Resurrection: Can the Bible be Trusted? | Dr. James Tour

our speaker this evening is a person whose life has been deeply impacted and transformed by the resurrection of Jesus many of you know him perhaps he's one of for some of you he's your professor even now dr. James tour is the tt & WF cha professor of chemistry he is also professor of computer science and professor of material science and nano engineering here at Rice dr. turocy synthetic organic chemist authoring over six hundred and fourteen research publications has been awarded over 120 patents he was inducted into the National Academy of inventors in 2015 and was named among the 50 most influential scientists in the world today by the best schools Oregon 2014 that same year dr. tor was also listed in the world's most influential scientific minds by Thomson Reuters science watch com the same organization that ranked him as one of the top 10 chemists in the world over the past decade in 2013 Rd magazine named dr. tor scientist of the year I've already mentioned all the accolades and accomplishments of dr. tor that we used up the remainder of our time so instead and there's a given a warm welcome [Applause] thank you well today I'm going to take you through this this demonstration through the scriptures and for those of you that read the scriptures many of these verses will will ring-ring to you is something that you've read many times and then for others of you that have not read the Bible so often you begin to be able to see the structure of the scriptures concerning the resurrection let me just tell you a little bit about me I am NOT a theologian sometimes that bothers my colleagues in the religion department they've told me so they're concerned that sometimes young people in fact often young people come to me for religious counseling and they can't understand why because I'm not a theologian I'm not a philosopher and so I I can't answer all sorts of deep questions about philosophy that you might have I'm just a common man I'm a scientist but are the Scriptures accessible to me are they accessible to the common person do you have to be a theologian do you have to be a philosopher in order to to garner understanding from the scriptures well let's look at the scriptures tonight last year we had at this same time last year we had dr. Nabeel Qureshi spoke here and that that his his demonstration is his talk is is on YouTube and what he said is something that I just want to reflect on for a moment I'm not going to reiterate all the proofs that he had for this but he said what do all religious scholars from all religious backgrounds agree upon is there something that religious scholars from whatever religious background is there something that they agree upon it turns out there's three things that they agree upon one is that Jesus died by crucifixion not that people thought that he died but the evidence was there that Jesus died the evidence is present that Jesus died you look at the historical proofs Jesus died by crucifixion some even suggest that is the most solid fact of ancient history so this is what he covered and this is all on YouTube from last year and the second thing is the disciples of Jesus believed that Jesus rose from the dead and that he had appeared to them that's what they believed and so this is what across faiths whether they're Muslim or whether they're Buddhists if they are scholars academic scholars they they they all agree that that the the historical evidence is there and the third thing is that certain unbelievers and even enemies of Jesus believed that Jesus rose that should be from the dead and appeared to them for example Paul and James James James Jesus's brother was an unbeliever dear in Jesus this lifetime it wasn't until after Jesus rose from the dead that James his own brother believed on him and Paul of course was was a vehement enemy of Jesus and and then Jesus appeared to him so these three pieces of evidence or something that all scholars agree upon okay so introduction to the resurrection in Romans 10:9 it says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved now think about this for a moment this is a high barrier this is a high barrier says that we have to confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead to be saved so being born into a home that is a Christian home doesn't really mean that we are saved says salvation is based on this it's very specific we have to confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that he's been raised from the dead that's not my requirement that's the Scriptures own requirement a belief that he's risen from the dead is part of what is needed for salvation and the other is the confession that he's learned that's what the scripture said it also says in 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses 1 through 4 now I make known you brethren the gospel which I preached to you which also you received in which also you stand by which also you are saved if you hold fast the word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain if anything is underlined here I did it all right the Greek isn't underlined they have other ways of stressing things unless you believed in vain so in other words there is a way to believe in vain for I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures so he says for I received to you as a first importance of right delivered to you as the first importance what I also received this is the most important thing Paul is saying this is the most important thing what's the most important thing according to the Scriptures themselves Paul says it's this that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures remember what we read in in just the last verse it says that we have to be able to confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that he's risen from the dead it doesn't say that we have to believe in a man named Adam and a woman named Eve doesn't even say that we need to believe in the virgin birth you may want to believe in those you may not but that's not what it requires for salvation one of the requirements for salvation is believing that he's