Resurrection – the Proves

Introduction 

    The dreadful event of death, seen by many, as the end of the existence for the human person, as well as his own history, relations, affections, feelings, dreams and hopes, situate us ahead of an absurd concept of life. A life that, would reflect merely, an utmost stupid and meaningless tragedy.   

    Christianity narrates the story of Jesus of Nazareth, a true and historical person, made of flesh and bones. He declared to be the Son of God and revealed a fantastic significance of life. A life that, would not end by physical death, but should proceed, through the resurrection, toward an eternal and magnificent life in a new world. A perfect world, plenty of joy and happiness, where there would be no more tears or sufferings. Christ proved and confirmed this reality, by his own resurrection after his death.  

    Thus, the authenticity of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the main foundation of Christian Creed. “If Christ didn’t risen, then, our faith is vain”[1]. Having faith in the Resurrection of Christ, doesn’t stand for believing in absurdity, neither making a jump into darkness. Faith, in the first place, is a coming together between the human intellect and the divine revelation. It is the encounter between, the will of the human being to know and to search for the truth and the gift of God – the revelation of the real truth. “For every one asking receives, and the one seeking finds, and to the one knocking it will be opened”[2]. A rational and analytic approach to this unique event of the resurrection of Christ would offers not only, the veracity of what really happened, but also the opportunity to take an enlightened position ahead of all the mystery of existence, hence it would dispose our intellect to this glorious meeting with the divine revelation through faith in Christ.

The Sentence

     The brutal sentence against Jesus, had been pronounced; "He ought to die"[3]. The Jewish Chief Priests, those who represent the dominant religious and political regime, provoked this condemnation. No one could ever blame all the Jewish people for this injustice, in fact, much of the population, considered Jesus as a good man. Actually, the first believers in Christ, were all Jewish; the apostles, the disciples and many of the simple people. Even some of the same chief priests, opposed this condemnation yet others, already believed in Jesus.

      Now it is crucial to precise; why Christ had been condemned? The critical moment during the process was, when Jesus declared openly, that he is the Son of God – this means that he is of the same divine nature. God is one, so according to his declaration, he would be God in person. No one at that point, had ever considered that, God the powerful and the terrible, could ever become a simple, humble defenceless human being (what is known by Christian doctrine as the Incarnation). Now, the main point is this; if Christ wished to spare his life, he would not have made this declaration. We must retain this fact, when we shall face all the theories, aiming to discredit the resurrection of Christ.

     We all know the sequel of the events, known as, the Passion of the Christ. The chief Priests introduced Jesus to Pilate - the Roman Governor. He found nothing in him; Pilate discharge Christ to King Erodes, who likewise found nothing in order to punish him; back to Pilate and because of the pressure of the Chief Priests, he finally condemned Jesus to the crucifixion.

Jesus faints

     Prior to the investigation about the Resurrection, it would be appropriate to examine with accuracy, the same passion, in order to comprehend if Christ really died or just fainted on the cross. For many believers in fact, this recourse would seem unreasonable, however, some theories, that dispute the veracity of the Resurrection, depart by putting a doubt about the same death of Jesus. It would be clear therefore according to this theory that, if there is no death, obviously we could no more talk about the Resurrection.

     Those who support this theory presume that, once fainted on the cross, people around, thought he was already dead. Later on when the Apostles brought him down they discovered he was still alive. They cured him and after a while he appeared to the others and so they believed that he really resurrected from death.

     According to this speculation, the fraudulence is not attributable only to the Apostles, but also to the same Christ who, after being cured, he introduced himself to the people, presuming that he was resurrected! People therefore, had been tricked by the same Jesus, for he didn’t correct this misinterpretation. Considering all the moral teaching of Christ, it would be unthinkable to attribute him such an immoral fraud. Nevertheless and in order to carry out our rational analysis we shall face up this presumption seriously.

The squad of death

    The historical facts narrate that the execution task had been assigned to a military squad, usually composed of a roman centurion and at least four soldiers. The capital sentence was public, under the control of the Roman authority, the Chief Priests and obviously, of a great number of spectators of ordinary people. 

     The legislative procedures of the Roman Empire are scrupulous. When an execution is assigned to a military squad, it is held to carry out the mission. If for any reason it fails the same squad, should be condemned to the same punishment – death. For this reason it is impossible that this squad would by any way take leave before they accomplish their mission: thus to crucify Jesus and be sure that he is dead.    We are bound therefore, according to this theory of the faintness of Christ on the Cross, to presume that: the tough and expert Roman soldiers were not able to execute their mission. Moreover we must also suppose that, his ferocious enemies – the Chief Priests present at this seen, were not also able to verify, that Jesus is really deceased, before they turn back home in peace. This is absolutely impossible. Now we shall go deeply to consider the various moments of the passion of the Christ, to see if a man could suffer all this and stay alive.

