Resurrection – Part Two

Resurrection – Part Two

by Shawn Henry Potter and Lois Carol Potter
renatuspress@gmail.com

In part one of this discussion, we noted that God spoke through the prophets about the Messiah’s life, death, and resurrection. See Resurrection – Part One. If we believe the Hebrew prophets, we must believe that Jesus was crucified, rose from the grave, and ascended into heaven. In part two, we consider the testimony of Christian witnesses. We wonder: Who were these witnesses; what was their testimony; and how credible are they?

Christian Witness

With respect to the question of the identity of the Christian witnesses to the resurrection, the answer is simple. The Christian witnesses to the resurrection were followers of Jesus – members of the Church that Jesus established, the Catholic Church. There was no other, non-Catholic, Christian witness to the resurrection. So, what do we know about the witness of the Catholic Church?

St. Augustine (AD 354-430), Bishop of Hippo

In AD 397, St. Augustine (AD 354-430), Bishop of Hippo, explained that we can know and understand the gospel of Jesus because of the witness of the apostles of Christ as preserved and taught by the Catholic Church. He further noted that the legitimacy of any so-called “minister of Christ” can be verified by whether that person’s message comports with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Jesus did not leave his followers on their own with the formidable task of discerning between true and false teachers. He sent a helper – the Holy Spirit – who works through one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church to lead the way to eternal life. In this context, St. Augustine declared: “For my part, I should not believe the gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.”[1]

Authority of the Catholic Church

What is this authority of the Catholic Church? The authority of the Catholic Church comes from its founder Jesus Christ. Jesus established the Catholic Church when he chose and taught his twelve apostles. During Christ’s ministry on earth, Jesus personally led this Church. But, as the end of his ministry on earth approached, Jesus commissioned one of the twelve – St. Peter – to serve as the leader of the Church. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read that Jesus said to St. Peter: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”[2] By these words, Jesus gave St. Peter the authority and responsibility to lead the Church. We know this to be true, because, in the book of Isaiah, we read that God used this same language to appoint Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, to the position of vizier – second in authority after Hezekiah, King of Judah.[3] Jesus appointed St. Peter to represent him as leader of the Catholic Church just as God appointed Eliakim to represent Hezekiah as vizier of the Kingdom of Judah.

The Apostle St. Peter

Commissioned by Christ

We further read in the Gospel of John that Jesus singled out St. Peter with the commands: “Feed my lambs,” Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.”[4] These commands were preceded by a discussion about whether Peter loved Jesus – a discussion that restored Peter to fellowship with Christ after Peter had denied Jesus before the crucifixion. In the Greek Scripture account of this dialogue, Jesus and Peter used the Greek words ἀγαπάω (sacrificial love) and φιλέω (friendship love). These words express a distinction between two types of love that does not exist in either Hebrew or Aramaic. For example, in this passage in the Hebrew New Testament and the Modern Hebrew New Testament, ἀγαπάω and φιλέω are translated as a single Hebrew word for love; and, likewise, in this passage in The Peshitta Aramaic-English Interlinear New Testament, once again, ἀγαπάω and φιλέω are translated as a single Aramaic word for love.[5] Since neither Hebrew nor Aramaic have equivalent words that express the distinction between ἀγαπάω and φιλέω, but the Greek language does – as illustrated by the text, we know that, at this moment in time, Jesus and Peter were speaking Greek.[6] In other words, this passage in the Greek New Testament appears to preserve not a translation but the very words spoken by Jesus and Peter. This is relevant, because, when Jesus said, “Feed my lambs,” Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep,” he used forms of the Greek verbs “feed” and “tend” (second person singular imperative) that convey a command to St. Peter alone. Jesus was not speaking to all the apostles when he gave these commands. He was speaking only to St. Peter. This is not to deny that, in a sense, we all are commanded to feed and tend Christ’s sheep and lambs; but it is significant that, at this special moment, Jesus gave these instructions to St. Peter alone. The Catholic Church at its foundation was a visible institution with a hierarchy – led by St. Peter.[7] This one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church bears witness to the resurrection of Jesus.

Pentecost

Unity of the Catholic Church

We also understand that Jesus established one eternal Church from the words of his prayers. For example, Jesus prayed that his apostles – and those who believe through their word – would be unified and “sanctified in truth.”[8] Jesus asked his Father in Heaven to make them “one, even as we are one.”[9] Jesus further declared that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against [the Church].”[10] We therefore know that, although attacked by evil, the Catholic Church has survived, and will remain, until the end of time, fulfilling its mission of proclaiming Christ’s gospel to the world.

Apostolic Succession

We also know that this Catholic witness to the resurrection of Jesus continued beyond the lifetimes of the apostles, for the apostolic office established by Jesus continues from one generation to the next. We understand this to be so from Scripture. After the death of Judas, St. Peter advised that the apostolic office of Judas as a “witness to [Christ’s] resurrection” should be filled by “one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.”[11] The other apostles agreed, proposed two potential replacements, cast lots, and thereby chose Matthias. As the Church grew in number, the apostles and their successors commissioned additional ministers of the gospel through the “laying on of hands.”[12] Again, according to Scripture, the Catholic Church continues from age to age with one holy mission – to proclaim the gospel of Jesus.

