The Weimar Altarpiece
(famous Lutheran work of art)
Christian apologist Michael Licona’s first bedrock historical fact [of The Minimal Facts Approach to the Resurrection] is that a man named Jesus, who lived in first century Palestine, was crucified and died. …The account in John’s Gospel of Jesus’ pierced side is highly relevant here as some apologists have claimed that it proves that Jesus was already dead [prior to being taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb].
[Gary: Yes, The Swoon Theory. Apologists may roll their eyes but atheists, Jews, and Muslims are all in agreement: a swoon is much more likely to be the explanation for the Empty Tomb than a corpse revivification.]
The Gospel of Luke, whose author claims that he has examined many sources, omits the piercing [of Jesus’ side] episode. Luke’s omission strongly suggests that John invented the piercing event after Luke had finished writing his narrative [gospel]. Alternatively, Luke verified from Mark and Matthew that no such event occurred.
If there was no piercing [of Jesus’ side], perhaps the clearest apologetic that Jesus died is refuted.
–Jewish author and counter-apologist, Michael Alter in his book, The Resurrection and Its Apologetics: Jesus’ Death and Burial, Volume 1, pp. 108, 113
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End of post.
Escaping Christian Fundamentalism 