Making the Case:
Defending the Historicity of Christianity
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Just in time for Easter, as Christians around the world celebrate the historic event of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth from the dead, Dr. Bart Ehrman, liberal Bible critic, released another skeptical book attempting to discredit the historical claims of Christianity. With the secular press singing his praises, it is bound to be another best seller in his list of liberal Bible ‘scholarship.’
As with the rest of his books, How Jesus Became God, ought to be shelved under ‘fiction’ or ‘fantasy,’ but certainly not under ‘history,’ ‘Christianity,’ ‘Bible scholarship,’ or ‘law.’ Ehrman’s work is a piece of opinionated fantasy, filled with conjecture and speculation. His shoddy scholarship is only outdone by his poor historiography. He rejects all the claims of historical Christianity without producing a shred of substantiated evidence otherwise. He dismisses miracles out of hand, because, according to him, historians cannot evaluate claims of the miraculous.
But what of the claims of historic Christianity? What about the specific events of the Resurrection? The appearances of Jesus after His death? What of the testimony of the Gospel writers? Are these claims factual, that is, are they objectively true, even if one does not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing has life in His name (Jn 20:31)?
Put the Gospels on the witness stand. Will they hold up in court as reliable, factual accounts of the events they claim to report? Dr. Simon Greenleaf did just that. In 1846, when other “scholars” like Ehrman begain questioning the claims of Christianity, Dr. Greenleaf, Dane Professor of Law at Harvard University, applied the principals of the ancient document rule and the cross-examination technique employed by lawyers, to asses the testimony of those who bore witness to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. In short, his Testimony of the Evangelists, showed, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, dead, and buried and three days later was risen from the dead.
The evidences of Jesus’ resurrection are overwhelming! Consider only the Proper Preface for Easter: “with Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, and all the witnesses of the resurrection . . .” These eye witness accounts are recorded for us in the Gospels. He was seen and touched by Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome near the tomb (Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:9-11; Jn 20:11-18). He was seen by the disciples on Easter Sunday and then again the following Sunday (Jn 20:19-31). They touched Him and He ate in front of them. He appeared to two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-34) and then when these two ran back to tell the others, He appeared to all of them (Lk 24:36-48)! The guards at the tomb lied about the resurrection and were told to cover it up (Mt 28:11-15).
In recounting the facts of his own encounter with the risen Christ, St Paul proclaims: For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of who are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared also to me (1 Cor 15:3-8). Paul is saying, “If you don’t believe the Gospel I am preaching to you, go investigate what I am saying. Go as Peter, James, or the other apostles. Go ask any of the five hundred who saw Jesus alive after His death.” This is solid , verifiable, evidence that would certainly hold up in a court of law.
And indeed it did! The apostles were routinely hauled before the courts and pressured to reject and deny their preaching and teaching (cf Acts 4:1-22; Acts 25). Though it was not account of the false claims of the resurrection - for the courts knew them to be true - but on account that their preaching of the Gospel was harming their false beliefs! Elsewhere St John gives further testimony, saying, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifest to us - that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you (1 Jn 1:1-3). And St Peter says, We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (2 Pt 1:16).
Our word for ‘witness’ comes from the Greek word for ‘martyr.’ These witnesses testified with their blood! They went to their deaths proclaiming that which is contrary to reason, but was made plain to them by the physical appearing of Jesus in His body after His death. They could not help but preach that which they saw and heard, even though it was to their great risk and eventual death. Still, it was for their everlasting salvation and the joy of their hearers who believe on Jesus through their testimony.
That which we believe has been handed down to us by the eye-witness testimony of the Apostles. The Gospels are their witness. They are reliable, credible sources, able to withstand rigorous examination. They are the facts. Your Easter faith, dear Christians, is grounded in the historical fact, the recorded event of the resurrection from the dead of Jesus of Nazareth. His claims are true. His promises are for you. The Apostles were witnesses. They wrote their testimony which is proclaimed to you so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name (Jn 20:31).
