The historicity of the empty tomb of Jesus

[johnnylightnin]

http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billc...ocs/tomb2.html

[hoppinmad]

Jeepers, this report is long...I'll get back with you in a wee .... make that a month.

Thanks.

[DogsWin]

John 20:24-31 Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the mark of nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe," Thomas answered him "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have everlasting life in his name.

[saltydawg]

The proclamation 'He is risen from the dead' (Mt. 27. 64) prompted the Jews to respond, 'His disciples ... stole him away' (Mt. 28. 13). Why? The most probable answer is that they could not deny that his tomb was empty and had to come up with an alternative explanation. So they said the disciples stole the body, and from there the polemic began. Even the gardener hypothesis is an attempt to explain away the empty tomb. The fact that the Jewish polemic never denied that Jesus' tomb was empty, but only tried to explain it away is compelling evidence that the tomb was in fact empty.

[Cactus Rob]

HAPPY EASTER everyone!