risen from the dead and here he says if we don't we can be believing in vain it's quite specific and quite clear and he says it's the most important thing this is the most important thing and he continues in 1st Corinthians 15 5 through 8 and that he appeared to Cephas and then to the 12 and after that he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time most of whom remain until now but some have fallen asleep then he appeared to James and then to all the Apostles and last of all as to one untimely born he appeared to me also so what he's doing is he's listing people's specific names and we'll look more at this he says he appeared to cephas so Cephas is the same as Peter one of those names is in Greek and the other is in Aramaic it's the same name and then he appeared to the 12 the 12 apostles Judas has already killed himself but they had already at this by this time chosen Matthias and after that he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time 500 people saw him at one time most of whom remain until now so Paul is saying so this was written about 15 or 20 years after the resurrection and he says some of those have gone on some of those have fallen asleep fallen asleep is is the New Testament way of saying the person has died but they knew the Lord Jesus spoke of the little girl he says she is not dead she is asleep he spoke of Lazarus he said he's asleep those who died knowing the Lord those who died in faith it says Jesus just called them asleep here Paul is using the same terminology then he appeared to James that's his brother then to the all the apostles and last of all to one untimely born he appeared to me also that's Paul so this is what he says the most important thing and it's critical for salvation so what we're talking about is the critical point for salvation the resurrection from the dead first Corinthians 15 verses 12 through 17 says now if Christ is preached that he's been raised from the dead how does some among you say there is no resurrection of the Dead but if there is no resurrection of the Dead not even Christ has been raised and if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain your faith also is in vain moreover we are found to be false witnesses of God because we testified against God that he raised Christ whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised for if the dead are not raised not even Christ has been raised and if Christ has not been raised your faith is worthless you are still in your sins think about that how critical this point is he says if we do not take hold of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our faith is not only in vain it's worthless it's worthless so the pattern in Scripture is clear we can't merely say hey I'm a Christian I'm okay the Scriptures clearly tell us that our faith is worthless and we're still in our sins if Jesus Christ has not risen from the dead that's how critical this point is according to the scriptures what I want to get at here is a physical resurrection did Jesus really die and rise physically was he raised physically from the dead or was this merely a spiritual resurrection so let's look at this point one day I had lunch with one of my colleagues from the from the religion department and I asked him whether he believed in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ which is a common question that I asked faculty when I have lunch with them and he he asked me he said physical resurrection oh of course not it was a spiritual resurrection let's see what the scriptures say whether this was a physical resurrection in John chapter 20 verses 24 and 25 it says but Thomas one of the twelve called didymus was not with them when Jesus came so the other disciples were saying to him we have seen the Lord but he said to them unless I see in his hands the imprint of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe okay so one of the disciples names was Thomas he Jesus had appeared to the other disciples and went all at one time but Thomas happened not to be there Jesus had instructed multiple times for his disciples to go to Galilee he told them that before he died he had the angels deliver them that message after he died they didn't go to Galilee after multiple times being told to go to Galilee and one of the reasons was because Thomas wasn't on board with them he was quite an influence in hola apostle he says look I'm not gonna believe this he says unless I see in his hands the imprint of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe now does that sound to you like a man who's trying to believe oh I just have to believe that Jesus rose from the dead just have to look I don't believe it look if you guys want to try to convince me he's got to appear to me and I need to stick my finger into the hole in his hand where the nails were and I need to put my hand into his side because Jesus was pierced in his side on the cross he says I need to put my hand into his side it's a pretty big requirement I mean this is asking a lot so Thomas was not wanting to believe it wasn't like he psyched himself into this John 20 verses 26 through 29 after eight days his disciples were again inside and Thomas went with them Jesus came The Doors having been shut he stood in their midst and he said peace be to you Shalom Aleichem then he said to Thomas reach here your finger and see my hands and reach here your hand and put it into my side and do not be unbelieving but believing and Thomas answered and said to him my Lord and my god and jesus said to him because you have seen me you have believed blessed are those who did not see and yet believed Thomas is with them Jesus it says the doors were shut and he just came walking into their midst he said peace be to you he says Thomas come here reach out your hand and stick it into the in we stick your finger into the hole in my hand Thomas me calling them forward Thomas is probably it's okay no problem wait a minute I want you to take your hand and stick it right into the hole in my side put it in there deeper feel around and then feel that heart beating in there this is what he does with him this is a