NONSENSE FROM THE BIBLE (4 page)

Seriously, we should accept that the whole story is fiction! Another example of human invention and fantasy rather that factual evidence or divinely inspired writing.

Just nonsense!

THE RESURRECTION 

So did Jesus actually rise from the dead? - What evidence do we have that he did? Once again the only evidence we have is the Bible which cannot be accepted as a reliable source of information. As I said in my Introduction, the Bible is a collection of stories and myths based on hearsay transmitted from generation to generation and which were recorded by many (40+) different authors during a period spanning possibly 1,600 or more years.

The ‘evidence’ then is only to be found in the Bible – no historical, scientific or authenticated archaeological evidence exists. If you check the internet for such evidence you will discover many websites by Christian ministries – all present the evidence only from the Bible. Most so-called archaeological evidence is based on supposition rather than fact. The tourist industry of the Holy Land naturally endeavours to proclaim the authenticity of such sights as the cave or tomb in which Jesus was laid.   

If we examine this so-called evidence in the Bible, we quickly discover many discrepancies in the written accounts of  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

After the crucifixion the Body of Jesus was taken to a tomb which belonged to a wealthy disciple:

Matthew 27:57-66

When the even was come,
there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day, that followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest the his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error be worse than the first.
Pilate said unto them, ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting watch.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS - FOUR DIFFERENT VERSIONS

Now we have the body of Jesus in the tomb - the sepulchre - then just before dawn on Sunday, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James (& Jesus) went to see the sepulchre, according to Matthew’s version.

Version: 1.

Matthew 28:1-9

In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came 
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and become as dead men. 
 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples the word.
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Matthew 28:11-15

Now
when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large sums of money unto the soldiers, saying, say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.  

Version: 2.

Mark 16:1-12

And when the Sabbath was past,
Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome,
had bought sweet spices, that they might anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves
,
who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away:
for it was very great. And
entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment;
and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they anything to any man; for they were afraid.
Now when Jesus was risen the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had cast seven devils, And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and been seen of her, believed not.
After that he appeared in another form unto two of them
, as they walked, and went into the country.

Version: 3.

Luke 24: 1-15

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they* came unto the sepulchre, bringing spices which they had prepared and certain others with them. And
they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout,
behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the other women that were with them,
which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. And, behold, two of them went the same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

*The last verses of the previous chapter refer to the ‘women’

Version: 4.

John 20:1-18

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre, then she runneth, and commeth to SimonPeter,
 
and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie. And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. then the disciples went away again unto their own home. But
Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting,
the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said,
she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni: which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

FOUR VERSIONS  

WHICH - IF ANY - SHOULD WE BELIEVE?

Version: 1

Were there soldiers guarding the sepulchre
?

 Yes - several but it’s not mentioned how many

Who went to the sepulchre
?

Mary Magdalene and the
other
Mary visit the sepulchre

What happened
?

There was -
a great earthquake

The angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled away the stone from the door and sat upon it.

His countenance was like lightening, and his raiment white as snow

Who first met Jesus
?
How and where
?

As the two Marys went to tell his disciples, Jesus met them, saying,
All hail
. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Version: 2

Were there soldiers guarding the sepulchre
?

None mentioned

Who went to the sepulchre
?

Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome. They had brought sweet spices, that they might anoint him.

What happened
?

They saw that the stone had been rolled away.

As they entered the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment.

Who first met Jesus
?
How and where
?

When  
Jesus was risen on the first day of the week
  he appeared first to Mary Magdalene.

Version: 3

Were there soldiers guarding the sepulchre
?

None mentioned

Who went to the sepulchre
?

Early in the morning, they* came unto the sepulchre, bringing spices which they had prepared and
certain others
with them -
bringing spices
which they had prepared.

* ‘they’ - the previous chapter refers to ‘the women.’

What happened
?

They found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. They entered the sepulchre and Jesus had gone. Then they saw two men standing by them in shining garments:

The women, later identified as Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the other women that were with them - all went to tell the disciples what had happened at the sepulchre  The disciples were sceptical about their story so Peter then ran to the sepulchre and found only the linen grave clothes.

Who first met Jesus
?
How and where
?

Later ‘two of them’ (not named) went to a village called Emmaus outside of Jerusalem and as they were talking together about what had happened that day Jesus joined them and they walked together.

Version: 4.

Were there soldiers guarding the sepulchre
?

None mentioned

Who went to the sepulchre
?

Before dawn early in the morning Mary Magdalene went to the sepulchre and found that the stone had been rolled away.

What happened
?

Without entering the sepulchre she ran to find Simon Peter and the other disciple
whom Jesus loved
- this was possibly John.