The Easter Challenge - Refuted

The blog post at https://rosarubicondior.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-easter-challenge.html, published on August 8, 2012, by Rosa Rubicondior (Bill Hounslow), presents "The Easter Challenge," adapted from Dan Barker’s book Godless. It tasks readers with reconciling the five biblical accounts of Jesus’ resurrection (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20-21, and 1 Corinthians 15:3-8) into a single, coherent timeline starting from Easter morning, claiming discrepancies prove the story is a myth. Below, I’ll refute the core argument and key implications, showing the challenge doesn’t hold up as a definitive disproof of the resurrection.

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Core Claim: Irreconcilable Differences Disprove the Resurrection

Rubicondior asserts that if the resurrection accounts can’t be harmonized into one logical sequence without omitting details, they must be fictional—implying the Bible’s central narrative collapses.

Refutation:

• Nature of Eyewitness Accounts: The Gospels aren’t written as a single, chronological police report but as separate testimonies from different perspectives—Matthew (disciple), Mark (via Peter), Luke (historian), and John (disciple). Variations in detail (e.g., who arrived at the tomb, number of angels) are expected in eyewitness accounts, especially under emotional stress like post-crucifixion. Studies of witness psychology (e.g., Loftus, 1979) show discrepancies in minor details don’t negate a core event’s truth. All accounts agree Jesus died, was buried, and appeared alive later—core consistency matters more than peripheral variance.
• Harmonization is Possible: Scholars like Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe (The Big Book of Bible Difficulties) have shown the accounts can align with careful reading. For example:
  • Tomb Visitors: Matthew (28:1) says Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” went; Mark (16:1) adds Salome; Luke (24:10) names others; John (20:1) focuses on Mary Magdalene. This reflects different emphases, not contradiction—a group went, but individuals are highlighted variably.
  • Angels: Matthew (28:2) and Mark (16:5) mention one angel; Luke (24:4) and John (20:12) mention two. The single-angel accounts don’t deny a second; they focus on the speaker. Multiple angels could be present, with narration differing by author intent.
  • Timeline: Women visit early (all Gospels), find the tomb empty, report back variably (to Peter and John in John 20; to disciples in Luke 24). Jesus appears later—first to Mary Magdalene (John 20:16), then others (Matthew 28:9, 1 Corinthians 15:5). The sequence holds if you allow overlapping events and partial reporting.
• Literary Style, Not Fabrication: The Gospels use selective storytelling, not exhaustive logs. 1 Corinthians 15 (Paul’s summary) lists appearances broadly, not sequentially, as a creedal statement, not a narrative. Expecting perfect alignment ignores ancient historiographical norms—Josephus and Tacitus similarly vary in detail without being dismissed as false.

The challenge assumes modern forensic standards apply to 1st-century texts, which is anachronistic. Discrepancies don’t equate to myth; they reflect human authorship, not divine dictation.

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Implied Claim: No Coherent Sequence Means No Historical Basis

Rubicondior suggests that failure to produce a single timeline proves the resurrection is a fabricated “myth” like pagan tales (e.g., Eastre/Ishtar).

Refutation:

• Historical Corroboration Exists: Beyond the Gospels, early non-biblical sources affirm Jesus’ death and the belief in his resurrection. Josephus (Antiquities 18.3.3, circa 93 CE) notes Jesus was crucified and his followers reported him alive. Tacitus (Annals 15.44, circa 116 CE) confirms his execution under Pilate. These align with the biblical core—death and resurrection belief—independent of narrative details.
• Rapid Spread Supports Event: Christianity exploded from a small, persecuted sect to a regional force within decades (e.g., Acts 2, Pliny the Younger’s letter, 112 CE). This growth is unlikely without a catalyzing event. Myths like Eastre evolved over centuries; the resurrection claim was immediate, with 1 Corinthians 15 dated to 55 CE, citing 500 witnesses—some still alive to verify.
• Pagan Myth Miscomparison: Rubicondior ties Easter to Eastre/Ishtar, but this is etymological speculation (Bede’s 8th-century claim lacks evidence). Easter’s timing aligns with Passover, not pagan rites, and the resurrection lacks parallels to cyclical fertility myths—Jesus’ rising is a one-time historical claim, not a seasonal allegory.

A single timeline isn’t required for historicity. The accounts’ differences suggest independent sources, not a rehearsed lie, and external evidence supports the event’s impact.

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Specific Challenge: Answer These Questions

The post lists questions (e.g., “Who was at the tomb?” “Did the disciples believe?”) and implies they can’t be answered consistently.