physical resurrection yes Jesus can walk through doors but he's physical and we think it must have been so good to have seen Jesus so that we could believe in him jesus said blessed are they who do not see and yet believed we are more blessed in that we do not see and yet believe than those who have seen and believe I'm blessing this greater jesus said that Luke 24 verses 36 to 38 it says while they were telling these things he himself stood in their midst and said to them peace be to you but they were startled and frightened and they thought they were seeing a spirit and he said to them why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your hearts he's calling them out on their doubts what's their doubt they think that they are seeing a spirit and he calls them out on this he's wired why are doubts arising in your heart why is this happening they thought they were seeing a spirit and so he wanted to put to rest this whole idea of a spiritual resurrection see my hands and my feet that is his eye touch me and see for spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have and when he said this he showed them his hands and his feet he said look at this he showed it to them and they're touching you this is the demonstration of the Lord how much more explicit can the man be while they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement after all that touching him they still couldn't believe it they still couldn't believe it he says I got to deal with problem he said so he said then have you got something here to eat he asks them for something to eat and they gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and he ate it before them now why would they give him fish because Jesus loved fish he was always multiplying fish this is what he did so they're thinking give him some fish if it's Jesus he'll love it Jesus loves fish so they gave him a piece of fish and he took it and he ate it it's a good thing he's good guys he's showing them this is a physical resurrection now I ask you have you ever seen a spirit eat has anyone here ever seen a spirit eat no spirits don't eat they don't eat he showed them that he's physical this is a physical resurrection the resurrection of Jesus Christ is physical that's the testimony of Scripture now I'm going to give you a little bit of background on my family so this is this is me Jim my wife is Cherie and I have a daughter and brain Sabrina Josiah and Ben so I've got these four kids now what I'm going to teach you to do is to learn to think logically when you read because this is what happens we we solve some some nonlinear differential equation and we're just using all this brain power to solve this thing then what we do is we take out our brain and we put it here we go to read the Bible this is what people do they remove their brain when they go to read the Bible and they say this book makes no sense so first of all we're going to try to understand what statements are and what they're not okay so this is just fictitious dream Jim and the children left a campsite and hiked up a mountain alright it's just a statement upon reaching the mountaintop Jim saw dragging in a lake it's just a statement when the tourists came back to Houston from the campsite they told others about the dragon they had seen on the mountaintop did Ambreen hike up the mountain we don't know g-man Shareen Jim and their children it could have been just Shireen Jim Sabrina and Josiah hiked up the mountain we have no idea whether Ambreen went up the mountain or not from that statement am i right we don't know from the statements that are there whether she went up the mountain or not did the tours go together up the mountain we have no idea people don't necessarily go together the example in my home is that is that when we would go as a family to the airport we would get to security together and I would get to the gate before anybody else the kids would go one way my wife would go she had to buy coffee and buy something else and later on they get there so just because you leave at the same time doesn't mean you get there at the same time when we got more than one car in my family we were really blessed because we used to go to church together as a family everybody had to go in the same car and and sometimes I'd be in the driveway just honking the horn and I don't know why my wife would just come out so upset all the time when we got two cars ever since we got two cars we've been driving separately to church and everybody's happy just fine we'd sit right next to each other in the same pew but we did not leave at the same time so just because you go someplace doesn't mean you leave at the same time right did you read ever see the dragon you don't know we know the genocide dragon we know that the tourists came back and told others about the dragon they had seen maybe just Jim and Ben saw our dragon we don't know from that statement did Shireen ever tell others about the dragon we have no idea how many dragons did it Jim see while on the mountaintop we have no idea I saw one in a lake maybe I saw 17 in a tree no really this is this is just looking at the text we're looking at the text so that's the backdrop now we understand the things that we can claim they're the things that we can't claim by reading a passage right okay now we've got our brains put back in let's look at the scriptures some records of the resurrection that raise questions Matthew 28:1 says now after the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave so two women are mentioned Mary Magdalene and the other Mary there are several Mary's mentioned in the Gospels Mary Magdalene the one from whom seven demons had been cast out and another Mary we're not told which one other than her and one of the other Mary's and that's it two women are mentioned so Matthew 28 verse 10 says now that we're Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and also other women with them we're telling these things to the apostles so mentioned by name are married Joanna and Mary the mother of James three women plus others many others we have no idea is there is there some conflict between these