Intro. A. We have faith and hope that as Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, we, too, will someday be raised from the dead. 1 Cor. 6:14; 2 Cor. 4:14; Rom. 8:11 1. If the resurrection of Christ is false, everything in Christianity is false, but if His resurrection did in fact happen, everything in Christianity is true. 1 Cor. 15:13- 23 B. In the Scriptures there are several witnesses who attest to the fact of the resurrection of Christ. Acts 4:33 1. A careful examination of the witnesses will increase and strengthen our faith, and will renew and enrich our hope. I. REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCEPTABLE EYE-WITNESS TESTIMONY. A. Three things must be considered to decide a case upon eye- witness testimony. 1. Are the witnesses honest? 2. Are the facts of a plain, tangible nature? 3. How many witnesses are involved? B. If one establishes these three things beyond reasonable doubt, he could have no better evidence in any court of law. 1. It is the strongest evidence within the power of man. II. WERE THE WITNESSES HONEST PEOPLE? A. First we ask, "Were those who gave their eye-witness account of the resurrection honest men? 1. This must be determined from the circumstances of the case. a. What were they to gain by their testimony. (1) Did they gain large fortunes? (2) Were they promoted to honor or high position? (3) Were they given a comfortable, easy life? 2. Some have been known to receive such things after giving certain testimony. a. However, the witnesses of the resurrection received only to the contrary. 1 Cor. 4:9-13 B. Furthermore, we ask, "Did the testimony of the witnesses agree?" 1. Mark said of the witnesses who testified against Jesus, "...Their testimonies did not agree." (Mark 14:56). 2. When witnesses are brought into the court room, and the testimony of some contradicts that of others, it reveals that falsehood is involved. 3. There is only one case where the testimony of some contradicted that of others. a. It comes from the soldiers who guarded the tomb. We will examine their testimony at the end of this lesson. C. Also, concerning those who witnessed in behalf of the resurrection, we ask, "Were they willing to stand behind their testimony?" 1. Some, in the face of affliction, have changed their testimony, but the apostles and early Christians were willing to suffer imprisonment and death for the testimony of Jesus. Acts 5:28-29; Rev. 6:9; 12:11; 20:4 2. Nothing but an honest conviction of the truthfulness about which they testified could have influenced them to suffer the way they did. 3. Notice that we are not saying that their testimony is true because they suffered as a result of what they said. a. We know that many have suffered and died for false religions. b. We are simply saying that their sufferings proved that they firmly believed their testimony. c. It is not in human nature for men to suffer and die for something one knows to be false and promises no earthly rewards. D. Thus, we have established the witnesses to be honest. III. WHAT WERE THE FACTS OF THE CASE? A. Next, we inquire, "Were the facts of the resurrection of a plain, tangible nature?" There are three ways a deception could have occurred. 1. Had they been only partially acquainted with Jesus, they could have mistaken Him for some other. 2. If He had been absent for a long time, they could have forgotten His general appearance. 3. If they did not have a fair opportunity to identify Him, they could have been deceived. B. They were not partially acquainted with Him. 1. They had been closely associated with Him for over three years and would have known His walk, voice, color of eyes, and even the very lines on His face. a. Jesus needed only to call out Mary Magdalene's name for her to recognize Him. John 20:15-17 2. They were not away from Him for a long time. a. He was crucified on Friday and raised on Sunday - hardly enough time to erase Him from their memory. 3. They had a fair opportunity to identify Him after He was raised. a. He was in their presence. Matt. 28:8-10; John 20:19-20 b. He ate with them. Luke 24:36-43; Acts 10:39-42 c. They were associated with Him for forty days (Acts 1:3) and at last saw Him taken up into heaven (Acts 1:9-12). IV. HOW MANY WITNESSES WERE INVOLVED? A. As to the number of witnesses, besides those mentioned above, on one occasion Jesus was seen of above five hundred brethren at once. 1 Cor. 15:6 B. Consider the words of the apostle John. 1 John 1:1-4 V. NOTICE THE TESTIMONY OF THOSE WHO WITNESSED AGAINST THE RESURRECTION. A. Let's look at the testimony of those who guarded the tomb. They would have had fair opportunity to state the facts of the case. Matt. 27:65-28:4 B. Their testimony was - Matt. 28:11-15. 1. In weighting their testimony, let us use the same criterion we used regarding those who witnessed for the resurrection. 2. Were these witnesses honest men? Was there anything which might cause them to give a false testimony? a. We affirm they had the strongest motive to give a false testimony. (1) Their honor, even their very lives, were at stake. Acts 12:18-19 (2) They were bribed. Matt. 28:11-15 (a) J.W. McGarvey, in his commentary "The Fourfold Gospel," regarding the phrase "So they took the money, and did as they were taught," said, "the lesson was short and simple; the reward, large and desirable." (p. 747). 3. Were the facts of the case of a plain, tangible nature? a. Anyone can see the weakness of their report. Matt. 28:15 b. They could not have known what had happened to the body if they were asleep. (1) They should have said, "We feel asleep; and when we awoke, the body was gone." 4. Can we suppose that the soldiers, or those evil Jewish rulers, took the body of Jesus from the tomb? a. No, they were the enemies of Christianity, and if they had the body, they would have produced it to stop the spread of Christianity. 5. Can we suppose that the soldiers were right, that the disciples came at night and stole the body? a. Peter had already proved himself to be a coward by denying Jesus. All the disciples fled when Jesus was taken. They were in the upper room with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. John 20:19 b. If the disciples had stole the body, and what they were saying about the resurrection was only a lie, some of them would have come forward and confessed it in order to save their friends from being persecuted or killed. (1) They were willing to die for the truth which they proclaimed. They would not have been willing to die for something that they knew to be false. Concl. A. What is the inevitable conclusion from all of this? 1. None other than that Jesus came forth from the grave exactly as those witnesses and the holy Scriptures claim. B. The more we investigate all the circumstances involved in the resurrection of Christ, the more firmly is our faith established regarding it. 1. Admit that the witnesses were honest (and this none can deny), admit that they could not have been deceived (this we cannot deny), and consider the number of witnesses, and there is no escape from the plain and natural conclusion that Jesus did indeed arise from the dead. C. If you are not a Christian, do you believe that Jesus was raised from the dead? How could you believe otherwise after considering the evidence? 1. If you believe, obey Him now while there is time and opportunity.
Chart - Acceptable Eye-Witness Testimony
1. Are the witnesses honest? 2. Are the facts of a plain, tangible nature? 3. How many witnesses are involved?