Alternative Naturalistic Theories #4: Body Theft The Body
Theft Theory This theory
states that the disciples came in during the night to steal the body from the
tomb. This was the theory put forth by the Jewish authorities (Matt. 28:15).
The body might also have been stolen by Joseph of Arimathea or moved by the
Jewish or Roman authorities. If I were
arguing this body theft theory, I would strengthen it by saying that the guard
and seal on the tomb weren’t placed until Saturday night, so that during that
Sabbath (i.e. Friday night, Saturday day) the tomb was unguarded. However, even
with all this as given, there are still insurmountable problems. Problems: 1.
The
nature of the disciples was radically changed after the crucifixion, so
that they boldly preached Jesus risen
despite intense persecution and eventual torture and execution.
Psychologically I don't believe they would have been able to bear years
of such horrible circumstances if they knew that this was a lie.
Remember, also, that the apostles
preached a message of profoundly high ethics, and it’s nigh-impossible
to
believe they could preach this message and yet know it was a lie. Even
if
there were just an empty tomb (if Joseph or someone else had moved the
body),
the disciples would not therefore conclude that Jesus had risen from
the dead. Think of it this way: imagine that someone tells you Elvis’
tomb was empty. Would you conclude that
therefore Elvis must have risen from the dead? The only explanation for
the
disciples’ profound and permanent change is that they completely
believed that
Jesus had actually, physically, bodily, risen from the dead. If the
Jewish or Roman authorities had moved the body, then the moment the
resurrection story started to be preached right there in Jerusalem where the
empty tomb was also located, they would have refuted the story rather than make
vague accusations that the disciples had stolen the body. 2. Someone
stealing the body would not have bothered to unwrap it first. If the body had
not been wrapped in the first place, the grave clothes would not have appeared
as they did in John’s description. I discuss the grave clothes HERE. 3. Even if
the body were gone, the tomb entrance still remained covered by the golel until
at least Saturday night. How did the tomb become opened, demonstrating that it
was empty inside? Matthew 28:2 mentions an earthquake (“There was a violent
earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the
tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it") but if so, the timing is so
exquisite as to be almost beyond belief without a greater cause behind it. 4. This body
theft theory doesn’t explain the conversions of two prominent skeptics, James
the brother of Jesus, and Paul, nor the multiple eyewitness accounts. |
