How Habermas Arguments for Jesus' Resurrection Contradict our Earliest Testimony! Part 2

Here is Part 2 of my extended interview with Youtube host Thomas Westbrook ( @HolyKoolaid ), in which we explore our earliest sources for faith in the resurrection of Jesus. Be prepared to be surprised! And be sure and watch both segments.

See this link for a written summary of the texts I discuss:

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Creating Jesus: Gospel of Mark
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The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley
מהמלים בקשר את המלים ועל סמך המלים
Retired Prof. of Religious Studies/Christian Origins
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

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[lennomenno]

“God sure could clear a lot of things up by holding a 10 minute press conference.”- George Carlin

[crisolive]

I love Dr Tabor. He is such a good scientist. Decades of analyzing the text. I'm so grateful ❤🎉

[pendolinoable]

Dr Tabor, as a student of ancient and medieval history (long ago) at university, I was taught a lot about Roman government, roman governors, and bribery. I can't remember the sources now, (Pliny?) but I have always thought it is feasible that Joseph approached Pilate with respect to ask permission to obtain the body, whilst at the same time offering him a substantial gift of coin "in appreciation of his good government." I can entirely go with Pilate checking the bag of coin and whilst at the same time, both granting Joseph permission to take the body and sending a soldier to make sure that Jesus was dead. From memory, there a number of examples of prefects expecting "gift giving" or bribery to be a benefit of their job.

[eapretto]

As you said, Jesus told Thomas to touch and feel Him for He said “a spirit does not have flesh and bone”. Jesus was saying I’m not a spirit alone, I have a physical body. So we know the glorified body of Jesus is both.

[gracefullyyours]

I am so grateful for your time and expertise. Your explanation is so spot on and presented with such grace.

[donnaburden.dip.d.analysis]

Right on, Dr Tabor. Your totally correct. Xxx

[Zebred]

It's interesting to speculate that if the twin Jewish disasters of the revolts of 66 - 73 and 132 - 136 hadn't taken place or hadn't resulted in the expulsion of the Jews from Jerusalem we may still have a continuous tradition of a known and identified existing tomb, perhaps Talpiot, being the final resting place of rabbi Yeshua.

[StefanMusicHuntley]

Thank you James, you just helped me realize something. The family knew he was going down, and that tomb was still being prepared for him. Think about it. It was Jesus' tomb all along. Being cut out for him in haste by Joseph the Nabataean, or Nazarene.

[japexican]

Since I feel those who aren’t believers will be left behind soon, don’t forget this verse

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭6‬:‭15‬-‭17‬

[nubtube]

Dr. Tabor doesn’t just read the texts, he adds his own commentary as if it’s part of the text.

John doesn’t state who owns the tomb, or that it was unfinished. These are Dr. Tabor’s own additions. The type of tomb described makes it a rich mans tomb regardless of Joseph of A. status.

Dr. Tabor’s story completely ignores the possibility that J of A knew Jesus was about to be arrested, or that he was likely present for discussions on what was to be done about the Jesus problem in the days that preceded it. It is also likely that J of A was aware of the approaching celebration and planned accordingly.

None of the texts suggest there is more than one tomb. John goes from death, to burial, to empty tomb, to sightings. Other than Dr. Tabor’s version, there is no reburial.

Dr. Tabor claims the reburial he contrived fits perfectly with the text, when in fact human behaviour tells us he’s got it all wrong.

You wouldn’t normally accuse someone from your own group without a reason, but you’re likely to accuse an enemy even in the absence of proof. The women are accusing the people responsible for the crucifixion of taking the body.

If J of A. was a sympathizer, they could simply ask him. As a Jew, J of A. wouldn’t rebury the body without the family knowing. And we know from Paul the resurrection narrative is unchanged when he arrives several years later. So other than a desire to explain a bunch of planted bone boxes, Dr. Tabor hasn’t given a single scrap of evidence to support his fantastical story.

But there is evidence to refute it. Consider the story of the snake-bitten Rabbi. The story is a warning fabricated by a Jewish religious community about what happens if you follow Jesus in an attempt to justify what was done. Now read 9:39.

A passage from the Babylonian Talmud claiming Jesus was given a fair trial is an example of the same Jewish community trying to shed its guilt for what it did. The need to resolve the problem created by Jesus’ missing body was very real for the Jewish community that had him crucified. Enter Talpiot.

