Jesus Escape?
Jesus Escaped?
Some cynics claim that a wounded but alive Jesus escaped from
his tomb on
his own, while others claim that Jesus escaped with the help
of his disciples.
Matthew 27:60 states that a "large stone" was rolled "against the door of the tomb".
The relative size of the large (1.5L) water bottle gives an idea of the size of the stone that must have been rolled along this groove to close both the entrance to the tomb and the small window (above the area photographed but #9 in the tomb description photo).
While it would have been a struggle to roll the large stone by pushing it from behind, it would have been impossible to do that from inside the tomb with nothing to grip onto, especially by a mortally wounded man; the notion that Jesus escaped from the tomb on his own betrays the facts.
What about the speculation that Jesus escaped with the help of his disciples?
Matthew 27:60 states that a "large stone" was rolled "against the door of the tomb".
The relative size of the large (1.5L) water bottle gives an idea of the size of the stone that must have been rolled along this groove to close both the entrance to the tomb and the small window (above the area photographed but #9 in the tomb description photo).
While it would have been a struggle to roll the large stone by pushing it from behind, it would have been impossible to do that from inside the tomb with nothing to grip onto, especially by a mortally wounded man; the notion that Jesus escaped from the tomb on his own betrays the facts.
What about the speculation that Jesus escaped with the help of his disciples?
Precisely to eliminate the possibility of Jesus' escape, or more precisely
his disciples' escape with his body, the chief priests
and Pharisees requested the Roman governor to "seal" the tomb and post
guards, and Pilate granted them their request (Matthew 27:62-66). Even if
Jesus' disciples had dared to come to the tomb, they would have been no
match for armed Roman soldiers, who would have defended the tomb with their
lives since the failure to defend the Roman seal would have meant their own execution.
Any speculation that Jesus escaped also need to explain how a flogged, crucified and mortally speared man who had been confirmed dead by multiple Roman soldiers - trained killers - returned to life in the first place.
Any speculation that Jesus escaped also need to explain how a flogged, crucified and mortally speared man who had been confirmed dead by multiple Roman soldiers - trained killers - returned to life in the first place.