Christian doctrine holds that if the resurrection of Jesus did not happen, then all Christians in all times are to be “most pitied” (1 Cor 15:19). All faith and all hope within Christianity center on that event. Quite simply, no resurrection, no Christianity. Even so, the apostle Paul encourages the church at Corinth, saying that Christ has indeed been raised from the dead (cf. 1 Cor 15:20), and he proclaims himself an eyewitness, along with many others, including eleven of Jesus’ closest disciples (1 Cor 15:3-8). In fact, Paul says that at one point the risen Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at one time. More importantly, he adds that most of them are still living. This is an important claim because, by it, Paul no doubt extends an invitation to the world to examine their eyewitness accounts.
Sometimelater,Matthew,Mark, Luke, and later still John document their eyewitness accounts in the Gospels. In fact, the early church father Papias, whose life overlapped thatofsomeoftheapostles,confirms that Matthew and John were direct eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus, with Luke recording Paul’s eyewitness account and Mark recording that of Peter. That makes the Gospel accounts four independent eyewitness testimonies to Jesus’ resurrection. The question, however, is whether we can trust these four accounts. In short, how do we determine the trustworthiness of these testimonies? In the days of Jesus, a man could only be condemned on the testimony of two or three witnesses (cf. Matt 18:16). While two or three witnesses today would be outstanding in any case, the question of trustworthiness remains.
In court systems around the world, eyewitness testimony is critical in both the prosecution and the defense of a person charged. In fact, it is rare for a criminal case to be tried without an eyewitness giving an account. Nevertheless, for various reasons, men frequently do provide false testimony. The challenge for the jury is determining whatistruthfultestimonyandwhat is a fabricated lie. To help navigate these complexities in California, jurors are provided with guidelines that include over twelve points to consider regarding the trustworthiness of eyewitness accounts. Needless to say, if the testimony in question fails on these points, it is not a trustworthy account.
When evaluating eyewitness testimony, jurors are instructed to answer several questions, such as: “Did the witness know or have contact with the defendant before the event? How well could the witness see the person? What were the conditions, such as lighting and distance?Howclosewasthewitness paying attention during the event? Was the witness under stress when observing? Did the witness describe the person, and how well does that description match the defendant?” All of these questions and more are designed to help guide jurors in deciding whether or not to trust the eyewitness testimony being presented.
Now, applying that tactic to the Gospel accounts, John’s eyewitness testimony of Jesus entering the upper room full of the apostles after His resurrection (cf. John 20:24-29) provides substantial answers to all of these questions. That is, John’s eyewitness report is that all eleven apostles were gathered behind a locked door in the upper room of a dwelling when Jesus suddenly appeared among them. Applying the criteria and answering the questions, they had certainly been familiarwithJesusbeforetheevent, knowing not only how He looked but also the sound of His voice and His movements, having spent three years following Him. Now, they all had the perfect opportunity to see Jesus again up close in the privacy of the closed room. Close enough to see His face, to touch His arm, to hear His voice, and observe His mannerisms. At such close range, given the intimacy of the scene, there was no possibility for mistaken identity; it was indeed Jesus among them. All eyes were on Jesus as he spoke to the once doubting Thomas, surrounded by the other ten, showing him the nail holes in His wrist and the spear wound in His side. Thomas then spoke what all were thinking, confirming for all to hear that the man before him, and among them, was none other than Jesus. Thomas said, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). What else could he say? Everything that was within him told him that Jesus had been raised from the dead and was now alive again. In a very real sense, Thomas’s testimony, along with John’s, shows beyond a doubt that Jesus was among them again.
At this point, halfway through the juror’s guideline, any person hearing John’s eyewitness testimony would have to agree that the story in the upper room meets all the criteria of trustworthy eyewitness accounts. But there are still more guideline questions to answer. Join us next time as we examine the remaining questions jurors ask to determine the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Until then, think about the evidence and ask yourself: Is God dead?
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Ty B. Kerley, DMin., is an ordained minister who teaches Christian apologetics, and relief preaches in Southern Oklahoma. Dr. Kerley and his wife Vicki are members of the Waurika church of Christ, and live in Ardmore. You can contact him at: dr.kerley@isGoddead.com.