Risen Hope

I’m taking the following information from my the notes I was provided during my graduate level course on the Defense of the Resurrection taught by Dr. Gary Habermas at Biola University. What follows is taken from those notes as being evidence against the Swoon Theory:

1. The archaeological discovery of a crucifixion victim (Yohanon) indicates the accuracy of the basic outline of crucifixion. The majority medical view is that crucifixion induces death by asphyxiation.
2. The use of a chest wound to insure death seems to be confirmed by extra-biblical sources, especially Quintillian. The majority medical view on the chest wound, involving a flow of blood and water, indicates that the Roman spear pierced Jesus’ heart.
3. In Strauss’ famous critique, he basically held that the Swoon Theory is self-contradictory. The Jesus who died by crucifixion would be in absolutely no shape to convince anyone that he had been raised from the dead. He would obviously be alive, but not raised.
4. How would this hypothesis convince Paul?
5. How would this hypothesis convince James, Jesus’ brother?
6. There are about a half-dozen indications that the man buried in the Shroud of Turin is dead, including post-mortem blood flow and rigor mortis.[1]
7. Of the approximately 18 extra-biblical sources for Jesus, about a dozen mention Jesus’ death, including some details of his crucifixion.
8. Curiously, Mark tells us that Pilate questioned Jesus’ early death, but was satisfied after he called the centurion and asked for details (Mark 15:44-45).
9. Bart Ehrman lists at least 11 independent historical sources for Jesus’ crucifixion (163-164, 291), including further textual support drawn from several historical criteria (156-158).[2]

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1. Swoon Theory – Part 1

1. The Shroud of Turin dates from the appropriate time of when Jesus would have been buried. While it bears many similarities to what we find in scripture about Jesus’ death, the best we could claim is that it is probably his burial shroud, but having 100% conclusive evidence that it is his seems difficult.
2. Ehrman, Bart D. Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth (NY: Harper Collins, 2012).