Alternative Theories for Jesus’ Resurrection

Alternative Theories for Jesus’ Resurrection

Let’s briefly consider several alternative theories to explain the gospel story of the Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Sources consulted include “Jesus, The Final Days” by Craig A. Evans and N.T. Wright. Also, the William Lane Craig/William Carrier debate (hosted by Lee Strobel) on youtube.

The Swoon Theory – According to this idea, a wounded and comatose Jesus was placed in a tomb, awakened a few days later, got out of the tomb and away from the guards, and then found his way to his startled disciples, thereby creating the impression that he had been resurrected and glorified.

First, as previously mentioned, I find it highly unlikely that the Romans would have allowed Jesus to escape from the cross alive. Secondly, it is virtually impossible that Jesus would have had the vitality to roll away the stone (from the inside) that sealed his tomb, somehow get past his guards, and then walk to where his disciples were staying. Third, if the disciples found Jesus barely alive, why would they have genuinely believed that he had risen from the dead?

Hallucination Theory – This theory basically suggests that the original disciples had visions that convinced them that Jesus had raised in a new body, leaving his old body in the tomb. The gospel of Mark symbolized this escape from death as an empty tomb, which later New Testament writers misinterpreted as an actual tomb being found empty.

The apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that he could potentially produce roughly 500 people who claimed to have seen the risen Jesus before he ascended to heaven. Would that many people have had and believed the same hallucination? Also, there is no historical evidence to suggest that ancient Jews believed in the concept of a two-body resurrection.

The Wrong Tomb Theory – first proposed by Kirsopp Lake in the early 1900’s, this theory basically states that the women who saw the body of Jesus placed in a tomb returned the following Sunday morning to a similar but wrong tomb. Finding it empty and misinterpreting the words of a helpful young man, the frightened and confused women ran away and told the disciples about their strange experience. The disciples then concluded that Jesus had raised from the dead.

Since the Jews had such a regulated routine for burial, and since Jesus was evidently a close companion of these two Marys, I find it very implausible that the women who watched Jesus being taken off the cross and buried forgot where he was laid. Even if they did misunderstand where Jesus was buried and the rumor went out that he had raised, the Jewish authorities could have easily produced the real tomb and body, thereby squashing the early spread of Christianity.