WHAT THE EARLY CHRISTIANS TAUGHT

Introduction

We live in a world today where everything is questioned. We doubt our political leaders. We doubt our religious
leaders. We doubt businessmen and companies. We doubt the legal system. We doubt ourselves, and each other. Yet
people are yearning for the truth, and we as Christians have the answers. The Word of God is reliable and trustworthy.
But as we reach out to our friends and colleagues who doubt, a foundation of faith must be built.

As we study the New Testament, it seems that converts to Christianity were taught in a variety of areas. These would
include:

 The life and teachings of Jesus (found primarily in the gospels).

 The history of the early church (found mainly in Acts).
 Christian doctrine (found primarily in the epistles).
 Christian living (found primarily in the epistles).
 Christian relationships (found primarily in the epistles).
 Exhortations to persevere (found all over the New Testament, especially in Revelation).

But even before these things were established and taught, the disciples had to use evidences or apologetics to bring their
hearers to faith in Jesus. From the book of Acts, there seemed to be four basic types of evidence that they used:

 The creation. We see this referred to in Acts 4:24, 14:15-17, and 17:24, as well as in Romans 1:20.
 The miracles of Jesus. Peter referred to these in Acts 2:22, 10:38. The apostles and their disciples also actually
did miracles in Acts 3:16, 5:16, 8:6, 9:35, 9:42, and other places.
 The prophesies about Jesus in the Old Testament. These featured in almost every sermon and evangelism
sequence in Acts (Acts 2:25-35, 3:18, 3:24, 7:52, 8:32-35, 10:43, 13:29, 26:22-27, 28:23).
 The resurrection. This also is referred to in almost every sermon (Acts 2:32, 3:15, 5:30, 10:40, 13:30, 17:18,
17:31, 26:23).

This brief manuscript is written to provide disciples with some simple studies they can share with people today, to build
their faith in the same way that our first-century brothers and sisters did. Versions of these studies have been done with
hundreds of people in the UK and South India, and we hope you will find them helpful in your own situations.
Chapter 1: The Creation

Perhaps the most basic evidence of all for the existence of God is the creation. Since ancient times, men have looked at
themselves, looked up at the stars, looked at the world around them, and asked, “who made all this?” In today’s world
many people live in large, highly organised cities, and we sometimes miss the grandeur of God’s creation. We glimpse it
occasionally while watching television or films, or perhaps on a holiday trip to a beautiful spot. But God’s creation
testifies to His existence. Let’s consider how.

GOD IS ETERNAL, WE ARE TEMPORARY

James 4:13-17 speaks about people making plans. They are going to make money. They have a dream. But James
reminds them that we are but “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (v.14).

Isaiah 40:6-8 was quoted in 1 Peter 1:24-25. This passage talks about how all of us are like grass that withers, flowers
that fade away. Only the word of God stands forever. I remember as a child seeing the yellowed old photos of my
grandmother’s parents, born in the 1800s. They looked young and vibrant, with their whole lives ahead of them. Now
they are just a memory, and I don’t even know their names. I remember the gripping scene in Dead Poets Society where
Mr. Keating (played by Robin Williams) shows his new students old photos of classmates from long ago. He whispered,
“carpe diem”, Latin for “seize the day.” Truly our lives pass by so quickly, and we must figure out what life is about
before it is too late.

GOD MADE THE UNIVERSE AND ALL THAT IS IN IT

Isaiah 40:12 speaks about how large God is compared to the earth. He measured the waters of the oceans in the hollow
of his hand. He marked off the sky with the breadth of his hand. He can carry the dust of the earth in a basket and weigh
mountains on a scale. Nahum 1:3 says “clouds are the dust of his feet.” Further on in Isaiah 40:21-28, we read how
God is so much bigger than we are, and all our petty concerns. We are like grasshoppers in his eyes (v.22). The universe
is like a tent to Him (v.22). The princes and rulers that we fear wither and fade away—even those who might oppress us
(vv.23-24). God made each star (v.26). No one can fully understand him (v.28).

In Psalm 19:1-4, David speaks of how “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
These things are evident to all people everywhere, of every language and background (vv.3-4). When you look out at the
night sky, you can see thousands of stars on a clear night. Gazing out into space, quietly contemplating the creation,
deep in our soul we can sense that there is a God. He is so large, and we are so small. We are part of a galaxy, the Milky
Way, that has 100 billion stars. And there are 100 billion galaxies like it in the universe. 1 And God made them all.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 explains that God has made everything beautiful in its time, and He has set eternity in the hearts of
men. Even without the Scriptures, men can look at the world around them, contemplate how things are, and sense in
their souls that there is more to life than what we can see. From these yearnings they form religions, in which are
elements of the truth that we can sense in our souls and observe in our surroundings and fellow men.

John 1:1-3 tells us that through Jesus all things were made. God is the source of all things, the beginning of everything.
For a long time scientists questioned the “big bang” theory of the universe being created at a single point in time. Now
all the available evidence points to the fact that this is true. The question comes to us: who or what caused the “big
bang”? There is no scientific answer to this question—all the answers point us to God. Cambridge Physicist Stephen
Hawking observed, “It is difficult to discuss the beginning of the universe without mentioning the concept of God.” 2

1
Jerry Bridges, The Joy of Fearing God, (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Waterbrook Press, 1997), pp.
56-57.
2
Kitty Ferguson, Steven Hawking: A Quest for a Theory of Everything, (London: Bantam Books,
1995), p. 85.
GOD MADE US AND ALL CREATURES, IN ALL OUR COMPLEXITY

In Romans 1:20 Paul explained that “since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and
divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.” The power of nature is
breathtaking, awe-inspiring. This power is so much larger than us. The order and beauty of nature, its perfection and
diversity, are fingerprints of its maker. We cannot see Him, but we can see His character through what He has made.

