Christian Scholar CRUSHES Rapid Fire Questions About Jesus (BRILLIANCE!)

The discussion centers on rapid-fire questions posed to Christian scholar Wes Huff, Vice President of Apologetics Canada, regarding the historical Jesus and the evidence for his resurrection. A fundamental point established early is the near-indisputable historical existence of Jesus of Nazareth, a first-century Jewish itinerant rabbi who traversed the Roman-occupied lands of Judea. Even highly skeptical scholars concede that Jesus existed and suffered crucifixion under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate around the beginning of the first century.

The core contention addressed involves the prediction by Jesus of His own death and subsequent resurrection. The scenario posits that if a camera had recorded the tomb around 33 AD, an actual Jesus would have emerged on the third day. This event forms the absolute essence of Christianity; if validated, the belief system stands validated, as the resurrection transforms the event from a mere story into a supernatural reality.

Historians possess demonstrable evidence regarding the life and death of this historical character, which is further supported by multiple independent and cross-referenced sources. Chief among these sources are the four canonical Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These documents should not be dismissed merely because they are religious texts; they functioned as independent written sources originating from that time frame.

A counterargument suggests doubt because the Apostle Paul was not present at the resurrection itself, and the only explicit mention of 500 witnesses appears in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. However, this information is corroborated by accounts found in Matthew, Luke, and John. Specifically, the instances of the ascension mentioned in Matthew and Luke suggest that those 500 individuals could have been present on the mount at that time.

When Jesus appeared in front of His 11 disciples, some of them doubted. To which people say, well, if even not all His disciples believe this, why on earth should we?

Further evidence comes from individuals who were initially hostile toward Jesus’s claims. James, the brother of Jesus, referred to his brother using a title attributed only to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Furthermore, Paul began his life as a persecutor before undergoing a radical change and authoring a significant portion of the New Testament scripture.

Skeptics often argue that the witnesses were primitive and mostly illiterate, rendering their testimony unreliable, as eyewitness accounts are considered the least credible evidence in modern courtrooms. Additionally, since the historical method generally avoids dealing with miracles, basing history on such accounts is deemed ridiculous by critics.

What CS Lewis referred to as chronological snobbery. You know, just because people are ancient neither means they're stupid nor that they don't know what's going on.

When evaluating ancient history, the historiographical method requires applying the same standards used for evaluating figures like Tiberius, as documented by historians such as Tacitus, Suetonius, and Cassiodorus. When multiple sources report on a life, historians analyze points of agreement and differentiation to formulate the best explanation for the data presented.

If the resurrection had not occurred, the expected outcome for the eleven disciples, who were hiding and fearful, would mirror that of other failed messianic movements, such as that led by Simon Bar Kokhba, which dissolved upon the leader's death. Instead, the disciples moved from fear to proclaiming Jesus rose, risking their lives and facing persecution.

When addressing claims that Jesus appeared both as the Son of God and as God Himself, the context of the title must be examined. In John's Gospel, when Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of God, the Jews picked up stones because He was making Himself equal with God. While other biblical figures are called sons of God, Jesus’s claim was unique.

Not for your good works, but because you call Jesus your father, making yourself equal with God.

Jesus ascribed honors, attributes, and deeds to Himself that only God possesses, even within the monotheistic framework of ancient Judaism. For instance, when Jesus forgave sins, the immediate response was, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Jesus did not correct this understanding but reframed it, stating that the Son of Man performs this divine act.

The argument suggesting that the existence of thousands of gods across world religions invalidates the specific claim of the God of the Bible is considered a foolish argument because competition does not negate objective reality. Using a courtroom analogy, the sheer number of people in a city does not invalidate the evidence pointing to one specific perpetrator of a crime.

Every human faces the critical question of whether Jesus was real and truly died and rose for the world's sins, as eternal life hangs in the balance. In a culture often distorted by doubt, the scholarly precision offered provides clarity. When all historical and revelatory evidence is weighed carefully, the conclusion leads to one undeniable reality: the tomb is empty, and Jesus Christ has risen.