Evidence for the Resurrection of Yeshua (Part 3)

(This is a continuation of a series.  It may help to read the second post before this one.)

For the third part, I would like to point out one of the first creedal statements, or sayings, of the earliest Church.  See, back in the day, the average layperson didn't have pens, pencils, notepads, voice recorders, iphones, etc. to notate significant concepts and histories, so the people would create oral sonnets (of sort) to solidify important, memorable truths.  Among these is a saying that describes the appearances of Christ following His resurrection.

Very Early Creeds


Paul's first letter to the church of Corinth was written in 55-57 AD.  It was written to practically tackle the sinful problems of the believers there, and has many important concepts useful to the Church as a whole.  For our purposes here, I wish to point us towards the end of the letter where Paul reproduces one of the early creeds of the Resurrection, beginning in chapter 15.

1 Corinthians 15 1-8:

Now brothers, I want to clarify for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand by it, if you hold to the message I proclaimed to you--unless you believed to no purpose.  For I passed on to you as most important what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, 

that He was buried, 

that He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures, 

and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.

Then He appeared to over 500 brothers at one time, most of whom remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 

Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

Last of all, as to one abnormally born, He also appeared to me.

Paul quickly points out he didn't make it up--he is just passing it along.  What Paul is saying here is that Christians were running around and saying that a Man died and then was raised from the dead.  They maintained that they literally and actually saw Him.  Indeed, over 500 people saw Him!  Paul says, "Go ask them!" (In fact, the text says "500 men"; recall in that culture that women held a lower place so it is likely that over a thousand people saw Jesus at once if you count the women and children.  This was at Galilee, out in the woods, where the serious would go--see Matthew 28:16-20.)

Yes--it is a crazy story!  Yes--we are talking about something that never happened before we met this Jesus!

They were so confident, so boldly proclaiming this factual experience, that they were willing to be corroborated by other people living at the time.  Furthermore, this statement was being passed around within just a few years of the Resurrection--there was no time for 'legend' to 'creep in' and corrupt the witness.

This is powerful Biblical attestation for the Resurrection of Yeshua.

Certainly, modern skeptical scholars bring up objections of 'mass-hypnosis' or that they were all smoking reefer or doing some other drugs.  What seems to be the most plausible, considering the whole of the evidence?  Jesus was seen at least eight times as reported in the Bible--does mass hysteria account for all of these?

I will end the post with a bit more from 1 Corinthians 15.  Paul goes on to point out, logically, that if the Resurrection did not happen, then we are most of all people in the world to be pitied.  In fact, we are the worst liars of all, and our faith is worthless.  What a bunch of schmucks we are if there is no Resurrection!

But alas, we know that it indeed is the Truth, and that the Bible Story presents it in all elegance and beauty.  In prophecy, narrative, and eye-witness testimony, our Hope is firm that Jesus lives today!

(I am not holding well to my 'daily' posting intentions, am I?)