Welcome to Defenders, the teaching class of Dr. William Lane Craig.

Today, the Doctrine of Christ, Part 39.

For more information and resources from Dr. Craig, go to reasonable faith.org.

We come now to the second major fact supporting the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, and it is the

post-mortem appearances of Jesus to various individuals and groups. We've already examined

six lines of evidence in support of the historicity of the discovery

of the empty tomb, and now we want to look at several lines of evidence in support of the

historicity of these post-mortem appearances.

In 1 Corinthians 15, verses 3 to 8, Paul writes, for I delivered to you as of first importance

what I also received.

Namely, and then he begins to quote this tradition, that Christ died for our sins in accordance

with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance

with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Caifus, then to the 12. Then he appeared to more

than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James.

Then to all the apostles, finally, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Now this is a truly remarkable claim. Its familiarity prevents us from realizing

how astonishing this really is. We have here an indisputably authentic letter. No one disputes

that the Apostle Paul wrote, 1 Corinthians. An indisputably authentic letter. No one disputes that the Apostle Paul wrote, 1 Corinthians.

An indisputably authentic letter from a man who was personally acquainted with the original

12 disciples and he reports that they actually saw appearances of Jesus alive after his death.

More than that, he says that he himself also saw such an appearance of Jesus.

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