THE WOMEN'S WITNESS TO THE RISEN CHRIST

Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord . . ." (John 20:18).

Bill O'Reilly ends his Killing Jesus  with the empty tomb.  On this matter there is not much disagreement among historians.  The disagreement begins with the explanation as to why the tomb was empty.  O'Reilly's ending satisfies Christians who believe Christ's resurrection to be the "cornerstone" of the Christian faith and non-believers who believers who believe there are other explanations for the empty tomb.

The location of Jesus' tomb was known to both friend and foe alike.  There was a guard posted at the tomb so there was very little opportunity for mischief.  The eleven disciples were not acting very courageously at this time.  The most courageous were the women.  One of the details on which all of the gospels agree is that the women were the first witnesses to the risen Christ.  If the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, were written to "trick" people into becoming Christians, they would not have recorded that women were the first witnesses.  Back in Jesus' day women were not highly thought of a witnesses--men were the legal witnesses.  To report the women* as being the first witnesses was embarrassing, which is evidence for the credibility of their testimony.  Very often God uses that which is counter to conventional wisdom to make His point.

An empty tomb without a risen Christ is the death of Christianity.  Tomorrow, will consider other evidence for the risen Christ.

Our Father's Love,
Tom