The Case for Christ’s Resurrection

As Christians, our primary foundation is the Word of God. This is all we really need, ultimately, to answer the question “Why do we believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus”—it is a truth-claim directly from God. Naturally, the non-believer will ask, “Isn’t this circular?” Yes, it is, but claims of ultimate authority always are.

The following passages, among many, attest the resurrection and its centrality to the gospel message:

• Rom 1:1-4 – The resurrection is central to the gospel as “pre-promised” to the OT prophets and now made clear by the Spirit
• Acts 17:30-31 – God declares everyone needs to repent in light of his coming judgment, and this is proven by the resurrection of Christ
• Rom 8:34 – Paul claims that not only did Jesus die, but more than that, he was raised
• Acts 2:31 – Peter claims that even the OT itself foresaw the resurrection

In the first century in the near east and Mediterranean, the testimony of women was not always acceptable in the court of law. Thus, it is very significant that all four gospels put the eyewitness encounters of women front-and-center in the narrative of the empty tomb. Luke even mentions that the disciples initially didn’t believe them.

Why would the Gospel writers do this if they were trying to foist a cover-up on the entire world? Why start the most important part of your gospel narrative (the discovery of the resurrected Jesus) with the testimony of women unless it really happened that way? They were immediately opening themselves up to be taken with a grain of salt. This gives an initial plausibility to the honesty of the accounts.

• Matt 28:1
• Mark 16:1-2
• Luke 23:55, 24:1-2 (and 24:10-11 records the disbelief)
• John 20:1

The NT goes on to mention numerous other people who were eyewitnesses to the bodily resurrection of Jesus, many of whom were still alive at the time of writing and could be asked to confirm the details.

If the NT were trying to pull a fast one and get away with hiding the fact that Jesus was not actually resurrected, why would the authors go to such lengths to offer up others who could be consulted to confirm or even deny the claims? It would have to be the largest cover-up in the ancient world!

• 1 Cor 15:5-6 – Paul mentions all the apostles plus 500+ others!
• Acts 1:21-23 – As the disciples met to replace Judas, they determined that the new apostle would have to be from among those who had witnessed the resurrection, and apparently they had a decent-sized list to choose from

At least three times in his ministry, Jesus predicted that he would suffer, die, and be raised from the dead. Thus, not only would the Gospel authors be lying about their own eyewitness account if in fact Jesus was still in the tomb, but they would be placing a total fabrication on the lips of Jesus. This would have been entirely unconscionable.

• Mark: 8:31-33
• Mark 9:30-31
• Mark 10:32-34

All four gospels include a narrative of the resurrection. They do not contradict each other, but their details are not 100% the same either. Different authors emphasize certain things that others do not. If they were word-for-word identical, then we would be suspicious! Thus, the fact that they have some diversity is a good thing.

Moreover, three of the Gospels are very honest about how the disciples of Jesus at first did not believe he had been raised. This pattern gives the account a certain ring of truthfulness.

• Mark 16:6 – Mark’s brief resurrection account
• Luke 24:15-37 – The disciples were initially frightened and thought they saw a spirit
• John 20:14-28 – The early eyewitnesses (and esp. Thomas) did not believe their eyes when they first saw Jesus

It is not just the Gospels that emphasize the resurrection; other NT writings did as well. And in some cases, this assertion that Jesus was raised occurs in a writing that was most likely written before the Gospels!

For instance, Paul’s affirmation of the resurrection in 1 Cor 15:3-4 appears to be an early Christian tradition (“what I also received”). Paul also emphasizes the resurrection in Gal 1:1 and 1 Thess 1:10, both of which may have been written before the appearance of Mark’s or Matthew’s Gospels (which were the earliest).

Other passages outside the Gospels that mention the resurrection include Rom 6:5; Rom 8:11; 1 Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 1:3; Heb 13:20; and Rev 1:5 (among many). Nearly every NT author mentions the resurrection!

This evidence closes the time gap between the resurrection and the earliest accounts, making it far less likely that a fabricated myth about the resurrection could take hold so quickly throughout the empire where the church had spread.

Saul/Paul was initially a zealous persecutor of the Christian movement, as is clear from Acts 8-9. However, when he saw the resurrected Lord Jesus (Acts 9:3-6), he immediately converted to be a worshiper of him. He later reflects on this moment as being equivalent to how all the other apostles saw the body of the risen Lord in 1 Cor 15:8; 1 Cor 9:1; and Gal 1:15-16.

James, the (half-)brother of Jesus, experienced a similar kind of conversion. As is recounted in the Gospels, he was initially an unbeliever and was quite skeptical of Jesus’s ministry (along with his other brothers): Mark 3:21, Mark 6:3; John 7:5. However, by the time we get to Acts it is clear that James is not only a believer but is a central figure in the early church. What caused his change? It is not narrated directly, but the fact that Paul mentions the appearance of the resurrected Jesus “to James, then to all the apostles” (1 Cor 15:7) suggests that it was the resurrection that did it.