Flagellation

    Christ endured the flagellation in the first place. Many think that, this pain is bound together with the process of the crucifixion. No, in fact, the Romans where not so barbaric, according to the law, any one condemned to death, is not held to undergo other punishments, particularly that one of the flagellation, which is already an extreme punishment.

      The roman whip was made of animal straps. At the extremity where fixed bones, stones or pieces of metal. The blows previewed, according to the Roman law, are thirty-nine. Out of curiosity, somebody would ask, why thirty-nine and not forty. Simple, because the Romans, out of experience, knew that, this was the tolerable limit for a human being. The blow number forty is considered the one that may kill the condemned. This make us understand that already, this kind of punishment is tremendous and it may be even mortal.

      Now we understand that Christ suffered two extreme sentences, flagellation and crucifixion. This was not intentionally planed, in fact, Pilate, not wishing to condemn Christ to the capital punishment, decided to punish him, hoping therefore to calm down the Chief Priests, with the intention that then he might be able to release him. Unfortunately, this his brilliant idea, did not work, he was not capable to satisfy their thirst of blood.

      Christ therefore, was arrested, mistreated, beaten, scourged, brutally coronate with a crown of thorns. After all this, he raised a heavy cross, for a long distance, exhausted, he fell three times. Consumed as he was, they nailed him on the cross. As you can see so far, he lost a lot of blood. Yet, the direct cause of his death, was suffocation. 

Suffocation

      Surely you noticed that there is a support for the feet on the cross. Certainly this is not to provide some accommodation to the crucify, but rather, to make longer his agony. The condemned therefore, could push up the heavy weight of his body suspended from the arms, in order to breathe. Without this support, the muscles of the thoraxes press on the lungs and make the mechanism of inhaling impossible. Without this support, the crucify die in few minutes.

      Thus Christ, had to push with his legs, all the time so he may breath. You may surely understand that, his energy was already consumed; these pushes provoked atrocious pain because of the nails fixed in his flesh. Yet, Christ, went ahead in these conditions for about three interminable hours. When his forces ran out; he could no more proceed with these movements; he could no more lift up his body; he could no more breathe; He gave up his spirit.

The Lance

      It was Friday evening, the day of preparation for the Saturday, a sacred day for the Jews; moreover, this Saturday was the preparation for Jewish Passover. For this reason, the Chief Priests, asked Pilate to break the legs of the men who had been crucified, and to take the bodies down from the crosses. 

     This procedure is known as the crurifragium, it explains and confirms that, once the crucify loose the support of his legs, he dies immediately suffocated. This act, attest the determination that, the condemned, without any doubt, must die. The soldiers therefore broke the legs of the two criminals crucified with Jesus. Reaching Jesus, they found him already dead. In order to be sure of his death, one of the soldiers, with a lance, stroked him in the flank. Blood and water got out from the wound.

      The technique is simple, hitting the side, the spear penetrates the ribs and strikes the heart – if by anyway the condemned was still alive now he is dead - mission accomplished. Now, the Centurion, the soldiers, the religious authorities, are certain that Christ is dead. The same Governor, who interrogated in person the Centurion, had the affirmation that Christ died on the cross. In fact no one at that time, ever raised any doubt concerning this argument.  

 Blood and Water

      It is quite normal that, from the wound, a flow of blood should burst out. Modern medical science confirms that, even after death, this right side of the heart contains a lot of blood. But what about the water? The same modern medical science, explains that the water reaches from the so-called pericardium - that would be the bag that wraps the heart, containing a small amount of a liquid similar to the water. When the condemned endures a great physical stress, like flagellation and crucifixion, this bag swells and is filled up by a large amount of this liquid. Therefore the lance entered from the flank between the ribs, has cracked this bag then pierced the right side of the heart. When the soldier withdrew the spear from the wound, this blood and water flew out from the wound. Another theory suppose in addition to that, more liquid may comes out also from the cavity of the thoraxes case. This cavity, for the same reason of the stress endured, develops an internal bleeding but as well as much water that floats on the blood. In both cases, according to these symptoms, all agree that, the lance penetrated the body of Christ when he was already dead.