two statements not at all this statement mentioned two of the women this statement mentioned three of the women and said there were others as well there's no conflict between these because this first statement 28:1 didn't exclude the possibility of others this is normal looking normally just looking at a text and understanding what it says when you tell a story say you're telling a story of something that happened in the college over lunch do you name everybody who was at that table when you're telling the story to somebody or you do you just mention the key people of interest to the story mark 16:1 says when the Sabbath was over Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome he brought spices so that they might come and anoint they so that they might come and anoint him so that's in mark 16:1 three women are mentioned by name it doesn't exclude the possibility that there's other women Luke 24:10 now there there were Mary Magdalene Joanna and Mary the mother of James and also other women with them were telling these things to the apostles three women and others but salomi is not mentioned by name none of these statements conflict with one another you see what I mean people read these accounts that they say they say oh the Bible just doesn't make sense it conflicts with itself it does not it does not take the brain put back in and you just read it and it makes sense John 20 verse 1 now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb while it was still dark and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb is that any problem with with Matthew 28 verse 1 no because it never says whether they left together it was just recording that these two women happen to have gone to the grave no problem with this you just because you you they may have even started at the same time together but walked at different paces I mean this is story of my life and my marriage we walked at different paces right just got back in the airport last night I yes because she's wearing the high heels that's right and and and I walked for a little while I stopped I wait catches up walk and then I she's gone I stopped I'm waiting so people walk at different paces this is normal there's no problem with this there's no controversy here further questions Matthew 28 verse 5 and 6 says the angel said to the women do not be afraid for I know that you are looking for Jesus who's been crucified he's not here he's risen mark 16 5 and 6 says entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting at the right wearing a white robe and they were amazed and he said to them do not be amazed you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene who's been crucified he is he has risen he is not here behold here is the place where they laid him so here it says the angel it never says there weren't there may have been seven other angels but he's just mentioning the angel that said to her do not be afraid here it says there was a young man sitting at the right so it describes a little bit more about an angel wearing a white robe and he said some other things was it the same as this angel maybe maybe not we don't know maybe there were one angel said one thing and another angel said another we don't know but these there's no conflict between these two Luke 24 verse 4 and 6 and while they were perplexed about this behold two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground the men said to them why do you seek the living one among the dead he is not here but he is risen so here it says two men here it says a young man here it says the angel but it didn't exclude the possibility of other angels not at all there's no problem this is just different people writing about the same account that occurred again further ones Matthew 28 verse 7 and 8 go quickly tell his disciples that he's risen from the dead and behold he's going ahead of you to Galilee remember I told you that angels told him go ahead there you will see him hold I have told you and they the women left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report to all the disciples here it says the women and they meaning that the women that has con left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report this to the disciples mark sixteen for seven and eight but go tell his disciples and Peter he's going ahead of you to Galilee there you will see him just as he told you they went out and fled from the tomb for trembling and astonishment had gripped them and they again meaning the women said nothing to anyone for they were afraid look at that here it says they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid and here they ran to report to the disciples which women are they talking about there are some women that said nothing to anyone these particular women there are other women that ran and reported things to the disciples this happens here's the way you can corroborate all four Gospel accounts there are many ways to corroborate it this is just one way women set out for the grave to anoint Jesus's body with spices there are several women including Mary Magdalene salomi Joanna Mary the mother of James and one or more so there's greater than or equal to five women Mary proceeds faster than the others and arrives at the grave before the others she sees the stone rolled away Jesus's body missing she sees no angels no Jesus she immediately turns and runs to report this to Peter and John while Mary is away getting Peter and John the other women arrive at the tomb the other women arriving now at the tomb see the stone rolled away and the angels telling them that Jesus is risen from the dead terrified they flee and they become scattered as they run it makes sense I mean if you see angels and you are terrified in you're a group of women are you going to hold hands and just skip back down into town well everybody's running it's hazy out it says that it was just beginning to dawn there's trees in the way you've gotta get hold hands you're all running scattering in different directions sometime during the woman's not including Mary's flight they become divided and Jesus appears to more than one of them but not