Explaining Away the Resurrection
In April, I promised to write about the various theories that are used to explain away the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Well, here it is, finally. I apologize for the long wait... Part 1: The Swoon Theory This view was popular in the eighteenth-century. It is less popular today, but certain aspects of it are still accepted among critics. This theory basically states that Jesus didn't actually die on the cross. He was still alive when He was placed in the tomb, and the cool, damp temperatures of the tomb revived Him. J. N. D. Anderson explains: "Their explanation runs like this: Christ was indeed nailed to the cross. He suffered terribly from shock, loss of blood, and pain, and He swooned away; but He didn't actually die. Medical knowledge was not very great at that time, and the apostles thought He was dead. We are told, are we not, that Pilate was surprised that He was dead already. The explanation assertedly is that He was taken down from the cross in a...