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CHAPTER 1

The Grave Clothes

The first line of evidence involves the appearance of the grave clothes left in the tomb after Jesus' body was gone. The following passage tells of the discovery of the clothes by Peter and John.

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple [John], whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

(John 20:1–9)

Merrill C. Tenney's description of the ancient burial custom was quoted by Josh McDowell as follows:

In preparing a body for burial according to Jewish custom, it was usually washed and straightened, and then bandaged tightly from the armpits to the ankles in strips of linen about a foot wide. Aromatic spices, often of a gummy consistency, were placed between the wrappings or folds. They served partially as a preservative and partially as a cement to glue the cloth wrappings into a solid covering. ...

The tightly wrapped strips of linen, cemented into place by the gummy spices, would have formed a stiff casing around the body, like a whole-body cast. The body of Jesus had apparently just vanished, leaving the casing empty but intact. I think that when John first glanced into the dimly lit tomb and saw the grave clothes, his impression was that the body was still there. Therefore, he turned his attention to questions outside the tomb. That is, who moved the stone and why? Of course, John did not see the body itself but only the intact grave clothes. But it would have been easy to assume that the body was still inside the clothes, since they would have retained the shape of a body covering.

The narrative then tells of Peter's entry into the tomb. But the description of what Peter saw is different from the description of what John saw. It says that Peter saw "the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself." Upon Peter's inspection, which was closer than that of John's, he saw the napkin laid aside from the rest of the clothes. He could look inside the casing that had been wrapped around the body and see that it was empty.

Then the narrative tells about John's entry into the tomb and that he saw what Peter saw. The passage says of John, "And he saw, and believed." Believed what? Well, what is the context of the passage? The context is the resurrection. John believed that Jesus had risen from the dead, based on the evidence before him. He apparently concluded that there was no way that the body could have been removed, leaving that tightly wound cast intact, except that Jesus' body had been removed by a supernatural event. Tenney said it this way, "How was the corpse extricated from the wrappings, since they would not slip over the curves of the body when tightly wound around it?"

The view that John was convinced by what he saw is confirmed by the last sentence quoted in the passage, "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." Centuries before, the Old Testament prophets had prophesied that the Messiah (that is, the Christ) would rise from the dead, but John did not yet know those predictions. Therefore, his conclusion was based on the evidence before him and not on knowing what the Scriptures prophesied.

The Miraculous Draughts of Fish

It was essential for the disciples to be sure that the man they saw representing himself as the resurrected Christ was, in fact, the Jesus they knew and not an imposter or someone who merely looked like Jesus. The line of evidence presented in this section is based on Jesus' identifying Himself by reproducing a miracle that they had seen Him perform before His crucifixion. He identified Himself by a miraculous draught of fish.

The first time Jesus performed this miracle was at the beginning of His ministry. It was on the lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee). He was calling selected men to become His disciples. This story is told in the Gospel of Luke:

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

(Luke 5:1–10)

Was this great catch of fish a miracle or merely an unusually large catch? I cannot judge, because I am not a fisherman. However, Simon, James, and John were men who made their living fishing on that lake, and, in view of the words of Simon, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord," they apparently regarded the catch as a miracle and a demonstration of divine authority and power. How impressed were they? At Jesus' invitation, they immediately left everything and followed Him.

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

(Luke 5:11)

The second recorded miraculous draught took place after Jesus' resurrection. It was also on the Sea of Galilee (also called the Sea of Tiberias). The occasion was similar to that of the first miracle. Seven of His disciples had returned to their livelihood of fishing and Jesus was about to call them to follow Him again, this time to be witnesses to the world. The story is told in the Gospel of John.

After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple [John] whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

(John 21:1–11)

In this second miracle, the disciples did not recognize Jesus at first, because they were about two hundred cubits (100 yards) from Him. Then, after the great catch of fish at Jesus' word, John said to Peter, "It is the Lord." Apparently John recognized Jesus based on His reproduction of the miracle He had performed previously. This miracle was not something that could have been performed by an imposter or someone who merely looked like Jesus. This miracle was "proof" that it was Jesus.

