Issue 50 - The Pilgrim - June 2016 - The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

Features
The Pilgrim June 2016
Author examines the arguments for the divinity of Christ
In a new book, Faith meets Forensics, Paul De Marco argues that there is plenty of scientific proof to explain the divinity of Jesus
We often hear that “faith is blind”
and atheists cite the lack of scientific
evidence as the reason why
they don’t believe in a supreme
being. Our generation has seen unprecedented
advances in science
and technology and so it’s perfectly
reasonable that they would ask for
this.
The three-hour period of darkness
and the earthquake on the day of
the crucifixion provide one piece of
evidence that Jesus was God. Many
have attributed this to an eclipse
but this couldn’t possibly have been
the case.
A total solar eclipse is a very rare
event, happening at any point on
Earth only once every 360 years, so
the probability of one occurring in
Jerusalem on the day of the crucifixion
would be 1 in 131,490. However,
a total solar eclipse can only
last for 7 minutes and 31 seconds,
which is the longest period it can
take for the moon to pass over the
sphere of the sun.
Also, this phenomenon can only
happen at the time of a new moon
and the crucifixion happened at
Passover time, which is always celebrated
at the time of a full moon.
The darkness also couldn’t have
been caused by a lunar eclipse, because
the darkness from a lunar
eclipse can only be experienced on
the night side of the planet and
Jerusalem at midday was clearly on
the day side of the planet.
There’s geological evidence for
earthquakes having hit Jerusalem in
both 31 and 33 AD and this event is
also recorded in the writings of
Phlegon in his History of the
Olympiads. Twenty significant earthquakes
have struck Jerusalem from
the Qumran earthquake of 31 BC
which killed 30,000 to the 1927 Jericho
earthquake. So this represents a
severe earthquake every 97.9 years.
The probability of one striking
Jerusalem on the day of the crucifixion
would therefore be 1 in
35,758. But even if the darkness had
been caused by a total solar eclipse,
the probability of there being both
an eclipse and an earthquake on this
day would be 1 in 131,490 x 1 in
35,758 or 1 chance in 4.7 billion.
The messianic prophecies provide
further evidence. King David lived
from 1040 to 970 BC and made the
astonishing prophecy that the hands
and feet of the Messiah would be
pierced and that lots would be cast
for his clothing.
This is remarkable as the first
recorded use of crucifixion was 500
years later in 519 BC when Darius I
of Persia crucified 3000 men in
Babylon.
Isaiah lived from 740 to 680 BC
and prophesied that the messiah
would be born to a virgin, but also
that he would be “pierced for our
transgressions.”
The prophet Micah lived from 750
to 696 BC and predicted that the
Messiah would be born in Bethlehem,
which is incredible as this village
only had a population of
several hundred even at the time
Jesus was born.
Then we have Zechariah who in
519 BC prophesied that the Lord
would be priced at 30 pieces of silver
and that these coins would be
thrown into the house of the Lord,
“to the potter.” This is precisely
what Judas Iscariot did and the
chief priests used the money to buy
the potter’s field as a burial place
for foreigners.
The divinity of Jesus is also endorsed
by the miracles attributed to
him, which were also described by
the historians Josephus and Tertullian.
Josephus was born only four
years after Jesus died and would
therefore have had access to people
who had actually been cured by
Jesus and who had witnessed the
phenomena at the crucifixion.
The most spectacular miracle was
the raising of Lazarus four days
after his death, which showed that
he had power over life itself.
The miracle of multiplication
at the feeding
of the 5,000 would have
seen about 15,000 fed
from just five loaves and
two fish, if women and
children are included.
The conversion of between
450 and 690 litres
of water into wine at
Cana, showed that Jesus
could change a substance
at will and is a reflection
of the transubstantiation
of the bread and wine at Mass.
The empty tomb presents yet
more compelling evidence and several
hypotheses to explain the disappearance
of the body. The
post-resurrection appearances of
Jesus over a period of 40 days, including
appearing to over 500 people
at one time, adds to the weight
of evidence.
So too does the behaviour of the
disciples who, subsequent to the
resurrection, gave up their lives and
suffered martyrdom proclaiming
that Jesus was the Messiah. What
could possibly have motivated them
to do this, unless they had actually
seen the resurrected Jesus?
Taken singly, each piece of evidence
presents a case for his divinity,
but when brought together they
provide an overwhelming burden of
proof.
Faith meets
Forensics is
available through
www.lulu.com for
£4.99 or as an
ebook for £1.99.
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