EXAMINING THE WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION

By David J. Riggs

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?