Second, the empty tomb really means that Christ was raised bodily . The only alternatives to this startling fact are that the Gospels have lied about the empty tomb, 'covering up' the disciples' theft of the body. In that case, the entire New Testament rests on deceit. Either the disciples have perpetrated the greatest hoax in history or God raised Christ bodily from the dead. Other explanations are excluded.
Casual theft is ruled out because the tomb was guarded.
Neither the Romans nor the Temple authorities had any reason to remove the body but if they had it would have been quickly produced when the apostles began preaching the resurrection. Conclusion The death and resurrection of Christ are the core historical and theological truths of the Gospel. They are fundamental to Christian faith and church life. It is to be hoped that Dr Carnley will uphold these teachings in the churches and in the community.