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Your unworthy servant,
Pastor Mierow
Misericordias Domini
Defending the Historicity of Christianity
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Just in time for Easter, as Christians around the world celebrate the historic event of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth from the dead, Dr. Bart Ehrman, liberal Bible critic, released another skeptical book attempting to discredit the historical claims of Christianity. With the secular press singing his praises, it is bound to be another best seller in his list of liberal Bible ‘scholarship.’
As with the rest of his books, How Jesus Became God, ought to be shelved under ‘fiction’ or ‘fantasy,’ but certainly not under ‘history,’ ‘Christianity,’ ‘Bible scholarship,’ or ‘law.’ Ehrman’s work is a piece of opinionated fantasy, filled with conjecture and speculation. His shoddy scholarship is only outdone by his poor historiography. He rejects all the claims of historical Christianity without producing a shred of substantiated evidence otherwise. He dismisses miracles out of hand, because, according to him, historians cannot evaluate claims of the miraculous.
But what of the claims of historic Christianity? What about the specific events of the Resurrection? The appearances of Jesus after His death? What of the testimony of the Gospel writers? Are these claims factual, that is, are they objectively true, even if one does not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing has life in His name (Jn 20:31)?
Put the Gospels on the witness stand. Will they hold up in court as reliable, factual accounts of the events they claim to report? Dr. Simon Greenleaf did just that. In 1846, when other “scholars” like Ehrman begain questioning the claims of Christianity, Dr. Greenleaf, Dane Professor of Law at Harvard University, applied the principals of the ancient document rule and the cross-examination technique employed by lawyers, to asses the testimony of those who bore witness to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. In short, his Testimony of the Evangelists, showed, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, dead, and buried and three days later was risen from the dead.
The evidences of Jesus’ resurrection are overwhelming! Consider only the Proper Preface for Easter: “with Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, and all the witnesses of the resurrection . . .” These eye witness accounts are recorded for us in the Gospels. He was seen and touched by Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome near the tomb (Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:9-11; Jn 20:11-18). He was seen by the disciples on Easter Sunday and then again the following Sunday (Jn 20:19-31). They touched Him and He ate in front of them. He appeared to two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-34) and then when these two ran back to tell the others, He appeared to all of them (Lk 24:36-48)! The guards at the tomb lied about the resurrection and were told to cover it up (Mt 28:11-15).
In recounting the facts of his own encounter with the risen Christ, St Paul proclaims: For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of who are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared also to me (1 Cor 15:3-8). Paul is saying, “If you don’t believe the Gospel I am preaching to you, go investigate what I am saying. Go as Peter, James, or the other apostles. Go ask any of the five hundred who saw Jesus alive after His death.” This is solid , verifiable, evidence that would certainly hold up in a court of law.
And indeed it did! The apostles were routinely hauled before the courts and pressured to reject and deny their preaching and teaching (cf Acts 4:1-22; Acts 25). Though it was not account of the false claims of the resurrection - for the courts knew them to be true - but on account that their preaching of the Gospel was harming their false beliefs! Elsewhere St John gives further testimony, saying, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifest to us - that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you (1 Jn 1:1-3). And St Peter says, We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (2 Pt 1:16).
Our word for ‘witness’ comes from the Greek word for ‘martyr.’ These witnesses testified with their blood! They went to their deaths proclaiming that which is contrary to reason, but was made plain to them by the physical appearing of Jesus in His body after His death. They could not help but preach that which they saw and heard, even though it was to their great risk and eventual death. Still, it was for their everlasting salvation and the joy of their hearers who believe on Jesus through their testimony.
That which we believe has been handed down to us by the eye-witness testimony of the Apostles. The Gospels are their witness. They are reliable, credible sources, able to withstand rigorous examination. They are the facts. Your Easter faith, dear Christians, is grounded in the historical fact, the recorded event of the resurrection from the dead of Jesus of Nazareth. His claims are true. His promises are for you. The Apostles were witnesses. They wrote their testimony which is proclaimed to you so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name (Jn 20:31).
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Your unworthy servant,
Pastor Mierow
Misericordias Domini
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