How Did Jesus Rise From The Dead

Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? Evidence of The Resurrection

Brittany Yesudasan is a model and actress. Many people all across the world participate in some form in the Easter celebration. The majority of people in the United States celebrate Easter with colored-egg hunts and Easter bunnies. Christians mark the day with jubilant worship services and a reminder that “He has risen from the dead.” Have you ever heard someone say something like this? Christians gather on Easter Sunday to remind one another that Jesus resurrected from the grave for several reasons.

The idea that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the tomb three days later is a fundamental part of the Christian faith.

The miracle of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead has been examined and argued for hundreds of years and continues to this day.

Fortunately, if you are prepared to hunt for it, there is a wealth of material available to you that may assist you in learning more about the subject.

Why Is It Important That Jesus Rose From the Dead?

You might have a lot of beliefs about Jesus while being skeptical about His resurrection. The fact that Jesus was crucified and died is acknowledged by many religions, but they do not accept that He rose from the dead. Jesus did indeed rise from the grave, and the fact that he did so is essential to the Christian belief. According to one group of Christians, Paul, an early Christian leader and author of most of the New Testament, stated, “If Christ has not been risen, our message is futile, and your faith is worthless” (1 Corinthians 15:14, New International Version).

On the contrary, he is asserting that the resurrection of Jesus is at the heart of the Christian religion — and that it is so vital that there is no Christian faith at all if it is not observed.

To Fulfill the Old Testament Prophecy

Today, you have the advantage of being able to read the whole Bible, including both the portion written before the time of Jesus, known as the Old Testament, and the portion written after, known as the New Testament, in one sitting. The 66 books that make up the Old and New Testaments are all part of a single tale that is continuous throughout. It is impossible to separate the Old Testament from the New Testament. A Messiah (a Savior) was on the way, and God promised His people throughout the Old Testament that He would come to transform the way they lived.

  • God revealed to the Israelites the particular signs and characteristics that would distinguish the one who would be sent by Himself.
  • He desires for you to be able to identify what He is doing at all times.
  • There were many, yet He saw to it that they were all met.
  • Even though the Messiah would experience death, His body would not deteriorate because He would rise from the dead again.

As a reminder of His death, all he had were the markings on his hands and feet, as well as the wound in his side. Christians believe that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is vital because He was required to rise from the grave in order to fulfill the predictions of the Old Testament.

To Confirm Jesus’ Own Words

According to the Gospels — the four books of the New Testament that chronicle the account of Jesus’ life — Jesus frequently referenced passages from the Old Testament to His closest friends, referring to what would take place during the week of His crucifixion and rising, according to the Gospels. He spoke with them using parables, which are tales or brief sayings that demonstrate a truth about God and His character. This enabled them to make connections between events after they had occurred, allowing them to comprehend what had occurred.

However, many of them were unable to comprehend what He was saying.

Being crucified did not fit into this notion.

And that was even after Jesus stated the obvious:From that point on, Jesus began explaining to His disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the chief priests and teachers of the law, and that He must be crucified on the third day and raised to life on the fourth day, as well as many other things.

“Never, Lord!” he said emphatically.

(Matthew 16:21-22, New International Version) As Jesus explained what was going to take place to his followers, he also promised them that He would be resurrected to life again.

By His Life, We Live

Many people do not believe that the fact that Jesus is still alive has any substantial influence on their religious beliefs. Perhaps you believe that Christianity is governed by a complex set of laws and that good actions win one’s ticket into Heaven. Some faiths, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, function on this or a similar principle. Nevertheless, according to the Bible, when you become a disciple of Jesus, you enter into a relationship with him. This relationship is not dependent on your actions, but rather on what Jesus accomplished.

  1. All humans are deserving of God’s wrath as a result of this.
  2. Despite the fact that He was sinless, He died on the cross in place of you and me.
  3. Not only did He have to die for you, but He also had to vanquish death in order to save you from yourself.
  4. Because He is alive, His disciples will continue to live even after they have died physically.
  5. Furthermore, Christ is the Son of God who came to earth in the shape of a man.

Humans are unable to return to life once they have died. In the event that He had stayed dead, it would have called into question the claim that He was the Son of God. By appearing alive and healthy, He validates what He has revealed about Himself as the Son of God in the past.

