THE RESURRECTION: FACT OR FICTION

                We have entered what has become known as Holy Week. It is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. It commemorates Jesus’ last week of life before his death and resurrection. For many years there has been a debate about the authenticity of the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. There are those who have contended that what we call the passion of Christ is really a fantasy; a story made up by the early church to validate their beliefs. So, is the resurrection of Jesus fact or fiction?

                We do not have to accept the death and resurrection of Jesus on blind faith. God has given us enough solid evidence to be confident in its truth. Our faith is based on the foundation of the truth of the resurrection. Before we look at the direct evidence for the resurrection, we need to examine the authenticity of the biblical accounts.

                The reality of the resurrection is specifically stated in the four Gospels and permeates the rest of the New Testament. To put the Gospels in context, Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written around AD 58-60. While John was written between AD 85-95. The events of Jesus’ death and resurrection took place at about AD 35. Three of the Gospel accounts were written within 25 years of the actual event. The significance of this is that there would have been many people alive who actually witnessed these events who could have contested the Gospel accounts if they were not accurate. All four Gospels give genuine eyewitness accounts of these events.

                Probably the most compelling evidence for the validity of the resurrection is found in 1 Corinthians 15. The book of 1 Corinthians was written about AD 55, just 20 years after the events. We will examine this more closely later, but Paul challenged his readers to talk to the many eyewitnesses to the resurrection who were still alive at the time of his letter.

                In addition, there are extra-biblical records that affirm that Jesus was tried and crucified. The Jewish historian Josephus records not only the reality of the crucifixion, but records that it was reported that Jesus raised from the dead. Let us examine the evidence for the truth of the resurrection.

                First, we must explore the idea that Jesus never really died on the cross. There are some who suggest that Jesus was never crucified or that he just swooned on the cross and was later revived by his disciples.

                The historical fact that Jesus was crucified by order of Pontius Pilate is recorded in Matthew 27:11-26, Mark 15:1-15, Luke 22:66-23:25, John 18:28-19:16, as well as by Josephus.

                Before Jesus was crucified, he was flogged and cruelly mistreated. This would have substantially weakened him. (Matthew 27:27-31, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:1-5)

                Crucifixion was one of the cruelest forms of capital punishment. A man would be nailed to a cross, with the nails going through his wrists just below the palm of the hand and a single nail through his feet. Before his feet were nailed, his knees would be slightly bent. Once the cross was in place, the whole weight of the man’s body would be on his wrists. His chest would be constricted, restricting his breathing. He could push up with his legs to get a breath, but the pain would be excruciating. In addition, prisoners were routinely flogged before they were crucified causing them to bleed profusely. As the man became weaker and weaker, he would die of blood loss and asphyxiation.

                After Jesus died, the truth of this was confirmed when a soldier thrust his spear into Jesus’ side. Blood and water flowed out, indicating that the serum and red blood cells had already separated in Jesus’ body; a sure sign of death. (John 19:31-37)

                Jesus was placed in a tomb carved out of the rock. A large stone was rolled in front of the entrance that would have taken several men to remove. It would be impossible to move the stone from the inside. Given the extent of Jesus’ wounds and the weakness caused by his crucifixion, even if he was still barely alive when he was placed in the tomb, he would have quickly died in the cold, airless tomb. (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42)

                Directly after the resurrection, the Jewish religious leaders circulated a rumor that Jesus’ disciples had taken his body and then claimed he has risen from the dead. There are several pieces of evidence that counter this claim.

                The tomb was sealed and a guard of soldiers was placed at the tomb to keep anyone from removing the body of Jesus. This would have prohibited the disciples from taking the body. (Matthew 27:62-66)

                The women were the first to discover the empty tomb. In those days, the testimony of women was not considered valid. This points to the accuracy of the story. If the church was going to make up a story about the empty tomb, they would not have had the women be the first to discover it. (Matthew 28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-11, John 20:1-2)

                Upon examination by the disciples, it was discovered that the tomb was empty, but the grave clothes were still there. If someone was going to take the body, they would not leave the grave clothes. (Luke 24:12, John 20:3-9)

                The guards that had been posted reported all that had happened to the chief priests. The chief priests paid them money to spread a false story. (Matthew 28:11-15) The story does not hold water on a number of accounts. First, Roman guards would never fall asleep at their post. Second, if they had fallen asleep, how would they have known it was the disciples who took the body. Third, if the disciples tried to move the large stone with the guards there they would have surely been detected.

                Some have contended that the disciples of Jesus so much wanted Jesus to rise from the dead that they imagined that it really happened. Others contend that the resurrection was spiritual and not physical. There is good evidence that these objections are also not true.

                The first people to see the risen Jesus were women. Again, if a person were making up this story, they would not have even included the women. (Matthew 28:8-10, John 20:10-18)

                The disciples never anticipated the resurrection. They are not depicted as the heroes of this story, but as scared, dejected men, hiding from the authorities. John records that they were congregated in a locked room out of fear of the authorities. Although Jesus had told them several times that he would rise from the dead, they never understood it until after the fact.

                Jesus appeared to the disciples in a locked upper room. He gave them physical evidence that it was really him and not a ghost. He invited them to touch him and he ate some fish. (Luke 24:36-49, John 20:19-23)

                Jesus appeared to two other disciples on the road to Emmaus. At first, they did not recognize him, but when he broke bread and gave thanks, their eyes were opened and they saw that it was Jesus. (Luke 24:13-35)

                Jesus made a second appearance to the disciples in the upper room, this time with Thomas present. (John 20:24-31)

                 Jesus appeared to the disciples in Galilee. (Matthew 28:16-20, John 21:1-14)

                Paul records multiple encounters with Jesus, by various groups during the 40 days before his ascension.

    For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

                There are many today who want to deny the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. They contend that it is only myth and legend. But there is as much, if not far more, evidence for the truth of the resurrection as for any other ancient historical event. The evidence is before you. Each person must decide how they will respond. Is the resurrection of Jesus just a cleverly crafted myth, of a life changing reality? You must decide.