Most of you who follow my website and read the things I publish know that I have a unique perspective on tackling some off-beat and complicated stuff, mostly about what is (or is not) out there in the cosmos. Sometimes, it is about God and faith in that context. Taken from my website, The Extraterrestrial Communication Group (ECG):
“Extraterrestrial Communication, Alien contact, Creation of the Universe, God, and Religious Implications are all on the menu at the ECG.”
This year, I attended the most important and influential Easter church service I have ever experienced. It inspired me to write this article, which dives into the resurrection of Jesus and the profound implications it holds. It all came down to a simple statement that sparked a deep personal reflection on my own faith.
“If Jesus did not rise, nothing matters. Because he did rise, nothing matters more”.
The statement resembles a statement attributed to Jaroslav Pelikan, a well-known church historian. He was often quoted as saying:
“If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen—nothing else matters.”
That simple statement made me embark on a personal journey of understanding Christianity in a way I had never thought about before. Although a Christian, I always consider and respect other world religions properly. Admittedly, I have had my moments of questioning the Christian faith. I suspect most Christians have had questions at some point. Many Christians, I am sure, still do. You have to admit, it is a fanatic story from Genesis through Revelation. That lingering doubt of the resurrection sneaks into my head occasionally, mainly because the story is so fantastic.
In several of my published articles, I discuss critical thinking, truth, etc. However, faith is entirely different. I recently published an article that discusses the difference between evidence and truth. What If We Find Nothing in Our Search for Life Beyond Earth?
The first question that popped into my mind about this year’s Easter service message was about the beliefs of other religions regarding the idea of resurrection and the afterlife. The second question was about the evidence and justification for belief and faith. Questions I am sure many people have, regardless of faith.
On the first question, I laid it all out side-by-side. The short comparison looks like this:
Hinduism: Hindu texts describe reincarnation and accounts of individuals recalling past lives. Some claim to have memories of previous existences. I notice that these are individual claims not corroborated by others. It is also about the individual and not about another.
Buddhism: Similar to Hinduism, Buddhism teaches reincarnation. Its focus is on stories of monks and laypeople recalling past lives. Again, these are individual, uncorroborated claims by and about individuals.
Islam: Islamic traditions include visions of the afterlife experienced by individuals who claim to have seen paradise or hell during near-death experiences. Again, here, these are individual uncorroborated claims. It is also interesting to note that Jesus is mentioned in the Quran 187 times, while Muhammad is only mentioned four times. Both were considered mortal prophets.
Spiritualism: Many spiritualist movements focus on communication with spirits, often citing personal experiences as proof of life after death. Also, unverifiable “personal experiences”.
Christianity: Like the others, Christianity includes many stories of individual experiences. However, unlike the others, Christians believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, someone other than themselves, who made resurrection possible for others. Eyewitness testimonies in the New Testament corroborate the claims. Numerous eyewitness accounts of the resurrection event simultaneously.
On the second question about the evidence:
I considered that Christianity is the only major religion in which resurrection and the afterlife are verified by eyewitness accounts. By that, I mean that Jesus did not return in the flesh. Numerous people witnessed him in spirit form immediately after the resurrection.
I further considered that all of the other religious examples speak about accounts of people in the flesh who have gone and are returned to the flesh. That, to me, is not a resurrection. It is more akin to a rebirth on earth, entirely different from a resurrection to a place not on earth.
Those are two significant distinctions that I have never considered before. As an engineer, straight-up faith is sometimes difficult for me grasp, and I suspect it is for others as well. The nagging doubt needed to be put to rest in my mind, so I dove deeper into the “evidence” as it applies to the resurrection of Jesus. Often, when I do this sort of investigation, I take a step back and start with the basics.
This is the trail I followed:
The New Testament is the second part of the Christian Bible, following the Old Testament. It contains 27 books, originally written in Koine Greek by various authors, and focuses on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is about the early Christian Church. The New Testament was written over several decades, primarily in the first century AD. Scholars generally date its composition between 45 AD and 100 AD.
Koine Greek was the common language in the Mediterranean in the first century. It was the language of the working man, the peasant, the vendor, and the housewife. Nothing was pretentious about it. Koine Greek was the common language of the day.
As Alexander the Great conquered the “civilized world” of his time, he spread the Greek language and culture. Much like English has become today, Greek became the most pervasive international language of the day. Since most people could understand Koine, it was uniquely suited to proclaim the Gospel worldwide. That makes sense to me.
However, Koine Greek was not the preferred language of the intellectual and academic elites. Classical Greek was used by the educated class. The great works of Greek literature were written in Classical Greek, but it was not the common language of the day.
Structure of the New Testament:
- The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) – Narratives of Jesus’ life and teachings.
- Acts of the Apostles – A historical account of the early Christian Church.
- Epistles (Letters) – Written by apostles like Paul, Peter, James, and John to guide Christian communities.
- Revelation – A prophetic book about the end times and God’s Kingdom.
All but three of the 27 books of the New Testament were authored by people who were not one of the twelve apostles. I did not know that. It seemed odd to me, and so I investigated further. These people were:
Mark: Traditionally believed to have written the Gospel of Mark. He was a close associate of the apostle Peter and traveled with Paul and Barnabas.
Luke: The author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.
Their books are part of the “Gospels,” narratives of Jesus’ life and teachings. That is our focus here. So, who were these two guys?
Mark:
Mark, also known as John Mark, was not among the twelve apostles. Instead, he was Peter and Paul’s companion.
