The document summarizes key reasons why Christianity survived and grew after Jesus' death: 1. The disciples claimed that Jesus had risen from the dead, which was unprecedented. This was the central message that was preached. 2. Multiple women discovered the empty tomb, and they are named. If the resurrection was made up, it would have been better politically to claim male leaders discovered it instead of women. 3. No one expected Jesus to rise from the dead, as dead people were known to stay dead. If it was fabricated there would have been expectations of resurrection mentioned previously.

3. “Don’t be alarmed.
You are looking for
Jesus of Nazareth,
who was crucified.
He isn’t here! He is
risen from the
dead! Look, this is
where they laid his
body.”
Zechariah 9:9
Mark 16:6

4. Tim Keller
1. Why did Christianity
survive and grow?
“Not only did it not collapse, it
exploded: In the course of 300
years it had spread through the
entire Roman Empire.”

5. Mark 16:1
2. Why the repetition of
names?
“When the Sabbath ended, Mary
Magdalene, Mary the mother of
James, and Salome went out and
purchased burial spices so they
could anoint Jesus’ body.”

6. Celsus 248 AD
3. Why have women as
the first witnesses?
“[A]fter death he rose again … But
who saw this? A hysterical female,
as you say, and perhaps some other
one of those who were deluded by
the same sorcery... .”

7. N. T. Wright
4. Why didn’t anyone
expect it?
“People in the first century
knew what being dead meant
and they knew that dead
people stayed dead.”

8. “Now go and tell his disciples,
including Peter, that Jesus is
going ahead of you to Galilee.”
Mark 16:7

9. “ ‘My grace is all you need. My
power works best in weakness.’
” So now I am glad to boast
about my weaknesses, so that
the power of Christ can work
through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9