1.2 Objections to concepts of a resurrection
1) The Christian faith is not unique in its claim to be the originator of a resurrection concept. Greek mythology and folklore record such ideas of a resurrection phenomenon. Therefore, Christianity has borrowed from resurrection stories elsewhere and has incorporated such ideas into their faith to give it credibility after the loss of their leader in a bitter defeat at the hands of the Roman Empire.
We respond to such accusations by using a 3-fold defence:
Firstly, we agree that the idea of a resurrection concept is not uncommon in civilized and uncivilized cultures of the world. This is not a proof that the Christian church has borrowed from religious thought elsewhere.
Instead, we conclude that resurrection stories only serve to validate the thought that God, from the beginning of time, has placed in the heart of man the knowledge of himself and his future plans for man’s eternal state. This knowledge became corrupted by oral tradition and by a fallen race that could not keep their knowledge of God untainted by heathen practices. The concept of a resurrection found its way into Greek mythology and folklore over time not as mistakenly thought as the other way around.
Secondly, concepts of a resurrection are deeply rooted in the Hebrew scriptures which are among the oldest known writings found upon the face of the earth to this date. Therefore, the Christian faith did not borrow from pagan mythology or from folklore but from the Hebrew scriptures.
a) Job 19:25-27 -(believed to be the oldest of writings)
b) Ps. 49:15
c) Dan.12:2
d) Ho. 13:14
e) Lk. 20:37,38
f) Heb 11:19
g) Hos 6:2
h) Jonah 1:17
Thirdly, the concept of a resurrection did not become an afterthought upon the death of a self-proclaimed Messiah but was predicted both in scripture and by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
a) Ps. 16:10- “Nor will you allow your Holy One to see decay”
b) Luke 9:31- “They spoke of his departure which he was about to accomplish.”
c) John 10:18- “I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again.”
d) Matt. 17:23- “third day he shall be raised again”
e) Matt. 16:21- “from that time forth… and raised again.”
2) The second objection is that a resurrection is a scientific impossibility. This is true. We do not object. This is because science is dedicated to explaining the material universe as we preconceive it to be and therefore is incapable of measuring or observing a spiritual universe.
McLeod Hill Assembly 