The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Part Deux)

[YahwehIsTheWay]

Argument #9: The Bible Tells Me So
Don't I just feel silly that this wasn't the #1 argument on my list for why we can believe the story of the resurrection of Jesus. We know the story is true because...

*drum roll*

...the story says it's true.



Why didn't I think of this argument when I started this thread? It's all just so simple.

After all, we have four bone fide witnesses to the events, more or less. We have Mark who was a companion of Paul who saw Jesus in a vision but hey, Mark did hear it from Peter, so that's kind of a witness. Then we have Matthew who was an eye-witness, however much he may had stretched the truth here and there a bit. Some have said the whole "slaughter of the innocents" by Herod the Great sounds a bit like it was lifted from the story of Moses' birth from Exodus (which seems only fair since that was in turn lifted from the story of Sargon so it's not like Moses had a copyright on surviving a tyrant's infanticideal rampage). And then there's the bit about the "Attack of the Zombie Saints" at the end.





A bit of artistic license on Matthew's part. Anyway, we also have Luke who was a companion of Paul, who tells us he's put together all the accounts he's heard of (Luke 1:1-4). And then we have John, who's story only bears no similarity whatsoever to the other three accounts, so much so that the other three are called "The Synoptic Gospels" or (similar Gospels). Nitpicky atheists will doubtless raise objections but really, the details aren't important.

What's really important here is how they reported on the big picture issue, the resurrection of Jesus. Mark at first reports no sighting of the resurrected Jesus until after his Gospel was altered to create a better ending (originally, it ended at 16:8). The tale got better with the telling. Luke reports that Jesus rose up into the sky that day of his resurrection. Matthew has the disciples meeting with the resurrected Jesus but some of them had their doubts. John says Jesus returned to confront the doubting Thomas a week later and Acts says Jesus went about preaching for 40 days.

OK, the details seem a little sketchy here but maybe Jesus had a lot of back and forth trips to his new home in the clouds. You know how it is when you move away, there are still some things you left behind. Sometimes the move takes several trips and all that. Or perhaps it was part of the gig:

"Back by popular demand: the resurrected Jesus"





It must have been a crowd pleaser. There were 500 witnesses to the resurrected Jesus, after all (Paul, 1 Cor 15:6). Or was that 120 (Acts 1:15)? I forget. Apparently, the authors did too. Details, details.

And then we have Paul who also received a full briefing on the resurrection of Jesus. His "creed", found in 1 Cor chapter 15 is often touted by Christian apologists as hard evidence for the resurrection.

1Cor 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

And there you have it. The Bible not only tells us so but it, or what they had at that time, told him as well.

Case closed.

Game, set, and match, atheists.

But I'm sure there are other arguments in my apologetics pantry...