Tweet
I thought it would be fitting this Easter Sunday to reflect on evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Skeptics often criticize us for using the Bible to prove that the events recorded in the Bible really happened. But there is an extra-Biblical source that confirms the resurrection narrative – the Nazareth Inscription (or Decree). Creation Ministries International has an informative article on the subject (Part I, Part II).
The edict is believed to be a response to the lie spread by the soldiers guarding Jesus’ tomb that the disciples had stolen His body (Mat 28:12-15). As you can see, the inscription doesn’t explicitly mention Jesus or the resurrection, but the guesswork and imagination of the article’s author lead him to the inexorable conclusion that while not conclusive proof of Jesus’ resurrection, the inscription “does force modern scholars into making a choice of either believing in the resurrection of Christ or of believing that His disciples stole His body from the tomb in order to perpetrate a great religious fraud. As is true for philosophy, science and religion, belief is always the key issue.” In other words, Jesus either rose from the dead or He didn’t. Belief in the resurrection of Jesus is central to True Christianity™, for if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then neither will we and our faith is futile and our lives pitiable.
1 Cor 15:14-19
14 And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
As the author of the article said, it all boils down to belief, even in science. The way I see it, the inscription is proof that the soldiers guarding Jesus’ tomb lied, which is proof that the Gospel account of the resurrection is true. Of course, there are secular critics who read too much into the inscription and twist it around to make it seem like it has nothing to do with the resurrection or any Biblical narrative. But I hope you can all find encouragement from this piece of archaeological evidence supporting the resurrection of Christ and join with me in saying:
The edict is believed to be a response to the lie spread by the soldiers guarding Jesus’ tomb that the disciples had stolen His body (Mat 28:12-15). As you can see, the inscription doesn’t explicitly mention Jesus or the resurrection, but the guesswork and imagination of the article’s author lead him to the inexorable conclusion that while not conclusive proof of Jesus’ resurrection, the inscription “does force modern scholars into making a choice of either believing in the resurrection of Christ or of believing that His disciples stole His body from the tomb in order to perpetrate a great religious fraud. As is true for philosophy, science and religion, belief is always the key issue.” In other words, Jesus either rose from the dead or He didn’t. Belief in the resurrection of Jesus is central to True Christianity™, for if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then neither will we and our faith is futile and our lives pitiable.
1 Cor 15:14-19
14 And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
As the author of the article said, it all boils down to belief, even in science. The way I see it, the inscription is proof that the soldiers guarding Jesus’ tomb lied, which is proof that the Gospel account of the resurrection is true. Of course, there are secular critics who read too much into the inscription and twist it around to make it seem like it has nothing to do with the resurrection or any Biblical narrative. But I hope you can all find encouragement from this piece of archaeological evidence supporting the resurrection of Christ and join with me in saying:
Comment