The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-04
POPULAR APoLoGETIcs.
Adapted from the German Of Rev. Pc
ter Mikes, S. j., by Rev. James
Watcher.
67. Harnack and Christ's Resurrec-
tion

arguments of history about the Resur-
/ rection of Christ and concludes that it
cannot be proved as a fact by conclu-
sive arguments.
Answer: His five points are known,
but also their inaccuracy and the
one-sidedness of the conclusion.
Objection /: 1T is historically GER
tain that no one of the enemies OF
Christ ever saw Him after death"
Answer: That is not true. Saul
was a bitter enemy; he saw and
heard Christ as we'll as the Apostles,
evident ciearness of the vision. More
over. the enemies of Christ were not
worthy to see Him after they had
rejected and crucified Him.
But since when must the facts of
history be attested by enemies? Does
Harnack believe of Luther and his
death only what his opponents say?
Or of Bismarck only what the French
say about him? Or must we Amer
leans believe about the late war only
what the Germans say about it?
Christ did rot have to appear to His
enemies; they could be certain Of his
>Resurrection: 1, through the guards
Whom they had placed at the tomb: 2,
through the many miracles by which
the Apostles proved the Resurrection
of their Master, so that the Jewish
leaders had to admit: "A known mir
s1<1n
lance hath been done by them to all
the inhabitants of Jerusalem: it is
manifest and we cannot deny it, (Acts
4:16); 3, through the grand success of
the new religion; they had to take to
heart the words of their own wise
work be Of men, it will come to nought
But if it be of God, you cannot over
throw it, (Acts 5:3S, 39).
Objection 2: 1t is historically GER
tain that the disciples of Christ soon
after His death were convinced that
they had seen Him."
Answer: Very correct; and this con-
viction is based on the fact that they
had seen Him, heard Him, touched
Him and ale with Him. We cannot
reasonably ask for any better proofs
Objection 8: The succession and
longer be ascertained:'
Answer: A nice reason If after a
big banquet you no longer remember
with certainty the succession and num-
Der of the courses, a 9rumbler might
shake his critical head and say: ''We1l,
we'll, | hardly think that you were
there You may take solemn oath
that you were there and relate the
most concrete incidents OF the ban.
quet, still your critic claims: Your
presence cannot be proved because
YOU cannot state with certainty the
succession and number of the dishes
served The application is plain.
Objection q 1T is historically Ger
tain that the disciples and Paul did
not see Christ in the cruciied and
earthly body but in heavenly glory
even the later incredible reports of
apparitions of Christ, which lay stress
on Hi real body, still they talk OF a
body 1t could pass through closed
doors, hence was no earthly body"
Answer: Should Harnack not know
what every child knows, that the body
of the risen is indeed the same body
which rested in the grave, but that it
is in a different state, in the state of
glOrificatiOn? ct is sown in corrup-
ton, it shall rise in interruption 1t
is sown in dishonor it shall rise in
glory 1t is sowr in weakness, it shall
rise in power" Il Cor. 1912, 43) That
such transformation is possible with
God, the most learned infdel is not
able to disprove.
Thus far Harnack has not proved
anything against the Resurrection
Now follows his last objection.
Objection 5: 1T is historically GER
tain that Paul does not put the appar-
ition Of Christ (before Damascus) in
the same class with later manifesto
lions of Christ, but describes it in the
words (Gal. lis, 16): when it
pleased him (GOd to reveal his
Son in me-" and in spite of this puts
it on the same level with the appari-
tons which the other Apostles have
seen formerly"
Answer: The same Paul writes: Il
delivered unto you first of all, which
| also received: How that Christ died
for our sins according to the Scrip
lures: and that he was buried, and
that he rose again the third day ac-
cording to the Scriptures: and that he
was seen by Cephas (Peter), and
after that by the eleven. Then was
he seen by more than five hundred
brethren at once: of. whom some re-
main until this present, and some are
fallen asleep. After that he was seen
by James, and then by all the apostles.
And last of all he was seen also by me
:. For | am the least Of the apostles,
who am not worthy to be called an
apostle, because | have prosecuted the
church of God And if Christ is
not risen again, then is our preaching
vain, and your faith is also vain Il
Cor. Is: $40.
ST. Paul is convinced of the Resur-
rection of Christ, the fundamental doe
trine of Christianity: I, by the out
ward apparition of Christ before Da-
mascus; 2, by the inward enlighten-
ment tGal. 4 /: Is ~; 3, by the testi-
mony of the other apostles and disci-