|
|
|
If Jesus’ disciples actually did steal his body, then the rest of their lives was invested in what they knew to be a complete fraud. Certainly many men have sold their souls for the cause of earthly wealth or pleasure, but the disciples gained nothing of the sort. Their continued devotion, in fact, cost them all such worldly gain. The problem is this: if the disciples knew their message was wholly forged and inaccurate, why would they endure the ridicule, torture, and imprisonment which their message subjected them to? Motivationally speaking, it makes no sense.
It is perhaps conceivable that for the sake of pride or ego the disciples would try and save face by faking a resurrection, but I am quite assured that had it really been a charade, it would have ended long before being nailed to a tree or having their head lopped off. Who would stare death in the face and go to their torturous grave for a message they knew to be false? What measure of insanity would cause this group of grown men to carry their lie to the point of execution as they all save one did? Such behavior is inconceivable. For as long as Christ was alive, his disciples were forever wandering, forever doubting, and were forever confused as to the nature of Christ’s promises. They wanted a physical reign, physical wealth and a guarantee of physical well-being. When Christ dies, his disciples are left cowering in fear. Surely this is not a likely profile for men who would storm a Roman guard.
So why is it that before Christ’s death his disciples are weak willed, inconstant and entirely focused on earthly rewards while after his death, they are suddenly resolved to entirely different roles? Such events beg the question: what is it about Jesus’ humbling death which could prompt such a drastic turnaround? Let me take it a step further since their turnaround really didn’t materialize until three days after Christ’s death, where hitherto they had been hiding out in fear and confusion. Something transpired in the days immediately following Christ’s burial in which this confused band of men rises up and launches the greatest earthly ministry ever known to man. What is it that could take Peter from the point of denying all allegiance to Christ to the point of being crucified himself, upside down, lest he be considered the equal of his beloved master. I propose that nothing save the miraculous bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ could ever motivate such a drastic and unimaginable change.
Despite the daunting amount of evidence which exists in favor of Jesus’ resurrection, it is little wonder as to why this proposition has met with such significant doubt. Life and death are natural, a bodily resurrection is decidedly not. Therefore, even when all the evidence seems to point away from the natural and towards the supernatural, it is the natural which is generally believed. This paradigm has frustrated men and women throughout the ages and has lured many into the vain attempt of “de-mystifying” Christ’s life. Thomas Jefferson went so far as to re-edit his own version of the Bible, but in taking out the miracle, he takes out all meaning.
It is a tragedy that even in some churches today, attempts are made to minimize the significance of the resurrection. Many will claim that what is really important is Christ’s command to love your neighbor and the pattern he sets for how to live well and die well. That is not it at all! Christ cannot be relegated to the status of good moral teacher. He is either God or lunatic, his claims allow for nothing else, and his execution was for nothing less than the supreme crime of blasphemy. Those who put him to death knew perfectly well what he was claiming for himself. Ultimately, if there is no resurrection then Christ is a liar, his teachings are a wash, and he is wretchedly blasphemous. For our part, there would be no victory over death, and the whole of the Christian message would be a fraud. Christianity is not some trite mechanism for social benefit. The disciples knew nothing of such faithless reasoning. If the resurrection wasn’t true, they had given up everything for absolutely nothing! Money, reputation, and ultimately their lives were laid on the table for the hope of receiving a better reward in the life to come. Why would they make such sacrifice for that which they knew was a lie? Why stake their hope on a life to come if they knew, this was the only life they had? The answer of course, is that the only reason they gave these things up was because they knew WITHOUT QUESTION that the resurrection was true.
With all that said, here’s the “so what”. Life is a vapor! We will be dead soon!
This is not mere history! If the resurrection is true, if the disciples’ other worldly behavior was motivated by nothing less than other worldly events, then Christ truly is God, and what are we going to do about it?! Do not leave your soul in limbo. Bite the bullet and either accept Christ or reject him. If you try to avoid the decision, you will have all of eternity to curse your indifference.
|