The Testimony of the Catholic Church

The most detailed accounts of the resurrection of Christ are preserved in the canon of Christian Scripture.[13] Christians agree that God inspired the canon of Scripture, and the Church recognized, preserved, and disseminated that Scripture. See Christian Canon of Scripture. But what do we mean when we say “the Church” in this context. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are speaking about the Catholic Church, because there was no other Church – visible or invisible – that was recognizing, preserving, and disseminating Scripture during the first many centuries of Christianity. If we believe Scripture, we must believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Crucifixion of St. Peter

Martyrdom of the Apostles

A further witness of the Catholic Church regarding the truth of the resurrection is found in the lives of the saints. They embraced the gospel of Jesus, taught others about the message of Christ, and refused to deny their Savior even to the point of dying for the faith. Early Catholic historians preserved accounts of the lives and ministries of the twelve apostles after the ascension of Jesus. In those accounts, all the apostles – except St. John – died as martyrs as they shared the gospel message of Jesus with all who would listen. Satan sought to extinguish this witness through violent persecution; but God used this persecution to provide a compelling witness to the resurrection of Jesus.

- Peter was crucified head-downwards in Rome, Italy;[14]
- Andrew was crucified in Patros, Greece;[15]
- James, son of Zebedee, was killed with a sword in Jerusalem, Judea;[16]
- John died of natural causes in Ephesus, Asia Minor;[17]
- Philip was crucified in Hierapolis, Asia Minor;[18]
- Bartholomew (Nathaniel) was flayed alive and beheaded in Albac, Armenia;[19]
- Thomas was pierced by a lance in Mylapore, India;[20]
- Matthew probably was beheaded in Egypt;[21]
- James, son of Alphaeus, was clubbed to death in Jerusalem, Judea;[22]
- Thaddaeus (Judas) probably was pierced by a spear or arrow in Kara Kelesia, Persia;[23]
- Simon the Zealot probably was pierced by a halberd in Persia;[24]
- Mathias (replacement of Judas Iscariot) probably was killed by stoning, lance, or axe in Jerusalem, Judea.[25]

The Christian Martyrs’ Last Prayer

Generations of Martyrs

Scholars are unable to precisely estimate the number of early Christians who suffered martyrdom – refusing to deny the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, the early Catholic historian St. Eusebius (c. 260-339), Bishop of Caesarea, wrote that myriads died during the reign of just a single emperor of Rome, Nero (AD 37-68).[26] Why is the precise number of Christian martyrs so elusive? Because records containing details about the lives of only the most prominent people from that distant age have survived. Still, from accounts of the lives of famous individuals, we are able to gain some sense of what life must have been like for those who received the gospel message with conviction and joy.

- Stephen (c. AD 5-37), Deacon, was martyred in Jerusalem, Judea;[27]
- Paul (c. AD 5-65), Apostle, was martyred in Rome, Italy;[28]
- Mark (c. AD 12-68), Evangelist, was martyred in Alexandria, Egypt;[29]
- Anacletus (c. AD 16-92), Bishop of Rome, was martyred in Rome, Italy;[30]
- Clement (c. AD 35-100), Bishop of Rome, was martyred in exile;[31]
- Ignatius (c. AD 50-108), Bishop of Antioch, was martyred in Rome, Italy;[32]
- Telesphorus (AD 67-137), Bishop of Rome, was martyred in Rome, Italy;[33]
- Polycarp (AD 69-155), Bishop of Smyrna, was martyred in Rome, Italy;[34]
- Justin Martyr (c. AD 100-165) was martyred in Rome, Italy;[35]

Jesus Appears to the Holy Women

Conclusion

We return once more to the words of St. Augustine: “For my part, I should not believe the gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.” As we have discussed, the authority of the Catholic Church comes from its founder Jesus Christ; and Jesus has enabled the Catholic Church to courageously and faithfully testify to the resurrection of Christ through the canon of Scripture and the witness of myriads of martyrs. This witness is persuasive; and without this Catholic witness, St. Augustine said he would not believe the gospel.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:6-8)

“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.’ So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.’” (Matt 28:1-10)

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[1] St. Augustine, Against the Fundamental Epistle of Manichaeus, Chapter 5, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1405.htm

[2] Matt 16:19.

[3] Isa 22:20-22. “In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

[4] John 21:15-17.

[5] Hebrew New Testament (Jerusalem: The Bible Society in Israel, 1991). See also Modern Hebrew New Testament (Jerusalem: The Bible Society in Israel, 2010). See also The Peshitta Aramaic-English Interlinear New Testament (Durham, NC: Lulu Publishing, 2006).

[6] Stanley E. Porter, “Did Jesus Ever Teach in Greek?” in Tyndale Bulletin 44.2 (1993), 199-235. https://www.tyndalebulletin.org/article/30458-did-jesus-ever-teach-in-greek.pdf

[7] Jesus chose twelve apostles, headed by St. Peter, giving them authority to lead the universal (Catholic) Church on earth – binding on earth and in heaven (Matt 16:19 and Matt 18:18), appointing successors (Acts 1:15-26), and ordaining deacons (Acts 6:1-6).

[8] John 17:9-19.

[9] John 17:11.

[10] Matt 16:18.

[11] Acts 1:21-22.

[12] Acts 6:6, 9:17-19, 13:3, 1 Tim 4:14, 1 Tim 5:22, and 2 Tim 1:6.

[13] Matt 28. See also Mark 16. See also Luke 24. See also John 20-21.

[14] William Steuart McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1973), 80.

[15] Ibid., 101.

[16] Ibid., 107.

[17] Ibid., 131.

[18] Ibid., 149.

[19] Ibid., 161.