all of them he comforts those to whom he appears and he tells them to tell the Brethren which they do the other women who were fleeing and not present disappearing of Jesus continue to run away and out of fear tell no one about their sighting ie the move stone and the angels at the tomb while the other women are in flight from the tomb John and Peter arrive with Mary likely running near them probably behind John and Peter the scriptures say that that they ran to the tomb Peter got there first and then it says and he was looking I'm sorry John got there first he was looking in Peter came up behind him and just went into the tomb first I'm assuming that Mary was running behind them but I understand in in in this day and age to assume that a woman doesn't run as fast as a man is not right I mean there's I mean their track folks in here that and women that'll run any man into a ground and then into the ground who's not on track themselves so I understand that but back then you know women have big skirts or something it slowed them down Peter and John see the grave clothes but see no angels and no Jesus John leaves for home believing while Peter leaves for home in amazement Mary is left standing at the tomb without John and Peter Mary sees and hears angels and then she sees Jesus first thinking him to be the gardener until he calls her name after seeing and hearing and clinging to Jesus she runs to tell the disciples that she's seen him Mary's seeing of Jesus occurred moments before the his appearance in number six to the other women that is one of many ways that you can take all of these passages and put it together say this is too convoluted it is not my pastor and I this was 25 years ago where we saw a man confessed to a crime the man then recounted his confession and the case went to court and I heard my pastor testify of what this man said in his confession and when I heard my pastor testify I was thinking you old man gotten that's not exactly what he said I remembered it quite differently in essence it was the same but it was not exactly the same if the resurrection account had been fabricated there would never have been an account over four Gospels like this such an account argues against its fabrication and we'll see in detail why they would have waited first of all they would have waited a prudent amount of time like a hundred plus years before publishing the account such as the form of legends to ensure that all witnesses have died whenever you have a legend they wait for everybody who could have been a witness and they wait for them to die it's generally more than a hundred years after something happens that legends occur the early origin of the resurrection argues against its fabrication this is on that Sunday on the day of resurrection they started to propagate this story this is not the story of legends this is not how it's done if the resurrection had been fabricated they would have published the account far from the venue of its occurrence they would have published the account in Rome they would have published it in Syria at least up in the Galilee not in Jerusalem you don't publish a legend in the place where it actually occurred the resurrection account being in Jerusalem argues against its fabrication if the resurrection account had been fabricated they would have been more selective with the choice of witnesses more selective first corinthians 15:8 it says he appeared to Cephas then to the twelve and after that he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time most of whom remain until now but some have fallen asleep and then he appeared to James and to all the Apostles and last of all as to one untimely born he appeared to me also he lists names if this had been fabricated you don't list names she said you appeared to a bunch of people don't don't worry about it bunch of people no he lists the names if this has been fabricated you don't list names you don't give that type of evidence hallucinations are not shared there are 500 people saw Jesus at one time hallucinations are not shared yes a person can have a loose nation but not 500 at one time because hallucinations are not shared they would have been more selective with the choice of witnesses in John 19 verse 38 and 39 it says after these things Joseph of Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus but a secret one for fear of the Jews asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus and Pilate granted permission so he came and took away his body Nicodemus who had first come to him by night also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred pounds weight if you want evidence if you want evidence you don't say ask Chief Justice Roberts I mean these are specific names of specific people and extra-biblical sources tell us what happened to these two men both of them underwent great persecution and lost their entire fortunes both of them were on the Sanhedrin the Sanhedrin had 70 men that were one-third Pharisee 2/3 Sadducees plus the high priest both of these men were on the Sanhedrin both of them were evidence to these things and they lost everything because of their ultimate testimony he wouldn't have named them they wouldn't have named them specifically if they were making this up both were on the Sanhedrin the account listing the names of the witnesses argues against his fabrication if the resurrection account had been fabricated Mary never would have been identified as the first to see Jesus it never would have said Mary was the first to see Jesus it clearly says in John chapter 20 verse 18 Mary Magdalene came an ounce into the disciples I have seen the Lord and that she said these and and that he had said these things to her now after he had risen early on the first day of the week he appeared first to me Magdalene from whom he had cast out seven demons but if you look in first Corinthians 15 verse five and six he says he appeared to Cephas and then to the twelve and after that he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time how come in first Corinthians he doesn't list that he appeared to Mary because in first Corinthians he doesn't