In other words, the conversion of these two prominent men from unbelief to being central to the church appears to be due to the resurrection, which is a strong claim for its authenticity. Otherwise, it becomes hard to explain why these two opponents of Christ would later be his champions.

Christians did not invent the idea of a bodily resurrection. That idea was already very common among Jews in the first century. Why? Because the promise of a future resurrection was found in the OT itself. This means that Jesus and the early disciples already had a framework by which to understand what would happen to Jesus. It was not a myth or a hallucination, but the confirmation of what they believe the OT itself taught.

The OT teaches about a future resurrection in a variety of ways, but the following passages are the most explicit.

• Ps 16:10 and Ps 49:15 – David’s hope that his body would not be abandoned forever
• Dan 12:2 – Foretelling a future general resurrection
• Ezek 37:11-14 – Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones
• Job 19:25-26 – Job’s hope that he will see God “in my flesh” (possibly after his death)
• Isa 26:19 – Isaiah’s prophecy that the dead will live once more
• 1 Sam 2:6 – A brief comment that God “brings up” from the grave/sheol

NT evidence for early Jewish belief in the resurrection: At various points in the NT, we read about how certain groups of early Jews (e.g., the Pharisees) believed in a resurrection, though not all (e.g., the Sadducees). Thus, while the resurrection of Jesus was a shocker at the time, it still fit within a broader Jewish understanding of eschatology (“last things”).

• Matt 22:23-30 – Sadducees deny the resurrection (implying that others believed in it)
• John 11:24 – Indicates Martha’s belief (as a Jew) in a resurrection even before Jesus teaches her about it
• Acts 23:6-8 and 24:14-15 – Paul refers to his belief in the resurrection that he shares with the Pharisees

Evidence for the Jewish belief in the resurrection from pre-NT sources: While we do not ascribe normative authority to pre-Christian writings such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, they do give us insight into what Jews who lived “between the testaments” believed. And the evidence is clear that many Jews did hold to the hope of a future bodily resurrection, which, of course, they got from their reading of the OT. This shows, among other things, that the NT is accurately representing common Jewish beliefs in the passages cited above.

• 2 Macc 7:14 – And when he was near death, he said, “One cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!
• 2 Macc 12:43 – In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection.
• 4Q521 (Dead Sea Scroll) – For He will heal the wounded, and cause the dead to live and bring good news to the poor.
• 11QH[a] 11 (Dead Sea Scroll) – I give thanks to You, o Lord, for you have redeemed my soul from the pit. From Sheol and Abaddon you have raised me up to an eternal height.
• 1QH[a] 14 (Dead Sea Scroll) – Those who lie in the dust raise up a standard, and the worms of the dead lift up a banner.
• 4Q385 (Dead Sea Scroll) – Prophesy over the four winds of the sky and the wind[s] [of the sky] will blow [upon them and they will live and] a large crowd of men will r[i]se and bless YHWH Sabaoth wh[o]  [caused them to live.]

Though the idea that Jesus is a myth still lurks in some corners of the world, nearly all historians affirm that he did indeed exist and that he was crucified under Pilate. Even though today’s historians downplay the validity of the NT, there are numerous sources outside the Bible that confirm that Jesus did, indeed, exist.

While we hold Scripture to be the higher authority, these sources may help corroborate the clear teaching of Scripture for a skeptic or unbeliever who does not believe the Bible is trustworthy.

• Josephus (Antiquities 20.9.1) – Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned.
• Tacitus (Annals 15.44) – Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.
• Pliny the Younger (Letter to Trajan) – They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so.
• Suetonius (Life of Claudius 25.4) – Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome.
• Mara bar Serapion (Letter to his Son, 73AD) – What else can we say, when the wise are forcibly dragged off by tyrants, their wisdom is captured by insults, and their minds are oppressed and without defense? What advantage did the Athenians gain from murdering Socrates? Famine and plague came upon them as a punishment for their crime. What advantage did the men of Samos gain from burning Pythagoras? In a moment their land was covered with sand. What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king? It was just after that their kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged these three wise men: the Athenians died of hunger; the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea and the Jews, desolate and driven from their own kingdom, live in complete dispersion. But Socrates is not dead, because of Plato; neither is Pythagoras, because of the statue of Juno; nor is the wise king, because of the “new law” he laid down.
• Thallus (Hist. 5.50) – On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his ‘History’, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun.
• Lucian of Samosata (Passing of Peregrinus 13) – Furthermore, their first lawgiver persuaded them that they are all brothers of one another after they have transgressed once, for all by denying the Greek gods and by worshiping that crucified sophist himself and living under his laws.

