Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead?
January 25th, 2008 by Sean
Ok, so I’m a bit of an N.T. Wright groupie. I find much of what he has to say fascinating and cogent. Even so, I do differ with him on a few things. But, be that as it may, I recently came across another remarkable lecture in which Dr. Wright laid out the case for the resurrection of Jesus. We have already posted on William Lane Craig’s approach to this subject in the post entitled Jesus’ Resurrection Proved. Dr. Craig’s approach is analytical and works almost like a legal argument. Meanwhile, N.T. Wright comes at the question of whether or not the resurrection of Jesus happened from a more historical (or big picture) perspective. This talk is called Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? and it works as a thumbnail sketch of some of the contents of his tome on the subject called The Resurrection of the Son of God, a mere 740 pages (pictured to the right). The question of Jesus’ resurrection lies at the center of our faith. Paul said it well:
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
I would encourage anyone has an interest becoming more knowledgeable about the historical arguments for and against the resurrection of Jesus to watch or listen to this talk.
click here to listen [96min 59sec]. If you prefer to watch this, click the play button below. Both video and audio files was originally posted on this page of Roanoke College.
He’s a brilliant speaker.
I just listened to the whole thing. Sean you turned me onto Wright a few months ago and I think hes amazing. He has such a wonderful way of putting things. What he has to say about death is sooo right on like 99% of the time. I do not get how he still believes in the disembodied soul going to heaven after doing so much research and also saying the Heaven is not the point.
Sorry im writing this immediately after listening to it and 94 min is alot to take in.
Check out 1:31 when he kind of says that the people who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture are mistaken about 1 cor.
[...] The Unofficial N.T. Wright Page has tons of mp3s and written sermons by Dr. N.T. Wright (Anglican Bishop of Durham). He is a first rate historian of early Christianity and has a doctorate from Oxford and has written dozens of books. He’s widely respected as a NT scholar by both conservatives and liberals. His tome on the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection is called The Resurrection of the Son of God. He identifies 7 mutations between 2nd temple Judaism and early Christianity that can only be accounted for if Jesus was actually raised from the dead (this is a blog post I did about a lecture he gave that I thought was particularly good, including video or audio download of the lecture). [...]