Yes — and the passages given show the New Testament itself treating it that way, not as a private religious sentiment but as a claim staked in public, argued before people who could check it and mock it.
Acts 26:8 puts Paul before Agrippa asking, essentially, why anyone finds it incredible (ἄπιστον, Strong 571 — "unbelievable," the same root as "unfaithful") that God raises the dead. The verb is present tense, ἐγείρει — Paul frames resurrection as a live capability of God, not a one-off miracle demanded on its own terms but a question of whether such a God exists at all. That's the structure of the historical argument: it isn't "did a body reanimate," in isolation, but "is there a God who acts in history," and if so, the objection to a particular instance loses its force in advance.
Acts 17:3 shows Paul's method directly: διανοίγων καὶ παρατιθέμενος — "opening and setting before" (his hearers) the scriptures, arguing ὅτι τὸν Χριστὸν ἔδει παθεῖν καὶ ἀναστῆναι ἐκ νεκρῶν, "that the Christ had to suffer and rise." This is reasoned demonstration from a text and its fulfillment, done in a synagogue where anyone could object.
The reactions matter as much as the claim. Acts 17:32 records exactly the range a historical claim provokes — some mocked (ἐχλεύαζον), some wanted a second hearing. Acts 24:21 has Paul on trial specifically over this: it's the ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν, not some inward experience, that got him arrested. A claim that gets you tried before a governor is a claim about something that either happened or didn't in public space, not a metaphor.
1 Corinthians 15:12–21 makes the logical stakes explicit: Paul treats the resurrection as falsifiable in principle — if Christ has not been raised (v.21's ἀνάστασις stands or falls with δι' ἀνθρώπου, "through a man," a real historical agent), the whole structure collapses (the following verses, not quoted here, say the faith is then "vain" and Christians are "still in your sins"). That is the shape of a historical claim: stake everything on an event, and let it be checked.
McDowell's line names the interpretive fork bluntly: "one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men, or it is the most remarkable fact of history." The New Testament itself, on the evidence given here, offers no third option — it argues the case rather than merely asserting the experience.
Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?closest in meaning to what you asked
Greek Nestle 1904
τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ’ ὑμῖν εἰ ὁ Θεὸς νεκροὺς ἐγείρει;
- τί τίς interrogative pronoun · accusative singular neuter G5101
- ἄπιστον ἄπιστος adjective · nominative singular neuter G571
- κρίνεται κρίνω verb · present middle or passive indicative, 3rd person singular G2919
- παρ’ παρά preposition G3844
- ὑμῖν σύ personal pronoun G4771
- εἰ εἰ conditional G1487
- ὁ ὁ article · nominative singular masculine G3588
- Θεὸς θεός noun · nominative singular masculine G2316
- νεκροὺς νεκρός adjective · accusative plural masculine G3498
- ἐγείρει; ἐγείρω verb · present active indicative, 3rd person singular G1453
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- 1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
- Acts 4:2 being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
- Acts 17:31 because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead."
- Acts 10:40 God raised him up the third day and gave him to be revealed,
- Luke 18:27 But he said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?closest in meaning to what you asked
Greek Nestle 1904
Εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς κηρύσσεται ὅτι ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγήγερται, πῶς λέγουσιν ἐν ὑμῖν τινες ὅτι ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔστιν;
- Εἰ εἰ conditional G1487
- δὲ δέ conjunction G1161
- Χριστὸς Χριστός noun · nominative singular masculine G5547
- κηρύσσεται κηρύσσω verb · present middle or passive indicative, 3rd person singular G2784
- ὅτι ὅτι conjunction G3754
- ἐκ ἐκ preposition G1537
- νεκρῶν νεκρός adjective · genitive plural masculine G3498
- ἐγήγερται, ἐγείρω verb · perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular G1453
- πῶς πῶς adverb G4459
- λέγουσιν λέγω verb · present active indicative, 3rd person plural G3004
- ἐν ἐν preposition G1722
- ὑμῖν σύ personal pronoun G4771
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- Acts 26:8 Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?
- Acts 17:32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, "We want to hear you again concerning this."
- 2 Timothy 2:18 men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrowing the faith of some.
- Acts 23:8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.
- 1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.
explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ."closest in meaning to what you asked
Greek Nestle 1904
διανοίγων καὶ παρατιθέμενος ὅτι τὸν Χριστὸν ἔδει παθεῖν καὶ ἀναστῆναι ἐκ νεκρῶν, καὶ ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός, ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὃν ἐγὼ καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν.