Is There Evidence That Jesus Rose From the Dead?

You may read the Gospels for yourself if you so desire. The Gospels are more than just a collection of stories. They are true, verifiable tales of real-life events that have impacted history and the Christian religion as we know it. The way they conduct themselves has a direct influence on your life. Many arguments exist to think that the events described in the Gospels regarding Jesus rising from the grave are accurate.

Jesus Really Died

The claims of Christians that Jesus died and resurrected from the grave have been explored by a number of people over the course of history. Various theories have been advanced regarding Jesus’ resurrection, but one thing that virtually everyone agrees on is that Jesus was a genuine person who lived and was executed by the Romans in the manner described in the New Testament. However, in order for Jesus to rise from the grave, he would have had to have died in the first place. There is significant suggestion that Jesus was never truly dead in the traditional sense.

  • But, without a doubt, Jesus died.
  • One of the Roman soldiers poked a spear into Jesus’ side as they prepared to lower him from the crucifixion, according to tradition.
  • When such a combination occurs, it implies cardiac failure, which should be sufficient evidence for anybody to conclude that Jesus was indeed dead – totally aside from the fact that He was impaled!
  • If they were found to have failed in their duty to execute someone, they would be held accountable – and they would very certainly lose their lives as a result.
  • Furthermore, all stories agree that Jesus was really buried in a tomb after his death.
  • He would not have been buried if his own disciples did not likewise accept without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was, in fact, no longer alive.

It’s Not a Later Legend

Some have hypothesized that the tale of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was a fiction that evolved later on — long after the real event of His death — and that it was fabricated to support a religious belief. If this were to be accurate, it would be a compelling cause to cast doubt on the narrative. No one would have been able to substantiate the events that took place decades ago. However, the tales of Jesus that were written down occurred within a few decades of his crucifixion, and the stories contained within those accounts had been passed about for years before they were recorded.

All of this occurred when those who were present at the time of the events were still alive and able to confirm or deny the narrative.

The Tomb Was Empty

The empty tomb is one of the most perplexing aspects of the tale for people who aren’t sure what to make of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. It is also one of the most difficult to comprehend. There are a lot of questions raised by this. Is it possible that they didn’t truly bury Jesus’ body at all? The grave where He is claimed to have been buried belonged to a famous Jewish leader, according to legend. His burial site would not have been hidden or difficult to find. Perhaps a more inconspicuous place would have been more appropriate if the disciples were attempting to concoct a narrative about an empty tomb.

  1. The narrative of Jesus’ resurrection is said to have spread quickly among his disciples when it occurred, according to historical records.
  2. In addition, Roman soldiers were stationed outside the tomb, and the entry was barred from the outside.
  3. The fact that Romans and high-ranking Jewish authorities accused Jesus’ followers of taking the body was the most compelling evidence in support of the empty tomb.
  4. They might have just stated that the corpse did not appear at the tomb, and if the body did not leave the tomb, they could have simply stated that the tomb they were guarding had been left undisturbed.
  5. “Take a look around for yourself.” However, rather than contesting the fact that the tomb was empty, they accused others of stealing the deceased’s body.

People Saw Him Alive

Women were among the first to see Jesus’ resurrection, according to the Bible, who was raised from the dead. Interestingly, the fact that followers of Jesus assert that the earliest witnesses to the live Jesus were women provides evidence that the tale is correct. The testimony of a woman was not highly regarded in Jewish society at the time in question. For example, if the disciples had concocted the entire story in order to put out a realistic and persuasive case, they would very certainly have stated that someone, most likely a notable individual, was the first to see Jesus.

If not for the fact that they were the first witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection, people who say he rose from the dead would resort to witnesses who were unlikely to be believed.

According to the Bible, there were once more than 500 witnesses there at the same moment.

Hallucinations, on the other hand, occur on an individual basis.

There has never been a documented instance of a collective hallucination in history. It is reasonable to think that if so many individuals at the time were in agreement about what they observed, it is reasonable to infer that they were speaking the truth.

