RISEN FROM THE DEAD. Viscount Caldicott. Chief Justice of England 1941

‘British Army Easter Edition 1941 One shilling. ‘ a young Egyptian boy called from the open flap of my tent. I paid the shilling and received a gold-mine of truth.

I marvelled at the headline of this distinguished British senior judge , PROOFS OF THE RESURRECTION.’ I was 24 years old and believed what my godly mother and grandfather taught that Jesus Christ had died for my sins and had been raised again to justify me. I had completed my studies in accountancy and banking and embarked on my economics degree when the second world war interrupted my study.

England’s greatest legal authority explained how he carefully thought about two pieces of evidence, which agreed , and on this, he would convict or release the accused. He stated that he would inspect the evidence in the gospels that stated that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead . He investigated the documentation in the four gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to determine whether the resurrection of Jesus Christ was fact or fiction.. There could not be middle ground. I was astounded at the possibility of legally establishing this truth.

Proof 1. The chief priests bribed the soldiers with a large sum of money, saying ‘Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away as we slept. And, if this come to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.’ So they took the money and did as they were instructed: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.’ History would deny it in the first century to clear blame from the Sanhedrin.

Proof 2 ‘when they saw Him, they worshipped, but some doubted.’ ( Matthew 28:17 )

Fiction would be silent that some of the disciples doubted when they actually saw Him in His resurrection body.

Proof 3 Then Jesus came and spoke to them,’ All authority ( power, right and might ) has been given to Me in heaven and earth.’ ( Matthew 28:18 )

In fiction this would be ridiculous after the humiliation and death of the cross.

Proof 4 ‘Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb’. ( Matthew 28:1,7 )

The angel answered and said to her, ‘ He is not here, He is risen as He said.. ‘come, see the place where the Lord lay.’ ‘Go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead.’

``Fiction would reveal a risen hero to Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas, Annas and all the Sanhedrin, whereas the first person to hear the glad news was once a demon-possessed woman. No Jew would allow a woman to break such staggering news to the disciples.

Each of the gospel writers gave one chapter to the account of the resurrection of the Lord, excepting John who needed 2 for the account.

Fiction would have given scores of chapters on this miracle, which surpasses all others.

The Acts of the apostles tells how ‘He was taken uop into heaven, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.’ ( 1:9) Dr Luke also records that in his final gospel chapter.

Fiction would never give the following miracle of the Ascension after the Resurrection.

It would strain the imagination to breaking point.

In Mark 16:1, ‘Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome brought spices that they might come and anoint Him Entering the tomb, they saw a young man’ who said, ‘Go and tell His disciples – and Peter _that He is going before you; there you will see Him, as He said to you.’

Fiction would omit ‘and Peter ‘ in virtue of his denying and disowning His Lord.

‘Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple ( John ) , and came to the tomb. And John, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying there; yet he did not go in. ( v5)

Then Simon Peter came, following him and went into the tomb, and he saw the linen clothes lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but folded together in a place by itself.’ ( v6,7)

Fiction would never accredit the details of clothes and napkin about the head lying in a separate place. John’s sight of grave clothes at the door of the tomb and Peter’s sight of both in rushing in was explained at Gordon’s Calvary. The author confirms this observation.

Mary of Bethany was the only one who understood that He would die, for ‘she anointed His feet with very costly ointment of spikenard', bringing a defence from the Lord Jesus, ‘Let her alone: she has kept this for the day of my burial.’(John 12:3,7)

Fiction would describe His meeting her. There is no mention of this in the word.

Luke tells in chapter 24, verse 15,16 that ’While they conversed and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him’.

Fiction would never allow a glorious, victorious Lord to walk to Emmaus unrecognised.

‘as He sat at the table with them, He took bread, blessed and broke it and gave to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He vanished from their sight.’ (v31)

Fiction would not allow our Lord to vanish on being recognised, when all glory and praise would be ascribed.

Christ had performed the miracle of supplying His disciples the vast haul of 153 fish after a futile night in Galilee. (John 21:9). ‘As soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread.’

Fiction would never allow a glorified Hero to build a fire of coals. .

Fiction would omit the detail of broiled fish and honeycomb. ( Luke 24:42 ) ‘They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.’

In John 20:30 ‘Truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written on this book’.

Fiction would reveal all these many other signs to confirm its fact.

‘After these things ( appearances of the risen Christ ) Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Galilee. ( John 21:1,3 ) Simon Peter (rebelliously) said to them,’ I am going fishing.’ They said to him,’\We are going with you.’ ( equally defiantly )

Fiction would never allow Peter and John to return to their fishing after seeing Him.

Three times the risen Lord asked Peter ‘ Do you love Me?' ( John 21:15-17) On each occasion, He added, ‘Feed My lambs and My sheep’. Then our Lord showed Peter that martyrdom awaited him, ‘ He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God.’

And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’

Fiction would never give a prophecy that the chief apostle would also suffer death by a cross. In view of his recent rejection and denial, this would more than ever cause him to turn away again.

Christ is risen from the dead. He is alive forevermore.

Know Him in the power of His resurrection.

Let every man give a reason for the hope that is in him. Use Viscount Caldicott’s reverent appraisal of scripture ( and every defender of the faith ) to convince the unbeliever.