The Christians under persecution remembered God’s power in the creation in Acts 4:24, referring to
him as the one who made “the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.” Paul spoke
about this in Lystra in Acts 14:15, and again in his sermon in Athens in Acts 17:24-25, explaining that
God made the world and everything in it, and “He himself gives all men life and breath and everything
else.” I will always remember the first time I saw each of our four children. A chill ran down my
spine each time. Nadine and I remember cradling them in our arms, looking at them in wonder. They
were so small, yet so amazingly complicated. Their little bodies developed in a few months,
magnificent little living machines that had the ability to understand their environment, to grow, to
communicate, to move around, to interact with others, and to give and receive love and joy. Any
parent looking at a new born child has at least a fleeting glimpse of the eternal God.

The universe and our world are fantastically complicated. The second law of thermodynamics declares
that systems are destined to move towards greater entropy, chaos and disorganisation. Yet our universe
and world works in a beautiful, finely-tuned way. God spoke about this in Job 38:31-41. He asked
Job if he could control the stars, or the laws of the heavens (vv.31-33). He asked him if he could
control the weather (vv.34-35). He asked Job if he could explain how the mind has understanding
(v.36). He asked Job about cloud patterns (v.37) and rain during times of drought (v.38). He asked Job
about the food chain (vv.39-41). All around us, we can see the bountiful munificence of God, if we
only open our eyes.

The “teleological” argument for the existence of God is a simple one. As we see the complexity of life,
of the things that we observe in nature, there is evidence of an intelligent designer. The old wristwatch
in a forest example is a powerful one. If you wandered in a forest, and found a wristwatch (or Palm
Pilot, if you want to modernise the illustration!), what would you assume? Did the minerals under the
ground combine with the rain and debris from the trees and bushes to form this wristwatch? If we
waited a billion years, would a wristwatch ever randomly form in a forest? Or is it more likely that it
was lost by a human who was in the forest? The wristwatch is too complicated to have randomly
appeared in the forest—it must have a manufacturer. In the same way, life on earth is way too complex
to have developed without a higher intelligence behind it.

GOD TAKES CARE OF ALL THAT HE HAS MADE

In Acts 14:17 Paul was preaching to Gentiles in Lystra. He explained that “He has not left himself
without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;
he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” God has made the earth in such a
way that men can grow food to take care of their needs. The life he has given to us is beautiful, full of
all kinds of simple pleasures and joys. It is a tremendous gift simply to be alive, to be in fellowship
with other people and creatures, and to be able to seek after our creator.

The Psalms talk about how God takes care of his creation. Psalm 104:14-15 talks about how God
provides grass for the cattle, plants for man to cultivate, wine for us to enjoy, oil to make our faces
shine. Psalm 104:24-30 talks about the variety of creatures that fill the earth and sea (vv.24-25), how
they all have enough food to survive and enjoy life (vv.27-28). We read about how all creatures die
and return to the dust, and how life on earth is constantly renewed (vv.29-30). These are things we can
observe with our eyes, read in the Bible, and realise that someone greater than chance is behind it all.
When I first started coming to the church, I was a worried, fretful young man. Growing up in a family
with an absent father and an unemployed mother, we always had to scratch to make a living. I had
trouble believing in a God who would take care of me. But the words of Matthew 6:25-34 had such a
wonderful impact on my troubled soul. These were the first verses I memorised in the Bible. They
simply promise that if God can make the beautiful lilies of the field, if He can take care of feeding the
birds, then we have nothing to worry about. He can take care of us, too—if we seek him first in our
lives, as verse 33 challenges us: “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will
be given to you as well.” Verse 34 became my motto as a young Christian: “Therefore do not worry
about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

The early Christians referred to God’s creation to help people come to faith. We can look at nature, at the world around
us, and realise that what the Bible says is true:
GOD IS ETERNAL, WE ARE TEMPORARY
GOD MADE THE UNIVERSE AND ALL THAT IS IN IT
GOD MADE US AND ALL CREATURES, IN ALL OUR COMPLEXITY
GOD TAKES CARE OF ALL THAT HE HAS MADE
Chapter 2: The Miracles of Jesus

Around 30 A.D., Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and an evangelistic explosion shook the earth, starting in
Jerusalem. Within 30 years, the entire known world had heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. As the early disciples grew
older, there were increasing demands for the stories they told about Jesus to be written down and preserved for future
generations. Besides the letters of Paul, eyewitnesses like Matthew and Mark recorded the gospel of Jesus (Mark was
generally believed to be the writer of Peter’s gospel according to 2nd-century sources like Papias (125 AD) and Irenaeus
(180 AD) and was one of the early followers of Jesus).3

It is highly unlikely that the New Testament was written after the death of eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus. There are
several factors that point to this conclusion.

THE AUTHORS HAD EYEWITNESS INFORMATION

Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:16: “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” Peter knew that some people made up stories. He
knew the difference between fact and fiction. He claimed to be an eyewitness of the things he wrote about.

Luke wrote in Luke 1:1-4, “Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore,
since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly
account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”

In Acts 1:3, Luke said, “After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he
was alive.” The Greek words translated as “many convincing proofs”, en pollois tekmeriois (evn polloi/j
tekmhri,oij ) are a technical phrase describing the strongest kind of legal evidence4 This kind of language is hardly
characteristic of legendary or fanciful writing.

John wrote in John 20:30-31, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not
recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
believing you may have life in his name.”

