Proving The Resurrection By the Minimal Facts Approach

[Randy Carson]

Did I make this up?

"Sooner let the words of the Law be burn than delivered to women." (Talmud, Sotah 19a)

"The world cannot exist without males and without females--happy is he whose children are males, and woe to him whose children are females." (Talmud, Kiddushin 82b)

"Any evidence which a woman [gives] is not valid (to offer), also they are not valid to offer. This is equivalent to saying that one who Rabbinically accounted a robber is qualified to give the same evidence a a woman." (Talmud, Rosh Hashannah 1.8)

Touche, sir!
But the law need not correspond to common practice.

Thank you. It's nice to get some recognition from the Other Side once in awhile when it is due.

"But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense." (Luke 24:11)

Is that it?
Luke, the companion of Paul? Kind of a late testimonial attribution.... why do we keep coming to this?!

I just threw that in as a bonus. It does show that not even the disciples themselves were quick to believe the women, though.

"Whereas men and women had hitherto always sat together, Augustus confined women to the back rows even at gladitorial shows: the only ones exempt from this were the Vestal Virgins, for whom separate accommodation was provided, facing the praetor's tribunal. No women at all were allowed to witness the athletic contests; indeed, when the audience clamored at the Games for a special boxing match to celebrate his appointment as Chief Priest, Augustus postponed this until early the next morning and issued a proclamation to the effect that it was the Chief Priest's desire that women should not attend the theatre before ten o'clock." (Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Augustus 44).


Given the low view of women shared by many first-century Jews and Gentiles, it seems unlikely that the gospel authors would put the crucial testimony about the resurrection of Jesus into the mouths of women who simply would not be believed by many who heard of these reports.

Segregation in Rome is not the same as the mistrust found in Israel.

So... if the testimony came from women... why trust it? The obvious conclusion is: There is no reliable testimony of an empty tomb.

He's on the edge...closer...he's wavering...closer...will he fall....look into my eyes, poca...you're getting sleepy...