Was Jesus Really Raised?
What Are Other Possibilities?
The argument for Jesus’ resurrection is probably the biggest and widest debate amongst Christians and non-believers outside of debating theism itself. A man who was completely dead and rising three days later in perfect health and condition after being whipped and beaten beyond recognition is unheard of and would be no doubt a miracle. This is what makes this question so popular and a favorite amongst apologists and Christian debates. For the Christian, this is what their entire belief system is built on. If Jesus was never raised, there is no hope for salvation. However, if He was, we have every reason to believe that Jesus was indeed who He said He was. Most people and even scholars are willing to admit that Jesus did in fact exist and was sentenced to death on the cross. The debate then lies not in whether or not Jesus died on the cross but in whether or not He was raised. This is important to understand because this means that the top arguments against Christ being raised are not rooted in the crucifixion never happening, but rather must take place after Jesus has been crucified. Today, we will look at the top three arguments most commonly used to say that Jesus was never raised from the dead and see how these arguments hold up. By the end, I hope you will see like many others, that Jesus being raised isn’t just some made-up holiday story, but that this life-changing event really took place and is recorded in God’s perfect Word.
The Swoon Theory
To start, we’ll look at what people call the ‘swoon’ theory. According to Harvest.org, the swoon theory is the idea that “Jesus did not actually die, but He went into a deep coma (or “swoon”) from the severe pain and trauma of the Crucifixion. However, in the cool atmosphere of the tomb, He “revived” and was somehow able to get out of the strips of cloth wrapped tightly around His body and appear to His disciples.” Right away many of us can see massive flaws in this theory. First off, if Jesus really was beaten beyond recognition, then to believe this theory, not only do you have to acknowledge that Jesus was able to regain the strength to stand and take off the tightly wrapped cloths that covered Him, but you also have to believe that while in this state, He was able to move this massive stone that covered the tomb as well. But the theory doesn’t stop there. If we remember from Matthew 27, some guards were ordered to stand watch of the tomb to make sure no one came in or out. Furthermore, John 19:34 tells us, “34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” The reason many believe water and blood came out of Jesus’ side at His crucifixion is because He was pierced in His lungs where a water cavity and blood vessels were located. So just to reiterate, in order for the swoon theory to be accepted, you must believe that Jesus unwrapped His tight cloth covering, pushed away a giant boulder by Himself, fought off two guards, and traveled miles to meet His disciples, all while having been brutally beaten and nursing collapsed lungs. Too much? I agree.
The Wrong Tomb Theory
Another popular theory that has made its rounds would be the ‘no burial’ or ‘wrong tomb’ theory. These theories are very similar at heart by claiming that the tomb that the apostles went to was either the wrong tomb or never existed. This again poses many more questions than answers. First off, we see that this wasn’t just some random tomb, but that this burial place was owned by a specific man at a specific location. Matthew 27:57-60 tells us, “57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.” The chances of the disciples getting this location incorrect when a fellow disciple was the one who buried Him is highly unlikely. Furthermore, if it was the wrong location, all that needed to be done to prove that this had taken place was for the real tomb to be shown and for the guards to reveal the body. That’s right, all that needed to take place in order to take down one of the most popular religions in the world was to reveal that the body of Jesus was still dead. But they couldn’t.
The Stolen Body Theory
Lastly, one of the biggest if not most popular theories we have is the ‘stolen body’ theory. Harvest.org describes this theory as “Jesus’ disciples took His body in order to fulfill Jesus’ words.” This means that Jesus’ disciples took His body and claimed He was really raised to make it appear like Jesus was no longer dead when in reality He was. One of the biggest problems with this theory is how many apostles and disciples died for the belief that Christ really was raised. At some point, if these people really did steal the body of Jesus, you would think that the body would have been found by now or that at least one of the disciples would have realized the ludicrous actions that were taking place by dying for a lie. But again, none of this takes place. In fact, what’s so ironic about this being a theory that many believe, is that the Bible records where this theory all began. Matthew 28:11-15 says, “11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.” It’s complicated to believe a theory that has already been exposed thousands of years ago. But maybe that’s just me. When all is said and done, not only do I believe we have no real evidence to believe that Jesus was never really raised from the dead, but I believe that all the evidence we do have is crystal clear that He was. All that we need to disprove this story is the body of Christ that apparently was never raised from the dead because it was either hidden, located at another tomb, or never deceased in the first place. This evidence will never be revealed, however, because Jesus was in fact, raised from the dead.
Sources
[1] “Access Your Bible from Anywhere.” BibleGateway.Com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 150 Versions and 50 Languages., www.biblegateway.com/. Accessed 2023.
[2] Harvest: Greg Laurie. (2018, September 19). Countering Common Arguments against the Resurrection. Harvest. https://harvest.org/know-god-article/countering-common-arguments-against-the-resurrection/
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