Can We Trust the Resurrection?

Can We Trust the Resurrection?

Earlier this week Detective J. Warner Wallace posted an important video on the resurrection of Jesus. Wallace says that after looking at the various theories that attempt to explain the facts surrounding Jesus’ death, only the resurrection hypothesis can account for all of the evidence. It was only Wallace’s presupposition against miracles that kept him from accepting the Christian explanation of the facts.

Wallace challenges us to look at the facts and the theories to see what the explanation of the facts is for ourselves. He didn’t walk through an examination of each theory in the video, but this article may be a good place to start.

Possibly the most common theory used to deny the resurrection today is the hallucination hypothesis. As the article above says, this theory doesn’t even come close to explaining the empty tomb.

How would the disciples be convinced of a risen Jesus if,  after they proclaimed the resurrection appearances of Jesus, the tomb still held Jesus’ body? Even if the disciples themselves had stolen the body, they would know Jesus wasn’t alive, and therefore would not believe in his physical resurrection. Furthermore, group hallucinations like the ones here are completely unparalleled in psychology, so this theory doesn’t actually explain the appearances of Jesus either.

None of the other naturalistic theories are any better than the hallucination hypothesis. The well-established historical facts surrounding the resurrection of Jesus render the alternative explanations insufficient. If one is willing to follow the evidence where it leads, the miraculous resurrection hypothesis is unavoidable.

Wallace says:

“Test them for yourself. Imagine every way you could explain those four pieces of evidence, and you will see that none of them work except for the Christian view, if you are willing to lay down your bias against the supernatural.”