By The Book Comics: A hopefully humorous look at the Bible

I saw a tweet from Godlessgirl a few days ago with a link to a blog that attempts to use humor to show Christianity as silly and untenable. This particular post is makes the suggestion that the man whom the first Christians saw after Jesus' crucifixion but a case of mistaken identity. If the writer was not serious, I would have thought that this line of argument would be humorous. In reality it really is a joke. Unfortunately, it is a joke on the one who would accept such an argument. There is no way the Bible supports it. Go to the link at the end to see his cartoon.

The post's writer says the following:

Assuming there was ever a historic Jesus and that the Gospels were even loosely based on actual events (which I greatly doubt), I think there is a much simpler explanation. Maybe it wasn't him at all! Maybe the disciples didn't recognize him because it wasn't the same dude! Maybe they wanted so much to believe that he had risen, that they voted in a new Messiah.

"Sure, he looks different and walks with a limp, but he knows all the scriptures and what a great story this will make! He rose from the dead! Praise the Lord!"

What do you think?

Image via Wikipedia

Let's follow his line of reasoning to see if it make sense. He gives us that he is basing his argument on the idea that there was a historic Jesus and the Bible is loosely based on actual events. I will argue from the same points. The Bible does not in any way say that the person the disciples claimed to be Jesus, resurrected from the dead, looked different than the Jesus they knew or was crippled in anyway. The other thing none of the disciples thought that Jesus was going to rise again. They thought that it was over, although Jesus told them He was going to rise again.

Who has not had the experience of seeing the last person you expected to see and not immediately recognized them? I have and you know you have. The author appeals to three scriptures in an attempt to bolster his point.

John 20:14 And when she [Mary Magdalene] had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus was the last person she expected to see. Although Jesus said He was going to come back from the dead and said it more than once, she did not understand. She did not know it was Jesus. The verse does not say that it was not Jesus.

Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

I'm surprised that the author used this verse because Mark 16: 9-20 is most likely not originally a part of Mark, but added years later. The passage is not part of the earliest manuscripts! Therefore, I don't have to defend or explain verse 12. Verse 12 is not part of the inspired text as near as anyone can tell.

Luke 24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Luke 24:16 tells us that the two disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus because it was kept from them on purpose at first. Also according to the Gospels, there are other cases where Jesus appeared after the resurrection and He was recognized immediately! Checkout Luke 24:33-49

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

Why would they think it was a Ghost who appeared if they did not know it was Jesus who had died? They knew it was Jesus. I have two more examples. Look at what the angel said to the apostles when Jesus ascended to heaven.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:10,11

Also look at Peter's first sermon is general and Acts 2: 29-36

"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
" 'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet." '

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Peter very clearly states the point of his sermon: the same Jesus who taught among them, performed miracles among them, was executed by them 40 days earlier, was resurrected physically!

By The Book Comics: A hopefully humorous look at the Bible

Bart Ehrman Interviewed on the "Problem of Evil"

Here is a video of a lecture Bart Ehrman discussing what the Bible says about human suffering. Follows is the video description from YouTube.

"Biblical Insights into the Problem of Suffering"

Bart D. Ehrman
Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes biblical scholar Bart Ehrman for a discussion of his intellectual odyssey with a focus on how the Bible explains the problem of human suffering. The conversation includes a discussion of the challenges of biblical interpretation when confronting this age old problem of the human condition. Included are topics such as the contribution of the prophets, a comparison of the old and new testaments, the book of Job, and the emergence of apocalyptic writers.
Recorded April 17, 2008

After listening to the lecture, I wonder if Ehrman understood scripture the same way before He gave up being a Christian. For example I have heard others take his viewpoint on the Book of Job, Daniel, and Ecclesiastes. Not all scholars agree with Ehrman. Concerning Job, God did not make a wager with the Devil. Instead of answering him point-by-point, I enjoyed Dr. James White's rebuttal of Ehrman's book discussing human suffering in particular and Ehrman's conclusions in general.