Refutation:

• Who Was at the Tomb? All Gospels name women—Mary Magdalene universally, others variably. A group arrived; authors highlight different members. No contradiction—just focus.
• Guards or No Guards? Matthew (28:4) alone mentions guards, likely from his Judean perspective (he targets a Jewish audience aware of temple authority). Others omit them as irrelevant to their narrative. Silence isn’t denial.
• Did Disciples Believe? Luke (24:11) says they doubted the women; John (20:8) says the “other disciple” believed at the tomb. This reflects individual reactions over time—Peter doubts, then sees Jesus (Luke 24:34). Emotional complexity, not inconsistency.
• Appearances: 1 Corinthians 15 lists broad appearances (e.g., 500 people); Gospels detail specifics (e.g., Emmaus, Upper Room). Paul summarizes; Gospels narrate. Both can be true.

These questions have answers when read contextually, not as a trap. The post exaggerates minor variances into fatal flaws, ignoring narrative intent.

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Broader Critique

• Overstated Burden: Rubicondior demands a flawless synthesis modern readers rarely apply to other ancient texts (e.g., varying accounts of Caesar’s death). The Bible’s purpose isn’t a legal transcript but theological witness—discrepancies don’t negate its historical kernel.
• Dismissive Tone: Calling it a “dustbin myth” assumes the conclusion. If the challenge were unanswerable, why have scholars (e.g., N.T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God) harmonized it for centuries?
• Ignoring Context: The post skips cultural factors—oral tradition shaped these accounts before writing (30-60 CE). Variation reflects authenticity, not invention.

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Conclusion

The Easter Challenge doesn’t disprove the resurrection. The accounts align on the essentials—empty tomb, appearances—while differing in focus, as real witnesses do. Historical echoes (Josephus, Tacitus) and Christianity’s rise bolster the event’s plausibility. Rubicondior’s demand for a single, gapless timeline misjudges ancient writing and overplays discrepancies as fatal. The resurrection stands not on perfect harmony but on convergent testimony and impact—hardly dustbin fodder.

MONDAY, 27 AUGUST 2012

The Easter Challenge

Here's a challenge for Christians, especially those who believe the Bible to be the literal, inerrant word of a god, and even those who believe the five accounts of the resurrection of Jesus by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul are an account of an actual resurrection by Jesus.

First, a few words from Thomas Paine:

I lay it down as a position which cannot be controverted, first, that the agreement of all the parts of a story does not prove that story to be true, because the parts may agree and the whole may be false; secondly, that the disagreement of the parts of a story proves the whole cannot be true.

Thomas Paine. The Age Of Reason. 1776

The challenge is to take all five accounts of the events following the supposed crucifixion of Jesus and, starting on Easter morning and, omitting none of the details given in the five biblical accounts, construct a logical sequence of events.

I make no claim of authorship of this challenge which appears in Dan Barker's book 'Godless: How An Evangelical Preacher Became One Of America's Leading Atheists'.

The relevant chapters and/or verses of the Bible are:

1. Matthew 28
2. Mark 16
3. Luke 24
4. John 20-21
5. Acts 1:3-12
6. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

If the Bible is giving an account of a real sequence of events as seen from the perspective of five different views, these events should line up in their sequence of events and in the important details, and should occupy the same approximate time-span.

It might help if, as you read the 165 verses, you attempt to answer these questions and to reconcile and harmonise the differing accounts:

Question	The Bible's Answers
1. What time did the women visit the tomb?	Matthew: As it began to dawn - Matthew 28:1 Mark: Very early in the morning... at the rising of the sun - Mark 16:2 Luke: Very early in the morning - Luke 24:1 John: When it was yet dark - John 20:1
2. Who were the women?	Matthew: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary - Matthew 28:1 Mark: Mary Magdalene, the mother of James, and Salome -Mark 16:1 Luke: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and other women - Luke 24:10 John: Mary Magdalene - John 20:1
3. What was their purpose?	Matthew: to see the tomb - Matthew 28:1 Mark: had already seen the tomb - Mark 15:47, brought spices - Mark 16:1 Luke: had already seen the tomb - Luke 23:55, brought spices - Luke 24:1 John: the body had already been spiced before they arrived -John 19:39-40
4. Was the tomb open when they arrived?	Matthew: No - Matthew 28:2 Mark: Yes - Mark 16:4 Luke: Yes - Luke 24:2 John: Yes - John 20:1
5. Who was at the tomb when they arrived?	Matthew: One angel - Matthew 28:2-7 Mark: One young man - Mark 16:5 Luke: Two men - Luke 24:4 John: Two angels - John 20:12
6. Where were these messengers situated?	Matthew: Angel sitting on the stone - Matthew 28:2 Mark: Young man sitting inside, on the right - Mark 16:5 Luke: Two men standing inside - Luke 24:4 John: Two angels sitting on each end of the bed - John 20:12
7. What did the messenger(s) say?	Matthew: Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead: and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. - Matthew 28:5-7 Mark: Be not afrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. - Mark 16:6-7 Luke: Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. - Luke 24:5-7 John: Woman, why weepest thou? - John 20:13
8. Did the women tell what happened?	Matthew: Yes - Matthew 28:8 Mark: No. Neither said they any thing to any man. - Mark 16:8 Luke: Yes. And they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. - Luke 24:9, Luke 24:22-24 John: Yes - John 20:18
9. When Mary returned from the tomb, did she know Jesus had been resurrected?	Matthew: Yes - Matthew 28:7-8 Mark: Yes - Mark 16:10-11 Luke: Yes - Luke 24:6-9, 23 John: No - John 20:2
10. When did Mary first see Jesus?	Matthew: Before she returned to the disciples - Matthew 28:9 Mark: Before she returned to the disciples - Mark 16:9-10 John: After she returned to the disciples John 20:2, John 20:14
11. Could Jesus be touched after the resurrection?	Matthew: Yes - Matthew 28:9 John: No - John 20:17 and Yes - John 20:27
12. After the women, to whom did Jesus first appear?	Matthew: Eleven disciples - Matthew 28:16 Mark: Two disciples in the country, later to 11 - Mark 16:12,Mark 16:14 Luke: Two disciples in Emmaus, later to 11 - Luke 24:13, Luke 24:36 John: Ten disciples (Judas and Thomas were absent) - John 20:19, John 20:24 Paul: First to Cephas (Peter), then to the 12. (Twelve? Judas was dead and wasn't replaced until after Jesus had departed.) -1 Corinthians 15:5
13. Where did Jesus first appear to the disciples?	Matthew: On a mountain in Galilee (60-100 miles away) -Matthew 28:16-17 Mark: To two in the country, to 11 as they sat at meat - Mark 16:12, Mark 16:14 Luke: In Emmaus (about seven miles away) at evening, to the rest in a room in Jerusalem later that night. - Luke 24:31, LUke 24:36 John: In a room, at evening - John 20:19
14. Did the disciples believe the two men?	Mark: No - Mark 16:13 Luke: Yes - Luke 24:34 (it is the group speaking here, not the two)
15. What happened at that first appearance?	Matthew: Disciples worshipped, some doubted, Go preach. -Matthew 28:17-20 Mark: Jesus reprimanded them, said, Go preach - Mark 16:14-19 Luke: Christ incognito, vanishing act, materialized out of thin air, reprimand, supper - Luke 24:13-51 John: Passed through solid door, disciples happy, Jesus blesses them, no reprimand - John 21:19-23
16. Did Jesus stay on earth for more than a day?	Mark: No - Mark 16:19 (Compare Mark 16:14 with John 20:19to show that this was all done on Sunday) Luke: No - Luke 24:50-52 It all happened on Sunday John: Yes, at least eight days - John 20:26, John 21:1-22 Acts: Yes, at least 40 days - Acts 1:3
17. Where did the ascension take place?	Matthew: No ascension. Book ends on mountain in Galilee Mark: In or near Jerusalem, after supper - Mark 16:19 Luke: In Bethany, very close to Jerusalem, after supper - Luke 24:50-51 John: No ascension Paul: No ascension Acts: Ascended from Mount of Olives - Acts 1:9-12
Barker, Dan (2009-05-01). Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists (p. 289). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Personally, for a story so central to the Christian faith and upon which the entire religion rests, I'd be astounded if this exercise is not a regular feature of Bible study, Sunday School and church services so it shouldn't be a problem at all for true believers. So, you have all the material you need, and links to an on-line edition of the Bible to check that everything stated above is a true and accurate account of all the known accounts of the supposed resurrection of Jesus, just in case you don't have your own Bible.

All you have to do is produce a logical sequence of events from Easter morning to Jesus' claimed ascension bodily into Heaven which includes all the facts stated and following the sequence of events given in the Bible.

Otherwise, please explain why Thomas Paine was wrong to conclude that the whole story cannot be true and why the myth of Jesus should not be consigned to the dustbin of history along with the myth of the goddess Eastre (aka Ishtar aka Astarte) afafter whom the pagan festival of Easter was named before it was plagiarised by Christianity for the Jesus myth.

http://rosarubicondior.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-easter-challenge.html

Response:

One of the main goals of atheists is to challenge the truth and validity of Christianity, and to persuade Christians to abandon their faith. To do this, they often present various objections and arguments that they think are fatal to Christianity, such as:

- The problem of evil: If God is good and powerful, why does he allow so much suffering and evil in the world?

- The lack of evidence: If God exists, why doesn't he provide clear and convincing evidence for his existence, such as miracles, signs, or personal revelations?

- The contradictions in the Bible: If the Bible is the inspired word of God, why does it contain so many errors, inconsistencies, and contradictions that show that it is a human product?

- The origin of morality: If morality is based on God's commands, why do different religions and cultures have different moral codes? And if morality is independent of God, why do we need God at all?

These are some of the common objections that atheists use to attack Christianity, and they may seem difficult or impossible to answer. However, in this blog post, I will try to show how these objections are not as strong or convincing as they appear, and how Christians can respond to them with reason and faith.