Jesus’ Resurrection stands as the paramount event:

1. Messiah’s      during the time of Jesus:

Theodas and Judas

  
• Act 5:36 For before these days rose up Theodas, affirming       himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred,       joined themselves. Who was slain: and all that believed him were       scattered and brought to nothing. 

  
• Act 5:37 After this man, rose up Judas of Galilee, in the       days of the enrolling, and drew away the people after him. He also       perished: and all, even as many as consented to him, were dispersed. 

Simon – a slave of Herod the Great – 4BC

Judas of Galilee, a member of the Zealots faction who led a bloody revolt against a Roman census in AD 6

Bar Kockbac

Simon Bar Koshiba

The tomb was Empty. Jesus was raised from the dead.

• 1 Corinthians 15:14, "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is      vain, your faith also is vain.”

Theories for why the Tomb was Empty:

• The      disciples stole the body – Why die?
  
• Matthew 28: 11-15 While       they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told       the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with       the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the       soldiers 13 and said, "Tell people, ‘His       disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the       governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as       they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this       day.

• The      enemies stole the body  - if the      enemies stole the body, then why not produce it when the disciples began      to declare that Jesus had been risen from the dead and expose the lie from      the start?

• The      swoon theory – Jesus did not die on the cross, but merely fainted or      swooned and appeared dead. He revived in the tomb and said that he was      resurrected.

  
• Blood       loss
  
• Fatigue
  
• Escape       the grave clothes:
  
  
• John 19:39-42 Nicodemus        also, who earlier had come to Jesus by        night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds [5] in        weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus        and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of        the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was        crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no        one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of        Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
  
• Roll        away the stone and escape without the guard knowing:
  
    
• Matthew 27: 62-66 The         next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and         the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and         said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still         alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore         order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his         disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from         the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate         said to them, "You have a guard of         soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So         they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a         guard.
  
  

• The      wrong tomb theory
  
• Proponents       point to the fact that it was early, and say that the women went to the       wrong tomb.
  
  
• Matthew        28:1 - Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day        of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 
  
• Who all went to the tomb:
  
    
• The ladies, John, Peter
    
• Don’t you think someone would have figured         out that it was the wrong tomb?
    
    
• Rome knew where the tomb was. – Guard
    
• Joseph of Aremthia knew – It was his          family tomb
    
• Nicodemous          knew – He helped prepare the body for burial.
    
  
  

Hallucination theory – They wanted Jesus back so badly that they imagined him.

            Problem mass hallucination is not psychologically possible.

o       John 20:11-18 - 1 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

o       Disciples on the road to Emmaus Mark 16:12-13 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. Luke 24:13-32

o       5. He appeared to his disciples and other followers, and also a second time to the two men from Emmaus, in a locked room in Jerusalem. The apostle Thomas wasn't there at that time. (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-23).
6. A week later, Jesus again appeared to his disciples behind locked doors, and this time Thomas was present. (John 20:24-29).
7. Jesus appeared to seven of his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. (John 21:1-24).
8. Jesus was seen by 500 believers at one time. (1 Corinthians 15:6).
9. He appeared to James. (1 Corinthians 15:7).
10. He appeared to eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee. (Matt. 28:18-20).
11. He walked with his disciples along the road to Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, and then ascended into Heaven. (Luke 24:50-53).
12. He was seen by Paul on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8).

Appearances to women. – Women could not testify in court, not inherit property, nor claim the right to education.