Sunday 1 May 2011

The ‘Forgotten’ Resurrection Story - Geza Vermes

Here we have William Lane Craig doubting the biggest resurrection story in the Gospels. Amazing. This is enough food for thought for any Christian to re-examine their faith and look into Islam. People, the Bible you have only makes sense with Islam - with Islam you can discern what parts of the Bible are to be believed and which parts are to be rejected or left without belief and disbelief.

Of course the Gospels contain more than one resurrection story, so which one is this Christian apologist doubting? He is doubting the biggest one - the most spectacular resurrection story of them all. Clearly if folk can think the Gospel writers were capable of telling such spectacular fabricated stories then surely the same people would not trust the Gospels?!


 

What are churches teaching?
Non-Christians and lay Christians alike may be unaware of the Gospel accounts containing a number of resurrections.

In Matthew’s Gospel* the story of Jesus being crucified includes an eschatological-style scene which included an earthquake as well as the resurrection of many holy men:

A unique and otherwise unclassifiable incident is reported by Matthew as coinciding with the death of Jesus on the cross. According to his Gospel, the tragic event was marked by an earthquake, a common feature together with thunder, tornado and fire, of the eschatological crescendo in scripture (Isa 29:6; Ps 18:7;Mk 13:8; Mt 24:7; Lk 21:11). [1]

The resurrection of many saints

We just don’t see our Christian friends celebrating the resurrection of the “many” saints, are they unaware of this story or are they selectively choosing to believe in the story about Jesus whilst ignoring/forgetting/disbelieving the resurrection account concerning these holy men.

Our Christian friends don’t even know the names of these men (and women?) but celebrate the resurrection story of Jesus (p) every Easter. Christians claim he “conquered” death but fail to celebrate all these saints who also “conquered” death according to the stories within the New Testament.

Here is the Jesus scholar, Geza Vermes, to describe the forgotten resurrection story:

Following this earthquake, rocks were split and tombs were opened. Out of them emerged the risen bodies of many saints who were seen by numerous inhabitants of Jerusalem following the resurrection of Jesus (Mt 27:51-53). Needless to say, nothing is heard of them afterwards. [2]

I’m not surprised nothing was heard of these saints afterwards.

Seeing resurrection stories as metaphorical…

Vermes writes: Matthew’s account is best understood as symbolical and suggests that an anticipatory resurrection, the disgorging of the raised ‘saints’ (i.e. righteous) by the gaping tombs, happened immediately after Jesus had expired. Yet the saints are said to have appeared to ‘many’ not on Friday, but early on Sunday. Therefore the religious message hints at link between the death and consequent resurrection of Jesus and the general rising of the dead. This idea points to St Paul’s definition of the rising of Jesus as the ‘first fruits’ of the general resurrection. [3]

Now, this is interesting. If folk can take the “resurrections” of all these holy men as symbolical why not take all the accounts claiming Jesus was resurrected as metaphorical too?

 David Friedrich Strauss introduced the idea of the Gospels containing untrue stories as religiously true ‘myths’. So the resurrection of Jesus could also be seen as one of these myths which were designed to convey a ‘religious truth’. Perhaps the ‘religious truth’ the resurrection stories were designed to convey was the message that, ultimately holy people always win.

The author of Matthew liked earthquakes

The author or scribes involved with the Gospel of Matthew added another earthquake story to the mix – another earthquake story that nobody else mentions.

Geza Vermes notes, It is to be observed tat Matthew speaks again of an earthquake at the moment of the resurrection of Jesus (Mt 28:2). There is no further reference to the story in the New Testament tradition. [4]

Conclusion

I guarantee you there will be fundamentalist Christians out there who literally believe in all of the resurrections in the New Testament – including those of the ‘many’ saints. To those folk, I would ask them, what happened to the ‘many’ saints who rose from the dead. Where did they go? What were their names? Did they also “conquer” death?

*Accomplished scholars consider the Gospel of Matthew to be anonymous.

[1] The Resurrection, Geza Vermes, Penguin Books, 2008, p 92

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid. p 92-93

Related:
Jesus has Muslim brothers/sisters
The incarnation?
Original sin?
Learn about Islam

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16 comments:

Radical Moderate said...

Muslims Come out Come out where ever you are.

Tonight at 8 PM Eastern and 7 PM Central Anthony (The NEW FELLOW) Rogers will be live via Skype on ABNSAT. Muslims we know you listen so why not pick up the phone and call in. The Topic will be Exposing the ERRORS in the Quran focusing on Surah 4:157

Click on Listen Live link in red in the upper right of the page

(248) 416-1300

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Yahya Snow said...

@RadMod

Crikey Anthony Rogers is going to be on? Are you pulling my chain.
Let me guess, he will babble on about the angel of the Lord for an hour.

It reminds me, I reaaly need to comment on his multi-part articles on the said subject. He produced a few and he proved nothing. Anthony will simply talk on ABN and produce nothing but more confusion in the minds of the Christian audience.

I bet they will have you on there next, RadMod. Let me guess, your specialist subject will be how to butcher Muslims with the weapons at disposal amongst the Christian audience. Actually, it would be nice to put a face to the bigot. I eagerly await your showing.

