Still More Questions

Body or Soul for Resurrection?

Jesus was betrayed by Judas, who then committed suicide. Which means Jesus had 11 disciples left. Besides them, there was no mention at all about any others. But upon Jesus' death, it is recorded:



Matthew 27

50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.



So who are these saints and where did they come from? We did not read of any of the disciples of Jesus who had been made saints (even this word seem out of place as Jesus never used such a word) and had died and been buried.



Then, was heaven meant for the physical body or the soul? If the tombs needed to be opened, then the Bible must be talking about the same physical body. Then how about Christians who opt for cremation?


Here it is also stated that the saints came out of the tombs AFTER his resurrection. But Jesus just died!!He had not been resurrected! So were these texts added by some and placed at the wrong place?



Another strange paragraph


I wonder when Matthew (or the author) wrote this gospel. In verse 15, he states that the story perpetuated about Jesus' body being stolen was widely spread and 'is to this day'. This definitely implies that the author wrote the gospel quite some time after it happened.



Matthew 28

11Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.
12And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
13and said, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.'
14"And if this should come to the governor's ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble."
15And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.



It is also very strange that if the Resurrection of Jesus was such a fantastic event, more details should have been reported by the author to convince his readers of it. But it took only one chapter with very brief description of what Jesus did.

When the elders heard of it, they did not even go to the tomb to check out the miracle for themselves. This is unbelievable! Did they believe it immediately on hearing it? Why didnt they ask how the huge stone was removed? Even the disciples did not go the tomb to verify for themselves. And with such a well-known event, nobody went to check the tomb at all?



Severe Earthquake?

The stone was rolled by some soldiers to cover the tomb of Jesus. But when an angel came and roll it, a severe earthquake occurred! What logic is this? Furthermore, no injuries were reported as a result of the severe earthquake. Even the guards were not harmed.

28:2And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.



If Jesus had risen from the dead, why didn't he stay at the tomb and show himself to the women and to all his disciples? Instead the angel told them that Jesus had gone ahead of them to Galilee and asked them to meet Jesus there. If Jesus needed to go ahead, then he was still being governed by physical laws. If not, he could have appeared to all of them at the same time, which would be more convincing. And why didn't Jesus appear to all those who cried for his crucifixion so that they would believe him and repent? Why must the disciples go to Galilee to meet him and meet him alone?


28:7"Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you."



Abrupt Ending


The disciples were not astonished when they met the resurrected Jesus. It implies that there was no difference in Jesus in any way. Even Jesus had only a few sentences to say. This is humanly unusual. Why didnt they check his body for cruxifixion marks? And what happened after that, nobody knows. Why did the author end his records abruptly? I thought this should be the climax of the whole gospel.


Some of the disciples were doubtful even after they saw the resurrected Jesus. That is very very surprising. How can they see a dead person come to life, yet doubt it? Did they see things which were not recorded?



16But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.
17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.
18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."