On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. – Luke 24:1 (NIV)
Launched in 2006 and going viral in 2017 in response to reports of sexual abuse by Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein, the #metoo movement has drawn a wide following and focused attention on crucial issues too long ignored. From that movement has come the phrase “trust the women.”
Many are surprised to learn however that the idea of “trust the women” is about 2,000 years old and actually provides evidence that the resurrection of Jesus and thus the claims of the Bible and Christianity are true.
The following may rub modern sensibilities the wrong way, but it’s historically accurate. The ancient Middle East where Jesus lived and the Bible was written–and in fact through most of human history in most places–civilizations were patriarchies where men ruled over women. It is said that in Palestine of Jesus’ day, in court it took the testimony of two women to equal or offset the testimony of one man.
That’s why, if the story of Jesus’ resurrection were a hoax and lie, as many have alleged since that time, then the make-up story would report that men were first to spot the empty tomb, in hopes of making the fake story sound valid. But in contrast, the biblical accounts report that only women were first to see the void grave and risen Christ, reporting they had taken spices in hopes of anointing the body with spices as a symbolic expression of their loving devotion. (source)
Dr. Luke describes the scene further in verses 2-11.
“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.
“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.”
So, the accounts of women being first on the scene as eyewitnesses provide indirect evidence that the accounts are true and reliable.
Belief in Christ and the Bible is not just a “blind leap of faith.” There is also logical, historical evidence to support it. As someone said, “Why do automatically trust what we read in the newspaper but doubt what we read in the Bible?”
Put your trust in Jesus Christ today!
S.G.D./S.D.G.