Skeptical about Resurrection Proof?
Was Jesus’
appearances after His resurrection any kind of proof of who He said He was?
That He is God incarnate? That He had indeed risen from the dead – not
resuscitated but with an entirely new human body, resurrected with new
qualities and nature?
Skeptics
say no. No proof at all. Jesus only appeared to people who believed in Him.
What proof is that? They already believed.
Well, let’s
take another look at the historical account.
Early that
Easter Sunday morning Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and
other women (including Salome, Mk 16:1) came to Jesus’ tomb and found it empty.
Two men “in dazzling apparel” appeared and said Jesus had risen. The women
returned to the “eleven and to all the rest” and “the apostles” and relayed
what had happened – “but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did
not believe them.” (Lk 24:1-23.) They “would not believe” Mary Magdalene’s
report (Mk 16:11). The apostles were the skeptics! Peter specifically went to
the tomb, saw it empty except for the linen cloths but “he went home wondering
at what had happened” (Lk 24:12). Peter, the leader of the Apostles – skeptic!
Not believing!
The two on
the road to Emmaus that afternoon were in this group and heard the report of
the women (Lk 24:22-24) – they were skeptics too! Jesus called them foolish
men, “slow of heart to believe” (Lk 24:25). When they returned to Jerusalem and
“told the rest,” the rest “did not believe them” either (Mk 16:13). When Jesus
came to the eleven at table “He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness
of heart” (Mk 16:14). They were startled and frightened and thought they saw a
ghost (Lk 24:37). Jesus asked, “Why are you troubled, and why do questionings
rise in your hearts?” He showed them his hands and feet, “It is I, Myself;
handle Me, and see; for a ghost has not flesh and bones as you see I have.” But
even then, they still disbelieved and wondered, so Jesus asked for something to
eat and ate it in front of them – something else a ghost would never do. (Lk
24:36-43.) Talk about them being skeptical and slow to believe!
And
remember Thomas – whom we all love because he’s us – who wasn’t there that
first Easter Sunday evening when Jesus appeared to the eleven. He was so
skeptical he adamantly refused to believe! “Unless I see in His hands the print
of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand
in His side, I WILL NOT BELIEVE!” Eight days later Jesus gave Thomas the proof
he asked for saying, “Do not be faithless, but believing!” (Jn 20:24-28.)
It was
likely some days later that the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the
mountain where Jesus had directed them, and although they saw Him, even
worshiped Him as God, still “some doubted” (Mt 28:17). Even then! Some still
doubting!
The
skeptics are dead wrong. Look at all the skeptical non-believers Jesus appeared
to! His apostles and other followers did not believe at all. Thomas adamantly refused
to believe. Remember what Jesus told Thomas, “You have believed BECAUSE you
have seen me.” Jesus didn’t appear to these because they believed in Him. He
appeared to these precisely because they did not believe! He appeared to these
skeptics and doubters and brought them proof – touching His flesh, observing
Him break the bread at table, seeing Him eat food.
Yes, those
who saw him came to be believers (even if some still doubted for quite a
while). But he appeared to them when they were skeptics and unbelievers. They
only came to believe in His resurrection because He proved it to them.
Jesus
reminds today’s skeptics and us all: “Blessed are those who have not seen [Me]
and yet believe” (Jn 20:29). Why believe? If we believe in Him and trust Him,
we can come to share in His resurrection. It's all about resurrection.
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church is located in California City, CA. Visit our website at ollcalcity.org.