The Resurrection Shuffle
Has anyone here read The Passover Plot? I did, many years ago, and from what I can recall. it proposes the crucifixion and the resurrection were planned ahead of time, in order to give Jesus' movement credibility. Would someone sacrifice his life just to establish a religious idea? Hey, this is the Middle East, remember?
This sort of speculation will always remain just that, speculation, unless we find some convincing archaeological evidence to fill in the blanks for us. FWIW, the resurrection, the three days, the raising of the dead and healing of the sick, in short, the whole catalog of miracles, were pretty much de rigeur for the cults of the time.