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Circumstantial Evidence
J.
L. McKinley
There are different kinds of evidences used in
determining the accuracy of alleged truth. Eyewitness testimony is the most
powerful form of evidence. In the Old Testament eyewitness testimony was to be
confirmed by at least two people (Deuteronomy
17:6; 19:15).
Another form of evidence is called circumstantial
evidence. Pamela Binnings Ewen in her excellent book ‘Faith On Trial’ defines circumstantial evidence as “the type of
evidence that requires the use of reason to reach a conclusion” (pp. 7). It is
the practice of building a case on “knowable facts” (pp. 8). Thus, if one were
to build a case for the evidence of the resurrection of Christ based upon
circumstantial evidence, he would collect as many known historical facts as
possible and lay them upon one another until they built a wall no honest
skeptic could jump.
In this study we shall briefly consider evidence
that one can use in teaching unbelievers that Jesus did in fact, rise from the
dead.
The
Disciples Died For Their Beliefs
It is a known historical fact that those who
followed Jesus died for their belief in Him and His message. Even atheist
historians such as Will Durant and H. G. Wells acknowledge that Jesus’
immediate disciples were martyred for their faith. This is even more incredible
when we realize that on the night of their Master’s arrest they were scattered
and discouraged. Upon His death their belief that Jesus was the long awaited
Messiah, had been crushed. Their Master, in Whom they hoped would throw off
Roman oppression and restore Israel, had been crucified on a Roman cross. One
who endured such a fate was believed to be accursed by God (Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:4). Later,
they were found hiding behind closed doors in fear that the Jews would hunt
them down to end Jesus’ influence once and for all (John 20:19). The Jesus movement seemed as if it had been stopped in
its tracks.
A short time later the disciples committed their
lives to preaching that Jesus arose from the dead. How does one account for
these Jewish preachers’ belief in the resurrection of Jesus? It could not have
been contrived because there was nothing in first century Judaism to influence
them in making up such a doctrine. While the Jews believed in an end-time
resurrection, they had no concept of an isolated event within history wherein
one would rise to immortality. Such being the case we cannot attribute this new
doctrine to the disciples of Jesus. Our best conclusion is that the apostles
preached the resurrection of Jesus because they actually saw Him and were
motivated by the “many infallible proofs” He gave them before He ascended (Acts 1:1-3; 1 John 1:1-4).
The
Conversion of Skeptics
Some argue that the resurrection story is made up
because when Jesus arose He only appeared to believers. However, if the
resurrection story is made up, how do we explain the conversion of James, the
Lord‘s brother, and Saul of Tarsus?
During His ministry Jesus’ siblings rejected His
claims (John 7:1-5). However, after
Jesus’ resurrection, James became a leader in the Jerusalem church and was
martyred for his faith. How does one account for James becoming a believer?
Only one plausible explanation, he saw Jesus alive after His crucifixion and
death (I Corinthians 15:6).
The most popular example of conversion to Christ is
the great persecutor, Saul of Tarsus. What could have motivated this man who
had and intense hatred for the Church to become its most influential
evangelist? Paul forsook a prestigious career in Judaism in exchange for ostracism
and suffering (Philippians 3:2-11, Acts
9:16, II Corinthians 11:23-28).
Imagine yourself as a first century Jew or Christian
and the impact it would have to hear that Saul had been converted! What makes
this even more incredible is that after Paul’s conversion he did not try to
bind the ordinances of the Law on Gentiles. What caused such a change in
doctrine for this once zealous Jew? He saw the risen Christ (Acts 9:1-18, I Corinthians 15:8-9).
Changes
To Key Social Structures
By the time that Jesus became flesh and dwelt among
men, the Jews had suffered persecution from pagan nations for 700 years. What
is even more incredible is that many of the nations, which persecuted the Jews,
had faded away, but the nation of Israel still existed. One of reasons that the
Jews remained was their dedication to their traditions and ordinances. God gave
many of these ordinances in order to keep the Jews from losing their national
identity when taken into captivity by pagans. It might even be said that it was
the ordinances themselves that made them Jews. They were to be faithfully
passed down from generation to generation with the conviction that their
salvation was dependent on their keeping them.
However, when the Church was established, Jews began neglecting the old ordinances in favor of new practices. Many of their cherished doctrines began to be seen in a new light. Animal sacrifices, circumcision, and Sabbath keeping, slowly lost their significance to those who followed the new Jesus movement.
Although baptism preceded Jesus and John, the Jews
only baptized proselytes into the Jewish faith. The marvel is that the Jews, who baptized and circumcised the
Gentiles into the covenant, were themselves only baptized by John to prepare
the way for the Messiah. Now they were
immersed again into the name of Christ. The oriental mind places a greater
emphasis on baptism than so called evangelicals today. It was the turning point, and in their mind
it was the rejection of the old and the acceptance of the new. Even today Jews can go to Church, give
money, even be a member of a congregation and still be accepted by Jews, but
when they are immersed, they are considered “dead” by their families. Funerals are even held and their inheritance
forfeited. Only the resurrection can
account for their willingness to be baptized into Christ’s death and be raised
with Him to new life.
In addition, in order to see the force of this
argument, we must remember that in the Old Testament, God told the Jews that
where He put His name, there He would come and bless them (Exodus 20:24). God would put His name where He wanted sacrifices to
be offered. In the New Testament Peter proclaimed that “there is no other name
under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Since that blessed name has
been put on baptism we can see that God no longer comes and blesses man at an
altar. Since Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins, we come to Him by being
baptized “into” His death (Romans 6:3-4).
Baptism is where Jews embraced the fuller revelation of God’s triune nature (Matthew 28:18-19).
Likewise, we find a new practice in the Lord’s
Supper. Early followers didn’t come together to celebrate Jesus’ teachings or
His life - but to remember His death (Matthew
26:28). These Christians understood that the Lord’s death was a necessary
step to a much greater victory (John
12:23-24, II Timothy 1:8-10). When we observe the Lord’s Supper in the
weekly assembly we “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (I Corinthians 11:26).
How do we explain these new practices emerging from
a group of men who were not even Scribes or Priests? Only the resurrection can account for it.
The
Holy Spirit Working in the Church
Nearly every religious organization, which calls
itself Christian, is convinced that the Holy Spirit works among them either
directly, indirectly, or miraculously. While we certainly cannot believe that
the Holy Spirit is working among all the religious confusion we see in the
world, the fact that it is universally believed that He is among us is
significant. Jesus foretold the coming of the Spirit after His resurrection and
ascension (John 14:15-17; 15:26;
16:5-14; Luke 24:44-49, Acts 1:8; 2:1-4). In fact, the miraculous work of
the Holy Spirit is the only reasonable explanation for twelve unlearned men
spreading the Gospel into all the world in spite of the resistance of Jewish
scholars and pagan philosophers.
Conclusion
While this evidence is powerful, we must remember that it is only circumstantial. When you add the testimony of the eyewitnesses themselves, who went to their deaths for what they believed, we can be assured that we are not following “cunningly devised fables” (II Peter 1:16).