THE AUTHORS REFERRED TO MIRACLES THAT THEIR HEARERS ALREADY KNEW ABOUT

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:12: “The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among
you with great perseverance.”

Luke quoted Peter in Acts 2:22: “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by
miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”

Luke quoted Peter again in Acts 10:37-39, as he preached to Cornelius and a large gathering in Cornelius’ house in
Caesarea: “You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all
who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. We are witnesses of everything he did in the country
of the Jews and in Jerusalem.” When Luke wrote these words it is likely that Cornelius, Peter, and many of the others
present that day were still alive, and they could easily have contradicted Luke had he reported this sermon inaccurately.

In Acts 22:4-5, Paul explained to the crowd in Jerusalem that he had been a persecutor, and the high priest and council
could confirm this. Yet now this persecutor had become a Christian—a miracle none of his opponents could deny.

3
Lee Strobel, The Case For Christ, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998),
p. 24.
4
Bernard Ramm, Protestant Christian Evidences, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1957), p. 192.
Luke also quoted Paul as preaching to King Agrippa in Acts 26, speaking of the resurrection (v.23), and then saying in
vv.25-26, “What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him.
I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.”

If these documents had been written after the 1st century, the authors would not have expected their hearers to have
witnessed miracles during the lives of Jesus and the apostles.

Indeed, according to Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., IV, 3:2), Quadratus the apologist wrote (some time between 95-125 A.D.) to
the Emperor Hadrian, saying “The deeds of our Saviour were always before you, for they were true miracles; those that
were healed, those that were raised from the dead, who were seen, not only when healed and when raised, but were
always present. They remained living a long time, not only whilst our Lord was on earth, but likewise when he had left
the earth. So that some of them have also lived to our own times.”5 Quadratus’ comments clearly indicate that in the
early church there were a number of members who lived for decades, telling the stories of how they had been healed by
Jesus. These personal testimonies surely gave other disciples tremendous courage and faith to face the terrible
persecutions of those times.

INDIVIDUALS NAMED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ARE ATTESTED TO BY ARCHAEOLOGY

For example, in Romans 16:23 Paul mentions Erastus, the city treasurer, in the letter to the Romans written from Corinth.
During excavations in Corinth in 1929, a pavement was found inscribed “ERASTUS PRO:AED:S:P:STRAVIT”, which
means Erastus, curator of public buildings, laid this pavement at his own expense.” 6

Similarly, an ossuary bearing the name “Joseph Bar Caiaphas” was found in Jerusalem in 1990, which likely contains the
bones of the high priest who sentenced Jesus to death.7

In 1961 at Caesarea, in the ruins of a Roman temple, a dedicatory inscription with the name of Pontius Pilate was found. 8

Indeed, in Capernaum the ruins of a 1st-century house have been found, above which an octagonal church had been built,
commemorating the place where Peter used to live. On the walls of this early church were Christian graffiti saying “Lord
Jesus Christ, help your servant” and “Christ have mercy”. The Christian Abbess Egeria, a pilgrim to the holy land, wrote
in 380 A.D., “In Capernaum the house of the prince of the apostles has been made into a church with its original walls
still standing. It is where the Lord cured the paralytic.”9

In Acts 13:6-12 we read about the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, in Paphos on the island of Cyprus. The proconsul believed
in Jesus, and in his presence Paul miraculously blinded Elymas the sorceror. Archaeologists have found a stone in a
town near Paphos with the name “Sergius Paulus” and the title, “proconsul.” A memorial stone was also found in Rome
with his name, presumably after he completed his service on Cyprus.10

5
Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1999), pp. 131-132. See also F.F. Bruce, The Spreading Flame, (Paternoster Press:
Carlilse, UK, 1958), p. 176.
6
Ibid., p. 64.
7
Ian Wilson, The Bible Is History, (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1999), pp. 222-223. See also
Steven Feldman and Nancy E. Roth., “The Short List: The New Testament Figures Known to History.” Biblical
Archaeology Review, (Herndon, VA: Sovereign Media Company, November/December 2002), p. 37.
8
Wilson, pp. 223-224.
9
Ibid., pp. 217-218.
10
Steven Feldman and Nancy E. Roth., “The Short List: The New Testament Figures Known to History.” Biblical
Archaeology Review, (Herndon, VA: Sovereign Media Company, November/December 2002), p. 37.
Acts 18:12 refers to Gallio as the proconsul of Achaia while Paul was there. Inscribed on a number of pieces of broken
stone found in Delphi, Greece is a letter from the Roman emperor Claudius (41-54 A.D.) that says “As Lucius Junius
Gallio, my friend and the proconsul of Achaia.” This inscription is dated to 52 A.D. and clearly fixes Paul’s time in
Corinth to that date.11

Mark 6:3 refers to James, the brother of Jesus. An ossuary (limestone bone box) recently surfaced in Israel which had a
clear Aramaic inscription, “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” It is very unusual for someone other than the parent
of the deceased to be mentioned on an ossuary. The mention of a brother would indicate that the Jesus mentioned on the
ossuary would have been a prominent figure. Respected archaeologist André Lemaire dated the ossuary to around 63
A.D., and concluded “it seems very probable that this is the ossuary of the James in the New Testament.” 12

LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE SCHOLARS AGREE THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE NEW TESTAMENT HAD
TO BE WRITTEN BY 70 A.D., AND ALL OF IT BY 100 A.D.

