The Puzzle of Christianity. Peter Vardy

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      In some disputed texts, written soon after Jesus’ death, Mary is recorded as one of the apostles. However, Christians from the fourth century AD onwards began to associate Mary Magdalene with another Mary, a prostitute who washed Jesus’ feet and was forgiven by him (see here). What cannot be questioned is that Mary Magdalene played a central role immediately after Jesus’ resurrection. In Eastern Christianity she is described as ‘equal to the apostles’ and the Orthodox Church maintains that she was a virtuous woman all her life. In Western Christianity she is sometimes described as ‘the apostle to the apostles’, as it was she who brought news of Jesus’ resurrection to His disciples.

      The news that Jesus had risen from the dead and had been seen by Mary and Peter was greeted with amazement and some incredulity by the disciples, and one of them, Thomas, simply could not believe it. He said, understandably, that he would not accept it as true unless he could see Jesus for himself and place his finger in the hole in Jesus’ side where the soldier’s spear had pierced it, and also in the holes in His hands. When Jesus did appear to Thomas and he finally believed, Jesus said that those who believed without seeing the physical evidence had greater faith and were more blessed (John 20:24–29). Jesus appeared to the disciples in a locked room (they were hiding and in fear of arrest) on other occasions. On one occasion, as two of the disciples were walking to a nearby town called Emmaus, Jesus walked with them without them recognising Him. It was only in the evening, when He shared their meal and broke bread with them, that they recognised Him (Luke 24:13–35). One of the most famous appearances of Jesus was to St Paul (Acts 9:1–19), although in this case Paul heard a voice rather than seeing Jesus.

      Christians record several stages after Jesus’ death. In the first stage Jesus appears to various disciples and followers with the same body that He had when He died; the marks of the nails were in His hands and feet and the spear mark could be seen in His side. The next stage began when He ascended to God (this is referred to as the Ascension). After this, Jesus does not appear in bodily form, but the Holy Spirit comes to the new Christian followers.

      If one event is more crucial than any other to Christian belief, it is the resurrection. The apostle Paul wrote:

      And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

      (1 Corinthians 15:17–19)

      Jesus was a remarkable and extraordinary human being (as well, Christians claim, as being God incarnate) but the event that singles Him out from every other remarkable teacher is the resurrection. It is reasonable, therefore, to ask what evidence there is for the resurrection. Clearly, we have the recorded testimony of those to whom He appeared after His death, but what other evidence is there?

      One of the most remarkable and extraordinary phenomena in history is the extent to which Jesus’ followers – a small, frightened group who were in hiding for fear of the Jewish Temple authorities who had just, with the co-operation of the Romans, slain the disciples’ leader – changed to a group who went out with total confidence and joy, preaching ‘Christ crucified’. They no longer had any fear at all and, indeed, some were put to death, meeting their death calmly in the total conviction that death was not the end. This was a crucial mark of the early Christians: they faced death without any fear. This transformation is very hard indeed to explain in terms of a psychological delusion or mass paranoia. The best and simplest explanation, Christians hold, is that the stories of the resurrection are true. No other explanation can so persuasively account for the total alteration that took place in the frightened disciples, particularly as this was not an expectation shared by most Jews and it would have been greeted with incredulity by non-Jews.

      Jesus made clear that, in rising from the dead, he had defeated the power of death: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die’ (John 11:25–26). Death was no longer the end and the power of death to bring fear and a sense of meaninglessness to the lives of individuals was destroyed. Death was now to be seen as merely a door to a richer and more perfect life with God in heaven. Christians, therefore, did not fear death, as it marked the entry into eternal life. Christians also came to believe that Jesus had defeated the powers of hell. Hell was a place of permanent exile from God, and a tradition grew in Christianity that Jesus descended to hell before rising from the dead. By so doing, Jesus released those who had died from the power of hell, so both death and hell were no more to be feared. This did not mean that Christians did not believe in hell – they did. However, hell was a place of freely chosen exile from God and, given the permanent possibility of forgiveness by God, the door was always open in this life to return to God, just as a penitent son returns to his father.

      The resurrection is at the heart of Christianity, as is the identity of Jesus. He asked His close friends at one point in His ministry: ‘Who do people say I am?’ They replied that popular opinion differed: some said He was Elijah who had come back again; some said one of the great prophets. Jesus then asked, ‘Who do you say I am?’ and the impulsive Peter replied, ‘You are the Messiah’ (Mark 8:27–29). In many ways this is the key issue. Who is Jesus? If He was just a great teacher and a great Jewish rabbi, then Christianity is false. If He was an extraordinary prophet – one of a long list of prophets – then Christianity is false. Christians affirm that Jesus is the Christ, the chosen one of God, God’s Word, God incarnate come to redeem the world by His sacrifice. If this is true, then the resurrection is not improbable at all.

      Before Jesus ascended to God the Father, He promised His disciples that He would not leave them alone and comfortless but would send the Holy Spirit or Paraclete (Counsellor) to them. Christians are firm in their belief that God is one, yet God is three persons in one. Thus the three persons of the Trinity are God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. Since the Three are nevertheless One, when Christians talk of the Holy Spirit being with them, this is equivalent to saying God or Jesus is with them. After Jesus ascended, the disciples were praying together when a tremendous wind tore through the house and a tongue of fire rested on the head of each of the disciples. They were then able to speak in many different languages and they could be understood by people who had come to Jerusalem from many different nations. This event is celebrated in the third most important of the Christian festivals, which is called Pentecost. This occurs fifty days after Easter day (the day when the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated). An important part of the worldwide Christian community today are the Pentecostal churches, which proclaim the coming of God’s Spirit and, in particular, the Spirit of prophecy given to various church leaders (see here).

      Christianity spread initially among Jews and it must be remembered that there were Jewish communities and often synagogues in all the major centres of the ancient world. However, after Christianity was opened to non-Jews (see here) there was explosive growth among people of all races. Often the early Christians were women or slaves who responded to Jesus’ central message of God’s love and forgiveness.

      Initially the Christian message was spread by word of mouth and small groups of believers started to meet in each other’s houses. However, there was little in the way of central organisation and each community was autonomous. The New Testament was not in existence at this stage and verbal reports of Jesus’ message, death and resurrection were all that was available. It was inevitable that diversity of beliefs and practices should emerge.

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