(March 31, 2016 at 9:11 pm)Aractus Wrote: Like I said, he says he was raised. And actually, as I pointed out above, that's just a creed he's recited. The fact is he doesn't say he was resurrected, and returned to earth in bodily form to go about meeting people. Yes they believed he was raised - it didn't require any immediate evidence. In fact, what probably happened after Jesus died and was placed in Joseph's tomb is that Joseph of Arimathea handed the body over to Jesus's parents and they reburied it in a grave and some years later put it in their ossuary. Not only is this a logical explanation, but it's the most likely explanation as well since Joseph's tomb was clearly a temporary measure.
"Returned to earth"? Jesus' body did not leave the tomb from Friday until Sunday morning.
"It didn't require any immediate evidence"??? Oh, really?
One account says that the disciples thought they saw a ghost:
Quote:Luke 24
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
Yeah, it looks like they required some evidence there. And what have you forgotten about Thomas?
Quote:John 21
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Yep, Thomas required evidence, too.
(March 31, 2016 at 9:11 pm)Aractus Wrote: Meanwhile they don't tell the disciples because they don't want anything to do with them, and the disciples go and find an empty tomb up to 12 hours or so after the body was moved and then conclude that Jesus was risen.
Moved? By whom? And what is your proof of this? Is that the story that was circulating among the Jews for the next two centuries...that unknown person(s) had moved the body? No, the Jews taught that the DISCIPLES had stolen the body.
(March 31, 2016 at 9:11 pm)Aractus Wrote: That's fine. But they didn't have any concept of the resurrection until much much later. The earliest possible date for Matthew/Luke is 60AD - that's 30 years since he died. Until then there's no evidence they had a concept of resurrection. And most scholars think that Matthew & Luke were written around 75AD, which is more like 45 years after he died. In either case there's plenty of time for the mythology surrounding his death to expand, and the belief that he was risen to the celestial realm grows into the belief that he was "resurrected" and returned to earth to appear to his disciples before being risen to the celestial realm.
None of the gospels or the Book of Acts mention the destruction of the Temple, or the deaths of Peter and Paul. Yet, the martydoms of James and Stephen are mentioned...and they were lesser players. The conclusion that one might easily draw from this is that these books were written BEFORE AD 64...possibly as early as the mid-50's for the gospel of Mark.