     If Christ on the cross by anyway was still alive, this fatal straight blow in the heart, would certainly killed him. The theory of the faintness of Christ on the cross therefore, cannot be valid.

The burial

      Two objections had been moved concerning the burial: the first refers to the custom of that time, supposing that the condemned remained suspended on the cross, until the body was decomposed or become prey of the animals; the second alludes to another custom, were the condemned are to be buried in a common pit and not with the relatives. The scope would be to preserve the bones of the just ones, from the profanation with the corpse of a criminal.

      As for the first custom, it was not carried out in Israel where, according to Judaic religion the corpse, even of a criminal must be respected and buried. The Romans, in a general, respected these customs, in order not to provoke more motives of conflict and rebellion. 

      Concerning the burial of the criminals in a common pit. This also was not practiced, because the greater number of these condemned, were patriotic rebels killed by the Roman oppressor. Archaeological excavations, in fact, proved that this rule was not applied rigorously and that Romans often granted the corpses of the condemned to the relatives for an honourable burial. They, in fact, after the death of the condemned, they do not care where and how the condemned will be buried.

      A historical fact narrate that the Romans, crucified about a thousand insurgent Jews. Many of them had been nailed on the walls because of the lack of wood to make crosses. Certainly the Romans took much care to execute them, once dead, it was suitable that the relatives take care of the burial.

      Now, following the death of Christ, a certain Joseph of Arimathea, a man of high rank in the Judaic Authority, and a disciple of Christ, but secretly out of fear, obtained permission from the Governor in order to bury the corpse of Jesus. This fact furthermore, confirms that the person, who received the assignment to bury Christ, is a known person, that he obtained the license from the Governor in person. The tomb therefore, is well known by the authority. This already confutes any theory presuming that the corpse was buried in a common pit. 

      Christ had been buried in a new tomb belonging to Joseph. He, with the aid of Nicodemus, another person of high degree in the Judaic Authority, took care to bury the corpse. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with linen sheet with the spices, just as the customs. A great stone had been rolled on the entrance of the tomb. This funeral procedure validate ulterior the death, a person wrapped in this way with all these scents (a hundred pounds), even if he is still alive he would surely die suffocated.

Doubt

      Knowing that Jesus predicted his Resurrection after three days, the Chief Priests, of course never believed him but they doubted that the Apostles might work a dirty trick by stealing the body then pretending that he is risen form death. They asked therefore the Governor, to secure the tomb until the third day. The guards secured the grave and sealed the large stone on the entrance with a rope and wax the same as packages in our days.[4]

     As you may see, the Resurrection of Christ was not a surprise for his adversaries; in fact they prepared everything so no tricks may be ever made. It is quite clear therefore that this new mission of the soldiers, was to stay three days there in order to protect the tomb containing the corpse. Obviously at this point, no one would ever dare to approach the grave to steal the corpse; he would be immediately killed. Despite all this after the Resurrection of Jesus the same Chief Priests pretended that the same Apostles had stolen the body of Christ! What an incoherent and a fallacy lie. 

The theft of the Body

  Who could ever imagine that the disciples, decided to risk their lives just to pretend that Christ had risen from the death? They who fled and took hide out of fear, when Christ was arrested. These men by now, disappointed from the tragic end of Christ, running for their own lives would have enough courage to defy the guards, the Judaic Authority and the Roman Empire. Who would ever had prepared this plan and directed this absurd operation? Their great head - Peter – who, trembling of fear,  denied three times to know Jesus?      

    Nevertheless, we shall suppose that some adrenalin had transformed these terrified disciples in a squad of commandos and that they decided to execute this “mission impossible”. Now imagine that they went to the tomb, they waited until the guards fell asleep and so they stole the corpse, very simple! Yet, wait a moment, what about the guards, those tough soldiers trained to respect and execute the orders. Those who if they ever failed in their mission, especially that one of this importance, should be put immediately to death. Could you ever think that they shall fell asleep?    

    Well, let’s go forward and  accept the hypothetical challenge. Let’s pretend therefore that, all the guards went in a deep sleep. But, what about the great and sealed stone blocking the entrance of the grave. How could they move it in silence?      The archaeological diggings, have uncovered some tombs dating this period. Thus we can understand how the entrance of a grave was secured. A great and heavy stone having a circular shape block the entrance. This stone is rolled, to fall down with all its weight, in a groove to block the entrance. So in order to open the grave this heavy stone must be, not simply rolled over but raised up from the groove while rolling it. This manoeuvre needs a lever and at least two strong men to do the job, much effort and also much noise. 