say he appeared first to Mary he just said he appeared to Cephas because the woman's testimony meant nothing in Roman law or in Israel the woman's testimony meant nothing that's back then get over it it's nothing to do with what's today but her testimony meant nothing nothing so in first Corinthians when he is giving a legal argument he doesn't even mention Mary's name so why would the Scriptures record Mary as being the one to see him first because that's the way it happened they record it this way because that's the way it happened Mary was the first to see Jesus risen from the dead if this were made up they never would have listed Mary why list Mary that's like saying ask the family dog what the burglar looked like testimony means nothing they would not list the family dog as being evidence the first piece of evidence to identify the criminal this is exactly what they would not have done that the veterinary is listed as the one for seeing him first our use against this being fabricated the account listing Mary is the first witness are used overwhelmingly against this fabrication if the resurrection account had been fabricated there would have been supernatural displays at the moment of Jesus coming out of the tomb you would say oh when he rose from the tomb that's just that's just right that died he came out I'm here just spun around and sparks flying out that's the part you would embellish more than anything when he came out of the tomb and behold a severe earthquake had occurred for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it and his appearance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow and the guard shook for fear of him and became like dead men and i put in the word fainted they became like dead men nobody saw him walk out of the grave if you were fabricating a resurrection that's the thing that you'd write the most about the guards didn't see him because they were out they became like dead men none of the disciples were there nobody saw him rise from the dead that is exactly the point that you would embellish the most he count reporting no witnesses to the moment of his leaving the tomb argues against its fabrication the religious leaders and guards would not have had to invent a story to cover up the resurrection he says in Matthew 28 verses 11 through 15 now while they were on their way some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened and when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers and said you're to say his disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep and if this should come to the governor's ears we will win him over and keep you out of trouble and they took the money and did as they had been instructed then this story was widely spread among the Jews and is to this day and even till today that story is propagated so what happened was the guards who were guarding that tomb and never and were unable to keep that Roman seal over the tomb from being broken all of a sudden they wake up from their fainting spell and the stone is rolled away Jesus is gone the body is gone they are scared because they're gonna have to give their lives for what has happened so they don't go to see Pilate the governor they go to see the the the the Jewish leaders and it says his disciples and they said you are too they gave the the the soldiers a large sum of money and they said you are to say his disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep just say you all fell asleep and and his disciples came and took him so they took the money and they went away the problem with that is this if asleep how did they know who took the body the religious leaders and guards inventing and propagating such a story argues against the fabrication of the resurrection account they had to think up a story really quickly so they thought of a story which makes absolutely no sense the story is his disciples came and took him while we were asleep but if you're asleep how do you know it was his disciples you're asleep you don't know who took the body that's what happens when you try to make up a story and make up a story really quickly you get it all wrong it gets all mixed up things just don't work for you things just don't work the four Gospels account of four Gospel accounts would have been more duplicative in their testimony of the events precise overlap in the accounting of the events speaks of collusion we read four Gospel accounts of things that happened in the resurrection if these guys were making it up what would they do okay okay what are you writing okay good we've got to keep our stories the same you know I had an event once occurred I was giving an organic chemistry exam and and these are giving given in the evenings and everybody has to take the exam on that evening but if people are traveling on a university program with something I allow them to I say you still got to take the exam on that same night but I give the exam in an envelope and this is what I did I put two copies of the examiner two students in the class that we're going on this this uh with a professor and they gave the professor the two exams in an envelope I said give it to them on such-and-such a night at 7:00 p.m. let them go to their rooms each to their individual rooms and come back two hours later give you the exam he said I'll do it he came back he gave me the two exams and usually I don't grade the exams they were in a big class I give it to the the student graders and they grade it but I thought by the time I tracked down the students let me just grade these won't take me too long so I graded one of the exams and then I started grading the other one that's at Wow I just saw the same wrong answer on that one hmm then I started comparing them now with inorganic chemistry there's one right answer and there's a million wrong answers when the wrong answers are the same there's a big problem and not only where the wrong answers the same the molecules were drawn at exactly the same angle until their molecules are freely rotating in space they can be drawn at any angle but they were all the same that was enough for me to know that there had