How Do I Answer This?

[Mermaid]

Hello Everyone. I was recently told by a non-Christian acquaintance that not only was the Resurrection of the Lord “faked” by the Apostles (an old canard, I know), but that His body was never really placed into a tomb. This acquaintance said that, since He was executed as a criminal that His body would therefore have been dumped, along with the others, into the garbage pit outside of Jerusalem and that this was the common custom at the time.

Does anyone have any good responses to this accusation?

Thanks!

 

[threej_lc]

I’m aware that there has been some very good books and arguments made refuting this ridiculous point.

For me, however, a very simple argument exists.

“Prove it.”

Anyone making outlandish claims contradictory to history has the burden of proof upon himself.

Josh

 

[dafalax]

I would also point out that of the 12 apostles, 11 gave their lives to proclaim God’s truth. It seems utterly absurd that these men would have lived unglamorous lives facing persecution and eventual deaths to perpetuate a lie. Not only that, but Paul was a militant anti-Christian before his conversion, and a Roman citizen. Why would he have thrown away his life to perpetuate a lie? Given that your cynical friend’s assertion flies in the face of logic, i would agree with the above poster and say, “Prove it.” Unsubstantiated claims deserve unsubstantiated replies.

 

[On_my_way]

It’s funny how some people come up with these statements and have no way of backing it up. I’m with the other posters tell he/she to prove it.

 

[EA_Man]

Mermaid:

Hello Everyone. I was recently told by a non-Christian acquaintance that not only was the Resurrection of the Lord “faked” by the Apostles (an old canard, I know), but that His body was never really placed into a tomb. This acquaintance said that, since He was executed as a criminal that His body would therefore have been dumped, along with the others, into the garbage pit outside of Jerusalem and that this was the common custom at the time.

Does anyone have any good responses to this accusation?

Thanks!

This is the line of reasoning put forth by the Jesus Seminar.

We have four historical accounts of Jesus’ burial. Does this person have any historical citation to back up their claim?

A good resource for this is Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ.

Peace

 

[NotWorthy]

Even 120-130 years later when St. Justin Martyr was giving one of the first apologetics seminars (outside of course the Bible) to the Emperor, the emperor questioned him (and I’m paraphrasing), “and this is the same Jesus that the governor Pontius Pilate had crucified as a rebel?”.

NotWorthy

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Mermaid:

Hello Everyone. I was recently told by a non-Christian acquaintance that not only was the Resurrection of the Lord “faked” by the Apostles (an old canard, I know), but that His body was never really placed into a tomb. This acquaintance said that, since He was executed as a criminal that His body would therefore have been dumped, along with the others, into the garbage pit outside of Jerusalem and that this was the common custom at the time.

Does anyone have any good responses to this accusation?

Thanks!

“If Christ is not raised, your faith is in vain and your are still in your sins”.

The proclamation of the Resurrection is either:

• a deliberate lie - or
• a delusion - or
• a mistake - or
• a mixture of truth & untruth - or
• a fact, about a mere man - or
• a fact, about One Who is God & man

IMO, it requires more faith than I have to believe anything but the last possibility. ##

 

[cardenio]

The Romans and the Jews wanted the Apostles to shut up about the Resurrection. The easiest way to do that would be to dump out the body, poke him a little bit, and say “looks pretty dead to me.”

 

[MariaGorettiGrl]

This acquaintance said that, since He was executed as a criminal that His body would therefore have been dumped, along with the others, into the garbage pit outside of Jerusalem and that this was the common custom at the time.

Which is why the Bible points out that Christ’s followers asked for special permission to have His body after His death to give it a proper burial.

And almost more amazing than the resurection would be the very soldiers who helped kill Jesus then turning around and helping Jesus’ followers to steal away the body and never letting on the truth. Think how hard it is for celebrities to even go on one date in secret because of the slip of a driver or friend. How could a “celebrity” like Jesus have His body stolen and have all these people forming a conspiracy about it with NOT ONE of them ever accidentally letting the truth slip out or bragging about their accomplishment. Not likely.

 

[marvin]

From what I remember, Joseph of Arimethea was a disciple of Jesus. Joseph also was wealthy and as a result, influential and had connections with the Romans. It was he who approached Plilate and offered a substantial bribe to be allowed to have Christ’s body removed from the cross.

Most scholars agree that Pilate was one of the most corrupt and incompetent of the Roman colonial governors, so this scenario is quite plausible from an historic perspective.

And just for the record, there was no “garbage pit” for bodies. The Romans simply allowed the bodies to decompose on the crosses.

 

[Nan_S]

You have to know something about the Roman executioners too.

It was the responsibilty of the Roman guards to make sure that their victims were dead. Not partially dead, mostly dead, or apparently dead. They had to make sure the victims were absolutely, 100% DEAD before letting the body down from the cross.

Because if a Roman guard let a live body down from the cross, the next man up on the cross woud be the Roman guard himself!!! (If he was a Roman citizen he would still be executed, by one of the “acceptable” methods for executing citizens.)

 

[marvin]

marvin:

From what I remember, Joseph of Arimethea was a disciple of Jesus. Joseph also was wealthy and as a result, influential and had connections with the Romans. It was he who approached Plilate and offered a substantial bribe to be allowed to have Christ’s body removed from the cross.

Most scholars agree that Pilate was one of the most corrupt and incompetent of the Roman colonial governors, so this scenario is quite plausible from an historic perspective.

And just for the record, there was no “garbage pit” for bodies. The Romans simply allowed the bodies to decompose on the crosses.

Just to clarify, I meant Jesus was dead when he was removed from the cross.

 

[Magicsilence]

cardenio:

The Romans and the Jews wanted the Apostles to shut up about the Resurrection. The easiest way to do that would be to dump out the body, poke him a little bit, and say “looks pretty dead to me.”

??

Id say that dumping Jesus in a pit would give the apostles the chance to try and revive him, fake a resurrection, etc…

The fact Jesus was taken down from the cross, i.e he had to be dead, because as said above, if not death awaited the guard.

The bible “version” actually would have made it harder to fake a resurrection.

As others have said.

Why would men die for a lie? It makes no sense.

In Christ.

Andre.