Proving The Resurrection By the Minimal Facts Approach

[Jenny A]

You are limping around on your worst arguments.  Why on earth would Pilate have cared about guarding the tomb? 

Normally, he wouldn't. Because crucified people normally stay dead.

If, and it's a big if, he decided to go against all precedent and allow a decent burial would he have cared if the tomb were guarded?  And why would anyone guard it?  The Romans weren't expecting a miracle.  Or a theft.  Why would they?  Pilate was not a Jew. 

The Jews pointed out to Pilate that Jesus had promised to rise from the dead, and collectively, they recognized that word of a risen Jesus would have spread quickly creating enormous problems for both the Jews and the Romans.

If he thought there was a possibility there would be claims of resurrection, he would have left that body to rot publicly on the cross.

Look at the sequence of events in Mt 27, Jenny. Pilate had already granted permission to Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus in his family tomb BEFORE the problem of the resurrection claim was brought to Pilate's attention.

You are straying far, far, from your minimal facts. 

You claim Pilate had Jesus cruxified.  I agree, that is most likely.  But, you haven't proven anything about what anyone said to Pilate.  That's the point.  We don't know what happened and the Biblical narrative is highly unlikely and not reliable in the details.  It's unlikely Pilate would have executed anyone for blasphemy against the Jews. Sedition is probably the answer (or theft of a donkey ).  It's unlikely Pilate would have allowed anyone to bury Jesus because that's not what the Romans did with crucified bodies.  And it's unlikely if that if Pilate thought the Jews would claim he had risen that Pilate wouldn't have just had the body rehung for all to see.  When worried about the possibility of a pretender, that's the classic answer, exhibit the body.  

The thing that amazes me about your arguments over and over is your innablility to accept "we don't know and never will know" as a possible answer.  When it comes to events that happened yesterday that is often the real answer.  When it comes to events that happened 2000 years ago, it's most often the only honest answer.