.

(Slide 15) B. FACT 2 — The Tomb Was Empty

Supporting points:

1. Burial by Joseph of Arimathea is historically unlikely to be invented.
2. Women were primary witnesses — culturally embarrassing, evidence of authenticity.
3. Enemies of Christianity never produced a body, though the tomb was known.
4. Early Jewish polemic: “the disciples stole the body” admits the tomb was empty.

Keller notes that if the body were still in the tomb, Christianity would never have survived in Jerusalem.

(Slide 16) C. FACT 3 — Post-Resurrection Eyewitness Testimony

(Strobel’s primary focus: eyewitness interviews through historical analysis)

List of appearances (from 1 Corinthians 15:3–8 — an early creed):

• Peter
• The Twelve
• 500 eyewitnesses
• James (skeptical brother)
• Paul (enemy of the movement)

Key Insight (Keller & McDowell):
1 Corinthians 15 creed is extremely early—within 2–5 years of the crucifixion.

(Slide 17) D. FACT 4 — Radical Transformation of the Disciples

(McDowell’s “Behavioral Evidence”; Keller on psychological plausibility)

Transformation includes:

• From fearful deserters to bold public witnesses
• Willingly suffering and dying for their claims
• Not one recanted, though recanting would have spared them severe persecution

“People may die for a lie they think is true, but not for one they know is false.” — summarized from McDowell’s argument.

(Slide 18) E. FACT 5 — Rise of the Early Church & Explosion of Christianity

(Keller: cultural, sociological leap; McDowell: theological-fulfillment argument)

Key evidence:

• Christianity began in Jerusalem, the one place it should NOT have begun if the tomb wasn’t empty.
• Explosive growth among Jews who maintained strict monotheism.
• New beliefs emerged instantly (not over generations), including:
  • Jesus is God
  • Resurrection is central
  • The first Christians worshiped Jesus on Sunday (not Sabbath)

This sudden theological leap is historically unprecedented.

F. FACT 6 — Alternative Theories Fail to Explain the Data

(All three authors critique these)

Slide 19-1. The Swoon Theory — Jesus didn’t die.

Refuted by:

• Roman expertise
• Medical evidence
• Post-mortem events (stab wound)
• Would a barely-alive Jesus spark worship?

2. Hallucination Theory

Keller: hallucinations are individual, not group.
Strobel: psychologists confirm group hallucinations cannot account for:

• 500 witnesses
• Different locations/times
• Physical interactions (touch, eating)

Slide 20 3. Stolen Body Theory

McDowell: impossible given

• Roman guard unit
• Sealed tomb
• Disciples’ fear
• No motive (would produce persecution, not power)

4. Legend Theory

Keller: legends require time, but resurrection preaching appears:

• Immediately
• In the same city
• In presence of eyewitnesses