His Followers Stuck to Their Story

Because of Jesus’ arrest and subsequent death, his followers were caught completely off guard. They spent the day following His death alone, dispersed, befuddled, and in mourning. They had been vanquished. These guys would go on to be outspoken supporters of the Christian message in their respective communities. Jesus had 12 close followers, who are referred to as His “disciples” in popular culture. One of these individuals, Judas, had betrayed Jesus and then committed himself as a result of his actions.

  1. In the end, ten of them were executed for their testimony that Jesus was alive, while the eleventh was deported and imprisoned.
  2. However, they continued even when they were presented with the decision of either abandoning their message and confessing it was a fraud or losing their lives.
  3. According to the only explanation for such a shift in attitude, the disciples were convinced that they had saw Jesus alive and well following His crucifixion and that the fact that He had survived was worth dying for.
  4. Why would so many men give their lives for something they were well aware was false?
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Have Faith and Seek Truth

The importance of asking the question “Did Jesus actually resurrect from the dead?” cannot be overstated. God does not require His children to believe blindly in order to please Him. Despite the fact that there are some things that we as humans can never fully comprehend, God provides us with answers when we seek them from Him. When you question anything, it is not improper to do so since the Truth will never fail you when you question it. You may have trust in what the Bible teaches because it is true.

Because the more we study about what God’s Word has to say and the more we strive to grasp it, the clearer the answers will become.

Continue to investigate on your spiritual path.

Learn more about what distinguishes faith in Christ from other faiths.

What Does Cru Believe?

Cru is a Christian group that strives to ensure that all people are allowed to have open and honest discussions about their faith and about Jesus Christ. Cru believes that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and that it is accurate and without mistake. In addition, Cru may be sure in the Bible’s historical accuracy because it contains information and events that have been historically proven. Despite the fact that it was authored by many different persons over a lengthy period of time, the Bible does not contain any contradictions.

He lived a flawless life and was sentenced to death on a cross as a punishment.

Not only does Cru believe this to be accurate because it is recorded in God’s Word, the Bible, but also because it is an event that has been corroborated by other historical records and has withstood the test of time.

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The Case for Christ: What’s the evidence for the resurrection?

Strobel, a writer for the Chicago Tribune and a Yale Law School graduate, wrote “The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus” in 1998, which was released in English and Spanish. Strobel had previously been an atheist, but after his wife’s conversion to evangelical Christianity, he felt obligated to challenge some of the central Christian claims about Jesus. While the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection was the most important of these assertions, additional claims included the belief in Jesus as the actual Son of God and the veracity of the New Testament literature, among others.

It went on to become one of the most widely read and widely distributed works of Christian apologetic (that is, a defense of the rationality and correctness of Christianity) in history.

The film makes an attempt to present a persuasive argument for the historical accuracy of Jesus’ resurrection.

Are all of Strobel’s arguments relevant?

According to the film’s producers, the evidence supporting the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection is the film’s core subject. Several of its arguments, on the other hand, are not immediately applicable to this situation. According to Strobel, the fact that there are over 5,000 Greek copies of the New Testament in existence, which is significantly more than any other ancient literature, is a significant point in his argument. He does this in order to show that we may be reasonably certain that the original forms of the New Testament books have been faithfully conveyed.

There are fewer than ten papyrus texts from the second century that have survived, and many of them are extremely fragmented.

If these second-century copies are true, all we have left are first-century documents claiming that Jesus was risen from the grave, which isn’t very encouraging. In no way does this demonstrate the historicity of the resurrection.

What do the New Testament writings prove?

One of the most important arguments in the film is drawn from the New Testament book known as First Corinthians, which was written by the Apostle Paul to a group of Christians in Corinth in order to resolve conflicts that had developed in their society. Paul is believed to have written this letter in the year 52, around 20 years after the death of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul provides a list of the persons who have seen the resurrected Jesus in their lives. The New Testament is a book of scripture that was written in the first century AD.

  1. Many academics think that Paul is referring from a far older Christian faith, which may have formed only a few years after Jesus’ death and was adopted by the church.
  2. Indeed, many New Testament scholars would agree that some of Jesus’ disciples believed they had seen him alive only a few weeks or months after his death, and that this belief was supported by other witnesses.
  3. It is not uncommon for people to experience visions of their deceased relatives: Thirteen percent of those polled in a research of over 20,000 people claimed to have seen the dead.
  4. To put it another way, sightings of the rising Jesus are not nearly as uncommon as Strobel would have us believe they are.