      If the guards were really asleep, how that they didn’t wake up from all this confusion and noise, or else, maybe by chance they have chosen deaf guards? If all the guards are negligent; sleepy; deaf; how could they recognized and affirmed that the same disciples of Christ are those who stole the corpse.     

     It is clear that all these speculations do not hold. This fantasy, had been invented by the Chief Priests in order to justify the vanishing of the body of Christ from the tomb and above all to protect themselves from the fury of the crowd.

 The Empty Tomb

      Yes, Jesus Christ, rose from the death, this is exactly what he predicted and exactly what really happened. Now, as we all know, Christ died and was buried Friday evening; the guards camped in front of the tomb and sealed the entrance; Saturday is a sacred day for the Jews, everything was quite and calm. Sunday, a mystery was produced: the tomb of Jesus is found - opened and empty! And this is a historical fact. 

     We have seen before, the fallacy invented by the chief priests, regarding the theft of the body which is, in fact, impossible. So, who has rolled up the heavy stone and cracked the Roman seal? Another fact is this: Sunday, early in the morning, the guards left their position, while they were supposed, according to their mission, to remain three days, therefore also all the day of Sunday: why did they left early Sunday? In addition to that, we must add the most important question: where is the corpse of Jesus?

      The fact is, that no one ever found a rational explanation to this multi enigma! It is something comparable to the problem of the existence of God: many nay the existence of God, yet, no one ever proved, the non-existence of God.

     There is only one logical explanation for all this mystery; the account narrated in the Gospels, by credible witnesses, those who shed their blood to proclaim the truth: 

    “The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord's angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it. The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead. The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus - the crucified. He isn't here! He is risen, just as he said.”[5] This already explain why the guards were terrified and flew away despite the orders that, they must guard the tomb three days including Sunday. 

     Some of the guards came into the city and told the chief Priests all the things that happened. Surely this news should tremble all Jerusalem; to avoid the worse, the chief Priests took counsel; they gave much money to the soldiers telling them, Say: His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we were sleeping. And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and rid you of care. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: this saying was spread among the Jews, till this day.[6]

      This polemic of the Judaic authority – concerning the theft of the corpse - is an affirmation of the fact: that the tomb had been found, opened and empty. This fact has never been contested by anyone, not even by the adversaries of Christ or Christianity. No documentary, historical or archaeological discovery, has proved the contrary. So, one thing is the undeniable fact - the empty tomb; another thing is the interpretation of the fact - the theft of the corpse. 

 Now, if it is true that the soldiers fell asleep, awaking up, they found the tomb opened and empty, logically they had to escape or to commit suicide, because the punishment for such negligence, would be without any doubt, according to the Roman laws, the sentence of death. Instead, we find that, they went back to the city, some to the chief Priests others to the military headquarters. This already explains that there was no negligence, but rather, they faced an extraordinary phenomena that discharge them of any responsibility. 

      A pure fantasy, would be, the presumption of the chief Priests that they would speak to Pilate to save the soldiers from the punishment. The chief Priests, in no way could change to the laws of the Roman Empire. We also know, how that Pilate was frustrated of these Priests, because they forced him to kill Jesus, while he was willing to liberate him and this is, above all, a humiliation for the same governor.

     Another absurdity is the following: if the disciples wished to steal the corpse to make believe that Christ had risen, they would have realized their plan Saturday and not Sunday. Because Saturday is a quite and calm day for the Jews everything is still and convenient to realize their robbery. Also because Saturday is the sacred day for the Jews and not Sunday, in fact Sunday had substituted the Saturday, this was unthinkable at that time, even for the same apostles.

     Still we shall go further in our analysis. If it is true that the disciples effectively stole the body of Christ; this would be an utmost serious crime, a crime that defy and humiliates the Judaic and the Roman authority.

    Now, the crime is well known and the presumed suspects are also well known. Now everyone would agree with me, for an immediate mandate of arrest of the disciples of Jesus. Once arrested, the usual procedures of investigation should be put in act: interrogation, threats, tortures…and so on. The basic purpose, obviously should be, not only the execution of the guilty, but rather, to force the disciples to reveal: where they have hidden the corpse? The authority then finds it, drags it through the streets of Jerusalem, exposing it to all the people; the disciples, should be condemned and killed, because they dared to defy the Judaic and Roman authority. Furthermore for the setting up of an enormous fraud - a supposed resurrection. Thus, the deception of a risen Christ and the same birth of the Christian religion should be eliminated forever... happy end! 

