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Resurrection by Andrea Mantegna |
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of Christianity. Tim Keller said, “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn't rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.” For this post, let’s look at 10 reasons we have to believe that the Resurrection was a historical event that changed lives of those who were witnesses. If you’d like to read the sources for these ideas I recommend a few books at the end of this post.
1. The Empty Tomb
The empty tomb is a powerful piece of evidence for the Resurrection of Christ. The fact that the tomb of Jesus was found empty by his followers is widely attested in early Christian literature, including the four Gospels, and provides strong evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. The empty tomb cannot be explained by natural causes, such as grave robbers or a misplaced body, and is best explained by the Resurrection.
2. The Eyewitness Accounts
The Resurrection of Jesus is reported by multiple eyewitnesses in the New Testament, including the apostles and other early followers of Jesus. These eyewitnesses were willing to suffer persecution and death for their testimony, which provides strong evidence for the truth of their claims. The fact that multiple eyewitnesses reported seeing the risen Christ independently of one another also provides a strong argument for the historicity of the Resurrection.
3. The Changed Lives of the Disciples
The transformation of the disciples from fearful and disillusioned to bold and confident after the Resurrection is difficult to explain if the Resurrection did not occur. Before the Resurrection, the disciples were afraid and scattered, but after the Resurrection, they boldly proclaimed the Gospel message, even in the face of persecution and death. The fact that the disciples were willing to suffer and die for their belief in the Resurrection provides further evidence for the truth of the Resurrection.
4. The Testimony of Paul
Paul, a former persecutor of Christians, became one of the most influential advocates for the Resurrection of Jesus after a personal encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. Paul's testimony provides independent evidence for the Resurrection and is particularly significant because of his former opposition to Christianity. The fact that Paul was willing to suffer and die for his belief in the Resurrection also adds to the credibility of his testimony.
5. The Inability of Opponents to Refute the Resurrection
Despite early opposition to the Resurrection by Jewish and Roman authorities, there is no record of any successful attempt to refute the Resurrection. The fact that the opponents of Christianity were not able to produce evidence to disprove the Resurrection supports the truth of the Resurrection. If the Resurrection were a fabrication, it is likely that those who opposed Christianity would have been able to produce evidence to disprove it, but no such evidence exists.
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| He Lives by Simon Dewey |
6. The Historical Context
The historical context of the Resurrection, including the beliefs and practices of first-century Judaism and the Roman Empire, make it unlikely that the Resurrection was a myth or legend. The idea of a bodily resurrection was not part of the Jewish belief system at the time, and the Roman Empire was known for its skepticism toward such claims. The fact that the Resurrection was proclaimed and accepted by first-century Jews and Gentiles despite the cultural barriers to such a belief adds to its credibility.
7. The Consistency of the Accounts
The accounts of the Resurrection in the New Testament are consistent with one another and provide a coherent and compelling narrative of the events surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection. The fact that the accounts are consistent despite being written by different authors in different contexts adds to the credibility of the Resurrection.
8. The Credibility of the Witnesses
The eyewitnesses to the Resurrection were not only willing to suffer persecution and death for their testimony, but they were also credible witnesses. The apostles were not known for their deceitfulness or their desire for personal gain, which makes it unlikely that they would have fabricated the Resurrection. In addition, the Resurrection appearances were not limited to the apostles, but were also reported by other early followers of Jesus, which adds to their credibility.
9. The Lack of Alternative Explanations
None of the alternative explanations for the Resurrection, such as the swoon theory or the stolen body theory, are able to account for all of the available evidence. The swoon theory, which suggests that Jesus did not die on the cross but instead survived and recovered in the tomb, is implausible given the severity of his injuries and the fact that he was pronounced dead by Roman soldiers. The stolen body theory, which suggests that the disciples stole Jesus' body and then claimed he had risen from the dead, is unlikely given the fact that the disciples were not in a position to steal the body and would not have suffered persecution and death for a lie.
10. The Resurrection Appearances
The multiple appearances of Jesus to his followers after the Resurrection provide further evidence for the reality of the Resurrection and the validity of the Christian faith. These appearances were not limited to a single individual or group, but were reported by multiple eyewitnesses on different occasions. In addition, the appearances were not subjective experiences or hallucinations, but were physical encounters with a risen and tangible Jesus, which adds to their credibility. The fact that the appearances ceased after a certain point also suggests that they were not the result of a group delusion or hallucination.
Finally, a few books you can read to get even greater details and more reasons to believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1. The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright
2. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
3. Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics by William Lane Craig
4. The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach by Michael R. Licona
5. Did Jesus Rise From the Dead? The Resurrection Debate by Gary Habermas and Antony Flew
Bonus Book: The Tim Keller quote was from The Reason for God: Belief in the Age of Skepticism
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from God the Father
and from Jesus Christ,
the Father’s Son,
will be with us
in truth and love.”
2 John 1:3
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