William Fox Albright, the famous archaeologist, said there was no basis for dating any NT book after A.D. 80. 13 [Even
liberal scholars stretch the date of writing of John (the last NT book to be completed) only to 100 A.D. 14

Considering that the New Testament must have been written within the lifetime of those who knew Jesus, we can
critically evaluate its contents. The gospels must have been written as the apostles and other early witnesses of Jesus’
life and deeds grew older, and the Christians were concerned that a proper record of their memories should be made
before they passed away. The purpose of these documents was to strengthen the faith of believers, and to help convince
nonbelievers of the truth of this controversial new faith. For this reason, it would not have been in the Christians’ interest
to include obviously contradictable or inaccurate material, since that would discredit their message. Today, if we tried to
circulate incorrect stories about the life of John F. Kennedy (who died in 1963), it would be difficult, as there are many
people who knew him personally still alive today who would discredit our work.

As Mike Taliaferro observed, “Much the same today, if I tell you Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990, you
would agree. If I said he rose from the dead, you’d laugh. We are all too close to the events. As I write these words in
2002, it has only been 12 years. Memories are fresh. We are close in time to the story to start inventing wild lies.
Hundreds of eyewitnesses are familiar with the story. The same with the apostles… Knowing the scriptures are from the
first century helps to ensure the accuracy of the story they tell.”15

With this in mind, let us consider a few examples of miracles that can build our faith…

1) Peter’s mother-in-law. Mark 1:29-34. She had a fever. Jesus came and healed her. We know the exact place
where this occurred, since they have found Peter’s original house. If this was not true, people from Capernaum
could have disputed it. But a skeptic might say, “she only had a fever, perhaps this is not a miracle.” Fair
enough, let’s continue…

2) The paralytic. Mark 2:1-12. He was paralysed. There was a huge crowd. They made a hole in the roof.
Everyone in the town saw him healed. Capernaum was a city of perhaps 10,000 people at the most. Again, this
miracle would have been well known (how many paralytics could there have been in a town that size?).

11
Ibid., p. 37. See also Josh McDowell, p. 65.
12
André Lemaire,, “Burial Box of James the Brother of Jesus,” Biblical Archaeology Review, (Herndon, VA: Sovereign
Media Company, November/December 2002), pp. 25-33.
13
William Fox Albright, Recent Discoveries in Bible Lands, (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1955),
p. 136.
14
McDowell, p. 52.
15
Mike Taliaferro, How We Got the Bible and Why You Can Trust It, (Johannesburg:
Johanessburg Church of Christ, 2002), p. 11.
 3) Legion. Mark 5:1-20. An extremely violent man approached Jesus. He lived on his own in the tombs, and no
one could subdue him. We know where he lived (the region of the Gerasenes, near the Sea of Galilee). When
he was healed, 2000 pigs died, and the people of the area pleaded for Jesus to leave! Then the man went to the
Decapolis (ten cities) and told his story. Again, if this were a legend, the people who heard it could easily have
found out, simply by checking with people from the Decapolis if they had heard of this man, or by going to the
region of the Gerasenes and asking (the death of 2000 pigs would be remembered for some time!).

4) Jairus’ daughter. Mark 5:21-24, 36-43. Again in Capernaum, there was a synagogue ruler, Jairus. This
man’s 12-year-old daughter died, but Jesus raised her from the dead. We know her father’s name. We know his
job (indeed, the foundations of the synagogue where he worked can still be seen today in the ruins of
Capernaum).16 This miracle would have been easy to disprove—all a skeptic would have to do is visit
Capernaum and ask around.

5) The servant of the high priest. Mark 14:46-47. Here we see someone cutting off the ear of the servant of the
high priest when Jesus was arrested. Luke 22:50. Here we see it was his right ear. John 18:10. Here we see it
was Simon Peter who had the sword, and that the servant’s name was Malchus. This is a remarkable story. We
know the name of this guy. We know which ear was cut off. We know there were hostile witnesses to this
miracle. We know the name of the high priest he worked for (Caiaphas), whose bones have been found (as
mentioned above), and whose house also has been located in Gallicantu, Jerusalem. 17

6) The son of the widow of Nain. Luke 7:11-17. In Nain there was a funeral—a widow’s only son had died.
Many people were mourning. Jesus interrupted the funeral procession and raised him from the dead. We know
the place. We know it was a widow’s son, and that the funeral was witnessed by many non-Christians. Again,
this would be easy for sceptics to investigate and difficult for the early Christians to fabricate.

7) Blind Bartimaeus. Mark 10:46-52. Near Jericho there was a roadside beggar. Jesus healed him of his
blindness. He was the son of Timaeus. A crowd heard him shout at Jesus. People from all around the area
would have known about him and remembered him. We know his dad’s name. This story would have been
easy to check out.

8) The centurion’s servant. Luke 7:1-10. Again in Capernaum we see a miracle. There was a Roman centurion
there. He was an important man, and he had helped build the same synagogue we talked about earlier. The
Jewish leaders of the town knew him well, and appreciated him. His servant was dying. Jesus healed this
servant with a word. There could not have been many centurions in that town, so this is another miracle that
would be easily disproved or verified by Luke’s hearers.

9) Lazarus. John 11:32-46, John 12:1. Here we see Jesus raising Mary & Martha’s brother Lazarus from the
dead. He was from Bethany. Many Jews had come to his funeral and were mourning him, and they witnessed
this miracle and told the Pharisees about it. Later a dinner was held in Jesus’ honour to commemorate this
miracle. Once again, we know his name and where he lived! The witnesses were not only disciples, but also
nonbelievers who knew him.

10) The crippled beggar. Acts 3:1-11, 4:16. Here we see there was a beggar at a particular gate of the temple (the
gate called “Beautiful”. He was there every day, and Peter and John healed him. All the people were running in
Solomon’s Colonnade (a place that was well known in Jerusalem, a porch on the inner side of the wall enclosing
the outer temple court). Acts 4:16 says that the Pharisees said that all of Jerusalem knew about this miracle, so
they could not deny it.

