The “A Priori” Perspective
In my prior post, “The Greatest Miracle”, I wrote about the central importance of the Resurrection. In short, our faith as Christians is centered on the Resurrection. Our faith rests on whether or not Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead to life. The Resurrection is what gives us hope. And this hope, the hope of the Resurrection, should change our lives completely.
It seems obvious, I know, but we have to understand that Jesus’ Resurrection had to actually occur for it to have any meaning at all. And so, I often refer to the “fact” of the Resurrection. Why? Simple really. If Jesus’ Resurrection is not a “fact” then it is merely a myth at best. At worst, the Resurrection is a fanciful story made up to provide some sort of credibility to a fledgling religion by charlatans who lied about what they saw. If Jesus’ Resurrection didn’t occur, if it isn’t a fact, then, as Paul the Apostle said, “..if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (1 Cor 15:14)
Unfortunately, everyone doesn’t accept the fact of the Resurrection. And one might think that this skepticism is a product of our modern times, but that isn’t the case. When Paul preached the Good News of Jesus’ Resurrection in Athens, the response was mixed to say the least. In the book of Acts we read, “When they heard about the Resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, ‘We want to hear you again on this subject.” (Act 17:32)
It is probably important for us to establish that when Paul preached about Jesus and the gospel, he spoke as an eyewitness to Jesus’ Resurrection. He wasn’t passing on a story that he heard and believed based on collecting the evidence. Paul, as he traveled along the road to Damascus, with the intent to imprison believers by the way, was confronted by Jesus directly (see Acts 9:1-5 and 1 Cor 15:8). So, Paul spoke with authority regarding the risen Savior.
It seems natural to me that, when someone is told about Jesus by an eyewitness, they would respond with “tell me more!” After all, the story of a man who’s coming was promised thousands of years in advance, who did great miracles, who rose from the dead, and who offered forgiveness of sin and eternal life, is a pretty amazing story. And that is, of course, what some of Paul’s listeners did, they said “we want to hear you again on this subject.”
We see that the reaction of the others was pretty much the opposite. They “sneered.” The underlying Greek here could be translated as “deride”, “mock”, “jeer”, or even “made fun of.” All of which tell us that they certainly didn’t take the idea of the Resurrection seriously. Even in the face of the testimony of an eyewitness! Why couldn’t they take this idea seriously? Well, we can’t dismiss that their hearts have simply been hardened to the message. Then, as now, there are those who just aren’t open to the message because their hearts are closed to it. What do we do when we see this situation? We pray for openness and allow God to do His work. In another time or another place, God may open their hearts.
Perhaps, though, there is another reason for this response. Perspective! They simply can’t look at the world outside their own experience. They, and many today, have what I would refer to as an “a priori” perspective of the world. Merriam-Webster defines “a pri·o·ri” as “relating to or derived by reasoning from self-evident propositions.”[1] In this situation, the “a priori” perspective suggests miracles don’t happen because they can’t happen. The physical laws of nature prevent it. A self-evident proposition.
Of course, it’s obvious isn’t it, that a miracle can only occur outside of natural laws. Afterall, that is what a miracle is: something that can’t be explained by natural laws. So, we can understand that the Resurrection, the greatest miracle, is a little hard to accept if our frame of reference is restricted to only what occurs naturally. So, maybe some empathy for these folks is helpful. The Resurrection is a big deal, after all. So, the task really is, with the help of the Spirit, to change perspectives.
A starting point can be basic honest questions (never antagonistic arguing). Where did the natural laws come from? What, or who, set it all in motion? The starting point for many of those with an “a priori” perspective will be some sort of evolutionary or materialistic process. At root, these start with “something from nothing” theories. Intelligence, or intelligent design is left out. But does “something from nothing” really make sense? Is it justified by natural law? Could it happen naturally without outside interference?
These questions, if evaluated honestly, just may open the door to a creator. To God. Once the door is open to the Creator, our God who established the natural laws and has the ability to work outside of them, then nothing is impossible. Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet, wrote, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jer 32:17)
People are skeptical to this day. Let’s lead them to the Creator. With Him, even “the Greatest Miracle” isn’t impossible.
a passion for teaching God’s word. His first book, “What Do I Say When Asked About Jesus?” is a conversational approach to helping people answer questions about Jesus. The book provides a layman’s perspective on personal evangelism and the basics of the Christian faith. Dave has been married for thirty-six years to the love of his life, Debbie. They have three daughters, two sons-in-law, and two granddaughters. To read more of David’s writing visit his Substack page.
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