In a recent post on CNN, Jay Parini talks about the resurrection. He notes that there are some differences between the Gospel accounts and that the actual resurrection is not described. These observations are true as far as they go. I actually think the differences help to show that the Gospels have independent testimony rather than being straight copies of each other. It is true that, unlike the Gospel of Peter, the canonical Gospels do not describe the actual resurrection.
Parini concludes, “For the most part, his appearances retain a dreamlike quality, suggesting that Jesus didn’t want anyone to assume that whatever happened to him occurred in ordinary time and space.” Whatever the resurrection was, it was not about Jesus physically walking out of the tomb. It was more about the disciples thinking with a resurrection paradigm.
Just because the actual resurrection is not described does not mean that there was no physical resurrection. Despite Parini’s claim that Scripture is not clear, it is clear that Jesus died and that Jesus was alive a couple of days later. That seems to lead naturally to a real resurrection. The list of eyewitnesses, which Parini points to, also suggests that there was a physical resurrection. It is far from just a vision based on grief of a few friends. Jesus did indeed rise form the dead in time and space.
- Did Jesus Physically rise from the dead
- Gospels
- Jay Parini
- Resurrection of Jesus