TruthMatters

Was Christ Resurrected?

The Christian faith is based upon their belief in Christ (Jesus). They believe that Christ was born of a virgin, lived, died (that others might be saved), and was raised from the grave in 3 days just as He said He would. There is enough secular history to prove that Christ lived and that the Romans were crucifying people as a means of punishment. The Jewish Sanhedrin wrote in their Babylonian Talmud that “Jesus the Nazarene was crucified on the eve of Passover”. By Jewish law, Jesus would have to be buried before the Passover Lamb was eaten. Secular history is continually proving what is recorded in the Bible is true. The first century Christian faith was not based upon that there was an empty tomb, but their faith was based upon resurrected Christ and those witnesses that saw the resurrected Christ.

To prove that someone has been raised from the dead, there would have to be at least one reliable witness that knew the person before they died, knew that they died, and saw them alive after they had died. If you believe the Bible to be truth, then some of your eye witnesses are as follows:

1.                   Mary Magdalene a Galilean disciple at the empty tomb. Matt 28:1; Luke 24:9; John 20:10-18

2.                   Mary the mother of James, Joses at the empty tomb. Matt 28:1; 27:56; Luke 24:9

3.                   Joanna a disciple at the empty tomb. Luke 24:9

4.                   Cleopas and another on the road to Emmaus. Luke 24:13-32

5.                   Simon Peter in Jerusalem. Luke 24:34

6.                   Eleven disciples (apostles) and others in the upper room. Luke 24:33-53

7.                   Eleven disciples on the mountain in Galilee. Matt 28:16-20

8.                   Ten of the apostles (Thomas was absent) and other disciples in the upper room. John 20:19-25

9.                   Thomas and the disciples in the locked upper room. Jesus revealed his wounds from being crucified to Thomas. John 20:26-30

10.               Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, sons of Zebedee and two other disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee) and Jesus ate with them. John 21:1-14

11.               Apostles at the Mount of Olives before He ascended. Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:4-9

12.               Peter and the Twelve. I Corinthians 15:5

13.               500 disciples at the same time and some were still living (at the time Paul wrote this letter in about 55 AD). I Corinthians 15:6

14.               James (Christ’s biological brother, the writer of the gospel James). I Corinthians 15:7

15.               Paul the last of the apostles. I Corinthians 9:1; 15:8-9

According to the Bible, when Jesus was crucified his followers deserted Him because they were afraid and they did not even believe that Christ would be resurrected from the dead even though Christ had told them. (Matthew 12:40). They did not get their courage to proclaim Christ as the Son of God and Christ being the only way of salvation until after they saw Him in His resurrected body. The church proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus from the very beginning.

The major secular proof for the resurrection of Christ is that most of the secular history from that period of time did not indicated that Jesus was not resurrected from the dead. The Roman Empire did not deny it. Suetonius and Tacitus Roman historians who wrote before 115 AD did not deny Christ’s resurrection even though they wrote about Christ. Josephus a Jewish Pharisee, priest, and historian who died in A.D. 95 recorded the death and resurrection of Jesus as a fact.

"Now there was at this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call Him a man, for He was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to Him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us had condemned Him to the cross, those that loved Him at the first did not forsake Him, for He appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning Him. And the tribe of Christians so named from Him, are not extinct at this day."  [1]

It seems that Christ’s resurrection was an accepted fact. It was so accepted in fact that Acts 2:41 states that about 3000 Jews in one day accepted Christ’s resurrection as a fact and were saved.

The first century church fathers wrote to one another as if Christ’s resurrection was a known fact.

What is the Importance of Christ’s Resurrection?

1.                   Christ’s resurrection proves the bible is truth.

2.                   Christ’s resurrection proves the power of God over death.

3.                   Christ’s resurrection proved that Christ is the Son of God. John 2:19; 10:17-18

4.                   Christ’s resurrection emphasizes Christ’s deity. Acts 10:40; Romans 1:4

5.                   Christ’s resurrection is affirmation that Jesus did indeed pay the penalty for all of man’s sin. As Paul told the Corinthians, “If Christ has not been raised; your faith is futile; you are still in your sins”. 1 Corinthians 15:17

6.                   Christ’s resurrection defeated death and made eternal life a possible reality for mankind. Revelation 1:18

7.                   Christ’s resurrection was an example of what Christians will experience. “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep”. 1 Corinthians 15:20; II Corinthians 4:14

8.                   Christ’s resurrection marks the beginning of Christ’s relationship with His Church. Ephesians 1:19-23

9.                   Christ’s resurrection is a proof of future judgment of mankind. Acts 17:30-31

10.               Christ’s resurrection was to fulfill Bible prophecy. Mark 8:31

11.               Christ’s resurrection is the assurance of a Christians’ inheritance. I Peter 1:3-ff

12.               Christ’s resurrection is the foundation for Christ’s heavenly priesthood. Hebrews 7:23-28

13.               Christ’s resurrection allows a Christian to live a new life. Romans 6:4

14.               Christ’s resurrection forever seals the doom of Satan. Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:10

The first century Christian faith was not based upon that they found an empty tomb because a empty tomb could be faked in may ways. The first century Christian faith was based upon the many witnesses that saw Christ alive and in His resurrected bodily form. They knew Him, touched Him, and He ate with them.

For additional information on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ see:

1.                  Lee Strobel’s book “The Case for Christ”

2.                  Hank Hanegraaff’s book “Resurrection”.