Turabian

Although a very well respected scholar of the first order and textual critic in this article he expresses his ideas concisely in an accessible way. His exhaustive command of the scriptures is a key strength. His reasoning also is significantly sound all through the article. Apart from being well selected and demonstrating their contingency to the resurrection, each of his nine theological points has a thorough and convincing evidence from the appropriate Bible verses. The third and fourth point, that there is no way Christ would have been a good teacher while He was a false prophet, and that the good news of the gospel is the fact that death was conquered respectively; are especially convincing. He also offers real life examples in the discussion of the forgiveness of sins which show this doctrine to be relevant and sensible. His way of drawing a parallel between the Sadducees and the liberal theologians is also a compelling one in showing that Christ’s resurrection is a non-negotiable proof in the Christian faith.

There are a few downsides to this article, however. He neglects to point out the prophecies of Isaiah regarding the death and resurrection of Jesus in his brief discussion of the Old Testament. The typology of the bronze snake in numbers chapter 21 and Abraham’s offering of Isaac would have also added weight to his argument. The solid historical case such as the early creed would have also been useful. He instead dwells on the vagueness of the Jewish belief in resurrection.

Personal conclusion

I believe that each person intuitively knows that reality is more than just what scientists and modern skeptics set forth. Although many unbelievers insist that our Christian faith is outdated, they cannot run away from the popularity of the occult and the paranormal. The Christian faith is the true spiritual insight and the Bible its true guide. The evidence of the resurrection is one of the best baits in convincing people of the same. Once the compelling objective basis to believe that the resurrection did happen is established, then it is easy to authenticate the rest of the Christian doctrines. The resurrection in my view is the gospel and not merely just part of it. Even the apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, in the seventeenth verse of the seventh chapter, he argues that if one takes away the resurrection, then their Christian faith is futile and they still in their sins. In the second verse of his eighth chapter to the Ephesians he implies that believing in itself is an act of supernatural grace. Boice also terms it as the pivotal doctrine in Christianity. Having experienced resurrection in a spiritual sense, I know for sure that faith other than just a gift from God is the resurrection of a sinner who is spiritually dead to a new life in Christ Jesus. Wallace may have been writing to evangelicals who had never considered the centrality of the resurrection perhaps a due influence from the modern liberal theologians. He was successful, and I agree with him that one is not a Christian if they do not believe that Jesus rose from the dead.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Harbenas, Gary R. The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Jesus. Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company, 1996, 154.

Wallace, Daniel S. “The Resurrection of Jesus: Theological Implications.” (available from http:/bible.org/article/resurrection-christ-theological-implications) 2004, 1.