@TouchofGrey
I agree. The whole thing was a pretty big affair because Jesus said he was God and then predicted that he would raise himself from the dead....while he was dead. Something ONLY God could do. Claims don't get any bigger than that. Lots of people have claimed to be God and most everyone acts like they are God from time to time. But, Jesus actually proved it. That's why it's such a big deal. The trajectory of the whole world changed after that.... pretty quickly.
Dr. Gary Habermas’ 12 Minimal Facts on the Resurrection are:
- Jesus died by Roman crucifixion.
- He was buried, most likely in a private tomb.
- Soon afterward, the disciples were discouraged, bereaved, and despondent, having lost hope.
- Jesus’ tomb was found empty very soon after his interment.
- The disciples had experiences that they believed were actual appearances of the risen Jesus.
- Due to these experiences, the disciples’ lives were thoroughly transformed, even being willing to die for this belief.
- The proclamation of the resurrection took place very early, at the beginning of church history.
- The disciples’ public testimony and preaching of the resurrection took place in the city of Jerusalem, where Jesus had been crucified and buried shortly before.
- The Gospel message centered on the death and resurrection of Jesus.
- Sunday was the primary day for gathering and worshipping.
- James, the brother of Jesus and former skeptic, was converted when, he believed, he saw the risen Jesus.
- Just a few years later, Saul of Tarsus (Paul) became a Christian believer due to an experience that he believed was an appearance of the risen Jesus.”
The above facts are accepted by the majority of scholars who publish in this area. I think they are difficult if not impossible to explain away without Jesus being raised from the dead. Here is a discussion of each of these facts and how they relate to that event.