A miracle or not?

But what about the 500 persons who witnessed Jesus’ resurrection at the same time? First and foremost, biblical scholars are baffled as to what incident Paul is alluding to in this passage. The “day of Pentecost” (Acts 2:1) is said to be a reference to the Holy Spirit bestowing miraculous abilities on members of the Christian community in Jerusalem, allowing them to communicate in languages that were previously unknown to them. However, according to one major researcher, this incident was added to the list of resurrection appearances by Paul, and the origins of the event remain unclear.

  1. Second, even if Paul is reporting truthfully, his claims are no more credible than those of vast numbers of individuals who claim to have witnessed an apparition of the Virgin Mary or a UFO.
  2. The fact that Jesus’ tomb was empty on Easter morning, according to Strobel, is the greatest explanation for this event.
  3. There is substantial evidence to suggest that the Romans did not generally remove victims from crosses after they had died in battle.
  4. But even if we believe that the tomb was indeed empty that morning, what evidence do we have that it was a miracle rather than the corpse of Christ being moved for unknown reasons?

Miracles are, by definition, exceedingly improbable events, and I see no reason to believe that one has occurred when alternative explanations are considerably more likely to be correct.

Who are the experts?

Aside from all of the obvious flaws in Strobel’s presentation, I feel that Strobel has made no genuine effort to include a diverse range of academic viewpoints in his presentation. As part of the film, Strobel travels around the country, interviewing professors and other professionals about the historical significance of Jesus’ resurrection. In his book, Strobel describes the experts he interviewed as “renowned scholars and authority who have impeccable academic credentials.” The movie does not explain how Strobel selected the experts he interviewed.

“We affirm that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, though written by men, was supernaturally inspired by God so that all of its words are written true revelation of God; it is therefore inerrant in the originals and authoritative in all matters,” states the faculty application for Liberty University, for example.

Many of the other experts he interviews for his book have connections that are comparable to his own.

(I believe there are around 10,000 professional biblical scholars in the world at this time.) His arguments for the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection were compelling, according to an email response I received in response to my query regarding whether most professional biblical academics would find his arguments persuasive.

Furthermore, Dr.

At the end of the day, though, each individual must come to his or her own conclusion on the Christ case.

No compelling evidence

The Easter Cross is a symbol of hope and resurrection. Artist Sharon’s Art4TheGlryOfGod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. According to Strobel, if he had polled experts at public institutions, private colleges and universities (many of which have religious affiliations), or denominational seminaries, the results of his poll would have been very different. Many Christian apologists, like Lee Strobel, assert that the primary reason secular scholars do not acknowledge the historicity of the resurrection is because they have a “anti-supernatural prejudice,” which is consistent with what Strobel says in the statement above.

Although some Christians believe in miracles, I believe that apologists such as Gary Habermas are equally as anti-supernaturalist when it comes to miraculous claims involving later Catholic saints or miracles from non-Christian religious traditions that occur after the beginning of Christian history.

While such astonishing claims abound in the world today, I believe that “The Case for Christ” has failed to give persuasive proof that Jesus’ resurrection was historically accurate.

What Skeptical Scholars Admit about the Resurrection Appearances of Jesus

On June 26, 2000, the television network ABC broadcasted a documentary titled The Search for Jesus. Peter Jennings, the network’s most prominent news anchor, conducted interviews with liberal and conservative experts of early Christianity to learn more about what we may learn about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection from historical records. The series came to a close with a powerful speech from New Testament scholar Paula Fredriksen, who is not herself a Christian. In response to questions about Jesus’ post-Resurrection appearances, Fredriksen stated, “I know that what they saw was the risen Jesus in their own words.” That’s what they claim, and then all of the historical information we have afterwards confirms their belief that this is exactly what they witnessed.

