Have You Tried to Solve This Famous Historical Mystery?

I have come across many explanations for the amazing events commemorated by Christians at Eastertime. However, they tend to boil down to variations on just a handful of theories. Four, if you do not include the explanation given in the four gospels, that Jesus rose again from the dead.

These are the main ones.

1. It never happened. It is all fiction.

2. It was never intended to be taken literally. The story of the resurrection really meant Jesus was living on in people's hearts and minds. His ideas are still alive.

3. Jesus did not die. This splits into two principal variations:

a) He was crucified but survived.

b) Someone else was crucified instead. The main contenders are Judas and Barabbas.

4. The disciples stole the body.

Now let's consider each of these.

1. It never happened.

The four gospels are works of fiction. Fake news!

This theory lacks an explanation of the motive of the apostles and other early Christians for inventing the story. I cannot think of one. Those I have heard do not seem to me to be at all convincing. Perhaps someone wanted to start a new religion or a breakaway sect. Why? Was this a credible way to go about it?

Fiction as we know it was not developed until much later. In ancient times, fiction comprised sagas, myths and other totally unrealistic stories, full of monsters, talking animals and larger-than-life superheroes and supervillains. All right. The miracles in the gospels might seem a bit far-fetched to you, but the setting and characters are realistic. The dialogue, including Jesus' preaching, is generally down-to-earth.

There are other historical documents which confirm the existence of Jesus and confirm a few details of the gospels, although only sketchily. Josephus and Tacitus come to mind.

2. It was not meant literally.

It should be taken as an allegory. The most credible version of this theory accepts the crucifixion as literally true, but says the resurrection was not a physical event, rather a spiritual one.

I have a lot of sympathy for this view and would strongly agree that Jesus lives in us by the Holy Spirit, thus continuing his work. It is possible to get so obsessed with the empty tomb that you lose sight of the significance for you and me.

My main concern is that the early Christians always seem to have treated it as a literal event as well as believing in its allegorical implications. St Paul uses it as proof of life after death, as set out in the final chapter or two of his first letter to the Corinthians. It was Paul's assertion that Jesus was literally alive that got him into so much trouble with the Jewish religious leaders. Why would he not try to offer a compromise by saying it was not a physical resurrection?

3. Jesus did not die.

a. He was crucified but survived.

It is hard to imagine anyone surviving such an ordeal, but let us suppose it might be possible. One suggestion is that he was given some sort of drug that put him into a coma. The drink he was given, via a sponge on a stick, is thought to be a possible means of doing this. Three days later he recovered and broke out of the tomb.

Theories differ as to how the stone was rolled away. It is very hard to believe a man who would have been barely alive could have managed it alone. The women were worried about the need to get help to move the stone, when they went to embalm the body. Of course, they found the stone moved already and the body gone.

Roman soldiers took care to ensure the people they crucified actually died. Some doctors see significance in the detail in St John's gospel of the soldier piercing Jesus side to make sure he was dead. The water and blood coming out separately is seen as conclusive. Would St John have made that up? He also says the soldiers broke the legs of the other two victims in order to finish them off, as they had not died before sundown.

This theory also requires us to believe that Jesus and at least some of the disciples knew the resurrection story was not true, but did nothng to correct the mistaken belief. They would have to have been dishonest to a high degree, making them hypocrites, to say the least.

b. Someone else was crucified in his place.

Not something anyone would be likely to volunteer for, unless put under extreme duress. Thus the main candidates are the two men who might have felt sufficient remorse to go along with it: Judas who had betrayed him and Barabbas who had been released by popular demand instead of Jesus.

How the switch could have been effected has never been explain satisfactorily. It would have required the collusion of at least some of the Roman soldiers.

This theory also has the same drawback as the 'coma' theory. Jesus and some of the disciples would have known that the resurrection story was not true.

4. The disciples stole the body.

Like the two variations of theory no. 3, this would mean some of the disciples knew the resurrection was a hoax. Not only does this mean they were very dishonest and cynical, but that they must have been prepared to die for this falsehood. Peter was crucified, and all the others died for their faith in different ways, including being fed to lions.

I find it unbelievable that there is no record of even one of them admitting to a hoax in the hope of being spared. I am sure such a confession would have been given publicity.

So what do I think?

Having considered all the explanations, I once found myself accepting the explanation offered in the Bible, and that remains the only one I regard as credible. I just do not have enough faith to believe any of the others.

After studying Economics and Accountancy at Bristol University, John worked in local government finance, investigating everything from petty fraud to massive overspends, and all kinds of insurance claims. He has worked in North, Mid and South Wales, and the North West of England. He is now a self-employed risk management consultant based in Warrington.

He has written several books. His writing reflects his Christian faith, as well as his love of Wales, of horses and of other animals.

http://www.johnharveymurray.co.uk

https://twitter.com/JohnHMurray1


 By John Harvey Murray


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