    However, nothing of all this happened!!! An arrest, an investigation a search for the body… nothing, why? Simple no one stole the body of Christ. The truth is that this funny fiction, doesn't hold. It was invented to justify the discovery of the empty tomb, to calm down the people and to prevent any revolt, which would end by carnage, against the chief Priests. Another prove, is that  the soldiers, had not been judged or condemned for negligence.

    We must not forget that, the same governor was impressed of by the mystery of Jesus. This, already prepared him to accept the true report made by his soldiers of what really happened. Don’t forget as well that, the Romans believed in deities and divinities. In fact, when Pilate said to the chief Priests: Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered: We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid.[7] Surely, the soldiers, especially the centurion, presented a report to the governor of everything that happened, from which, he came to know about the phenomenal signs that accompanied the death of Christ: the darkness and the earthquake, till the moment when the same centurion and soldiers exclaimed "Truly this was the son of God"[8] . Evidently, the governor was stunned by all these supernatural events. From all that, we can understand why the soldiers have not been judged or punished.

Apparitions

      We shall see now the reaction of the Disciples. The women made the discovery of the empty tomb: we notice clearly that, neither the Apostles, nor any man from the disciples, went with them. This support our notion that, the Apostles are still hiding for fear and that these terrorized men, could never have enough courage to steal the body of Jesus.

      Another point is that, if their was any kind of conspiracy by the Apostles, the first discovery of the empty tomb should not be endorsed to the women, but to men. We know that women, according to Judaic legislation, were not credible witnesses. This fact affirm the credibility of the evangelical account.

     The empty tomb however, didn’t incite the faith in a resurrection; it was only the first sign that provoked an unsuspected  event. In fact the first reactions, proves that, a Resurrection was not suspected. “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him”[9]. Mary Magdalene, is still talking about a corpse, not a resurrected. The same happened to the Apostles: hearing about the empty tomb they didn’t exalted: Halleluiah Jesus is risen, no at the contrary, these words seemed to them like a nonsense and they were refusing to believe the women.[10] Yet, Peter and John went out, to see the tomb, to check up the veracity of the account of the women. It is the first sign of courage, the apostles leave their hidden places, get rid of their fears and effectively they found the tomb open and empty. 

      Now, Peter and John noticed another thing strange: the linen strips were lying on the floor, and the facecloth which was on his head not lying with the linen strips, but apart, having been rolled up in another place.[11] The bends remained in one piece like an abandoned cocoon.

      This fact, definitely, excludes any supposition, of the theft of the body. Who can imagine that the thieves, had all this time in order to unravel the linen strips and the facecloth and above all to refold it and to put it in order. Could you ever believe that during all this traffic, the guards were still sleeping? What kind of a torpid sleep is this? Moreover it is obvious that, who intend to steal and transport a corpse, he should take it as it is, with the bends.

     Jesus now appears to Mary Magdalene, to another group of women and to some Disciples on the road to Emmaus. In this dialogue we may note the delusion of all the Disciples when saying: “we hoped that it was he who should redeem Israel”     Thus the same disciples would not even think about a supposed Resurrection. Yes it was a beautiful story but now it is finished. This proves that there was no expectation of a Resurrection, which could influence the imaginary emotions, to produce any hallucination. No one for instance had ever told that, after the burial, the disciples were remained close to the tomb, waiting to see Christ rise again. Victorious, destroying the guards and take his sovereignty over Israel.

      Modern psychological science has cleared up that the same concept of vision or hallucination of mass is false. It could happen with an individual that suffers some emotional psychological problem, but never to a mass of persons during a period of time; this is impossible. 

      However, if it would be a mass hallucination, this would explain only the visions of the Revived Jesus, but not the empty tomb. The remedy for such presumed hallucination would be simply to walk two steps and reach the tomb and to see the corpse of Christ! And if someone would say but the disciples have stolen the body, we shall repeat and say, arrests them and with some torture they will confess where they have hidden the corpse... and so on, like what we said before. 

      Now only after the Resurrection that Christ began to explain and to reveal to the Apostles all that was written about him in the Scriptures and in his same words; that he should suffer, dye then rise again from the death, words that till now they were not capable to understand. 