  • I was not present.
  • But, as a historian, I’m confident that they must have witnessed something significant.
  • Fredriksen is not the only one who believes that these followers must have witnessed something unusual.
  • This is what sparked the birth of the world’s most populous religion.
  • Two thousand years later, the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection is being preached by billions of Christians in almost every country and in nearly every language spoken on the face of the planet Earth.
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A Bedrock Confession

Following the death and resurrection of Jesus, according to the earliest source we have for the event, a hidden pearl contained inside 1 Corinthians 15, Jesus appeared to a number of individuals and organizations, as well as at least one adversary. According to practically all experts, this creedal tradition goes back to a period of five years after Jesus’ death on the cross. We can trace our lineage back to the early years of the Christian movement in Jerusalem, to the foundational confession of the very first disciples of Jesus, thanks to the use of this source.

  • After then, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, the vast majority of them are still alive, but some have passed away, according to the records.
  • There is no other inventory of Resurrection appearances like this anywhere else in the New Testament, or even in all of ancient literature, to compare.
  • As well as this, we discover that Jesus appeared to three groups of people: the Twelve (excluding Judas), more than 500 early followers, and the entire assembly of apostles.
  • When Paul indicates that the majority of them are still alive, he takes a risk with his reputation and puts it on the line.
  • The fact that reliable eyewitness testimony to the risen Jesus was easily accessible in the decades following his resurrection might be seen as evidence of this.
  • K.
  • Mary Magdalene also fits on the list of important eyewitnesses because she, like the other eyewitnesses, was easily accessible to be questioned about her encounter with the resurrected Jesus after his resurrection.

Ehrman in his book How Jesus Became God, that Mary Magdalene “enjoys such prominence in all of the Gospel Resurrection accounts, despite the fact that she is almost missing anywhere else in the Gospels.” In the whole New Testament, she is mentioned just once in connection with Jesus during his public ministry (Luke 8:1–3), yet despite this, she is always the first to report that Jesus has been risen from the dead.

What is the reason behind this?

It was bestowed to Mary Magdalene the distinction of being not only the first person in history to view the resurrected Jesus, but also the first person in history to announce, “I have seen the Lord!” (See also John 20:18.) Whatever it was that these eyewitnesses witnessed changed their lives to the point that they were prepared to suffer and die as a result.

On his excursions around the Roman Empire, he was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, hungry, and lost at sea, and he was always in risk of being attacked by every kind of evil.

For example, Peter was nailed on a cross. James had been stoned. Paul was executed by beheading. Whatever it was that they witnessed was worth risking their lives for. They sealed their testimony with the blood of their victims.

The Magic Wand of ‘Mass Hysteria’

Some historians have hypothesized that the eyewitnesses to the Resurrection were just hallucinating in order to explain away these appearances of the Resurrection. Dale Allison, a New Testament scholar, has written a great book, Resurrecting Jesus, in which he analyzes the scientific research and literature on hallucinations that have been published. He finds that in documented occurrences, there are four things that do not occur, as follows: (or rarely happen). For starters, hallucinations are seldom witnessed by many individuals or groups over a prolonged period of time, according to research.

Third, no evidence has ever been shown to support the claim that a deceased person has been revived.

(It’s also worth noting that hallucinations are not often associated with the founding of global movements or the establishment of world religions.) Nonetheless, in the case of Jesus’ resurrection appearances, every single one of these extremely unusual or seemingly impossible situations has come to occur in the same instance.

Even if one person has a hallucination, twelve people at the same time?

“These are valid concerns, and waving the magical wand of’mass hysteria’ will not make them go away.” “Mass hysteria is not a panacea for all problems.”

Cautious Agnosticism

In the face of such a compelling historical record, the only alternative option offered by credible experts is some form of “I don’t know.” “That Jesus’ followers (and later Paul) had Resurrection experiences is, in my opinion, a fact,” argues noted New Testament scholar E. P. Sanders in The Historical Figure of Jesus. “That Jesus’ followers (and later Paul) had Resurrection experiences is, in my opinion, a fact.” “I have no idea what the reality was that gave rise to the experiences.” Jordan Peterson, a well-known professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, is also included in this group of individuals.

Upon being questioned explicitly if Jesus had truly arose from the grave, Peterson said, “I’d need to think about it for approximately three more years before I’d even attempt a response beyond what I’ve already said.” The cautious-point agnostic’s of view is one that ought to be heard.