16
Wilson, p. 213, 217-218.
17
Bargil Pixner, With Jesus In Jerusalem—His First And Last Days in Judea, (Jerusalem: Corazin Publishing, 1996), p.
102.
 11) The conversion of Saul. Acts 9:1-18, 22:3. Saul was a disciple of Gamaliel, the most famous Jewish teacher
of the 1st century.18 He was blinded on the road to Damascus, and his companions saw the light that blinded him
and heard the sound (Acts 22:9, 9:7). Saul turned from being a persecutor of Christians to being their most
powerful preacher—we know his name, and we have his writings to this very day. None of the Jewish leaders
could dispute that one of their greatest pupils claimed to have seen the risen Christ.

12) The 500 witnesses. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. As Paul recounted the resurrection appearances, he mentioned that
500 people had seen Jesus raised from the dead on one occasion (v.6), and that most of these people were still
alive, though some had fallen asleep (i.e., died). Clearly Paul knew some of these people. The churches had
members who had personally seen Jesus raised from the dead. If the story were a legend, then they would have
said that only a few people had seen him. The letter of 1 Corinthians is accepted by scholars to have been
written around 55 A.D., just 25 years after the resurrection19—this is very powerful evidence, indeed!

There also were a number of references to Jesus’ miracles in Jewish law books and histories from the first century.
Around 95 A.D. Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus spoke of “Jesus’ magic arts.” Around the same period there was a Jewish
ritual denunciation of Jesus: “Jesus preached magic and led Israel astray.” (Sanhedrin 43a). 20 The miracles in the Bible
are not just vague stories that happened in unidentified places with only a few witnesses. They occurred in public, with
many hostile witnesses who could not deny what had happened. We even know the names of the people Jesus healed!

18
Kenneth Barker, editor, The NIV Study Bible. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Bible
Publishers, 1985), p. 1653.
19
Ibid., p. 1732.
20
Ethelbert Stauffer, Jesus and His Story, translated by Richard and Clara Winston, (New York:
Alfred A. Knopf, 1960), pp. 9-10.
Chapter 3: Prophecy

When the early Christians preached, and when they studied with people, it was prophecy that they would emphasize. In
Acts 8, Philip explained to the eunuch about Jesus from the Isaiah 53 prophecy. Again in places like Acts 17:3 and
28:23, Paul used the Scriptures to show that the Messiah had to be like Jesus, who suffered. Let’s look at a few
powerful Old Testament prophecies about Jesus and the kingdom. It is very likely that these prophecies formed the
backbone of our first century brothers and sisters’ outreach to the Jews.

Micah 4:1-3. In the last days, God will establish his kingdom from Jerusalem, and it will impact the whole world. A
very similar passage appears in Isaiah 2:2-4. Of course, in the New Testament the writers taught that “these last days”
had now come (Hebrews 1:2, 1 Peter 1:20, Acts 2:16-17).

Micah 5:2. A ruler of Israel, whose origins are of old, will come from Bethlehem. This was fulfilled in David the first
time, and again in Christ.

Jeremiah 23:5-6. The “righteous Branch” or King will be a descendant of David. The Targum, an ancient Aramaic
paraphrase of the Hebrew Bible, reads “Messiah” here.21

Jeremiah 31:31-34. God is planning a new covenant with people, where they can have a personal relationship with
him.

Daniel 2:31-45. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. In it, there were four kingdoms. Historically, the gold head represents
the neo-Babylonian empire. The silver chest and arms represent the Medo-Persian empire, established by Cyrus in 539
B.C., when Babylon fell. The bronze belly and thighs were the Greek empire, led by Alexander and his followers from
330 B.C. Finally, the iron legs and feet stood for the Roman empire.22 Verses 44-45 predicted that during the last
kingdom God’s eternal kingdom would be established.

Daniel 7:13-14. One “like a son of man” (Jesus called himself this—Luke 18:8). He was led into God's presence;
given all authority; worshipped by all; everlasting dominion; every nation worshipped him!

Isaiah 7:14. The virgin will have a child, called, “God with us.” When Isaiah wrote this, he was probably referring to
a young woman betrothed to him (Isaiah 8:3). The Hebrew word ´almah is the one translated as “virgin” in the NIV
Bible. This word referred to an unmarried woman about to be married in Genesis 24:43.23 The Septuagint translation
of the Old Testament (LXX) around 200 B.C. translated this word as parthenos, which means virgin.24 And Matthew
quoted Isaiah 7:14 as a prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:23).

Isaiah 8:23,9:1-2. God will honor Galilee of the Gentiles with a great light (all the apostles were from Galilee—Acts
2:7).

Isaiah 11:1-5. A righteous man (the Messiah) will come from the line of Jesse.

Isaiah 42:1-4. God will put His Spirit on His servant, who'll never give up till he establishes justice on earth. He will
not shout or cry out (v.2), and he will be so sensitive that he will not break a bruised reed or put out a smoldering wick
(v.3).

