NT Wright: Why the disciples didn't invent Jesus' resurrection

When 1st century Messianic figures were put to death, their followers never claimed they had risen from the dead. NT Wright explains why the followers of Jesus had no theological reason to invent the resurrection, and yet, against all their expectations, they claimed God has raised Jesus from the dead.

[ChildofGod]

Faith in God is all I have left. Faith! I’m keeping faith even though it is difficult at this time. I’m so ashamed and embarrassed over my situation. I lost my job as a social worker because I declined the vaccine. I declined due to my pre existing health condition (Lupus) and heart disease. I’m on a bunch of medications including blood thinners. I was denied my medical/religious exemption from Forsyth hospital. I fell like every month me and the boys are facing homelessness. Every month is a struggle. I can’t be on the streets with two young children. I’m so depressed. My husband passed away three years ago in a car accident. I miss him dearly. I’m still coping with his death. I’m a single mother with two sons both are autistic, and non verbal. I am so overwhelmed at this point in time, it’s so hard on me. I am all alone no family nor friends to help me durning my time of need. But it’s my faith in God that will carry me through. Please keep me and my children in your prayers thank you. God bless.

[Redeemedbylove]

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” - Ephesians 2: 8-9

[Abiwrl]

I think that saying “Jesus has risen” was a great way to get the authorities to go after you and your loved ones. What an amazing way to go about it, right? “Let me say what I know to be a lie and put my whole family at risk.” What a great explanation. NOT! The explanation for the spread of the gospel in its beginning seems so simple that we (who love to over complicate all things in life) will easily overlook what is in front of our very eyes.

[chindi]

I have not heard a skeptic such as Dr. Bart Erhman or even Paulogia ever say that the resurrection was invented. Rather they say it is legendary. There are other legends that have been created in other faiths.
Just because a legend is completely new does not mean it is not myth.
FYI I am a Christian. We can counter the legendary argument as Christians without answering a question that skeptics seldom ask except for Mythicists.
I loved Dr. Dale C. Allison's book as he is honest about the challenges we Christians face. I think he is Intellectually honest and books like his is one reason i have remained a Christian. it is alright to say the resurrection part is faith and we don't have historical proof of that or we can't reasonably prove that. That would be not losing. That would be Intellectual humility.

[Triple_Aces]

Also the disciples seemed like they didn’t really understand what Jesus was saying whenever he would foreshadow his resurrection. When Jesus spoke about the temple being raised up in 3 days. They thought Jesus was speaking of a literal temple not his body and church being raised in 3 days. So the idea of him being raised from the dead is not something they understood or could’ve came up with

[johnau]

Come? Repent to Holy Bible Rev.22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, LORD JESUS. THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS be with God's people.Amen." Prays Jesus Christ?

[shostycellist]

This is such a good point - the disciples were looking for a Messianic figure to restore Israel. When that didn't happen, ending in Jesus' death, the natural thing would be to just jettison the whole movement. Instead, they are completely taken off guard by the resurrection of Jesus.

[Venaloid]

The messianic movements behind Menachem Mendel Schneerson and Sabbatai Zevi lasted well beyond their respective death and conversion to Islam. This is the power of the backfire effect, and this is probably what happened to at least Peter. The fact that this particular belief happened to take off many hundreds of years later simply shows that it was appealing to a general audience, no doubt intentionally engineered that way by Paul, who argued that non-Jews could join without needing to be circumcised or keep kosher.

[teachpeace]

Just a reminder that this kind of strange argumentation is only convincing to people who already believe. To those of us who don’t, it just seems like an elaborate exercise in confirmation bias.
Side note, Jesus wasn’t the only one raised, read Matthew’s account of the resurrection.

[js-spbz]

Why would anyone think the disciples thought Jesus was risen? And who knows what Jesus was teaching before his execution?

[sandracoombs]

That is definitely the best library I’ve ever seen looking at the books behind these scholars! Tom Holland comes a close second. 😊😀

[simmo]

I find it hard to believe that 12 apostles who never waivered in their testimonials that Jesus had been raised from the dead, would lie or even make up this . They were stoned and imprisoned for their accounts and if there were any doubt in their minds about the resurrection, there is no way they would have endured all In comparison as far as lies go look at Watergate the people involved with Watergate were powerful individuals and none of them could keep a lie

[rudysimoens]

Let's settle the argument forever! Ask Jesus to come back! After all that can't be too difficult because he is resurrected so he is still alive and he probably lives somewhere on a planet in another galaxy. And ask him to perform his imaginary "miracles" in a lab under scientifically controled circumstances!

[ianhall]

There are several incidences where Jesus contradicts Christianity. Here is one. Was the Crucifixion a sin, or not?
According to Jesus, it was. In Luke 23 verse 34 we have Then said Jesus, " Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. " So, those, responsible for crucifying Jesus, were committing a sin, requiring God's forgiveness. But Christianity says the Crucifixion was necessary to " Cleanse humanity of its sins", so those responsible for the Crucifixion were not committing a sin, and therefore did not need God's forgiveness.

[ianhall]

Two days of Bank Holidays to celebrate the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. I suggest another two days to celebrate the death and resurrection of Lazarus, another two to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jairus' daughter, and a host of others, to celebrate the saints who jumped out of their graves after the "Resurrection" Matthew 27 verse 52. Mind you, there are only three hundred and sixty five days in the year.

[jollyandwaylo]

The difference between Christianity and other messianic movements of the time appears to be Paul. Without Paul there would have been no Christianity. Paul was able to bring his ideas out of the small circle of Jews into the larger world. My guess is Christianity was offering some new ideas that other religions weren't providing at the time. Gathering together in close communities, the idea that your life struggles would be rewarded, women allowed to join, etc.

[germancuervo]

How does Prof. Wright explains that the earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses of the gospel according to Mark, the first written, do not have verses 9–20 of the last chapter. It originally ended like this: "Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." Not a word about the disciples meeting Jesus after his dead.

[Futt.Buckerson]

The claim regarding all the new things written about resurrected Jesus after the fact, falls kind of flat for me. Look at modern myths like Superman, zombies, etc. They were all much more limited in their abilities in the beginning, but as more people brought more creativity to the matter, abilities and characteristics start to evolve. And in some instances one modern myth spurs the development of another that is similar but has striking differences such that it needs to become its own thing/entity.

This is also what seems to have happened with the evolution of Judaism from the other religions of that area around the same time. Take a little of this one, a little of that one, and over time devlop it into a separate and cohesive narrative. Which would mean that there is pre-messianic precedent for what Mr. Wright is denying in order to prove the resurrection.

[finnjacobsen]

Interesting. Only problem is that a dead person never comes to life again.

[yvo]

I can't believe this guy thinking that resurrection was so unprecedented that it wouldn't occur to the disciples. It was not unusual for people to come back to life because the moment of death was hard to estimate. This has been going on forever. Didn't they use to put a bell in the grave in case someone woke up again after the funeral? So a resurrection was not a weird idea at all.