been collusion and I just took the two exams and I gave them to the honors council and it was enough for them to know that there was collusion and and one got one got suspended for a semester the other one for a year because the one for the year was less cooperative with the committee but precise overlap of events speaks to collusion the resurrection account reporting events as a complementary set of records rather than a duplicative set argues against its fabrication you say you want it to be more the same more the same speaks of collusion now now there's certain people that that know this Chuck is here Chuck is the former District Attorney Chuck what happens if if two accounts of a crime two accounts of an event are exactly the same what you know who did it that's right if the two accounts are the same you know who did it if the two accounts are the same if the duplicative you know who did it so judges know that and and and prosecutors and know that know this lawyers know this juries don't know this though if accounts are the same it means that it means that their duplicate if so this is exactly the way you would you it should be if the resurrection account had been fabricated the Apostles would be shown in a far more favorable light and not as being timid and unbelieving when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her they refused to believe it so here Mary comes and and they reported to the disciples and they don't believe it they refused to believe it now if you're writing this account you'd go why Mary should that surprise you he told us he would rise from the dead obviously that would happen also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles but the words appear to them it's nonsense and they would not believe that nobody would write themselves into a bad light if they were making the thing up the exposed weaknesses of the apostles argues against the resurrection it's fabrication so portraying oneself in a favorable light here is an account from Scripture in acts 22 verses 24 through 29 he says the commander ordered him to be brought that's Paul into the barracks stating that he would be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way but when they stretched him out with thongs Paul said to the Centurion who was standing by is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondensed Etrian heard this he went to the commander and told him saying what are you about to do for this man is a Roman the commander came and said to him tell me are you a Roman and he said yes there for those who are about to examine him immediately let him go and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman because he had put him in Chains so this commander takes Paul puts him in Chains and is going to have him scourge without trial which you weren't allowed to do to a Roman citizen you could do it to anybody else but not a Roman citizen he finds out that Paul is a Roman city and and and and the the guy was going to do the scourging goes to the commander says what are you about to do and the commander says oh my goodness what have I done so the commander now is writing an account to the governor about what happened here's the commander's account of just what transpired here Claudius lysis to the most excellent governor Felix greetings when this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them I came up to them with troops and rescued him having learned that he was a Roman and wanting to ascertain the charges for which they were accusing him I brought him down to their Council and I found him to be accused over questions about their law but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment when I was informed that there would be a plot against the man I sent him to you at once also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you he wrote himself into a good light I do the same thing I'm giving an account of a story in an email I'm not gonna give all the stuff that I did wrong I mean I just give the bare essentials you know I want to belabor all the other things that's normal people don't write themselves in a bad light that it shows the disciples as being timid and running and being afraid it shows that this is not made-up this has the signs of being something that's true the resurrection account had been fabricated there would have been almonds and curses and threats proclaimed against those who sought to investigate Peter proclaimed in acts 232 this Jesus raised the this Jesus God raised up again to which we are all witnesses the same Proclamation came in acts 3:15 532 and 10:39 he's saying go investigate it investigate it if you make something up you know what you do you say don't don't if you doubt this Oh your eyes will fall out of your head if you try to investigate this or your firstborn will die just just trust God don't don't look at this the New Testament invites investigation invites it says come on bring it on there is no problem you have doubts here examine the Scriptures examine it to see if it be true no other faith does this there would be omens surrounding this they would say we got to keep people from investigating this this this resurrection thing that we're and they put all these omens around it no omens they said come on investigate it here's the people that saw here they are by name that the disciples invite inquiry through witness and that there are no omens listed for searching out the account argues against the resurrections fabrication it would never have been preached as an essential element of the new faith such a lot a lofty requirement is too difficult for a new religious expression if the resurrection account had been fabricated they never would have said you have to believe in a physical resurrection in order to be saved what would they say they would say Jesus loved the little children just believe in his love if you're trying to make up a religion if you're trying to make up a religion you don't put before it such a high obstacle how can any thinking man or woman believe in a physical resurrection and yet that's the obstacle that they put before people and I'll tell you it