Body Count

Body Count

Researcher Josh McDowell said, “After more than seven hundred hours of studying this subject and thoroughly investigating its foundation, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men, OR it is the most fantastic fact of history.”³ Right. So which is it?

Let's look at the evidence

CYNICS AND SKEPTICS

But not everyone is willing to fairly examine the evidence. Bertrand Russell admits his take on Jesus was “not concerned” with historical facts.⁴ Historian Joseph Campbell, without citing evidence, calmly told his PBS television audience that the resurrection of Jesus is not a factual event.⁵ Other scholars, such as John Dominic Crossan of the Jesus Seminar, agree with him.⁶ None of these skeptics present any evidence for their views.

To be honest, the thought that anyone could be dead for three days, and then come back to life is cause for a strong dose of skepticism. But whereas cynics are closed minded to the facts, according to Skeptic magazine, true skeptics always keep their minds open to the evidence. An editorial in the magazine states, "When we say we are 'skeptical,' we mean that we must see compelling evidence before we believe."⁷

As our cold case of Jesus' resurrection gets underway, let's put ourselves in the role of a skeptic who needs compelling evidence before we will believe such an incredible event really occurred.

SELF-PROPHECY

In advance of his death, Jesus told his disciples that he would be betrayed, arrested, and crucified and that he would come back to life three days later. That’s a strange plan! What was behind it? Jesus was no entertainer willing to perform for others on demand; instead, he promised that his death and resurrection would prove to people (if their minds and hearts were open) that he was indeed the Messiah.

Bible scholar Wilbur Smith remarked about Jesus,

When he said that He himself would rise again from the dead, the third day after He was crucified, He said something that only a fool would dare say, if He expected longer the devotion of any disciples—unless He was sure He was going to rise. No founder of any world religion known to men ever dared say a thing like that.⁸

In other words, since Jesus had clearly told his disciples that he would rise again after his death, failure to keep that promise would expose him as a fraud. So let's begin our skeptical inquiry of the resurrection with the events surrounding Jesus' death and burial.
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