These sources clearly show that non-Christian, secular writers of the first and second centuries affirmed the existence and death of Jesus. There is no reason at all to doubt these facts.

Unfortunately, none of them explicitly talk about his bodily resurrection. There is only one that may do so, but it is famously disputed. It is called the “Testimonium Flavianum” and comes in a disputed portion of the Jewish writer Josephus. Many scholars argue that the original writing did not have the underlined portions below, but that they were added later by Christian scribes. It is impossible to prove either way. (See discussion)

• Josephus (Antiquities 18.3.3) – Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct to this day.

When we move outside the apostolic era, we also see that the second generation of Christians (unsurprisingly!) affirmed the bodily resurrection of Jesus. There is no hint, even, of any dispute about this fact. No known Christian source denies this claim. It is explicitly taught in a variety of sources in the second century and beyond.

Indeed, if there had been any question about the factual nature of the resurrection, we would expect there to be something in the Christian sources that mentions it. But we find none. There is total agreement. Here are just a few examples.

• Clement of Rome, d. 99AD (Ep. to Corinthians 24.1) – Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord continually proves to us that there shall be a future resurrection, of which He has rendered the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruits by raising Him from the dead.
• Polycarp, d. 155AD (Ep. to Philippians 2.1-2) – Therefore prepare for action and serve God in fear and truth, leaving behind the empty and meaningless talk and the error of the crowd, and believing in the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead and gave him glory and a throne at his right hand.
• Epistle of Barnabas, ca. 70-135AD (5.6-7) – But He Himself endured that He might destroy death and show forth the resurrection of the dead. … Wherefore also we keep the eighth day for rejoicing, in the which also Jesus rose from the dead, and having been manifested ascended into the heavens.

Throughout the history of the church, numerous competing theories have been offered to explain why the earliest Christians believed in the resurrection if it did not actually happened. None of these hold much water on closer inspection.

• “The disciples stole the body”
  • This theory goes back to the earliest days. The theory is that the apostles stole Jesus’s body from the grave and then fabricated the lie about his resurrection so that people would confess him to be the messiah.
  • The theory is very implausible, for the tomb was guarded by Roman centurions, and the disciples were in no shape to concoct such a plan right after the crucifixion, especially when Jerusalem was occupied by so many soldiers (due to Passover).
  • Moreover, Matthew even mentions this as a theory in 28:11-13! Why would he do so if he was trying to cover up this very thing?

• “Jesus was not really dead but just in a coma”
  • Post-enlightenment liberal scholars in the 1800s devised the idea that Jesus was not actually dead to begin with. Rather, he had “swooned” on the cross, was laid in the tomb, and then revived on his own.
  • This theory faces a load of problems. First, Romans were exceptionally good at crucifixion. They even pierced his side to test out whether he was dead. Moreover, non-Christian sources even confirm his death!
  • Second, after Jesus was clearly beaten to a pulp, how could he have the strength to unwrap himself, roll back the stone, overpower two Roman centurions?
  • Third, this theory fails to explain the aftermath. When Jesus greets his disciples in his resurrected body, he proclaims himself to be the risen Lord with all authority (e.g., Matt 28:18-20). He does not say, “Guys, why did you leave me dead in the tomb!?!”
  • Fourth, there are no records that Jesus later died a natural death.
  • In short, this “swoon” theory lacks any credibility.

• “The disciples just had a vision”
  • Some have argued that the disciples wanted to badly to see Jesus again that they all shared in a kind of ecstatic group hallucination of his bodily appearing.
  • The problem is that they were not expecting to see him again. Though they held a belief in a future bodily resurrection, nothing about their demeanor at the crucifixion suggested they believed Jesus would be back. And they were shocked in disbelief when the reports first came to them from the women. They had completely ignored his three prophecies!
  • Moreover, it is very implausible that over 500 people would have the same basic hallucination about Jesus. Such a phenomenon would be the first and only one of its kind!

• “The disciples simply lied about it”
  • This is probably the most popular view among skeptics today. The idea is that the reports of Jesus’s bodily resurrection were just propaganda.
  • But this view faces at least two problems. First, how would Christians who are spread across wide geographic area—including some who were not originally believers like Paul and James—all get on the same page so quickly about Jesus’ resurrection? Christians were all over the empire, so how could they have fabricated this story and prevented a single shred of evidence of it from getting out? It would require an unbelievable amount of collusion.
  • Second, why would Christians keep willfully dying (due to early persecution against Christians, going back as far as Stephen in Acts 7) for something they knew was a lie? Sure, people die for wrong ideas all the time (e.g., suicide bombers). But they do not die for things they know to be a lie.

In short, none of the competing theories provide a better explanation for the widespread belief in the resurrection of Jesus than the truth-claim that he actually did rise from the grave!