The Resurrection Part II

Review from Part I Believer, Non-Believer, Skeptic Focus on the Resurrection, not side issues. Why? – Great Commission, Centrality of Faith, Historical Test of Truth, Leads into other Proofs, Personal Edification What makes data reliable – Car accident example - Multiple Sources, Enemy Attestation, Embarrassing Admissions, Eyewitnesses, Early Testimony. Minimum Facts Approach (4+1)-Jesus died by crucifixion, Disciples believed he rose and appeared to them, Saul, James, Empty Tomb.

Jesus Died by Crucifixion (Minimal Fact 1) Did Crucifixion even exist? Crucifixion as a punishment is well attested: Reserved for slaves, soldiers, lower class, violent rebels and traitors. Josephus attests that in AD 70 Jews were crucified by the multitude Cicero – “The most horrendous torture.” “the very word `cross' should be far removed not only from the person of a Roman citizen but from his thoughts, his eyes and his ears.” Tacitus – The extreme penalty.

Jesus Died by Crucifixion (Minimal Fact 1) The Cast: Titus Flavius Josephus (37 - c.100) He was a Jew who originally fought against the Romans. He later completely defected to Rome and gained full Roman citizenship in 70 AD under the Emperor Vespasian. He was a Jewish historian of the first century with a specialty in the first Jewish Roman War. Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC assassinated) Roman Citizen, Consul to the Roman Republic, Philosopher, Lawyer, Orator, and Poet "the influence of Cicero upon the history of European literature and ideas greatly exceeds that of any other prose writer in any language" Publius Cornelius Tacitus (56 AD [Gaul] – 117 AD [Roman Empire]) A Roman senator, and historian. He examines the reigns of Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, et. al. up to 70 AD (the first Jewish War)

Jesus Died by Crucifixion (Minimal Fact 1) Was Jesus Crucified? It is recorded in all four Gospels. Josephus - "When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing amongst us, had condemned him to be crucified....“ Tacitus – “Nero fastened the guilt [of the burning of Rome] and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.”

Jesus Died by Crucifixion (Minimal Fact 1) Was Jesus Crucified? Lucian of Samosata - "The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day- the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account.“ Mara Bar-Serapion - "Or [what advantage came to] the Jews by the murder of their Wise King, seeing that from that very time their kingdom was driven away from them?“ Jewish Talmud – “…on the eve of the Passover, Yeshu was hanged.”

Jesus Died by Crucifixion (Minimal Fact 1) The Cast 2: Lucian of Samosata (125 AD – 180 AD) Greek Satirist 70 Surviving Works Mara bar-Serapion Assyrian Stoic Philosopher from Samosata, Syria Probably a Pagan Known for a letter that he wrote to his son.

Can We Use the Bible? Yes – but we must approach it as any other book in antiquity If we eliminated every book that had bias or discrepancies, we would know next to nothing about history. Tacitus is a good example of that.

What’s Next? Jesus Disciples believed that he rose and appeared to them.