Last Easter a poll by the Barna Group found that "fewer than half of Americans mentioned Jesus' death and resurrection when asked about the significance of Easter." Yet the key event that defines Christianity is neither the life nor teachings of Jesus, but rather it is this strange event that happened after his death: the resurrection. What exactly does resurrection mean? Are we supposed to believe that a dead man came back to life 2000 years ago?
Many sermons in churches declare clearly that Jesus physically rose from the dead, in the sense that his same body was reanimated. The Bible, however, is much less clear on the details of the resurrection. Mark, the oldest Gospel, ends with the mystery of an empty tomb with no appearances by Jesus. In the other Gospels, we have various confusing and conflicting details about the resurrection appearances: in some Jesus is not recognized, even after former disciples have followed him on a road and eaten with him; in other appearances he takes on ghost/spirit-like qualities by suddenly appearing in and then disappearing from locked rooms. Paul's visionary experience of Jesus is the earliest recorded one we have, as well as the only first-hand account (his letters were written 20 years after the death of Jesus, versus Mark which was 40 years after the crucifixion). Paul never met Jesus during Jesus' life. His experience of the resurrection was in a vision on the road to Damascus, yet Paul classifies this vision as the same in character and importance as Jesus' other appearances.
Without this strange experience of the resurrection, whatever it actually was, we would not have Christianity as a religion. Some scholars argue that the resurrection was either a mass hallucination or that the story was simply made up by Jesus' followers after the death of the man who was supposed to be their Messiah. But would these men have given up their lives in martyrdom if that were the case? Would a pure fiction have the power to sustain a movement that would become the Christian religion?
Is it possible, however, that something deeply spiritual happened, but that something was not a supernatural reanimation of the corpse that was Jesus, which would violate our laws of science and which is hard to reconcile with the details of the stories mentioned above? Furthermore, maybe this spiritual event held (and most importantly, still holds) a powerful metaphorical message about our relationship to the divine.
What if the experience of Jesus was one in which his followers truly saw the power of God within a man to an extent that they had never encountered before? If we see God as the ground of our being (instead of a supernatural being as discussed in my earlier post Reimagining God), then Jesus can be viewed as a unique (but human) man in whom this ground was not a distant source of existence buried under layers of ego, but was the very center of his being. Jesus' life, his teachings, his compassion, his ministry of healing all radiated this power of the divine.
Jesus opened up his disciples' eyes to this power of God. After the human Jesus died, what if his followers still experienced the power of God that they had seen within Jesus, even though their teacher was no longer with them? In an age in which supernatural visions and prophesies were commonplace, this experience of the power of the divine that their teacher had opened them to could have been interpreted as if the spirit of their teacher had never died because the power of God never does die.
The concept of resurrection is not original to Christianity but is taken from the Old Testament Book of Daniel, one of the latest Hebrew scriptures. The Israelites themselves borrowed and then adapted the concept of resurrection from the Persians under whose rule they lived for two hundred years. In the Persian religion Zoroastrianism, we find earlier writings that detail an end of the world in which the dead return to life in their bodies.
Jesus' martyrdom (his crucifixion) occurred during an age in which many Jews (as Jesus and his followers all were) believed in a soon-to-come End Times during which the faithful would be resurrected. Physical reanimation is what was expected with resurrection in Jewish context, but the actual experience of those who saw the resurrected Jesus was different: it had spiritual and ethereal qualities. In other words, maybe the resurrection was a powerful mystical (but not supernatural) experience of the living power of God in the world. But as this experience is told and interpreted over decades in a time that expected a bodily resurrection, the stories developed in which the resurrection is conveyed in bodily imagery.
