NOTE: Computer problems made this blog a day later. VH
I’ll omit details that Christian novelists would certainly include in Christ’s resurrection appearances. Let’s instead consider the strict authenticity of the Living Christ’s garden rendezvous with Roman soldiers. Remember that they entered the Private Reserve at the behest of the Roman Governor, to satisfy religious authorities determined to prove Jesus an imposter by not rising from the dead. The duty seemed a 48 hour “milk run” in the cemetery. What could be easier, quieter and less demanding? They didn’t expect, desire or prepare for a spiritual encounter with Jesus. We understand the women walking in darkness that Sunday morning to anoint the body of Jesus Luke 24:1. They expected it to be there. We understand John and Peter running to the tomb when Mary Magdalene reported the body GONE. They couldn’t find it, but John believed Jesus LIVED John 20:1-9. The relevant point: both ladies and men involved had a personal interest in Jesus lacking in the soldiers. That interest gave the believers a quantum advantage over the guards. Which proves that Christianity has unquestioned evidence of Christ’s bodily resurrection: Jesus appeared to the very people who KNEW him PERSONALLY. Simon Peter addressed that issue to Cornelius in Acts 10:39-41. Prepared to KNOW Jesus Lived Again by living with him for 3 ½ years before he died, they couldn’t be deceived. Some may wonder if that didn’t weaken proof of Christ’s resurrection. Absolutely not. Had he appeared to strangers:
Jesus confronted many unbelievers in HIM, but not without their religious or spiritual preparation. For example, Saul of Tarsus hated the very NAME of Jesus of Nazareth, due to his zeal for Moses. But acquaintance with the NAME prepared him to know who the Person he called “Lord” was when looking up from his prone position Acts 9:3-5. Therefore, you had to have:
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