21
The NIV Study Bible, p. 1160.
22
Ibid., p. 1302.
23
Ibid., p. 1027.
24
McDowell, p. 293.
Isaiah 52:13-53:12. The most famous prophecy, written 700 years before Jesus, confirmed by the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Highlights:
 52:14 He was disfigured in his appearance. This is the term used in Malachi 1:14 of an animal that should not be
offered to God.25
 52:15 He will have an impact on kings.
 53:1 The good news about salvation—who will believe it (quoted in John 12:38 and Romans 10:16)?
 53:2 He was not a worldly success—he grew from humble beginnings. He wasn’t a “beauty”, the Hebrew word
used of David in 1 Samuel 16:18, translated as “fine-looking”, denoting a royal appearance.
 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men.
 53:4 He carried sorrows and sicknesses; considered cursed by God. Quoted in Matthew 8:17.
 53:5 He was pierced and crushed for our sins, so we could be healed.
 53:6 God laid on him the sin of all. We are all sinners. Quoted in 1 Peter 2:25.
 53:7 He was silent when attacked. This was fulfilled in Matthew 27:12.
 53:8 He was unfairly taken away and killed. Verses 7 and 8 were read to the eunuch by Philip in Acts 8:32-33.
 53:9 He was assigned to die with wicked (thieves—Matthew 27:38), with the rich in his death (buried in Joseph of
Arimathea's tomb—Matthew 27:57). This was quoted in 1 Peter 2:22.
 53:10 All this was God's plan, yet he will see his offspring.
 53:11 After his suffering, he will see the light of life, and many will be justified from sin.
 53:12 God will exalt him with the great—he bore the sin of many. He prayed for the transgressors (like the thieves
on their crosses). This verse was quoted in Luke 22:37.

Zechariah 3:8-9. Joshua (Jesus) was symbolic of the future, when God would remove the sin of the land in a single
day.

Zechariah 9:9. He rode a “donkey” and “a colt, the foal of a donkey”.

Zechariah 12:10-11,13:1-2. God will pour out a spirit of grace; people will look on the one they have pierced (quoted
in John 19:37) and weep (Luke 23:27—weeping women). That day a fountain of forgiveness will be opened!

Psalm 22:1,6-18,22-24,30-31. Another famous prophecy, which Jesus referred to on the cross (Matthew 27:45-46),
written 1000 years before his life!
 22:6-8 He was insulted and mocked by the crowd—“He trusts in God.” These verses are uncannily similar to
Matthew 27:29,41-43.
 22:12-13 He was surrounded by angry people.
 22:14-15 He had a failing heart. His bones were all out of joint. He was exhausted, thirsty and dying. In John
19:28, Jesus said, “I am thirsty”. John 19:34 talks about a soldier piercing Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden
flow of blood and water. Medical experts believe this was evidence that his heart had burst. 26
 22:16-18 His hands and feet were pierced. Evil men surrounded him. His bones were distended; the people were
gambling for his clothing (John 19:23-24). These verses, which date from David’s time, were written hundreds of years
before the Romans ruled the world and introduced the practice of crucifixion. The Jews only adopted or accepted
crucifixion under Roman rule, yet David described Jesus’ sufferings so specifically 1000 years earlier. 27
 22:22-24 This same man praises God in the congregation! God saved the suffering one.
 22:30-31 Future generations will hear about the Lord and proclaim his righteousness.

Psalm 31:5. “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” Jesus said this as he died (Luke 23:46).

Psalm 34:19-20. “He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.” (John 19:36).

Psalm 69:19-21. He was given gall and vinegar for his thirst (Matthew 27:48, John 19:28-29).

Joel 2:28-32. God will pour out his spirit on all people. They will prophecy. All who call on God will be saved (Peter
pointed to the fulfilment of this prophecy in his sermon in Acts 2:16-21).

25
The NIV Study Bible, p. 1094.
26
McDowell, p. 191, 223.
27
McDowell, p. 187.
The first time I read all these prophecies some 20 years ago, chills went up and down my spine. Jesus could not have
engineered the way he was killed and betrayed. The Jews’ normal punishment for blasphemy was stoning, not
crucifixion (as we see in John 10:31-33). Jesus’ death was not engineered by his friends (to fulfil prophecy), but rather
by his enemies! Jesus’ sufferings were witnessed by many, and so it would have been nearly impossible for the
disciples to embellish the facts to fit in with the prophecies. Only after Jesus’ suffering and resurrection did everyone
realise that these things had been in the Scriptures all along. So many of the Jews of his day were waiting for an earthly
saviour, one who would bring them freedom from the Romans, and justice from oppression (John 6:15, 18:11, 18:36).

Acts 13:27. “Yet in condemning and killing him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every sabbath.”
He could not have arranged for his life and death to fulfil all these prophecies. God did it. What do you think?
Chapter 4: The Resurrection

The most powerful event in history was the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A discouraged band of ordinary tax collectors,
fishermen, and prostitutes, energised by this single event, turned the world upside down in one generation with their
relentless preaching and service, inspired by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. A world religion burst on the scene,
opposed by the authorities, and spread by men who were willing to die, but not to kill, for their faith. Yet today, many
doubt the truth of the resurrection.

Let’s go back in time and try to figure out what happened 2000 years ago. 28 For this study, we will not assume the Bible is
the word of God. Rather, we will accept it as a historical book written 20-60 years after Jesus' death. Over 40,000 partial or
complete early manuscripts of the New Testament exist, and these point to the dates 50-95 A.D. for its writing. 29 Also,
historical verses like Luke 3:1 and others have been archeologically confirmed (see chapter 1 of this book). It could be that
the Bible is a lie, or a legend, but we know it was written within the lifetime of those who had seen Jesus.

THE BASIS OF CHRISTIANITY: THE RESURRECTION

1 Corinthians 15:12-19,32. These verses confirm that the resurrection is central to Christianity. Without it, Paul said our
preaching is useless, our faith is futile, we are still in sin, and we are to be pitied more than all men. As he says in verse 32,
“If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’” Without the resurrection, Christianity falls. It is
not a philosophy, but a historical religion. Mohammed died June 8, 632 A.D. in Medina, and Muslims visit his tomb every
year.30 Buddha died and was buried. Confucius, Lao-Tzu, and Zoroaster also are dead and buried, as is Abraham.