Jesus' Unique Teaching Style and Ability

Another line of evidence involves Jesus' identifying Himself by demonstrating the teaching style and ability that set Him apart from all others. Before His crucifixion, Jesus was known to be an exceptional, even unique, teacher. The following passages show the impression He made on some officers who were sent to arrest Him.

And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.

(John 7:31–32)

And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

(John 7:44–46)

The reply of the officers indicated that Jesus' teaching style and ability set Him apart from all other teachers. These officers were not friends of Jesus. And the religious leaders to whom they brought their report were not people who were likely to receive the report kindly. Nevertheless, the officers' answer was clear, "Never man spake like this man."

This raises the question: did Jesus demonstrate this same extraordinary teaching style and ability after his death, burial, and resurrection? If so, it would be another "proof" as to the identity of the resurrected Christ. The following passage sheds light on this question.

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

(Luke 24:13–31)

According to this passage, these two disciples were chosen to be witnesses to Jesus' teaching style and ability. They were His disciples and had heard Him teach before, so they were competent to compare His teaching before to His teaching after His resurrection. However, there is a line in the text the significance of which is not immediately apparent. It says, "But their eyes were holden that they should not know him." What is that all about? I suggest an explanation based on something I learned in my profession as a pharmacologist.

It is well known that, when a medication is prescribed to patients by a doctor, many patients respond by improved feelings of well-being, and changes in symptoms and apparent side-effects, even if the medication contains no active ingredient. This is known as the "placebo effect." In other words, the mere expectation of effects, actually produces effects.

Control for this placebo effect is often built into clinical trials. This is done by administering the drug being tested (that is, containing the active ingredient) to some patients and a placebo that looks the same to others. Nobody except the pharmacist knows which patients are receiving the drug and which patients are receiving the placebo. This type of investigation is called a "double blind study," because both the doctors and the patients are blinded as to which patients are receiving what. Only after the results are tabulated is the code broken, and it is revealed which patients got the active drug. Then the effects of the drug are compared to the effects of the placebo to determine whether the patients responded differently.

The point I am making is this: the response of a person is influenced by that person's expectations. In the case of the Emmaus disciples, if they believed from the beginning that it was Jesus who was teaching them, then their response to His teaching would have been biased by their expectations. They would not have been objective observers. In addition to that, the excitement produced by a belief that Jesus was alive and talking to them would have made it difficult, if not impossible, for them to pay close attention to the lesson. For these reasons, I believe there was a supernatural intervention causing their eyes to be "holden that they should not know him," so that they could listen to the lesson undisturbed by expectations and distractions.

How did Jesus perform? Let's first look at the content of His lesson. The text says, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." The Scriptures He taught were the Old Testament, written centuries before. And He taught the things concerning himself in all of these Scriptures. It would be an extraordinary teacher who had a command of that much material.

The late M. R. De Haan was a medical doctor who fell in love with the Scriptures and became a respected Bible teacher. He wrote several books explaining biblical passages. Aware of the teaching that there are things concerning Christ in all the Scriptures, he set a goal to write one last book before his death. He intended to entitle the book Portraits of Christ in the Bible. Soon into his research, he realized that his goal was too extensive, so he decided to narrow the focus and write Portraits of Christ in the Old Testament. This would have covered the same material that Jesus taught on the road to Emmaus. As he continued to study, Dr. De Haan found that even the more limited goal was out of reach. He finally did publish a book, but the title was not Portraits of Christ in the Old Testament. It was Portraits of Christ in Genesis. He found that the material about the Messiah in the first book of the Old Testament was enough to fill a volume. Yet, this was only a small portion of the material covered by Jesus in His lesson. Jesus drew from His knowledge of "things concerning himself" in all thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and condensed it into a form that could be taught in the two or three hours it took to walk the seven miles or so from Jerusalem to Emmaus. This was truly extraordinary.

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Excerpted from "Four Proofs of Jesus' Resurrection"
by .
Copyright © 2018 James B. Polson.
Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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