Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 14
September 13, 1962
NUMBER 19, PAGE 1,13b

Was The Resurrection An Hallucination?

Donald R. Givens

The hallucination theory of the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus did not actually rise from the dead but instead His followers experienced "illusions" or "hallucinations" in which they supposed that they saw Him rise from the dead. Hallucination is defined by Mr. George Fisher as "a disorder of the senses, or of the brain, which leads one to see or hear what has no reality outside of the nervous organism." (George Fisher, Manual of Christian Evidences, p. 44) So the disciples of Christ just thought He was raised; they saw it all in one of their visions, He did not rise, but died and stayed in that condition. This theory is utterly destructive to the Christian's faith if believed. The whole basis of Christianity is built on His factual resurrection.

This theory is briefly explained by Mr. E. Y. Mullins in his book Why is Christianity True?

Jesus died, it says, but did not rise. His body remained in the grave. Nor did He communicate with the disciples. They were in a highly excited and excitable nervous state. Mary Magdalene, at the tomb, much overwrought, imagined she saw Jesus and told her story to other overwrought disciples. They heard a window rattle or the wind whittle and imagined Christ spoke to them. Others heard and believed likewise. Henan thinks Peter dreamed the scene at the lakeside and the interview with the risen Jesus. Thus arose the conviction of the resurrection. (p. 199.)

Thus we have this foolish theory. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just what evidence is there to back up this belief? None whatsoever. There is overwhelming evidence to support the fact that He arose from the dead never to die again. Our conclusions are based on evidence. There is so much more evidence, in the Bible and elsewhere, to support the fact that He did rise from the dead than there is to affirm this theory of hallucination. One is being very unreasonable when he thus believes this theory.

Mullins, After Explaining This Theory Proceeds Very Aptly To Refute It. He States:

Men who see ghosts are usually looking for them. A state of expectancy precedes the vision. But the disciples were in despair. Every hope was blasted by the death of Jesus, as the two on the way to Emmaus alleged. Besides no past experience prepared for this hallucination. (Ibid., p. 201)

This is very true. The followers of Jesus certainly did not expect Him to rise from the dead. They thought it was all over when He died. They were in utter despair. Some of them even went back to their old trade of fishing. (John 21:3) It was hard for them to accept the fact of His resurrection, especially Thomas. So, this being true, they certainly did not have any reason to experience any "hallucination" that He was risen from the dead. No, they were actual, live, and true witnesses to this fact and not mere dreamers.

Mullins Goes On To Say:

Moreover, the effect of this hallucination, its power to transform men, survives. The test of time has but strengthened its hold on men....But whence the teachings of the risen Christ? Hallucination is usually wanting in this element. Here were words, thoughts, commands, which these evangelists adopt and on them base all their future actions. And what of the dead body of Jesus all this time? It was the interest of a friend and foe alike to produce it.... The empty grave of Jesus baffles every theory of the resurrection, save the true one. (Ibid., p. 201)

A truer statement has never been made. The empty tomb of Jesus is the thing that is unexplainable if one does not accept the truth concerning our Lord's resurrection.

If the disciples of Jesus did actually experience an hallucination and Jesus did not rise from the dead — why did not someone simply produce the body of Jesus and expose these dreaming disciples altogether? This would have settled the whole matter. But no, they could not do it because He was actually risen.

If this were a mere hallucination that the disciples had, why did they continue for so long to believe it? This is not the way hallucinations affect a person. J. M. McGarvey states:

Men and women who are hallucinated firmly believe that what they see and hear in this state of mind is real while the hallucination continues, but as soon as it passes away the belief passes with it....It is contrary to the experience of hallucinated persons, therefore, the disciples, if they were in this state of mind when they thought they saw Jesus, continued to believe that they saw Him after they returned to their normal mental condition. The permanency of their belief is a complete refutation of this thing. (Evidences of Christianity p. 136)

What the disciples knew was not gained from an hallucination. They showed no signs of having a hallucination or vision. This theory Is blasted when one considers how a person actually acts under hallucination and then how he acts after he has experienced the hallucination. The actions of the followers of Jesus fit none of the pattern of those who experience hallucinations.

The great problem with this theory, aside from being so utterly contrary to the truth, is that above 500 individuals all had this strange hallucination at the same time. This is quite a coincidence. They all experienced it, and strangely enough, it was the very same hallucination. Floyd E. Hamilton sums it all up very well:

Now the great difficulty with this theory is the facts that five-hundred all had the same hallucination! As long as we can forget the empty tomb we are all right, but the empty tomb is a cold fact that wrecks this theory. (The Basis of Christian Faith, p. 294)

Jesus rose from the dead. There is more solid evidence for this fact than any other single event in all history. It is the Gibraltar of the Christian's faith and the Waterloo for the infidel. It is the whole basis and foundation of... Christianity, Christianity stands or falls on the truth of the resurrection. The hallucination theory falls after consideration of it in the light of all evidence. There is no evidence for it at all. Jesus Christ is the Son of God raised from the dead. Praise His glorious name.

— 12 Willow Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Can.