Evidence # 2: The Enemies of Jesus did not refute the Resurrection

Now that we have determined that the tomb was empty we can look at the second piece of evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. Evidence #2 is: The enemies of Jesus did not refute the resurrection.

When someone tells a lie, people are quick to point out they are wrong. But that never happens in the the historical books we read. In fact, the book of Acts in the N.T. shares how the apostles preached the resurrection and started the Christian church. The apostles were mocked and beaten. They were called names and arrested, some were even killed for preaching the resurrection. But what we never read is that the Jews or anyone in Jerusalem or in any other cities where the gospels were preached stood up to challenge the resurrection. They attacked the apostles character, but not their message. When Peter preached his sermon in Acts 2 at Pentecost, there was no refutation given against Christ resurrection. Why? Because the evidence was clear, the tomb was empty.

The great theologian John Stott said it this way, "The silence of the enemies of Christ is as eloquent a proof of the resurrection as the apostles' witness."

Not one person rebuttal or came against the disciples to say the tomb is not empty, Jesus never was died on the cross, it was someone who looked like Jesus that was actually killed on the cross, etc... Why? Because there were no facts to help disprove that Jesus was alive! Tomorrow we will look more at the disciples willingness to be killed for the message.