Gordon Robinson | Cross purposes

Last week, I reviewed and commented on an inspiring message about the meaning of Christ’s resurrection delivered by Swallowfield Chapel’s Pastor David Henry.

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Most understood that the message was proof of forgiveness of “sin” so that we could exercise free will (given by God) to experience the good, the bad, and the ugly of this relative world. The idea that God sent us to this existence armed with His Amazing Grace (forgiveness) built in resonated with many. One regular reader (a former senior journalist and devout, church-going Christian) wrote to me:

“Great sermon today! The gift of clarity (clear understanding, logic, and vision) is a treasure.

I continue to celebrate you and your exceptional ability to bring complex issues home in such a remarkable and relatable way.”

Well, you can’t please everybody. One person left a not-quite-as-supportive comment online, which I’ll address, albeit reluctantly. I’m reluctant because I believe opinions are free; most people can afford at least one; and the mission of trying to change a person’s opinion is one for Mr Phelps (or Tom Cruise). So, not to argue with this commentator but to produce clarity for those who want it, I’ll take upon myself the tedious task of replying.

The commentator (with the ironic online handle “Voice of Reason”) wrote:

“So wait. Jesus’ resurrection is a fact because some lawyer somewhere said it was? And he also said he didn’t have time to elucidate all the facts as to why Jesus’ resurrection was an historical event. It just was. And it’s also enough to hold up in court, even though he is not going to tell you why. Um, somehow, I feel like the whole point of going to court is to elucidate the facts, in depth, over and over again. Like the exact opposite of what this guy said.

I’m glad you are passionate about something, and I hope you’re having a happy Easter. Did you know Easter is actually a pagan holiday from 8th-century England (a region called Eosturmonath, or Eostre Month, after the goddess Eostre) where they are celebrating a goddess who brings forth spring?”

Let’s break it down. Pastor David made it clear that his basis, among others time didn’t permit, for asserting the resurrection as historical fact was the unimpeachable “I saw” evidence in support of that allegation and NOT “because some lawyer somewhere said it was”. The responder went on: “It’s also enough to hold up in court even though he is not going to tell you why.”

But. He. Did. Tell. You. Why.

It’s amazing how often our minds trick us into seeing what we want to see instead of what’s actually there. Pastor David believed the Apostles’ EVIDENCE that they saw the risen Christ because that EVIDENCE was unshaken despite attack by enthusiastic and often cruel antagonists. Pastor David supported his belief with a legal opinion not from “some lawyer somewhere” but from “Dr Simon Greenleaf, one of the greatest legal minds ever known, who was the famous Royal Professor of Law at Harvard University”.

Greenleaf opined: “It was impossible that the Apostles could have persisted in affirming the truths they had narrated had not Jesus actually risen from the dead and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact. The resurrection of Christ was one of the best-supported events in history according to the laws of legal evidence administered in a Court of Justice.”

“Voice of Reason” seems confused about a court’s function. I’ve come to this conclusion because of the assertion “Um, somehow, I feel like the whole point of going to court is to elucidate the facts, in depth, over and over again. Like the exact opposite of what this guy said.”

Sigh. Again, somebody’s mind is playing tricks. As I wrote in last Sunday’s column, “The Apostles’ testimony of Jesus’ resurrection was unshaken by the most intense cross-examination. They endured imprisonment, torture, and death rather than simply recant.” This is, um, more like in-depth EXAMINATION of the evidence and not the repetitive elucidation “Voice of Reason” imagines.

TRUTH WILL ALWAYS BE ELUSIVE

“Voice of Reason” may be confusing courtroom findings of fact with truth. Truth, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Unless you were there and saw for yourself, truth will always be elusive. Even people who were there often see what’s not there or fail to see what’s there. A court can only test “I saw” evidence by demeanour, cross-examination, and comparison with other testimony, using professional techniques to make findings of fact that may or may not be what actually happened.

With regard to the resurrection, there’s not one single eyewitness who contradicts the Apostles’ evidence. The evidence that Jesus was resurrected comes from several Apostles, not just one person. These witnesses were tested by torture, imprisonment, and gruesome deaths. They didn’t once recant.

No, “Voice of Reason”, it isn’t because “some lawyer somewhere” said so. It’s because the actual evidence would be certain to lead any court to find the resurrection as a fact. Most of us go along with a court’s findings of fact as being what happened although we understand the difference. In this case, I believe the likely finding of fact is also what happened. You’re entitled to conclude otherwise but not to take an ostrich’s approach to the process.

Some of the omissions caused by Pastor David’s time constraints include how to debunk the theory that since proof of life is unimpeachable, maybe Jesus didn’t die.

There are two elements to this desperate hypothesis:

1. Was Jesus really crucified?

Too many independent analysts, of differing faiths and cynicism levels, have cited approximately a dozen relevant, credible sources that attest to the fact of the crucifixion for it to be a myth or a false-flag operation. It happened!

It’s important to note that crucifixion isn’t something earliest believers would’ve invented. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul emphasises: “but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” According to Ye Olde Testament (Deuteronomy 21:23): “... anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse”. So it’s no surprise Jews refuse to accept Jesus as the Messiah because they believed those who were hung on a tree (including crucifixion victims) were cursed by God.

No. Messiah. Would. Be. Cursed. By. God!

Early Gentiles were no different. For them it was foolishness to worship a man who suffered such a dishonorable death, normally reserved for the worst criminals. So would Christianity invent, as the foundation of its faith, crucifixion as the type of death meted out by law to someone they subsequently worshipped?

If they were making up a story, Jesus would’ve been buried alive, drowned, or impaled (popular death-penalty methods back then). Christian worship is yet another example of corroborating EVIDENCE proving that the crucifixion was real.

2. If crucified, did He actually die on the Cross?

Jeez Louise!

THE FACTS

Look at FACTS. It would be ludicrous to believe Jesus could somehow survive the crucifixion, revive in the tomb without medical assistance or sustenance, then remove the heavy stone from the tomb entrance despite His savage beating and dehydration on the Cross. Then He walked on feet that were just pierced through with nails and with the severe wound to His side administered to ensure death?

Really? Seriously?

Now what would Jesus’ physical appearance probably be after all that? Surely He’d be weak, limping, pale, sickly? He’d probably be bent over, clutching His wounded side, which likely reopened and bled from His exertions. How could someone in that condition convince ANYONE (especially a doubting Thomas) that He had died? Maybe He’d be hailed as a medical guru NOT as a resurrected Messiah.

So, “Voice of Reason”, I believe these are some (not all) of the details Pastor David didn’t have time to include. But you’re free to hold and express contrary opinions no matter how far they travel from facing those I presented until they arrive (no pun intended) at cross purposes. So as Edna said to NW, press on regardless. It’s all good (Romans 8:28) .

One last thing (said Lieutenant Colombo): Contrary to popular belief, Easter is NOT a “pagan holiday from 8th-century England”. Easter is the time of year Christians celebrate Christ’s resurrection. The “holiday” you mention involved ancient pagan rituals celebrating the resurrection of life in the spring (cycle of nature). I recommend the classic 1973 movie The Wicker Man (or, better, the book by Robin Hardy/Anthony Shaffer adapted from the movie).

Clearly, some Easter traditions are inspired by these obsolete rituals, BUT Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection not nature’s cycle of life resurrected in spring. Two. Different. Resurrections!

Again, Cross purposes.

Peace and Love!

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com