Nonetheless, if someone with an open mind and heart, such as Peterson, pursues the evidence wherever it goes, I am confident that he will find himself at Jesus’ feet, saying with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” (See also John 20:28.)

Convincing Horatio

The remarkable character of Jesus’ resurrection reminds me of a moment from Shakespeare’sHamlet, which is one of my favorite scenes in all of literature. The play starts with the “wondrous weird” apparition of Hamlet’s deceased father to Bernardo and Marcellus, and then to Hamlet’s friend Horatio, which are described as “wondrous odd” in nature. As the skeptic of the group, Horatio is challenged by Hamlet to reconsider his skepticism about supernatural events in the following exchange: But this is amazing weird!

  • In any case, as a stranger, please accept my greetings.
  • When Shakespeare communicates via Hamlet, he is advising us to be prepared for the unthinkable.
  • It is, without a doubt, marvelous and weird that the ghost of Hamlet’s father is coming to people, but do not dismiss it just on the basis of this fact.
  • Everything in our magnificent planet (and beyond) is happening at a faster rate than you can possibly fathom.
  • The ancient world, as well as present times, should be viewed with an open mind when miraculous claims are made.

The most crucial question to ask about any miracle claim is, “What proof do you have to back up your claim?” After all, even from the most critical researchers’ perspective, we have seen that the weight of the historical evidence attests that a large number of persons and groups thought they had seen the rising Jesus.

  1. What makes you think they’re lying?
  2. Moreover, we may go beyond the first century to discover how believing in the Resurrection lay the groundwork for all of Western civilization, inspiring some of the world’s greatest works of art and literature as well as works of music, film, philosophy, morals, and ethics.
  3. And if all of that isn’t enough, let our Horatios look around at the billions of people all across the globe who are willing to attest to how the living Christ has altered their lives right before their eyes.
  4. They have discovered in Christ all of the treasures of wisdom and understanding that can be found.
  5. They are looking for it in you.
  6. Before Easter goes away into the shuffle of regular life, ask your neighbor: What (or who) did all those witnesses witness and how did they perceive it?
  7. This is indeed a wondrous strangeness!
  8. Justin Bass is a professor of New Testament at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary in Amman, Jordan, where he lives with his wife and children.

[This article is also accessible in the following languages: Espanol and Portuguese.]

Opinion: Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

  • Easter, according to Jay Parini, is the most important day in the Christian calendar. People differ in their belief in the literality of the resurrection
  • The Gospel accounts of it are ambiguous as to what took place. He claims that they don’t bother with that aspect. Jesus appears in post-Resurrection narratives, but he is not recognized by the authors, according to him. Parini: Various versions claim that most of what happened was gossip. However, the message of Easter’s rebirth persists.

As Easter approaches, the minds of billions of Christians gravitate to Jerusalem, to a hallowed weekend that commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the resurrected Christ. It goes without saying that individuals take these occurrences at varied levels of literalness. Easter, on the other hand, retains its force. It is, in fact, the most important Christian holiday, as the Gospels devote a great deal of attention to this aspect of Jesus’ life. When they describe Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and the final week leading up to his crucifixion on Good Friday, they are describing the uncertain stillness of Holy Saturday, when the world appears to have slipped into complete darkness, and then they are describing the joy of the Resurrection itself, with the sense that boundaries have been broken – most aggressively, the membrane that separates life from death.

  • Of course, there will be questions.
  • What would it look like in practice?
  • Indeed, if you pay great attention to the Gospel accounts, it is difficult to determine what truly occurred.
  • In other words, we never see Jesus come to life.
  • There are several different accounts of who showed up at the grave that morning: In this scene, Mary Magdalene, a close companion of Jesus, appears either alone or with Mary, his mother, and Salome (who is either Mary’s sister or the mother of the apostles James and John).
  • To her surprise, she discovers that the stone has been rolled away.
  • They appear to be under the impression that someone has stolen the body.

After some time has passed, she returns to the crypt, where she is greeted by two angels dressed in white.

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She believes he is the gardener, and when he addresses her by her given name, she knows the voice if not the face.

