104: Quiz on the Resurrection
Question 1: What are the main sources that directly attest to the fact of Christ's Resurrection?
A) The Four Gospels and the Epistles of St. Paul
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B) The Four Gospels only
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C) The Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles
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D) The Four Gospels, the Epistles of St. Paul, and the Acts of the Apostles
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Question 1 explanation
The main sources which directly attest to the fact of Christ's Resurrection are the Four Gospels and the Epistles of St. Paul.
Question 2: How many eyewitnesses attested to the fact of Christ's Resurrection according to St. Paul?
A) 100
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B) 200
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C) 300
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D) More than 500
✅ CORRECT!
Question 2 explanation
St. Paul (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) enumerates another series of apparitions of Jesus after His Resurrection; he was seen by Cephas, by the Eleven, by more than 500 brethren, many of whom were still alive at the time of the Apostle's writing, by James, by all the Apostles, and lastly by Paul himself.
3. What is the Swoon Theory?
A) The theory that Jesus only appeared to die on the cross
✅ CORRECT!
B) The theory that Jesus' body was stolen from the tomb
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C) The theory that Jesus' resurrection was a result of visions
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D) The theory that Jesus' disciples stole his body from the tomb
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Question explanation
The Swoon Theory is the theory that Jesus only appeared to die on the cross and that His supposed death was only a temporary swoon, and that His Resurrection was simply a return to consciousness.
However, this theory does not agree with the data furnished by the Gospels. The scourging and the crown of thorns, the carrying of the cross and the crucifixion, the three hours on the cross, and the piercing of the Sufferer's side cannot have brought on a mere swoon. His real death is attested by the centurion and the soldiers, by the friends of Jesus, and by his most bitter enemies. His stay in a sealed sepulcher for thirty-six hours, in an atmosphere poisoned by the exhalations of a hundred pounds of spices, which would have of itself sufficed to cause death.
4. What is the Imposition Theory?
A) The theory that Jesus only appeared to die on the cross
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B) The theory that Jesus' body was stolen from the tomb
✅ CORRECT!
C) The theory that Jesus' resurrection was a result of visions
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D) The theory that Jesus' disciples were in a state of mental excitement
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Question explanation
The Imposition Theory is the theory that Jesus' disciples stole the body of Jesus from the tomb and then proclaimed to others that their Lord had risen. This theory was anticipated by the Jews who "gave a great sum of money to the soldiers, saying: Say you, His disciples came by night, and stole him away when we were asleep" (Matthew 28:12 sq.). However, it is highly unlikely that the Apostles, with the burden of such a lie on their consciences, could have preached a kingdom of truth and righteousness as the main effort of their lives, and suffered even unto death for the sake of that kingdom.
5. What is the Vision Theory?
A) The theory that Jesus only appeared to die on the cross
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B) The theory that Jesus' body was stolen from the tomb
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C) The theory that Jesus' resurrection was a result of visions
✅ CORRECT!
D) The theory that Jesus' disciples were in a state of mental excitement
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Question explanation
The Vision Theory suggests that Jesus' resurrection was a result of visions experienced by His disciples. This theory argues that the disciples' state of mind, their faith, and their expectancy were the human agencies that caused these visions. However, the Vision Theory is not consistent with the historical facts and circumstances surrounding the resurrection, including the state of mind of the Apostles, the nature of Christ's manifestations, and the conditions of the early Christian community.
6. Which theory does Keim propose?
A) The Swoon Theory
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B) The Imposition Theory
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C) A modified Vision Theory with Divine intervention
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D) A theory that combines all three previous theories
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Question explanation
Keim proposes a modified Vision Theory that includes Divine intervention and even allows for a "corporeal appearance" of Jesus. However, this theory is criticized for not satisfying either the Church or the enemies of the Church and for being inconsistent with itself.
7. What does the Modernist view suggest about Christ's Resurrection?
A) It is a fact of the purely supernatural order neither proved nor provable
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B) It is a historical fact that can be proven
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C) It is a result of the disciples' imagination
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D) It is a fact based on concrete historical evidence
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Question explanation
The Modernist view suggests that the Resurrection of Christ is not a historical fact but a fact of the purely supernatural order neither proved nor provable, which Christian consciousness has little by little inferred from other facts. This view asserts that the evidence for the Resurrection is inadequate and that the belief in the Resurrection is a result of a gradual evolution in Christian consciousness. However, this view has been rejected by the Holy Office and is considered untenable from a historical perspective.
8. What does Christ's Resurrection show about the justice of God?
A) It shows that God is merciful
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B) It shows that God exalted Christ to a life of glory
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C) It shows that God is wrathful
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D) It shows that God is not involved in Christ's Resurrection
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Question explanation
The Resurrection shows the justice of God who exalted Christ to a life of glory after He had humbled Himself unto death (Philippians 2:8-9).
9. What is one major reason that supports the belief in Christ's Resurrection?
A) The eloquent silence of the Synagogue
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B) The moral courage of the Apostles
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C) The rise of the Church
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D) The Apostles' ability to invent a fable
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Question explanation
"The thousands and millions, both Jews and Gentiles, who believed the testimony of the Apostles in spite of all the disadvantages following from such a belief, in short, the origin of the Church, requires for its explanation the reality of Christ's Resurrection, for the rise of the Church without the Resurrection would have been a greater miracle than the Resurrection itself."