Jewish Skeptic: Can Christians Prove Jesus Was Brain Dead?

Ongoing book review:

“Christian theology is unequivocal: Jesus died on the cross as a cumulative result of the beatings, scourging, and crucifixion. Skeptics require convincing evidence. Table 1 presents a terse analysis of the arguments that Jesus was not brain dead before his body was removed from the cross or just before its burial preparation. This text supports the opinion that Jesus died on the cross as a collective result of his beating, scourging, and crucifixion.”

[Gary: The next 22 pages are a collection of pro and con arguments, arranged in a “table” with left and right columns on each page, regarding the evidence for Jesus’ (brain) death on the cross.]

–Michael Alter, Jewish apologist and counter-missionary, in his new book, The Resurrection and Its Apologetics: Jesus’ Death and Burial, Volume I, chapter 2

Gary: Yes, the ol’ Swoon Theory.

Bring up this topic to a Christian apologist and watch him roll his eyes, snicker and say:

“There is no way that anyone could survive a crucifixion! The Swoon Theory has been completely debunked. No modern NT scholar believes that it is remotely plausible that Jesus swooned (fainted) on the cross, woke up three days later in a sealed tomb, got up and moved a one ton stone, and then walked out to chat with his disciples. It is a silly and ridiculous theory.”

I agree that this scenario is silly and ridiculous.

But it is only silly and ridiculous because our Christian apologist has made one very big assumption: that the Empty Tomb Story is historical! The Empty Tomb Story is first found in the Gospel of Mark (c. 65-75 CE). That is at least 30 years after Jesus’ death. Is it historical? Is it a legend? Is it a theological or apologetic invention?

If, the Empty Tomb is historical, it is highly implausible that if Jesus had swooned (fainted) on the cross that he would have then had the strength three days later to move a one ton stone door and walk out to mingle with his former fishing buddies; all as if nothing had happened. No, he would have been at Death’s door! He probably would have been unable to move!

But what if someone else moved the stone door, came in, put Jesus on some type of a stretcher/litter, and “spirited” him away? Whoever this person or persons was, then nourished Jesus back to health…and…six months later, after a lot of rehab, Jesus is able to appear “whole” to his disciples, on a mountain top, before being wisked away, out of the Roman Empire, to disappear somewhere in Persia or the Far East.

“Crazy speculation!” Christian apologists will say.

“No more crazy that your resurrection tale!” I will respond.

Last comment: I did not like Alter’s 22 pages of columns. It was difficult to read (the columns near the center of the book run down into the fold), monotonous, and frankly, boring [although I did like *a couple of his arguments]. I think he should have used a different format to present this information. And it was too much information for this one topic. I would suggest giving the example I give above (a plausible Swoon Theory scenario) and end the chapter there.

Stayed tuned for a review of the next chapter…

*Alter points out the following discrepancy: If the hands of Jesus were pierced with nails on the cross, why is it that the two disciples on the Emmaus Road ate a meal with him without recognizing who he was? How can you watch someone eat and not see that his hands are pierced?

Was Jesus wearing gloves???

Evidence that the Gospels are not reliable sources of information!

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End of post.