When we examine the story of Jesus' death and the mystical experience of resurrection in metaphorical terms, we can see in the story of the crucifixion (probably a historically accurate event, though certainly dramatized by the gospel writers) the very human nature of Jesus: we see suffering, pain, doubt, and death itself -- inevitable conditions of being human. Yet in the story of the resurrection, we learn that this human condition is not the conclusion -- hope exists for all of us. Behind the suffering of existence lies a power: the power of existence itself that is eternal and infinite. This power thus "conquers death" because it is the source of existence and of life.
The powerful message of Christianity thus becomes one of light and hope: just as Jesus was able to tap into this power such that his life was centered on it and radiated it, we can do the same. We can also experience the divine ground within ourselves and within all of creation.
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Mark Osler: Worshipping the Irrational Jesus
Resurrection of Jesus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Resurrection of Jesus Christ
The resurrection of Jesus Christ: Fact or fable?
If viewed as metaphor, I agree that it has some importance. However it is a literary archetype that appears in other mythology both predating and postdating the Bible accounts. The crucifixion/resurrection can also be given a more modern metaphorical meaning. There are three good theories about the meaning of the resurrection/crucifixion all three of which have some merit but none of them involve the traditional leaden theology of atonement for sin, etc, etc.
I have given this question much thought in my life because it seems to be the denominations although claiming Jesus as God at the time of his birth, give us some conflicting beliefs to that. For instance, if that is true, why do we not hear more about Jesus from his birth to the start of his ministry. Another time when God might have incarnated in Jesus was at his baptism which was obviously a pivotal moment and would make His ministry that began than to be the most important words and things ever and, yet, some denominations act like His teachings are not that important. The only other choice is that God became incarnate in Jesus on Good Friday. I say that for those churches who seem to only care about Jesus's suffering and death and don't seem to care about His teachings.
What do I believe?
Some time before He began His ministry (might be baptism, might be birth), Jesus was the incarnate God. His teachings to me are way too important to leave them to the words of an ordinary man. Do we remember other words of ordinary men from any time much less that time?
I guess I can see why you might spend time pondering what might make people believe as they do. As my old Prof of Religion used to say, "This is a believing world". I must say I have a different view and experience with religion than yourself. I was predisposed, I guess, to search for answers within the Christian faith, but not forced. As such, I was in my 20's and going through a 'Desert experience' when I decided to call on the person of Jesus.
I had seen friends that were devoted to the faith and seemed to have a peace about them. I had heard stories of a forgiving savior that was a friend in a time of need. I hoped that by reaching out in prayer that he might hear and help. So I prayed. I basically said I believe in Him and I wasn't perfect but I hoped he would forgive my imperfections and save me. This is not an unusual prayer. I had seen it plainly in a Campus Crusade pamphlet.
After that, I told friends that had spoken to me before about accepting Christ. They were very encouraging. It was a good experience, however, a month later, I was concerned about my ability continue in my new faith. I wanted to be certain, so I concentrated on prayer one day at my house. I prayed for hours. I wound up with a splitting headache and a bloody nose (stress I suppose). More...
That night, as I lay in my bed, I started to pray again. Before I uttered a word something began to happen. It was like light poured through the ceiling and into my body. It started at my head and went to my feet. All I could do was say, "Wow!". I started thanking Jesus for this experience. When I did that, the power intensified. I could also describe it like oil being poured over me, but it would hit the skin and move through me. All I could think of was, "This has to be the Holy Spirit!". This went on from about 12:00am till 4:00am. It was so intense that I could hardly walk to the bathroom. I asked that I would always remember the experience and I have. 20 plus years since then, I this still happens. Not as intense but it always happens when praying or meditating on scripture. more...
John 14:20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
Absolutely. That's the essence of it all--"The Kingdom of God is within." It's as much Buddhism as Christianity.
Jesus is a symbol of someone who found the light and joyfully shared it with others.
We recognize his death and resurrection, but most importantly is whether we ourselves have died to our animal nature and been reborn in the spirit.
And he was quick to recognize that different people or cultures will take different paths--"In my father's house are many mansions."