happens that many people believe this because God has put this truth within the hearts of men and women but that is the barrier if it were not true they never would have made this a requirement if they're just trying to build up some new religion you don't put the barrier so high that argues against the this being a fabrication Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved that's the requirement you have to believe that he's risen from the from the dead and if Christ has not been raised your faith is worthless you're still in your sins without the resurrection our faith is worthless that belief in the resurrection was made a requirement for entering into this new faith it speaks to the resurrections authenticity if the resurrection account had been fabric the Apostles upon facing death would have recounted their testimony now many are willing to suffer and die for what they believe to be true many people here would suffer and die for what you believe to be true but our case is different than their case we suffer and die for what we believe to be true they suffered and died for what they knew to be true nobody suffers and dies for what they know to be a lie if you look at the accounts the extra biblical accounts of how these men died some of them were were filleted they were splayed out and there they were flayed alive their skin was peeled off them while they were alive others were boiled in oil you would think if this were made up they're heating up the oil and the Apostle would be like hey guys sike april fools let me show you the body all of these men went to their death and and John to banishment nobody suffers and dies for what they know to be a lie that the Apostles were tortured and killed for their testimony of the resurrection supports the resurrections authenticity we die for what we believe to be true they died for what they know to be true that's the difference that's the difference okay so what we've heard about is the account from the scripture let's look at a historian speaking you've been hearing a scientist speaking let's look at a historian one of the greatest historians of the 20th century was Will Durant he wrote the story of civilization in volume three it could cover Caesar in Christ so he writes this this huge series the story of civilization it's a huge like 8 volume series it's like an encyclopedia which means that you know you can like download the whole thing in a millisecond now he said well we'll Durant must be a Christian well here's what he says of himself I'm still an agnostic with pantheistic overtones but he is an expert historian so what does an expert historian have to say about the accounts of the Gospels what does he say commenting on the Gospels he says quote the contradictions are of minutiae not substance in essentials the synoptic Gospels agree remarkably well and form a consistent portrait of Christ in the enthusiasm of its discoveries the higher criticism has applied to the New Testament tests of authenticity so severe that by them a hundred ancient were these for example Hammurabi David Socrates would fade into legend so what he says is the New Testament has but been put through such rigor if any other classical document had been put through such rigor it would have faded into legend nothing has withstood the attack like the Gospels this is what he has to say about the Gospels he goes on despite the prejudices and theological preconceptions of the evangelists meaning the disciples they record many incidences many incidents that mere inventors would have concealed the competition of the Apostles for high places in the kingdom their flight after Jesus's arrest Peters denial the failure of Christ to work miracles in Galilee the references of some auditors to his possible insanity his early uncertainty to his mission his confessions of ignorance as to the future his moments of bitterness his despairing cry on the cross no one reading these scenes can doubt the reality of the figure behind them that's Will Durant that's an expert historian that's what he has to say but he's not done that a few simple men should in one generation have invented so powerful and appealing a personality so Laughton ethic and so inspiring a vision a few Brotherhood would be a miracle far more incredible than any recorded in the gospel after two centuries of higher criticism the outlines of the life character and teaching of Christ remain reasonably clear and constitute the most fascinating feature of the history of Western man this is what a man writes who looks at this purely as a historian not as a Christian but as a historian the outcome what about us since the resurrection is indeed true how should it change our lives how does it change our lives if this is true is our faith in vain because we don't grasp this this is what the scripture says the accounts of the gospel are so perfect in exactly the way they should be for an account that has not been made up an account that has not been fabricated and you look at this and you say what about me have I confessed that Jesus is Lord and do I believe that he has risen from the dead that is the requirement for salvation I'm going to pray and so if that's not something you like that's fine just bear with me for a couple of minutes but I'm going to pray let's pray father thank you so much for the truth of the gospel I know of no better word that I could have proclaimed here than the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead I thank you Father for the truth of your word evidence upon evidence of the authenticity of the Gospel accounts to the scriptural resurrection of Jesus Christ the physical resurrection bodily how he himself put to rest that this is just a spirit that he is flesh and blood and bones father I pray that you would work in the hearts of these fine people work in their hearts that they would one day be able to say that indeed Jesus Christ is Lord and he has risen from the dead for the glory of Jesus and in his name you

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Length: 58min 54sec (3534 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 12 2018