What the Apostles' Willingness to Die Proves (Dr. Sean McDowell Explains)

The central fact of the New Testament, and the one without which Christianity would be rendered not only false but also impotent and pitiable (according to 1 Corinthians 15:12-19), is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The question of whether Christ's Apostles really believed he rose from the dead is paramount.

Originally posted February 11, 2020. Updated March 11, 2021.

The central fact of the New Testament, and the one without which Christianity would be rendered not only false but also impotent and pitiable (according to 1 Corinthians 15:12-19), is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The question of whether Christ's Apostles really believed he rose from the dead is paramount. So, does our current historical knowledge support the idea that they believed this? And did they die for this belief?

Many skeptics (including UNC professor Bart Ehrman) have asked the question. So we're talking with Dr. Sean McDowell, Associate Professor of Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology and the author, co-author, or editor of over twenty books including The Fate of the Apostles, which addresses this very subject.

Sean discusses biblical and extrabiblical evidence for the truth that the Apostles really did believe that Jesus rose from the dead (and why this is so important). He also answers the objections, "Don't people die all the time for what they believe?" "Couldn't the apostles have knowingly died for a lie?" "How reliable are these historical accounts, anyway?"

Be sure to get more of Sean's content at https://seanmcdowell.org

And pick up Evidence That Demands A Verdict at: https://www.amazon.com/Evidence-That-Demands-Verdict-Life-Changing/dp/1401676707/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=evidence+that+demands+a+verdict&qid=1579120690&sr=8-2

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Music Credits: 

All music downloaded (with great gratitude) from filmmusic.io.