In the end, even if Jesus never lived is not the most important thing. It's the message which carries the real power...not a person. And I have no doubt at all that he would acknowledge that.
I really like your analysis of the Resurrection. It is very thoughtful, thorough & inspiring.Thank you. For me, one of the essential pieces to understand about the Resurrection is the empty tomb & what the first witnesses to the Resurrection saw when they entered it: The body of Jesus was gone but the graveclothes were there & undisturbed, with the facial napkin folded neatly away from the shroud. John 20:1-10. The only conclusion the witnesses could make was that a supernatural event had occurred. See the chapter on the Resurrection in the book by John Stott (1971) Basic Christianity. Those who claim there is no "evidence" of the Resurrection have not read the Gospel accounts carefully and/or understood the magnitude of what they tell us about the power of God to overcome death & His love for His Son Jesus & for all humankind. I appreciate your giving us new insights into these world-changing events that are at the core of our Christian faith.
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
(1Corinthians 15:14,15,17)
The type of "Christian" you describe wouldn't accept the true Jesus under any circumstances, living, dead, resurrected or not.
On a last note, "the Christ" is not a person and never was. It's a Consciousness that must be awakened within. Which you'd know if you had a thirst.
It would be amusing if there were nothing at stake, how so many people want to take the completely indefensible "fond of Jesus" what-a-nice-guy position when He intentionally did not allow that option. He's either God incarnate, a deliberate liar, or a nut case. Like He said more than once, you have to pick a side.
As for what it is supposed to mean, within the faith? Well, the idea is that scapegoating works. People can absolve themselves of crimes and/or sins if they symbolically put it on another thing, and then kill it. This was a common practice back then, but if you think about it, from a modern perspective, it is a truly barbaric idea. "I robbed a bank? I'll be fine so long as a kill a goat." makes no sense whatsoever. Also, remember, Jesus got better. He didn't actually die, he just took a break for 40 hours or so and then came back. So there was no actual sacrifice. Although if you really think about who was the non-sacrifice for? God sacrificed himself but not really, to save us from himself? Any way you slice it, it doesn't make sense.
Yes, I realize that Easter makes use of wishful thinking, like much of religion generally. It is interesting that you completely ignored my point about scapegoating (and God "sacrificing" himself to save us from himself) though and went off on a tangent. Jesus supposedly died for our sins, as a scapegoat. Why exactly does any modern person think scapegoating is a good thing?
Jesus actually did die. He was dead. He resurrected later on that weekend, but he was dead. Not only that but he endured brutal beatings, torture and ridicule. So there actually was a MAJOR sacrifice. You are free to dispute whether it happened. But you arent free to make up your own version of the events and judge the original by your "take"
And even if you do not, you have the MAJOR problem that Jesus still did not sacrifice anything. He's the immortal ruler of the universe now, isn't he? If anything, he got a HUGE upgrade. He's alive, he's all powerful, he's eternal. A few hours of discomfort for all that? Totally worth it.
Ezekiel "espied" the elders performing the same rite, angry they weren't attributing it to Jewish sources, rather than the Egyptian it is to this day.
My interpretation of the Passover story of the New Testament is that Jesus, a spiritual leader of the of the rebels, went to Jerusalem in the hope of triggering a popular uprising resulting in the re-establishment of a Jewish kingdom with himself as king, hence high-priest of that state. The Passover days had long been troublesome for the Romans. Jesus failed because the hope for a popular uprising was premature. He was captured and crucified but his followers did not give up and spread the word that the King of Israel was resurrected to lead them in battle against the Romans.
Eventually the apostle Paul wanted to have none of this nonsense of "King of Israel" and purged the Passover happening of all political underpinnings. Jesus died and was resurrected for his religious zeal only. The cleansed story is the one we are taught today.
Paul was responsible for the brutality leveled against the family, which is why the Manichaeans fled to Iraq in 37 AD and inspired the Koran several generations later.