So, Does being early count for anything?

This is the third in a series of post dealing with the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Not all historical scholars believe the sightings of Jesus after He’s been killed actually happened. However, all credible scholars acknowledge that the creed that Paul writes about in 1st Corinthians 15:3-8 comes from within 5 years of Jesus’ resurrection and is part of an oral tradition that was formed literally days after the apostles began to proclaim the risen Christ. And that took place roughly one month after Jesus has been crucified.

If being early counts for anything, and it does, Paul’s statement,
. “For what I received (probably from James and maybe Peter and John) I passed on to you as of first importance;
. That Christ Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
. That He was buried,
. That He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and
. That He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and
. Last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” (Insertion mine).

This is what was being preached by eyewitnesses to the life, death and post resurrection appearances of Jesus just a month or so after He was killed and buried. It’s early. It conforms to the other facts that are known. It accounts for the reality of the Church today.

What are you going to do with it?

Sceptics would have you believe that the Gospel accounts were written by New York Times best selling authors who wrote a fiction so refined and so diabolical that billions of people have been duped.

Reality is, the writers were not refined or gifted authors. They would have never thought of some of the things that I’m describing in this series of posts if they hadn’t taken place.