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.
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