Mark was a scribe or a secretary by trade. Scribes were highly educated individuals trained in writing and transcription in ancient times. They were responsible for copying and preserving important documents, including religious texts, legal contracts, and historical records. Scribes played a crucial role in transmitting knowledge and information, as they were tasked with ensuring the accuracy and preservation of written texts.
In the context of the Gospel of Mark, it is believed that Mark utilized his scribe skills to accurately record and disseminate the teachings of Jesus Christ. Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of the four canonical Gospels, characterized by its concise and straightforward style. Some scholars suggest that Mark’s background as a scribe influenced the structure and content of his Gospel, as he focused on presenting a clear, factual and coherent account of Jesus’ ministry and message.
The Gospel of Mark describes Jesus’ resurrection in Mark 16. It recounts how Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to Jesus’ tomb early on the first day of the week to anoint his body. When they arrived, they found the stone rolled away and encountered an angel, who told them that Jesus had risen and was no longer there.
The angel instructed them to tell the disciples and Peter that the resurrected Jesus was going ahead of them to Galilee, where they would see him.
As a trained and experienced writer and recorder of information, Mark played a pivotal role in accurately documenting and preserving Jesus’s life and teachings—just the facts.
Luke:
Luke was also not one of the twelve apostles. Instead, he was a physician and a historian. He carefully investigated the events surrounding Jesus’ life, interviewed eyewitnesses, and compiled information. He was my kind of guy. Always seeking evidence and truth to support or discredit fantastical claims.
While much focus is often placed on Luke’s role as a writer and historian, it is also essential to consider aspects of his personal life that can provide insight into the man behind the texts.
Luke was believed by most to be a Gentile, not of Jewish descent, and is thought to have been born in Antioch, Syria. It was a center for Gentile Christianity in the ancient world. This background likely influenced Luke’s perspective and approach to writing his Gospel and Acts, as he was writing primarily for a Gentile audience.
Additionally, Luke’s profession as a physician suggests that he was well-educated and had a scholarly background. This background qualifies him to write credible and factual historical accounts of Jesus’ life and the early Christian church.
Luke’s relationships with other biblical figures also offer insights into his character and beliefs. While Luke is not mentioned as frequently in the New Testament as other disciples such as Peter or Paul, he was a close companion of the apostle Paul. In Paul’s letters, Luke is referred to as “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14) and is mentioned as being with Paul during his travels and imprisonment.
Luke’s Gospel and Acts also reveal aspects of his personality and values. In his Gospel, Luke emphasizes Jesus’ compassion for the marginalized and downtrodden, highlighting stories of Jesus’ interactions with women, sinners, and social outcasts.
This focus on inclusivity and social justice reflects Luke’s empathy and concern for those marginalized in society. Additionally, Luke’s detailed and meticulous writing style suggests that he was a thoughtful and precise individual who took great care in accurately recording the events of Jesus’ life and ministry without bias.
One key theme from Luke’s resurrection account is the importance of eyewitness testimony. Throughout the Gospel of Luke, there is an emphasis on the role of witnesses in verifying the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. The disciples, the women who went to the tomb, and other followers of Jesus are presented as eyewitnesses to the resurrection. It is not Luke’s witness or one eyewitness but many with corroborating details. This witness provides credibility to the narrative.
To strengthen this year’s Easter message, the Pastor posed a question to the congregation.
“What are you willing to die for?”
Throughout history, individuals have been willing to die for various reasons. These causes can range from personal beliefs and values to ideologies and principles. A person’s willingness to sacrifice their life for something or someone demonstrates the depth of their commitment and their importance to the cause.
Religious beliefs are powerful motivators for individuals to be willing to die for a cause. For many people, their faith is an integral part of their identity, and they may be willing to die in defense of their religion or to uphold their religious beliefs. The idea of martyrdom is deeply rooted in many spiritual traditions and can inspire individuals to sacrifice their lives for their faith.
The point here is that Jesus willingly died for the cause. He had 12 apostles and never asked them to do the same. However, 11 of the 12 died as martyrs, persecuted for their beliefs. Each of them witnessed Jesus in spirit form after the resurrection. They were willing to die a horrible death for the cause. They knew the cause was very real because they saw it.
The 12th apostle committed suicide over guilt for his betrayal of the man leading the cause, Jesus. That was Judas, the one who gave up Jesus to the Romans. They died not just for faith but for what they witnessed. That speaks volumes to me about closing the gap between blind faith and eyewitness evidence.
The simple statement, “If Jesus did not rise, nothing matters. Because he did rise, nothing matters more,” captures the profound significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Qualified people documented the event. They did it because the fantastic story needed to be documented. That was their trade. The resurrection of Jesus changed the world forever. I have always believed that, but I have also always questioned why I believe that.
I have been told hundreds of times that “the truth is in the Bible.” Today, I now understand that it is not just written words. Let’s face it, the words of the Bible are often difficult to read and understand. However, it is not just about the words. It is also about the people who wrote them.
My eyes were truly opened at this year’s Easter service like never before. It inspired me to seek reasonable evidence—evidence that does not require Jesus to appear before my own eyes in order to believe. It is more than just faith to me now. I move forward, confident that the resurrection story is sufficiently documented to validate my belief. The lingering doubt is gone. I can take comfort in knowing, not just believing, that because Jesus rose from the dead, nothing in this life or the next matters more than my relationship with him.
He is risen indeed.
