The Resurrection of Jesus
By Eric Schmidt
Life in Christ | Predictive Prophecy | Apologetics and AnswersIt is often charged that Christianity is based on unverifiable beliefs. However, one of its most important doctrines, the Resurrection of Jesus, is a claim that, at a specified moment in history, an event occurred. As such the claim of resurrection may be subject to testing as any other historical claim may be. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is essential to the Christian faith, as Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians 15:17. If such an event is true, then there is convincing evidence of the validity of Christianity. On the other hand, if it is false, Christianity can be nothing but a hoax. The author now presents an argument for the Resurrection. The great substance of what is said is not original, but constitutes arguments well known to Christian apologists.
The primary source of information about the Resurrection is in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are the first four books of the New Testament. If they are not valid, then it will not be possible to make any historical case for this matter. If, however, they prove valid, attacking the Resurrection will be made more difficult.
Scholars give different dates for the writing of the Gospels, but even among those who not Christian, it is agreed that they were completed by about the A.D. 90s. A case can be made that they were written even earlier. A large portion of the biblical Book of Acts is devoted to the ministry of the apostle Paul. However, it is incomplete. In particular it does not chronicle Paul's death. The explanation is that it was written while Paul was still alive. Now, since Luke wrote Acts, and it is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke, Luke must have been written before the book of Acts and thus before Paul's death. Paul died in A.D. 68, so this gospel would have been written before then.
Skeptics often claim that the Gospels are filled with legendary myths that obscure who Jesus really was. However, when they were written, most of the people who had known Jesus were still alive. Those opposed to Christianity would have easily corrected the Christians' erroneous portrayal of Jesus. Moreover, Jesus' original followers, including Matthew and John, the authors of two of the Gospels, underwent severe persecution. They would have been eyewitnesses to many of the things they wrote of. If they knew what they were telling was a complete fabrication, they would not have endured persecution, even death, for it. If they were telling lies, what then is their motivation? They did not have anything to gain from it, and yet they persisted even to the death when they could at any time have stopped and gone free.
The evidence indicates that the Gospels are accurate in their accounts of Jesus, which clearly includes their accounts that he appeared resurrected after his death. Nevertheless, skeptics argue against the accounts. These other arguments all take the form that the observed events were misinterpreted. For instance, some argue that Jesus' miraculous healings were psychologically induced. This argument can be addressed, but the focus here is on the Resurrection.
One such objection connected to the Resurrection is that Jesus did not die in the first place. This is known as the swoon theory. It has even been suggested that Jesus deliberately contrived beforehand to pass out. Later he would revive and it would appear he had come back from the dead. There is, to put it bluntly, essentially no chance of such an event occurring, whether Jesus planned it or not. The Gospels say that the Roman authorities executed him. He was hung for several hours on a cross, where he underwent extreme pain. Afterwards, the Romans made sure he was dead, stabbing him in his side with a spear. Luke reports that then blood and water flowed out separately (John 19:34). This alone is proof that Jesus had died.
It has been shown conclusively that Jesus died. Again, the testimony of the Gospels that Jesus was later seen alive would constitute a very convincing case for the Resurrection, if indeed such reports were true. Thus, the skeptic argues, people only thought they saw Jesus; they merely hallucinated. This claim is absurd in light of the nature of hallucination. Hallucinations tend to be very personal, appearing only to one or two people. Three people having identical hallucinations would be an extremely rare occurrence. Compare this with the stories of Jesus presented in the Gospels, in which he appeared to all eleven disciples at once. Better, in 1 Corinthians 15:6, Paul says that Jesus appeared to 500 people simultaneously. Even appearing to eleven at once is enough to dismiss the possibility of hallucination.
There is much that could be said about this matter, and indeed much has been. Believer, seeker, and doubter alike are encouraged to investigate the matter further. The author recommends that one read The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel. Strobel, a reporter, examines in great detail the evidence surrounding Jesus.
If the Resurrection did happen, then the full purport of it must be investigated. If the claims of Christianity are true, then none can ignore it. For the fundamentals of the Christian message may be stated in two points: first, that all of humankind is imperfect and is guilty of sin against God, that it is deserving of punishment in Hell; and second, that out of God's love for us, he sent Jesus, so that he would bear the full punishment in our place. What must be done, then, to receive God's gift, is to accept it. One must realize that without Jesus there would be no hope; all who have ever lived would be condemned. Only through Jesus is there hope. The one who tries to win salvation by many good works will fail, for there is no work one may do to cover his sin.
If you believe, then pray to God. Confess that you are a sinner, and ask Jesus to save you and to become your Lord. After this, you should seek out a church where you will find fellow believers. Read a Bible, so that you may grow in your relationship with God, and so that you may learn more the teachings of Christianity.
Life in Christ | Predictive Prophecy | Apologetics and Answers