Swoon Theory. The swoon theory is the naturalistic (see NATURALISM) view that Christ was not dead when taken from the cross and placed in the tomb. Therefore, he was not raised from the dead (see RESURRECTION, EVIDENCE FOR). It was proposed by H.E.G. Paulus in The Life of Jesus (1828).

This theory has serious failings as an alternate explanation of the resurrection (see RESURRECTION, ALTERNATE THEORIES), since there is strong evidence that Jesus experienced an actual physical death on the cross (see CHRIST, DEATH OF), and hundreds of witnesses who saw him in a fully whole and transformed resurrection body (see RESURRECTION, EVIDENCE FOR). Even the naturalistic work, A New Life of Jesus (1879) by David Strauss debunked the swoon theory:

It is impossible that a being who had stolen half-dead out of the sepulchre, who crept about weak and ill, wanting medical treatment, who required bandaging, strengthening and indulgence, and who still at last yielded to his sufferings, could have given to his disciples the impression that he was a Conqueror over death and the grave, the Prince of Life, an impression which lay at the bottom of their future ministry....Such a resuscitation could only have weakened the impression which he had made upon them in life and in death, at the most could only given it an elegiac voice, but could by no possibility have changed their sorrow into enthusiasm, have elevated their reverence into worship. [Strauss, 1.412]1 1. Strauss, David Friedrich. A New Life of Jesus. 2nd ed. 2 vols. London: Williams & Norgate, 1879.

-Halverson, Dean C. The Compact Guide to World Religions. (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1996), 116.

Muslims believe that the God of the Qur'an would not dishonor his chosen prophet by allowing him to be crucified. One Iranian student said, "Do we not honor [Jesus] more than you do when we refuse to believe that God would permit Him to suffer death on the cross? Rather, we believe that God took Him to heaven" (Woodberry, 164). Muslims, therefore, deny that Jesus was crucified. They believe instead that He was caught up into heaven and that someone (some say Judas) took His place on the cross.

The following is the primary passage that Muslims use to deny the crucifiction:

That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah"--but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are low, for of surety they killed him not--nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself (Surah 4:157-158).

A careful reading of the above passage, however, shows that it does not deny that Jesus was crucified, but it instead denies that the Jews caused Jesus to be crucified. In point of fact, the Jews did not crucify Jesus, but the Romans did (John 18:31).

Even more importantly, God was ultimately responsible for Jesus' being crucified (Romans 8:3-4; 1Peter 1:18-20). Even the Qur'an alludes to that fact in the following verse:

When Allah said: "O Jesus, I will cause thee to die and exalt thee in My presence and clear thee of those who disbelieve and make those who follow thee above those who disbelieve to the day of Resurrection" (Surah 3:54, Ali, emphasis added).

Isaiah 53:4-11 John 18:31 Romans 8:3-4 1 Peter 1:18-20