The resurrection of Jesus is a determining factor in the veracity or the authenticity of the Christian faith. Paul even said that if Christ did not raise from the dead, our faith is futile. Without the resurrection of Christ, Christianity is a hoax. Now, if Christians claim that Jesus rose from the dead, what evidence exist to support that? This paper will focus on a few factual historical evidences for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In support to the resurrection, I will introduce 12 historical facts that cannot be explained apart from the resurrection of Jesus-Christ.
- Jesus died by crucifixion
According to historical facts from both biblical and non-biblical sources, Jesus was pronounced dead on the cross. The soldier who performed the crucifixion confirmed the death of Jesus. Modern medicine attests that Jesus died on the cross considering the amount of blood that he lost both before and during the crucifixion.
- Jesus was buried
According to the Gospel account Jesus was buried in tomb borrowed by Joseph of Arimathea.
- Jesus’ death caused the disciples to despair
The desperation of the disciples is another confirmation that Jesus was indeed dead since some of them were present on the crucifixion site. They thought that Jesus was the promised Messiah and thus was not supposed to die. Yet, Jesus died on the cross. Consequently, the only hope they had was to see their master again at the resurrection of all the righteous for the resurrection of an isolated individual was not part of the Jewish conception of the resurrection.
- The tomb was found empty a few days later
The tomb was present at Jerusalem for anyone to witness that it was empty thus corroborating the claim of the women who went to visit the tomb.
- The disciples claimed that they saw the risen Jesus
The disciples lived with Jesus for about three years. They knew him very well. They claimed to have seen him bodily, not a spirit. One of them even was even allowed to touch his wounds.
- The disciples were transformed from doubters to bold proclaimers
When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, all his disciples fled away, leaving him by himself. During his trial, one of his disciples denied him three times. Shortly after they have claimed to see the resurrected Jesus they were no longer afraid. They boldly told the leaders of Israel that they cannot withhold talking about Jesus’ death and resurrection.
- This message was the central to the preaching of the early church
The creed of the early church was that: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve”. William L. Craig posits that Paul was citing a tradition received no later than his visit to Jerusalem in A.D. 36, if not earlier in Damascus. It thus goes back to within the first five years after Jesus’ death.
- The message was proclaimed in Jerusalem where Jesus died and was buried
The fact that the message was preached in Jerusalem where eyewitnesses of the event surrounding the life, death and resurrection of Jesus were still alive. This is evidence for the authenticity of the message. Otherwise, the disciples’ proclamation could be easily falsified.
- As a result of the preaching the church was born and grew
Only the resurrection of Jesus Christ could have convinced people that Jesus was indeed the Messiah and also commit themselves to the church. William L. Craig notes that : “Jews had no conception of a Messiah who, instead of triumphing over Israel’s enemies, would be shamefully executed by them as a criminal…But the belief in the resurrection of Jesus reversed the catastrophe of the crucifixion”.
- Sunday became the primary day of worship
Jewish tradition makes Saturday the primary day of worship. It has been that way for centuries. Yet, after one even, the day changed to Sunday which is the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The early church must have had strong evidence for the resurrection Jesus to throw away their tradition.
- James a formerly skeptic was converted to faith when he also saw what he believed to be the resurrected Jesus
James refusal to believe during the ministry of Jesus was quite understandable for someone who hears his brother saying he is God. But later on, he committed his life toe Christ. What reason would prompt James to believe if not seeing the resurrected Jesus. Not only did he believe but he was willing to die for his belief.
- A few years later, Paul likewise was converted by what he believed to be an appearance of the resurrected Jesus
The same can be said for Paul. He was not just a skeptic; he was a fanatic of Judaism. He was determined to destroy Christianity. Yet, his life took a turn on the Damascus road and he himself was willing to die for his belief in the resurrected Jesus.
While one may have a counterargument against one or two of the aforementioned historical facts, they altogether cannot be ruled out. Most New Testament critiques agree to them for they represent strong evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His resurrection was the proof that Jesus brought forward for his deity claim. He predicted his own resurrection and he rose from the dead as he said he would. Philosopher Karl Popper has argued that whenever a “risky prediction” is fulfilled, it counts as confirmation of the theory that comes with it. What could be riskier than predicting your own resurrection?
Bibliography
- Norman Geisler, Ron Brooks, When Skeptics Asks, (Grand Rapids, MI : Baker Books, 1996)
- William L. Craig, Foi Raisonnable, Vérité Chrétienne et Apologétique (Paris, France: Les Editions La Lumière, 2008)
Norman Geisler, Ron Brooks, When Skeptics Asks, (Grand Rapids, MI : Baker Books, 1996), p. 120.