The sightings of Jesus after his resurrection are quite variable.

As a result, they are unable to identify him, suggesting that he has not resurfaced in a previously recognized form.

When he prays over the bread before eating, they just realize who he is, and he vanishes very instantly – poof.

Even his closest disciples are surprised when Jesus appears to them.

The following passages from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (15:5-8) serve as a form of overview of Jesus’ post-Resurrection appearances: “Cephas was the first to see him, and then the Twelve.

He then revealed himself to James, and subsequently to the rest of the apostles.

But the last apparition, which takes place on the Road to Damascus, is mostly insignificant, as Paul hears a voice from the Lord saying: “I am Jesus whom you persecute,” and then dies.

These descriptions of what transpired after Easter reveal that a variety of different rumors spread about the Resurrection, and the four Gospels reflect the variety of stories that were shared about Jesus’ death and resurrection.

During one instance, Jesus asks Thomas, the renowned doubter, to place his finger on the wound in his side to demonstrate that he is indeed present.

His followers are taken aback when they see him eating “a piece of broiled fish” and swallowing honey, according to Luke’s Gospel.

His resurrection did not consist in just getting up and walking away from the tomb and returning to his normal life on the street, as Lazarus did.

Christian thought, on the other hand, is Resurrection thinking. It is about rebirth or reawakening in a variety of ways, as well as about spiritual and moral reform and development. Easter brings with it the truly good news of the world. CNNOpinion may be found on Twitter @CNNOpinion.

Why Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

What was the reason for Jesus’ resurrection? According to 1 Peter 1:3, his resurrection provides us with at least two life-changing benefits: a living hope and the opportunity to begin anew in Christ. Let’s take a look at these twin truths—these twin promises—in the context of the New Testament’s greater message.

Raised to Provide a Living Hope

Death is a dreadful thing to experience. The majority of individuals are understandably apprehensive about their own deaths. And, since human existence is about connections, the loss of loved ones robs us of the relationships that we cherish the most in this world. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, believers of Christ do not confront death in the same way as people who have lost hope do (1 Thess. 4:13). The lines “Death has been swallowed up in victory” mark the conclusion of Paul’s monumental exposition of the significance of Jesus’ resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15.

  • Where has your sting gone, O Death?
  • Death was eliminated and “life and immortality” were brought to light as a result of his resurrection (2 Tim.
  • But what exactly is the essence of this hope, and how does it function in practice?
  • 12:1–2 teaches that many Jews in Jesus’ day believed in a universal resurrection of all people that would usher in a new age at the end of time (Dan.
  • “I know he will rise again at the resurrection at the final day,” Martha says to Jesus after he assures her that her dead brother, Lazarus, will live again (John 11:24).
  • Even while Lazarus’ resurrection was amazing, it pales in comparison to Jesus’ resurrection.
  • He got to his feet in order to return to life as it had been before he died.

Lazarus is threatened with death right after the next chapter is finished!

The resurrection of Jesus, on the other hand, is a very other story.

The resurrection of his life brought him to a new life beyond death, to a new level of existence.

His resurrection signaled the beginning of a new era in human history.

What took everyone by surprise was that God performed for Jesus in the midst of history what the majority of Jews believed he would perform at the conclusion of history.

What took everyone by surprise was that God performed for Jesus in the midst of history what the majority of Jews believed he would perform at the conclusion of history.

Jesus is the prototype of a new humanity, the first automobile of its kind to roll off the production line in the United States.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who will “change our humble bodies so that they will be like his magnificent body” (Phil. 3:20–21) at the time of his second coming. We have a live hope as a result of his death and resurrection.

Raised to Walk in Newness of Life

Fortunately, we don’t have to wait until we die or until Jesus comes in order to enjoy resurrection life. We are now living as individuals who are a part of the new age. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is essential for understanding what it means to follow him and be a member of God’s people. “Christ was risen in so that we, too, could walk in newness of life,” says the Bible (Rom. 6:4). What does it mean to live in the present as those who have been resurrected with Christ? Colossians 3 provides some further information.

We must fight the temptations to immorality in sexual matters, greed, idolatry, rage, and unwholesome speech, among other things.

The resurrection of Jesus also inspires us to offer sacrifices in worship.

