THE RESURRECTION: MYTH OR REALITY

 1 Corinthians 15:17

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

                People have debated the reality of the resurrection of Jesus since his death and burial. Is it true or is it a cleverly devised story? Whether we believe in the resurrection or not it has had a major influence on all of humanity. The story of the resurrection has become a major pivot point in human history. Contrary to the push to substitute CE (common era) for AD (In the year of our Lord), the life death, and resurrection of Jesus has shaped western civilization and much of the world.

                Every year, as we approach the Easter holiday, the question of Jesus’ resurrection comes to the forefront. The resurrection of Jesus is a historical event that demands a response. We can choose to deny it or we can accept it. If we deny it, then we have to also erase all that Jesus did and taught. If we accept it, then we must bring our life in line with all that Jesus did and taught. It is not a small matter. It is the most important question every person must answer. How will you respond to the story of the resurrection?

                As a follower of Jesus, I find it encouraging at this time of the year to stop and reflect upon the evidence for the truth of the resurrection. I invite you to examine the evidence for yourself and decide how you will respond.

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

2. Jesus was flogged and cruelly mistreated before his crucifixion. Matthew 27:27-31, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:1-5

3. 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.

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

5. 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

6. The tomb was sealed and a guard of soldiers was placed at the tomb to keep anyone from removing the body of Jesus. Matthew 27:62-66

7. 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. Matthew 28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-11, John 20:1-2

8. 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

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. The story does not hold water on a number of accounts. Roman soldiers would never sleep on duty, on pain of death. If they were asleep, how could they know who took the body. If they saw the disciples taking the body, why didn’t they stop them. Matthew 28:11-15

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

11. 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.

12. Jesus appeared to the disciples in a locked upper room. He gave them physical evidence that it was really him and not a ghost. Luke 24:36-49, John 20:19-23

13. Jesus appeared to two other disciples on the road to Emmaus. Luke 24:13-35

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

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

16. Paul records multiple encounters with Jesus, by various groups during the 40 days before his ascension. He invited his readers to verify his story. 1 Corinthians 15: 3-8

         There is no doubt that on that fateful Sunday morning the tomb of Jesus was empty. The questions we are left with are how and why?