The Son of God view: The historicity of the ressurection of Jesus

Question 1

Concept: Resurrection as a central Christian doctrine

Answer 1

Explanation: The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is regarded as a pivotal doctrine in Christianity, signifying his victory over death and affirming his divinity.

Question 2

Concept: Importance of the resurrection in Christian faith

Answer 2

Explanation: St. Paul emphasized the significance of the resurrection, stating that without it, faith would be meaningless. This underscores the foundational role of the resurrection in Christian theology.

Question 3

Concept: Unique aspect of Jesus’ resurrection

Answer 3

Explanation: The resurrection of Jesus is considered unique because no Old Testament prophets were resurrected, suggesting a special divine status for Jesus.

Question 4

Concept: Jesus’ view of himself as divine

Answer 4

Explanation: The belief in Jesus’ resurrection suggests that he may have viewed himself as divine, given the extraordinary nature of his resurrection.

Question 5

Concept: N.T. Wright’s defense of the resurrection

Answer 5

Explanation: N.T. Wright argues that the resurrection can be seen as a historical event, challenging traditional Jewish beliefs about the Messiah and resurrection and prompting a radical transformation in early Christian theology.

Question 6

Concept: Historical significance of the resurrection

Answer 6

Explanation: Wright posits that the bodily resurrection of Jesus led to significant theological changes within early Christianity, which cannot be explained solely by traditional Jewish thought.

Question 7

Concept: Empty tomb as evidence for the resurrection

Answer 7

Explanation: The discovery of the empty tomb, particularly by women in a patriarchal society, is cited as evidence for the resurrection, as it is unlikely that such a detail would be fabricated given societal norms.

Question 8

Concept: Post-mortem appearances of Jesus

Answer 8

Explanation: The appearances of Jesus after his death provide further support for the resurrection, suggesting that something extraordinary occurred after his crucifixion.

Question 9

Concept: Women’s role in discovering the empty tomb

Answer 9

Explanation: The fact that women were the first to discover the empty tomb adds credibility to the account, as their testimony would not have been valued in court during that time.

Question 10

Concept: N.T. Wright’s conclusion on the resurrection

Answer 10

Explanation: Wright concludes that the rise of early Christianity cannot be adequately explained without accepting the reality of Jesus’ resurrection, which left an empty tomb as evidence.

Question 11

Concept: Reimarus’ skepticism of the resurrection

Answer 11

Explanation: Reimarus proposed that the resurrection account was fabricated by early Christians, arguing that the gospel authors invented miracles and theological claims about Jesus to promote their beliefs.

Question 12

Concept: Reimarus’ historical analysis

Answer 12

Explanation: Reimarus questioned the historical reliability of the resurrection narratives, suggesting that they were written decades after Jesus’ death in a time of confusion and disquietude.

Question 13

Concept: Lack of historical evidence for the resurrection

Answer 13

Explanation: Reimarus argued that there is insufficient historical evidence to support the resurrection, contending that the accounts were products of later theological developments rather than accurate historical records.

Question 14

Concept: Theological implications of the resurrection

Answer 14

Explanation: The resurrection of Jesus carries profound theological implications, serving as the basis for Christian belief in Jesus as the divine Son of God and the hope of eternal life.

Question 15

Concept: Debate over the resurrection’s historicity

Answer 15

Explanation: The historicity of the resurrection remains a topic of debate among scholars, with some affirming its reality as a historical event and others questioning its reliability based on historical evidence.

Question 16

The hallucination hypothesis.

The hallucination hypothesis.

Answer 16

The hallucination hypothesis. Some argue that Jesus’ post-mortem appearances to the disciples could have been some kind of visionary/religious hallucination and therefore not credible as historical evidence

Question 17

Concept: N.T. Wright’s response to naturalistic explanations

Wright responds

Answer 17

Explanation: Wright argues against naturalistic explanations for the disciples’ experiences by pointing out that their understanding of Jesus’ resurrection went beyond typical Jewish beliefs about visions of the dead.

Question 18

Concept: Jewish beliefs about visions of the dead

Wright responds

Answer 18

Explanation: In ancient Judaism, visions of the dead were understood as encounters with departed souls being taken up into heaven, not as instances of resurrection to bodily life.

Question 19

Concept: Disciples’ understanding of resurrection

Wright responds

Answer 19

Explanation: The disciples’ belief in Jesus’ resurrection involved the conviction that he had been raised to bodily life, which was distinct from and not easily explainable by common Jewish notions of visions of the dead

Question 20

Concept: Unique nature of the disciples’ experience

Wright responds

Answer 20

Explanation: Wright highlights the uniqueness of the disciples’ experience, arguing that their conviction of Jesus’ resurrection could not be explained solely by naturalistic phenomena or common religious beliefs of the time.

Question 21

Concept: Theological significance of the disciples’ testimony

Wright responds

Answer 21

Explanation: The disciples’ testimony to Jesus’ resurrection carries theological significance, as it forms the basis for Christian belief in the reality of Jesus’ victory over death and the hope of eternal life.

Question 22

Concept: Keith Parsons’ critique of the resurrection argument

Keith Parsons

Answer 22

Explanation: Parsons challenges the argument that the radical transformation of Jewish theology necessitates an actual historical resurrection, suggesting instead that Jesus’ heretical teachings could have led to innovative theological developments among his followers.

Question 23

Concept: Jesus’ heretical teachings

Keith Parsons

Answer 23

Explanation: Parsons highlights instances in the gospels where Jesus’ teachings were considered blasphemous or contrary to traditional Jewish beliefs, such as his claims to forgive sins and reinterpretation of Sabbath laws.

Question 24

Concept: Natural explanation for theological changes

Keith Parsons

Answer 24

Explanation: Parsons proposes that the disciples’ theological developments may have arisen naturally from Jesus’ unconventional teachings, without the need for supernatural intervention.

Question 25

Concept: Difficulty in determining criteria

Keith Parsons

Answer 25

Explanation: Parsons raises the challenge of establishing criteria for determining when a theological change is too significant to have originated from human agency, suggesting that this is a complex and subjective issue.

Question 26

Concept: Role of Jesus’ teachings in theological evolution

Keith Parsons

Answer 26

Explanation: Parsons suggests that Jesus’ teachings played a significant role in shaping the theological evolution of his followers, potentially accounting for the radical changes in Jewish theology without invoking supernatural explanations.