THE PREDICTION: IS JESUS LORD, A LIAR, OR A LUNATIC?

John 2:18-22. Here Jesus clearly predicts that three days after his death he would rise again. But they thought he was
talking about the physical temple, not his body.

Matthew 26:59-61. Here at the trial, they refer mistakenly to this “3-day” prediction. This was a public event Matthew
couldn’t lie about. Clearly, Jesus’ prediction of resurrection was well known (Matthew 16:21; also Matthew 12:38-40, 17:9,
17:22-23, 20:18-19, 26:32, 27:63; Mark 8:31-9:1, 9:10, 9:31, 10:32-34, 14:28, 14:58; Luke 9:22-27; John 12:34, chapters
14-16).

Matthew 27:61-66. Jesus’ prediction was so well known they had to guard the tomb, a historical fact. If Matthew were
lying here, his hearers would have contradicted his account, as there would have been many in Jerusalem still alive who
would have known whether or not the tomb had been guarded. Thus Jesus was not a Gandhi. He was the Lord, or a liar, or
a lunatic. He was not simply a “good” teacher. Good teachers don’t make absurd claims like “I and the Father are One”
(John 10:30) or “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). And yet how could a liar or lunatic create a moral system and a life so
powerful that no other man in history has had more impact?

28
For further information and study on this topic, see Douglas Jacoby, True and Reasonable, Second
Edition (Boston: Discipleship Publications International, 1999).
29
Taliaferro, p. 13.
30
McDowell, p. 205.
HIS DEATH

John 19:31-34. Jesus was tortured in many ways on the cross. Some German scholars suggested in the late 18 th century
that he did not die, but merely fainted on the cross. 31 There is a reason why it took 1800 years before this theory was
proposed—no one would have believed it in the time of Christ. We can see in John 19 that the soldiers checked to see if
Jesus was dead and even poked him with a spear to make sure. These were professional killers, they would have known if
he was dead. And the blood and water (v.34) is medical evidence that the pericardium (sac around heart) had filled with
water after Jesus’ heart had ruptured. Michael Green writes, “We are told on eyewitness authority that ‘blood and water’
came out of the pierced side of Jesus (John 19:34, 35). The eyewitness clearly attached great importance to this. Had Jesus
been alive when the spear pierced His side, strong spouts of blood would have emerged with every heartbeat. Instead, the
observer noticed semi-solid dark red clot seeping out, distinct and separate from the accompanying watery serum. This is
evidence of massive clotting of the blood in the main arteries, and is exceptionally strong medical proof of death. It is all
the more impressive because the evangelist could not possibly have realized its significance to a pathologist. The ‘blood
and water’ from the spear-thrust is proof positive that Jesus was already dead.” 32 The idea that a tortured man, barely alive,
placed in a cold tomb for 36 hours, could revive himself without medical attention, food or water, travel long distances
quickly after his death (like the road to Emmaus in Luke 24) and convince his followers that he was the Lord of life is more
unbelievable than the resurrection! Jesus did not swoon—he was dead.

THE EMPTY TOMB

Perhaps after Jesus died the disciples simply did not know where he was buried. They mistakenly visited an empty tomb,
and thought Jesus had risen from the dead. Mary saw where he was buried (Matt 27:61). The tomb had a big stone in front
of it (Matt 27:60). It was Joseph of Arimathea’s own new tomb, cut out of the rock (Matt 27:60). Luke 23:55 says that the
women “saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.” John 19:41 says that the tomb was near the cross, in a garden, and
it had never been used before. The level of detail in the four gospels describing the tomb, its location, its owner, the stone at
its entrance, etc. is clearly the kind of detail eyewitnesses would provide. They did not visit the wrong tomb.

Matthew 28:11-15. The Jews and Christians agreed that Jesus’ body was missing from the tomb. When people arguing
with each other are able to agree on a fact, it is very likely that we can accept that fact to be true. So what are the
alternatives? If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then either the disciples stole the body, or someone other than the disci -
ples stole it.

Matthew 26:56, 69-75. The disciples were afraid when he was arrested—they ran away. Also note how Peter denied him.
This sounds like the behaviour of confused, fearful people, not calculating deceivers. Their fearful behaviour is exactly
what you or I would likely do in the same situation. When your life or future is at stake, it is easy for your courage to melt
away.

THE STOLEN BODY

Was the body stolen? This would have been no easy task. The tomb was guarded by a number of soldiers. Besides this, the
stone that was rolled to close the tomb was “big” (Matthew 27:60), or “very large” (Mark 16:3). The stone was so big that
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome wondered who would roll it away from the entrance of the tomb
(Mark 16:3). Also, Roman guards who neglected their watch duty were punishable by death in the event of failure (see Acts
12:19, also Acts 16:29-32).

31
Paul Little, Know Why You Believe, (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1988), p. 53.
32
Michael Green, Man Alive, (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1966), p. 33.
Furthermore, the tomb as described in John 20 did not sound like the scene of a crime. John 20:1-9 describes Peter and
John’s visit to the empty tomb. They saw the strips of linen that had wrapped Jesus’ body, as well as the burial cloth around
his head, folded up by itself (vv.6-8). This evidence was enough to lead John to believe (v.8). The neatly folded burial
garments left behind by Jesus were a powerful visual testimony that never left John’s memory. Thieves do not leave the
scene of their crime by folding things up like this. They normally leave quickly to avoid detection. I remember when I was
12 years old. We had just moved to Arizona. I came home from school, and the house was in utter chaos. All the drawers
were open, things were thrown and scattered everything. There was broken glass all over my bed. The thieves didn’t bother
to clean up after they took what they wanted! If the disciples (or someone else) took the body, why did they take the time to
remove the burial garments in the tomb? Couldn’t they have done that later? The small details in this passage do not point
to a robbery.