I may even feature on here in the Islamophibia section. :)

As for tonight's episode you might want to call in and ask them about the other resurrections in the Bible which they never talk about:

http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/2011/05/forgotten-resurrection-story-is-refuted.html

Or you could ask them why the NT is telling slaves to "fear" their slave masters. I have never figured that one out. I understand the obey part and I understand the NT allows slavery but the fear part is a little puzzling.

Too bad the Bible expert (pastor Jospeh Najm) will not be on. Have they got rid of him? I have not seen him in ages. Don't tell me he was involved in a scandal and was dismissed.

Perhaps ABN are letting a fair bit of water pass under the bridge due to some of the deceptions he has been involved in. I mean, Wood and Shamoun had a long lay off when folk realised theyr were using deception.

Hmm, how we forget.

Iron sharpens iron as one man sharpens another

Peace

Radical Moderate said...

@Yahya Snow

The topic will be on Surah 4:157. So are you going to call in? This is your chance to come out from hiding behind your computer screen.

You wrote....

"Perhaps ABN are letting a fair bit of water pass under the bridge due to some of the deceptions he has been involved in."

LOL wow talk about deception, lets take a look at all the deception you have stated in your response.

First Pastor Joseph moved to another state so there is no SCANDAL and he was on Friday's show. lol

Second You slander me by writing
"Let me guess, your specialist subject will be how to butcher Muslims with the weapons at disposal amongst the Christian audience"

Talk about deception, I have never said ever that Christians should kill anyone especially Muslims. What I did say, and wrote and what I do believe is that the US should not be KILLING MUSLIMS to STOP MUSLIMS FROM KILLING MUSLIMS. We should not be involved in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Libya.

That it is in the US's best interest to use Iraq and Iran (Shia v's Sunni) against each other. That comes naturally to you Muslims so wouldn't really be much involvement on the side of the US. If you Muslmis want to kill each other hey have at it. Not my problem, not my concern. Let those two bleed each other white.

As far as your question on "Slaves Fear your masters" can you point out that verse. Ephe 6 does say "Slaves obey your masters with fear and trembling just as you obey Christ" how ever this is a far cry from "Slaves fear your masters".

Either way in just this single post I have un covered in you two points of deceptions and slander.

I also notice for someone who despises the bible you sure do seem to quote from it a awful lot.

I guess the Bible is superior to the Quran, can't find a verse similar to the bible's "Iron Sharpens Iron" LOL

Well the show is going to start, I doubt you will call in because after all you are a coward.

Radical Moderate said...

"Where the Quran is clear, it is Clearly in ERROR" Anthony "The NEWFELLA" Rogers.

Radical Moderate said...

"The Qruran forces Muslims to be Irrational" David Wood

Yahya Snow said...

RadMod

You have my email addy. Send me a link when Anthony's show appears on the net. God willing, this blog will put him right.

I don't despise the Bible. I quote from it. And no, the Bible is not superior than the Quran.

You wanted to use Iraq as a battlefield against Iran. That's tantamount to wanting to butcher Muslims. Don't back track. I have you on camera :)


Iron sharpens iron as one man sharpens another.

Peace

Radical Moderate said...

@Yahya

Still slandering when you wrote...
"You wanted to use Iraq as a battlefield against Iran. That's tantamount to wanting to butcher Muslims. Don't back track. I have you on camera :)"

Yes Iraq and IRAN battling each other, as long as you Muslims are dong what you Muslims do best and that is kill each other, your killing us Kuffar.

Radical Moderate said...

Correction

"your killing us Kuffar."

Should be "YOUR NOT KILLING US KUFFAR"

Radical Moderate said...

MUSLIMS
YOUR SHEIK OSAMA BIN LADDEN IS DEAD, DEAD, DEAD lol

Radical Moderate said...

Happy VT day + 1 everyone. I'm sorry Muslims your Sheik was shot in the head until he was dead. But it's just another case of another Muslim learning the meaning of these words.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light.

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming.

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air.........
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there!!!!!

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Sheik Osama Bin Ladden learned on May 1, 2011 that YES that Star Spangled banner still waves, over the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Yahya Snow said...

@Bartimaes

I know you cannot answer but please do not show yourself up by throwing out insults and empty claims.

Grow up.

Anonymous said...

Too lare Frosty I already posted you picure on my blog. And yes Mohammed is in Hell and Jesus is Lord.

Yahya Snow said...

Bart,

Grow up. Prophet Muhammad will be in the same place as Jesus (peace be on them both)

I see your still insulting like a fundamentalist Christian affected by the disease of Islamophobia.

Oh, you continue talking about a picture whilst the rest of us discuss more scholarly subjects.

minoria said...

I have respect for Geza Vermes though I dont agree with many of his ideas.But as for Bart Ehrman I have lost respect.He always says in his books and debates:"Was there an angel or a young man at the resurrection."

It has been going on for years.He knows angelos=messenger and means human or divine person and that Luke uses angelos and young man interchangeably.It is sad.

Another thing he repeats is that there is a contradiction about whether Judas hung himself or fell and died.What a lack of intellectual honesty.The original Greeks says differently:

http://www.avraidire.com/2010/07/how-did-judas-dieabout-a-supposed-contradiction-between-matthew-and-acts/

On top of that PAPIAS(125 AD) wrote that he had heard the information that JUDAS had become BLOATED like a cart.That coincides with the article above.For 100% Ehrman knows that info.In reality Ehrman is not reliable,I used to think he was a serious scholar.