Alternatives to the Resurrection of Jesus
Both skeptics and believers alike will tend to agree that a man known as Jesus of Nazareth was executed by Roman crucifixion in the first century A.D. and that his followers came to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Christians have affirmed through the ages that Jesus rose bodily from the dead in a miracle that only God can do. Skeptics obviously do not arrive at the same conclusion. Is this blind faith on the part of believers or is there some credibility to this confession of faith? Summarizing some insights from scholar Gary Habermas, let’s review some of the better known alternative theories to the resurrection of Jesus.
The Swoon Theory: Jesus never died, but instead swooned, or fainted, and only appeared dead. Romans were experts at crucifixion which makes this hypothesis unlikely, but assuming it were the case, this would mean that a bleeding and bruised Jesus was able to convince his followers that he was a risen, victorious Savior who had conquered death. Is this the character of the historical Jesus? Were ancient people gullible like we often think they were? Believe me, people in that day probably understood death much better than we do.
The Disciples Stole His Dead Body: This theory does not explain the disciples’ sincere belief that Jesus had risen from the dead, a belief they were willing to live and die for. Chuck Colson once said: “I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world—and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks.”
Someone Else Stole Jesus’ Body: This accounts for the empty tomb but does nothing to address Jesus’ appearances to his unsuspecting disciples, including skeptics like Paul and his brother James. Also, let us remember that this Jesus movement had both Jewish and Roman opponents, and the “silly myth” of the resurrection could have been quelled by simply producing one dead body.
Mass Hallucinations by the Disciples Who Imagined the Risen Jesus: First, hallucinations tend to be private experiences. Sometimes crowds can be guilty of “group think” but the resurrection appearances occurred to disbelieving people (the disciples themselves were wary; remember, dead people don’t rise from the dead) and to outright skeptics like Paul and James. The appearances were varied, not in one large group experience. And if hallucinations are the best explanation, then the tomb should not have been empty!
Resurrection Accounts Developed Later and Grew Over Time: This view does not explain how the message of Jesus and his resurrection spread very early and very quickly across the Roman Empire. There is no Christian faith apart from the resurrection of Jesus, and let us not forget that within about 30 years of the crucifixion that Emperor Nero could identify a group known as Christians (distinct from Jews) on whom he could place blame for the fire in Rome and order so many of them to be put to death.
So, does all this prove the resurrection to the skeptic? Probably not. But hopefully a genuine seeker will pause and consider the historical grounds upon which the Christian faith is based. And for believers this Easter? Hopefully we can proclaim with great conviction: “He is risen. He is risen indeed!”