The Problem
The resurrection accounts in the New Testament contain irreconcilable contradictions and show clear signs of legendary development. No contemporary non-Christian sources mention it.
The Earliest Account
Paul's Account
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me."
What Paul Doesn't Mention:
- The empty tomb
- Women discovering the tomb
- Surrounding details of the appearance
The 500 Witnesses
"After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep."
Problems:
- Paul wasn't there. This is secondhand testimony from someone else.
- No location. Where did this supposedly happen?
- No details. What did they see? What did Jesus say or do?
- No testimonies. Not one of the 500 is named or quoted.
- Never mentioned again. No Gospel includes this massive event.
- No corroboration. No other early Christian writer mentions it.
What Really Happened?
The simplest explanation: Paul heard a story about a large group of believers having a shared meeting or experience, and he interpreted or reported it as a resurrection appearance.
Contradictions
What is a contradiction?
- A combination of statements, ideas, or features of a situation that are opposed to one another.
- A person, thing, or situation in which inconsistent elements are present.
- The statement of a position opposite to one already made.
Who visited the tomb?
| Gospel | Visitors | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mark | Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, Salome | Mark 16:1 |
| Matthew | Mary Magdalene, "the other Mary" | Matthew 28:1 |
| Luke | Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary mother of James, "other women" | Luke 24:10 |
| John | Mary Magdalene | John 20:1 |
When was the stone moved?
| Gospel | Stone Movement | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mark | Already moved when they arrived | Mark 16:4 |
| Matthew | Angel moved it while women watched | Matthew 28:2 |
| Luke | Already moved when they arrived | Luke 24:2 |
| John | Already moved when she arrived | John 20:1 |
Who was at the tomb?
| Gospel | Being(s) | Location | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark | Young man in white | Inside tomb, sitting | Mark 16:5 |
| Matthew | Angel | Outside, sitting on stone | Matthew 28:2 |
| Luke | Two men in dazzling clothes | Inside tomb, standing | Luke 24:4 |
| John | Two angels in white | Inside tomb, sitting | John 20:12 |
What did the women do?
| Gospel | Response | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mark | Fled in terror, told no one | Mark 16:8 |
| Matthew | Ran with fear and joy to tell disciples | Matthew 28:8 |
| Luke | Returned and told disciples | Luke 24:9 |
| John | Ran to tell Peter and John | John 20:2 |
Who was the first to see Jesus?
| Source | First Appearance | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew | The women | Matthew 28:9 |
| Luke | Cleopas and companion | Luke 24:13 |
| John | Mary Magdalene | John 20:14 |
| Paul | Peter | 1 Corinthians 15:5 |
When did Jesus ascend?
| Source | When | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Luke | Same day as resurrection | Luke 24:51 |
| Acts | 40 days later | Acts 1:3 |
Legendary Development
Mark (70 CE)
"And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid."
- Original ending: No resurrection appearances.
- Later addition: The longer ending (16:9-20) is not in earliest manuscripts.
Matthew (80-90 CE)
"And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow."
- Adds drama: Earthquake, angel rolling stone, guards.
- Contradicts Mark: Women now tell disciples with joy.
Luke (80-90 CE)
"See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
- Adds physicality: Jesus eats fish, invites touch.
- Ascension same day: Conflicts with Acts.
John (90-100 CE)
"Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.'"
- Most physical: Emphasizes touching wounds (Doubting Thomas).
- Responses Docetism: Likely combats beliefs that Jesus was only spiritual.
- The resurrection accounts show clear signs of legendary development and contain irreconcilable contradictions.
- From a historical perspective, the evidence points to evolving oral traditions, not eyewitness testimony of a literal event. The resurrection remains a matter of faith, not historical fact.
The Testimonium Flavianum
The most significant, and controversial, piece of non-biblical evidence for Jesus is a short passage from the first-century historian Flavius Josephus. It is now widely believed by scholars to be, at least in part, a later Christian interpolation.
"Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct to this day."
The Case Against Authenticity
- Unlikely Language: The passage contains overtly Christian statements ("He was the Christ," "he appeared to them alive again the third day") that Josephus, a non-Christian Jew, would not have written.
- Breaks the Narrative: The paragraph interrupts the flow of Josephus's surrounding text, which details a series of riots and calamities. The laudatory passage about Jesus is out of place.
- No Early Citations: No Christian apologist before the 4th-century historian Eusebius ever quotes this passage, despite its obvious value in defending Christianity. This silence is highly suspicious.
- Stylistic Mismatches: The passage contains words and phrasing that are not characteristic of Josephus's style in the rest of his extensive writings.
For these reasons, it is reasonable to conclude that the passage was either forged or significantly altered by a later Christian scribe.
The Minimal Facts Argument
A common approach in modern scholarship, advanced by historians like Gary Habermas, is to use only a core set of historical facts that are accepted by a wide consensus of scholars, including skeptics, to evaluate the resurrection claim. This method avoids debates about biblical inerrancy and focuses on data that has strong historical support.
The Core Minimal Facts
- Jesus died by crucifixion.
- The disciples believed they saw the risen Jesus.
- Paul (Saul of Tarsus), a persecutor of the early Christians, converted to Christianity after an experience he believed was an appearance of the risen Jesus.
- James converted after believing he saw the risen Jesus.
The Minimal Witnesses Hypothesis
- Jesus was crucified and buried; his burial place soon became unknown.
- Most followers vanished after his death, except Peter, James (his brother), and possibly John.
- Peter, grieving, sincerely believed he saw the risen Jesus.
- James and maybe John were convinced by Peter or had similar experiences.
- This small group began sharing their stories, forming the core of the movement.
- Oral tradition and retelling expanded these claims into the later Gospel accounts.
- Christianity likely began with just two or three firsthand claims, not mass eyewitness testimony.