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3. N.T. Wright’s Historical Analysis of the Resurrection N.T. Wright, a contemporary Anglican New Testament scholar and Pauline theologian, offers two arguments for the historicity of Jesus’ Resurrection: the remarkable success of Christian messianism and the Christian mutations of Second Temple Judaism. These two aspects of the early Church are difficult to account for without the Resurrection. Messianic Movements: Groups which formed around leaders who claimed to be God’s promised Messiah, and which inevitably died out after the leader’s death. The Remarkable Success of Christian Messianism The first historical anomaly central to N.T. Wright’s argument is that there were many messianic movements in the time of Christ, each separate and distinct from that of Jesus and His followers. Wright lists several of these: “Judas the Galilean, Simon, Athronges, Eleazar ben Deinaus and Alexander, Menahem, Simon bar Giora, and bar-Kochba.” In every case, a charismatic leader attracted an enthusiastic following, the leader died (usually at the hands of the authorities), his followers scattered, and the messianic movement soon died. One example of this pattern is even found in the Gospels with John the Baptist. Christianity is the one dramatic exception to this pattern. After the public humiliation and execution of their leader, the disciples did not fade away. Instead, they began preaching throughout the surrounding countries that their crucified leader is in fact the Messiah, has succeeded in fulfilling the ancient prophecies, rose from the dead, and is divine. Even more shockingly, their messianic movement grew exponentially. In a few generations, Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. Where did this momentum come from? What inspired the Apostles with such conviction? Wright believes that the Apostles would have had no credibility with this message among the Jewish or Gentile people were it not for two extraordinary occurrences — (1) the Apostles’ ability to perform healings and miracles on a regular basis by the power of the Holy Spirit, and (2) the fact that they worked these miracles in the name of Jesus. As the Apostles explained, if Jesus was not risen from the dead as they had preached, then how could they work miracles through His Spirit in His name? Given that no other messianic movement worked regular miracles in the name of their messiah (including the movement of John the Baptist), it explains how Christianity’s preaching of the Resurrection was so credible and, therefore, how the early Church grew so rapidly. This historical perspective gives evidence not only of the power of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of the Apostles, but also of the Resurrection of Jesus. In a few generations, Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. © Sophia Institute for Teachers Unit 3, Chapter 7: Evidence for Jesus’ Divinity 135
From Judaism to Christianity The teaching of the Early Church also gives evidence for the Resurrection. Wherever possible, the early Christians tried to maintain continuity in teaching with the broader Jewish community of the time (whose teachings are referred to as Second Temple Judaism). There is one area, however, where Christians made several unprecedented changes in doctrine, changes dramatic enough to get them expelled from the synagogues: the Resurrection. Here are the changes: Second Temple Judaism Resurrection means return to the same kind of physical body. Christianity Resurrection means transformation into a spiritual and glorified body (the soma pneumatikon). No one will rise before the end times. Jesus has already risen. The Messiah is not associated with Resurrection. The hope for a Messiah and the hope of a Resurrection are both fulfilled in Jesus. The end times (parousia) are in the Future. The end times have begun with Jesus, and will be completed in the future. Resurrection is a minor doctrine. Resurrection is the central doctrine that justifies and connects the entire Faith. Historians have theorized about where these new ideas came from — perhaps from paganism, some have suggested, or the desire of Christians to come to terms with the death of their leader. The problem with these theories is that the ideas are unprecedented — no one had ever proposed them even outside of Judaism. It is difficult to find a plausible source for these ideas other than the one given in the Gospels — that Jesus really did rise from the dead and appeared to the disciples in a spiritual and glorified body. (Remember that St. Paul even 136 Apologetics I: The Catholic Faith and Science © Magis Center
Page 1 and 2: UNIT 3 CHAPTER 7 Evidence for Jesus
Page 3 and 4: Chapter 7 Follow the Evidence Thus
Page 5 and 6: St. Paul and the Apostles faced ali
Page 7 and 8: Resurrected Jesus Christ with Thoma
Page 9 and 10: Soma Pneumatikon: Phrase coined by
Page 11: The unprecedented growth of the ear
Page 15 and 16: Jesus’ Resurrection shows us His
Page 17 and 18: an unprecedented teaching not found
Page 19 and 20: Straight to the Source ADDITIONAL R
Page 21: and persuasion was addressed not to

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