28:9).

We’ll Suffer with Him

More somberly, because we have witnessed the power of Jesus’ resurrection in the here and now, we should anticipate to share in his sufferings in the future (Phil. 3:10). The life of a resurrected person is no stroll in the park. To be resurrected with Christ implies that we must die to the way we have been spending our lives out of selfish self-interest. When it comes to love, sacrifice is required, and the ultimate triumph against sin, death, and the Devil will not be achieved until our own resurrection bodies are ready to be assembled.

This triumph, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, should redeem all of our days; it should pardon our sins, erase our worries, embolden us to thank you and obey your will; and it should fortify us to wait for the culmination of your reign on the last great Day.

Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: The following essay on the resurrection of Jesus Christ is an excerpt from the new Apologetics Study Bible published by the B H Publishing Group of LifeWay Christian Resources, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The more than 100 essays and other elements of the study Bible are devoted to defending the Christian faith. The Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California, is where William Lane Craig works as a research professor of philosophy. NASHVILLE, Tenn.

As historians, we must first determine which facts about the life of Jesus of Nazareth can be credibly established on the basis of evidence, and then consider which explanation is the most likely to explain those facts.

At least four facts regarding the real Jesus are largely acknowledged among New Testament historians today, according to the most recent research.

This information is extremely significant because it indicates that the site of Jesus’ tomb was known in Jerusalem by both Jews and Christians at the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

The material (which dates back to before A.D.

2.

3.

4.

5.

These and other considerations have led the vast majority of New Testament scholars to accept the notion that Jesus was in fact buried by Joseph of Arimathea in a tomb.

The following are some of the factors that have influenced the majority of academics to reach this conclusion: When Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 that Jesus “was buried, that He was resurrected on the third day,” he is referring to the ancient tradition that has been passed down to him.

The tale of the empty tomb is further supported by repeated and independent testimony in the source material of Mark, Matthew, and John, some of which is quite early.

The tale of the empty tomb as told in Mark, our earliest source, is straightforward and shows no evidence of having been exaggerated as a myth or fable.

Given the fact that women’s evidence was viewed as untrustworthy in Jewish patriarchal culture, the fact that women, rather than males, were the primary witnesses to the empty tomb is best explained by the narrative’s being accurate.

For these and other grounds, the biblical account of Jesus’ empty tomb is regarded as trustworthy by the vast majority of academics.

On several instances and under a variety of situations, different people and organizations claimed to have seen Jesus alive after He was crucified.

The list of eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection appearances, which is quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, provides strong evidence that such appearances took place, given its early date as well as Paul’s personal acquaintance with the people involved.

The list of eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection appearances, which is quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, provides strong evidence that such appearances took place.

The appearance tales in the Gospels give various, independent attestations to the appearances of the characters.

Finally, Fact 4: Despite having every reason to assume the opposite, the initial disciples unexpectedly and truly came to believe that Jesus had risen from the grave.

2.

In accordance with Jewish beliefs about the afterlife, no one could be raised from the dead to glory and immortality prior to a general resurrection of the dead that would take place at the end of the world.

Finally, we arrive at our second concern: what is the most reasonable explanation for these four facts?

McCullagh outlines six tests that historians apply to evaluate which explanation is the most appropriate for a particular set of historical facts.

It has a wide range of explaining possibilities.

2.

For example, it explains why the corpse of Jesus went missing, why many have reported seeing Jesus alive on multiple occasions despite His prior public killing, and so forth.

It has a reasonable chance of success.

4.

All that is required is one extra hypothesis: the existence of God.

It is consistent with widely accepted ideas.

That belief is accepted by the Christian with the same enthusiasm with which he embraces the notion that God raised Jesus from the dead.

Various other explanations for the facts have been advanced throughout history, including the conspiracy hypothesis, the seeming death theory, the hallucination idea, and so on.

In reality, no naturalistic idea has drawn the attention of a large number of academics.

We have strong historical justifications for responding in the positive to our question.

Rather than doing a historical investigation into this event because they lack the finances, skills, or leisure, the vast majority of Christians have learned about Jesus’ resurrection via a personal contact with the living Lord (Romans 8:9-17). –30–

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