Paul’s account does not predate the account given in the Gospel. When Dr. Tabor can offer proof of the dates these texts were written, I will offer proof to show he is wrong. Matthew and Luke contain embellishments, but not in the way Dr. Tabor thinks. There is a reason for the corruptions they contain. They are telling of what is to come. Matthew’s fig tree is a sign to mark the season, and Jesus’ mother will be with him when he returns, hence two donkey. And yes Dr. Tabor is reading the text correctly, it claims we will see him in the flesh again. Luke 24 is the teacher.

The thorn here is that these events haven’t happened yet, so there is no way to prove them. For anyone that can see the diverging time line in these stories, be glad and take comfort in them. But be warned, Dr. Tabor and his troop are using these breaks in the story as talking points to lead people astray. Mostly because they themselves don’t know. They will have you believe Paul was a super hero, a rich mans guru, or even a Philostafur. Take your pick because it doesn’t matter, he was none of those things.

If you are reading these texts, it is probably because something in you is searching for the truth. If you find yourself struggling because the stories appear to conflict with each other, then focus on Mark alone as it is the account given by those he chose to witness.

[willard]

Great discussion thank you James.

A question if I may about the 'criminal burial' idea... if Pilate was indeed concerned about matters being 'heated' and maybe concerned about disturbances.. why choose to crucify a popular presence during he festival itself, in the first place?

[jpwieg]

Question - great reimagining of the the timeline. But why wouldnt the women and Peter have known of Joseph of A's taking over the burial of Jesus? I'd think they'd be aware? What's your take on that?

[vikingdemonpr]

Dr. Tabor, you mentioned here and in The Jesus Dynasty that part of the reason for Jesus' trial and execution were the events at the Temple where Jesus purportedly took over the activities in it. On the other hand, you mentioned that the Gospel of John has the best chronology and also has the best account when it comes to places and locations. But the Gospel of John has the events at the Temple right at the beggining of Jesus activities, not in his last week of life like the synoptics.
What do we make of that?

[scienceexplains]

*Mary M: They took my lord away*
John 20:15 seems to make clear that They in 20:13 refers to unknown people. Mary thinks Jesus is a gardener and asks whether he has taken Jesus away.

[Redhawkeye]

Just a point.. per Scripture.. Wednesday was the High Sabbath that year. Thus, Yahusha had to be buried prior to sunset that Wednesday. At dusk on that Wednesday was the the first day of unleavened bread ( feast of Passover).
The next day, starting Thursday at dusk, was preparation day, ahead of the weekly Sabbath. That was the day that the women went out to gather/procure all the spices/ointments to take to Yahusha’s tomb. Weekly Sabbath started at dusk that Friday night.
Since Yahusha was buried Wednesday before sunset, 3 days and 3 nights later… Saturday ( Sabbath) at dusk… fulfilled the prophecy. Besides, it makes more sense he arose on the Sabbath than the first day of the week.
So… if one counts 3 days and 3 nights from when he was crucified and buried… Saturday ( weekly Sabbath) is when he arose. Note: per scripture, Yahusha rode into Jerusalem on the weekly Sabbath a week earlier… the Four days of screening of the yearly lamb offering. The so called last supper would have been that Tuesday evening. It’s all in the Scriptures… if one chooses to connect the dots. Shalom!

[johnhumberstone]

@JamesTaborVideos

Really enjoying this series, James.

[eapretto]

In Jerusalem Jesus suddenly appears in the midst of the apostles, without knocking. Jesus’ resurrected body is at will, a physical body and at will, spirit. The capacity to transcend both visible (physical) and invisible (spirit) domains. We know the spirit is immaterial. We know angels are spirit beings but have appeared in physical form too. For example, the ‘strangers’ who appeared to Lot, before the destruction of Soddom and Gamorrah.

[Brad]

Why did Joseph come back for Jesus' body during the night instead of waiting until the next morning? I think he was told to move the body secretly to avoid any crowd control problems if Jesus' followers saw his body being paraded through town the next day. Joseph may have told the disciples and the family that he would move the body that morning, but that's not what he did. Then when the empty tomb was discovered, a rumor started that the body was miraculously missing, which developed into the resurrection story we have today.

[yahsplain]

Joseph was his father, That's why he could put them in his tomb. Ari is lion, he was one of the lions of Judah.

[jeffreyerwin]

The evidence on Jesus' burial shroud indicates that the corpse it covered dematerialized and was no longer present in this universe.