Lecture 14: The Resurrection

Question 1

Give a response to the conspiracy/stolen body theory.

Answer 1

Neither the Jews nor Romans had a motivation for stealing the body, and the apostles had no motivation to die for a pretense. Also, it doesn’t explain how the guards were overcome.

Question 2

What undercuts Lewis’s “lord, liar, lunatic” argument?

Answer 2

Form and redaction criticism. If we can’t know what Jesus actually said, we cannot evaluate it.

Question 3

How is resurrection different from reincarnation or conditional immortality?

Answer 3

• Bodily resurrection
• Continuity of identity
• Communal in nature

Question 4

Give a response to the swoon theory.

Answer 4

The Romans were experts at crucifixion and knew when someone was dead. The gospel accounts do not speak of Jesus needing to heal from injuries and he would not have appeared as a conqueror of death.

Question 5

Give the beliefs of exclusivism.

Answer 5

Christ is the only Savior and faith in Christ is necessary for salvation.

Question 6

Give the beliefs of inclusivism.

Answer 6

Christ is the only Savior but faith in Christ is not necessary for salvation.

Question 7

Give a response to the wrong tomb theory.

Answer 7

Jesus was placed in a well-known tomb (Joseph’s) and guards were posted at the tomb. If a body could have been produced by the Jews or Romans, they would have done so.

Question 8

Give four evidential approach historical facts to defend the resurrection.

Answer 8

• Jesus died by crucifixion
• The tomb was found empty
• Testimony of women and disciple’s embarrassing response to it
• Why would apostles die for a fabrication?

Question 9

Give a response to the hallucination theory.

Answer 9

Jesus appeared multiple times to multiple people, and first century people understood the difference between a vision and hallucination.

Question 10

Give the beliefs of pluralism.

Answer 10

Christ is not the only Savior and faith in Christ is not necessary for salvation.