Question 48 – Is there proof of Jesus' resurrection?

"I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead." – Thomas Arnold, former Professor of History at Rugby and Oxford, author of the three-volume "History of Rome" [6].

We approach a profoundly impactful and provocative event, one that has sparked a multitude of entirely contrasting opinions and emotions. For some, the resurrection of Jesus is the inseparable foundation of their faith and hope in eternal life; for others, it seems a mere tale and a ridiculous attempt to exploit the naïveté of the simple and unlearned. Consider the controversial statement by Sir Lionel Luckhoo, recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful lawyer in the world for his legal precision. This lawyer scrutinized the core of Christianity—the resurrection of Jesus. After many years of investigation, he concluded:

"I say unequivocally that the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt." [2]

The analysis of arguments upon which Lionel Luckhoo (and many others) relied would go beyond both my capabilities and the scope of this book. However, allow me to briefly outline the main reasons that attest to the historical resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Both proponents and critics of the Christian faith acknowledge that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a cornerstone of Christian belief. As the Apostle Paul once wrote:

"And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:14)

 Paul based his entire argument on the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. He either rose from the dead or he did not. Disprove this pillar of Christian doctrine, and you dismantle Christianity itself. It is worth noting that many have indeed tried to do this. Not a few have found themselves on their knees under the weight of the evidence, acknowledging Jesus as risen and as the living God.

How did this happen?

Jesus' death was a public execution. Religious leaders labeled it a punishment for blasphemy. According to Jesus himself, the reason was that this was how He would pay for our sins. After being brutally tortured, Jesus' wrists and feet were nailed to a cross, upon which He hung, slowly dying of asphyxiation. Then, they pierced His side with a spear to confirm His death. Jesus' body was wrapped in linen and embalmed with a sticky mixture of spices weighing over thirty kilograms (about seventy pounds). The body was placed in a tomb carved into the rock, sealed with a one-and-a-half to two-ton stone rolled to its entrance. Because Jesus publicly declared that He would rise from the dead after three days, a guard of disciplined Roman soldiers was placed in front of the tomb.

The guard likely affixed an official Roman seal to the entrance, marking the tomb as the property of the Roman Empire [7].

Despite all these precautions, the body was gone on the third day. Only the burial cloths remained. The stone that had covered the entrance was rolled away.

Official Explanation (Biblical)

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me." (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

Alternative Theories of the Skeptics

The mere assertion that someone could rise from the dead is naturally provocative. It stands to reason that many people have sought alternative explanations for the event. Some of the most commonly proposed explanations include [1]:

1) The Disciples Stole Jesus' Body

This theory is also referenced in the Bible. In Matthew's Gospel 28:11–15, we read about a bribe given by the Jewish elders and chief priests to Roman guards, paying them to spread the lie that the disciples came and stole Jesus' body while they slept.

Problems – This theory faces many weaknesses. Roman soldiers would not dare to sleep on duty; the disciples could not have moved an enormous stone unnoticed; and, furthermore, how could sleeping soldiers know who stole the body (if they were asleep)? There are numerous other facts that render this theory highly improbable.

2) Jewish/Roman Authorities Moved the Body

Here again, we encounter several problems, chiefly the motive for such an act. The apostles, who bravely proclaimed the resurrected Christ in Jerusalem, were a significant thorn in the side of the authorities, who hated them for it and tried in every way to prevent them. If the authorities had the body, nothing would have been simpler than to publicly exhibit it, thereby discrediting Christianity at its inception. This, however, did not happen.

3) Wrong Tomb Theory

This theory suggests that eyewitnesses simply mistook the tomb. Yet, considering known facts, this is extremely unlikely, not to mention the reality that Jewish authorities would have had no difficulty in presenting the correct tomb and pointing out the body of Jesus.

4) Swoon Theory

Proponents of this modern theory claim that Jesus did not actually die; He merely fainted due to torture and blood loss (or unconsciousness was induced by drugs). This theory may indeed be more miraculous than the resurrection itself. Consider this: you are brutally beaten and tortured, exhausted, carry your own cross, are executed in a cruel way, lose much blood, fall unconscious, have your side pierced, are wrapped in burial linens, are placed in a cold, damp tomb where you lie for several days. Then you allegedly free yourself, roll away a heavy stone, overpower guards, and walk for miles on pierced feet... I honestly lack the faith to believe this claim. Even German critic David Strauss, not a proponent of Jesus having risen from the dead, dismissed this theory as unbelievable. He stated:

"It is impossible that a being who had stolen half dead out of the sepulchre, who crept about weak and ill and wanting medical treatment… could have given the disciples the impression that he was a conqueror over death and the grave, the Prince of life: an impression that lay at the bottom of their future ministry." [7]

5) Hallucination Theory

Another popular theory posits that the disciples hallucinated when they saw the resurrected Lord. But this theory fails on many points as well. Biblical accounts show that Jesus appeared on numerous occasions to hundreds of people (ruling out collective hallucination) at various places, times, and even ate with the disciples. Also absent was the psychological condition of expecting to see Jesus, as some witnesses were convinced against their will (e.g., "Doubting Thomas"). The apostles appealed to the appearance of Jesus as a bare fact, which no one disputed! In support of their claim, they referenced many still-living eyewitnesses from the time the gospel was spreading. As if saying to skeptics—don't believe us? Hundreds of eyewitnesses saw Jesus—ask them. A more in-depth treatment of Jesus' crucifixion and the details surrounding this event is provided by Lee Strobel in the book "The Case for Christ". Therefore, for those interested in a deeper study, I recommend that title.

Dying for a Lie?

In approaching this question, we must also consider other fundamental truths. One such truth is the fact that early Christians and apostles were willing to die in horrifying ways due to their belief in the resurrected Jesus. Many people have been willing to die for what they believed to be true, but I know of no one willing to die a brutal death for a deliberate lie. Almost all the apostles who claimed to have met with the risen Jesus died violent deaths. Many early Christians faced the same fate; the methods of their executions, from being sawn in half, flayed alive, to crucifixion, were truly gruesome. Let us ask ourselves this question—how could they have been willing to die asserting that they met the risen Jesus if it did not actually happen?

After Jesus' death, the apostles scattered, frightened and disappointed that Jesus was not who they thought He was. And suddenly, a pivotal turn—fearlessly, they step forward and proclaim that Jesus lives.

Lord Darling, former English Chief Justice, stated: 

"The crux of the problem of whether Jesus was or was not what he proclaimed himself to be, must surely depend on the truth or otherwise of the resurrection. On that greatest point we are not merely asked to have faith. In its favour as a living truth there exists such overwhelming evidence, positive and negative, factual and circumstantial, that no intelligent jury in the world could fail to bring in the verdict that the resurrection story is true" [3]

Globally renowned New Testament scholar Tom Wright declared: 

"The historian, of whatever persuasion, has no option but to affirm both the empty tomb and the 'meetings' with Jesus as 'historical events'. I regard this conclusion as coming in the same sort of category, of historical probability so high as to be virtually certain, as the death of Augustus in AD 14 or the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70." [8]

How is it that an event which modern skeptical society immediately dismisses as myth and contrived religious occurrence is regarded by such esteemed and learned individuals as indisputable and incontrovertible? Why is it not taught in schools, in history classes, as a plain fact? I'll leave the answer to you...

Summation

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical event substantiated by numerous direct and indirect pieces of evidence. While it is understandable that critics strive to disprove the official Christian account, in light of the available evidence, their theories do not hold.