- διανοίγων διανοίγω verb · present active participle, nominative singular masculine G1272
- καὶ καί conjunction G2532
- παρατιθέμενος παρατίθημι verb · present middle or passive participle, nominative singular masculine G3908
- ὅτι ὅτι conjunction G3754
- τὸν ὁ article · accusative singular masculine G3588
- Χριστὸν Χριστός noun · accusative singular masculine G5547
- ἔδει δεῖ verb · imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular G1163
- παθεῖν πάσχω verb · aorist active infinitive G3958
- καὶ καί conjunction G2532
- ἀναστῆναι ἀνίστημι verb · aorist active infinitive G450
- ἐκ ἐκ preposition G1537
- νεκρῶν, νεκρός adjective · genitive plural masculine G3498
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- Acts 18:28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
- Acts 9:22 But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
- Luke 24:32 They said to one another, "Weren't our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?"
- Luke 24:46 He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
- 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man.closest in meaning to what you asked
Greek Nestle 1904
ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δι’ ἀνθρώπου θάνατος, καὶ δι’ ἀνθρώπου ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν.
- ἐπειδὴ ἐπειδή conjunction G1894
- γὰρ γάρ conjunction G1063
- δι’ διά preposition G1223
- ἀνθρώπου ἄνθρωπος noun · genitive singular masculine G444
- θάνατος, θάνατος noun · nominative singular masculine G2288
- καὶ καί conjunction G2532
- δι’ διά preposition G1223
- ἀνθρώπου ἄνθρωπος noun · genitive singular masculine G444
- ἀνάστασις ἀνάστασις noun · nominative singular feminine G386
- νεκρῶν. νεκρός adjective · genitive plural masculine G3498
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 4
- John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.
- Romans 5:12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death passed to all men because all sinned.
- Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, "We want to hear you again concerning this."closest in meaning to what you asked
Greek Nestle 1904
ἀκούσαντες δὲ ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν, οἱ μὲν ἐχλεύαζον, οἱ δὲ εἶπαν Ἀκουσόμεθά σου περὶ τούτου καὶ πάλιν.
- ἀκούσαντες ἀκούω verb · aorist active participle, nominative plural masculine G191
- δὲ δέ conjunction G1161
- ἀνάστασιν ἀνάστασις noun · accusative singular feminine G386
- νεκρῶν, νεκρός adjective · genitive plural masculine G3498
- οἱ ὁ article · nominative plural masculine G3588
- μὲν μέν particle G3303
- ἐχλεύαζον, χλευάζω verb · imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural G5512
- οἱ ὁ article · nominative plural masculine G3588
- δὲ δέ conjunction G1161
- εἶπαν λέγω verb · aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural G3004
- Ἀκουσόμεθά ἀκούω verb · future middle deponent indicative, 1st person plural G191
- σου σύ personal pronoun G4771
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- Acts 17:18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be advocating foreign deities," because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
- Acts 26:8 Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 For he says, "At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
- Acts 25:19 but had certain questions against him about their own religion and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
- 1 Corinthians 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.
unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!'"closest in meaning to what you asked
Greek Nestle 1904
ἢ περὶ μιᾶς ταύτης φωνῆς ἧς ἐκέκραξα ἐν αὐτοῖς ἑστὼς ὅτι Περὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν ἐγὼ κρίνομαι σήμερον ἐφ’ ὑμῶν.
- ἢ ἤ particle G2228
- περὶ περί preposition G4012
- μιᾶς εἷς adjective · genitive singular feminine G1520
- ταύτης οὗτος demonstrative pronoun · genitive singular feminine G3778
- φωνῆς φωνή noun · genitive singular feminine G5456
- ἧς ὅς relative pronoun · genitive singular feminine G3739
- ἐκέκραξα κράζω verb · aorist active indicative, 1st person singular G2896
- ἐν ἐν preposition G1722
- αὐτοῖς αὐτός personal pronoun · dative plural masculine G846
- ἑστὼς ἵστημι verb · perfect active participle, nominative singular masculine G2476
- ὅτι ὅτι conjunction G3754
- Περὶ περί preposition G4012
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 4
- Acts 23:6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"
- Acts 4:2 being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
- Acts 26:6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
- Acts 28:20 For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."
From the interpretive tradition
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men, or it is the most remarkable fact of history.
Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection.
The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no one dreams of questioning.
A worked example. Ask your own and it starts a new thread.