If the body was stolen, we must consider who could have done it. There are two possibilities: either someone other than the
disciples took it, or it was a job carried out by some or all the disciples.

Let’s consider the first possibility. Perhaps someone other than the disciples stole it. The disciples innocently visited the
tomb, and found it empty. Out of guilt and and wishful thinking they hallucinated, thinking they had seen Jesus. Under this
scenario, we can trust their writings as honest, but naive.

Luke 24:36-43. Hallucinations don’t eat fish. They don’t talk and touch people. They are normally individual experiences,
not happening to many people at one time. 33 And as C.S. Lewis observed, if these appearances of Jesus were hallucinations,
it is very odd that on several occasions the disciples did not immediately recognise Jesus. He wrote, “any theory of
hallucination breaks down on the fact (and if it is invention it is the oddest invention that ever entered the mind of man) that
on three separate occasions this hallucination was not immediately recognised as Jesus (Luke 24:13-31; John 20:15;
21:4).”34 This was no hallucination. There was no third-party theft of the body. Which leaves us with only one alternative
to the resurrection.

If the body was stolen, it had to be the disciples. They perpetrated a huge hoax on the people, a giant lie. But let us
consider the sin of deceit. Why do people tell lies? There are a few obvious answers: to avoid trouble; to protect friends
and loved ones; to make friends or find romance; to make money; as a joke; to improve their reputation or their group’s
reputation; or finally to gain attention if they are mentally unstable (confessing to a crime they didn’t commit). One thing
we can observe about human nature: people do not lie in order to bring trouble upon themselves. Once a lie starts bringing
more and more trouble, people start changing their story to protect their own interests. Let’s look a bit more at these “lying
body-stealers.”

Acts 4:3, 12-13. C: The fearful Peter is now saying there is just one way to God (v.12) to the people who have arrested
him! He and John are noted for their courage (v.13), in spite of being “unschooled, ordinary men.” Something changed
these men.

Let’s look at the writings of Paul, a man not involved in the original “conspiracy” to steal the body. He was a persecutor of
the church till he saw Jesus (Acts 9, 22, 26) on the road to Damascus.

1 Corinthians 4:8-13. This is the lifestyle of the apostles: hunger, pain, and hardship. According to Eusebius, John died in
exile on the island of Patmos. 35 According to early church historians and traditions, all the others died martyrs’ deaths, in
poverty, after preaching Christ for a lifetime. 36 Do people live and die, in poverty and suffering, preaching love, all for a
lie? Wouldn’t they give up the lie once it started cost them their reputations, their families, their health, their wealth, and
ultimately their lives?

1 Corinthians 15:3-8. Paul said that one thing is of first importance: Jesus died for our sins. Suppose I hit you and then
bought you an ice cream. Would we be even? In the same way, good deeds cannot pay for our sins. We can’t slap God
with our immorality and then buy him ice cream by helping a poor person. We need a saviour (v.3).

There were many witnesses to the resurrection. Once even 500 people saw it (v.6). Why would Paul lie about this? It
would be easier just to say that only a small group privately saw Jesus. By saying 500 had seen him, Paul opened himself
up to challenge. He said this because it is true! The evidence is overwhelming. The followers of Jesus lived and died not
for a philosophy or a political cause, but for a historical fact they had seen with their own eyes. They did not die for a lie.
This is the truth. What will you do about it?
33
McDowell, pp. 273-279.
34
C.S. Lewis, Miracles, (New York: Macmillan, 1960), p. 153.
35
William Steuart McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale
House Publishers, 1983), p. 110.
36
Ibid.,p. 63,83,101,123,138,170,176-177,188,198,208,244.
Bibliography

Albright, William Fox, Recent Discoveries in Bible Lands. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1955.

Barker, Kenneth, editor, The NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1985.

Bridges, Jerry, The Joy of Fearing God. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Waterbrook Press, 1997.

Bruce, F.F., The Spreading Flame. Carlilse, UK: Paternoster Press, 1958.

Feldman, Steven and Roth, Nancy E., “The Short List: The New Testament Figures Known to History.” Biblical
Archaeology Review, November/December 2002. Herndon, VA: Sovereign Media Company.

Ferguson, Kitty, Stephen Hawking: Quest for a Theory of Everything. London: Bantam Books, 1995.

Green, Michael, Man Alive. Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 1966.

Lemaire, André, “Burial Box of James the Brother of Jesus,” Biblical Archaeology Review, November/December 2002.
Herndon, VA: Sovereign Media Company.

Jacoby, Douglas, True and Reasonable, Second Edition. Boston: Discipleship Publications
International, 1999.

Lewis, C.S., Miracles. New York: Macmillan, 1960.

Little, Paul. Know Why You Believe, Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1988.

McBirnie, William Steuart, The Search for the Twelve Apostles, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 1983.

McDowell, Josh, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999.

Pixner, Bargil, With Jesus In Jerusalem—His First And Last Days in Judea. Jerusalem: Corazin Publishing, 1996.

Ramm, Bernard, Protestant Christian Evidences. Chicago: Moody Press, 1957.

Stauffer, Ethelbert, Jesus and History, translated by Richard and Clara Winston. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1960.

Strobel, Lee, The Case for Christ. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.

Taliaferro, Mike, How We Got the Bible and Why You Can Trust It. Johannesburg: Johannesburg Church of Christ,
2002.

Wilson, Ian, The Bible Is History. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1999.