      The doubt of the Apostles remained even after that Jesus appeared to them. In fact at the beginning they thought he was a ghost but after that they touched him and found he is made of flesh and bones, after that they touched his wounds and that he ate with them they believed  he is real. All this is a confirmation that there was no hallucination no ghosts neither a myth effectively Christ remained for forty days appearing and talking to the Apostles. If it was just a hallucination these same apparitions would have to go always ahead, but, the truth is that , these apparitions has had a term ending with the Ascension of Christ to heaven. In this day Christ had risen up to the Sky in front of about five hundred of his disciples. This fact is narrated by the Apostle Paul, specifying that; the greater number of these witnesses was still living. This to say that any one who would like to investigate them he could do it.[12]

     Another fact is really remarkable: when the Apostles decided to choose a person to replace Jude, one of the conditions for the candidate was that he must be an eyewitness of the Risen Christ. Which proves that the Resurrection of Jesus was not a matter of faith but a fact experienced by the senses. [13]

     The apostles were simple and honest persons, if not they wouldn’t admit their weakness, their fears, the betrayal of Jude and the denial of Peter. Their own cowardliness during and after that Jesus was arrested and killed. Announcing the Resurrection of Christ, they had nothing to gain in this life, but all to lose. In fact later on we will find that Peter was crucified, Matthew pulled down with the sword, Mark dragged by horses to death, Luke hanged, Paul beheaded, James stoned to death… ext. Yet, through all this, no one, before his execution, had ever admitted, that all this story was false, deceiving or an illusion to save his life. Retaining in mind that, martyrdom was not simply an execution, in fact, the martyr could simply renegade Christ and honour the Roman deities with some incense, to save his life.

The Prophecies

    Christ gave us another proof – the Prophecies of the Bible. “I told you that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Books of the Prophets, and in the Psalms had to happen”.[14] Here we shall deal with some of these Prophecies concerning the Passion and the Resurrection:

    “the Messiah must suffer, then three days later he will rise from death”.[15]

    About Jude; “Even my close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me”.[16] “…they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages”.[17] “Then the Lord said to me, Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them. So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord”.[18]

    “Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know”.[19]

    “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth”.[20] “I gave My back to those who strike Me, and My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting”.[21]

    “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed”.[22] “He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors”.[23]

    “…they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born”.[24] “For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet”.[25] “They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink”.[26]

    “In return for my love they act as my accusers; but I am in prayer”.[27] “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken”.[28] “I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots”.[29] “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning”.[30] “Into Thy hand I commit my spirit; Thou hast ransomed me, O Lord, God of truth”.[31] (Psalms 31:5) “My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; And my kinsmen stand afar off”.[32]

    “And it will come about in that day, declares the Lord God, "That I shall make the sun go down at noon And make the earth dark in broad daylight”.[33] “His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth”.[34] “For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay”.[35] “O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol; Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit”.[36]  “But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; for He will receive me”.[37] “I shall not die, but live, And tell of the works of the Lord”.[38]

History

    Christ is not a myth, many historian talked about him; In its annals towards the year 116 that Tacit – a Roman historian wrote: that the term Christians is given to the disciples of Christ, who was killed under Tiberio, by the Governor Pontius Pilate. Flavius Joseph, a Judaic – Roman historian, from the first century, spoke about Christ: a man test that performed miracles and that he was the condemned, and died under Pontius Pilate by request of the Chief Priests. His disciples said that they have seen him resurrected three days after his death and that in him the prophecies are fulfilled[39]. Satiric writer Luciano di Samosata, second century,  wrote also about the crucified adored in Palestine[40]. Thallus, a Middle Eastern historian, wrote about the darkness at the time of crucifixion. Phlegon, wrote about the earthquake and the eclipse of the year 33.

    In the letters of Plinio, to Traiano emperor, about the years 111-113, explaining the procedures of Plinio with the Christians: we interrogate the presumed Christian, those who adore Christ as a God, if they turn out of their religion within the third interrogation, they are free if not, we send them to death. Those who denies of being Christians, we ask a demonstration, inducing them to sacrifice to the goddesses, to venerate the emperor and to curse Jesus Christ.  To a sure point of its letter, Plinio filler some information on the Christians: "They had the habit to meet themselves in a sure day prestabilito before that it made day, and therefore they sang in alternated backs to Christ, like to a God. [41]

Mature Faith

    Many think that the faith of the Apostles, the Disciples and all the first believers in Christ, is only based on the fact of the Resurrection. In fact, the faith cumulate all the life of Christ, his words, his instructions, his miracles…ext. The Resurrection event, only confirmed this faith, shaken by the Passion and the same death of Jesus. The Disciples, after the Resurrection believed, not only in the same Resurrection of Christ, but also in their own resurrection after death. Death by now, is no more the tragic end of existence, it is the eternal life through faith in Jesus who said:

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die”.[42]