Lesson 9- Did Jesus Rise From the Dead?

Luke 24:1-12- a detailed account of the discovery of the empty tomb

In this lesson we will consider the crucial elements in a historical case for Jesus’ resurrection so that you are equipped to share it with anyone.

A historical case for Jesus’ resurrection involves two steps:

Determining what evidence there is which needs to be explained

Inferring which explanation of the evidence is most plausible

In this lesson we will examine three independently established facts which need explanation

Jesus’ Empty Tomb

Jesus’ appearances alive after His death

The origin of the disciples’ belief in Jesus’ resurrection

We will seek to make the argument that the best and most plausible explanation for these facts is that...

Acts 13:30 KJV 1900

But God raised him from the dead:

If it is true that this is the best explanation of the evidence, we must also recognize that the resurrection’s significance is more than a singular miraculous event but must be considered a vindication and validation of Jesus radical claims concerning Himself.

If the three facts above can be established and if no plausible natural explanation can account for them as well as the resurrection hypothesis, then we are justified in asserting that Jesus’ resurrection is the best explanation of the facts.

The Empty Tomb

Matthew 27:57-60- the account of Jesus burial (Also recorded in Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-53, and in John 19:38-42)

The historical reliability of the story of Jesus’ burial supports the empty tomb.

If the burial story is basically accurate, then the location of Jesus’s tomb was known in Jerusalem to both Jew and Christian alike, since both were present when Jesus was laid in the tomb.

The disciples could not have believed in Jesus’ resurrection if His corpse still lay in the tomb.

If they had preached Jesus’ resurrection despite His occupied tomb no one would have believed them for they could simply have gone to the tomb and seen for themselves that Jesus’ body was still there.

A remarkable fact is that early Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus flourished in the very city where Jesus had been publicly crucified and entombed.

If Jesus body was still in the tomb, the Jewish authorities could have decisively exposed the disciples as liars by simply exhuming Jesus’ body.

Jesus’ burial in the tomb is one of the best-established facts about Jesus because:

It is reported in extremely early independent sources

It is recorded in each of the gospels and the details are remarkably similar. It is also recorded in I Corinthians 15:3-5 where Paul quotes a traditional saying that he had personally received likely within a few short years immediately after Jesus crucifixion.

As a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin that condemned Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea is unlikely to be a Christian invention

The Sanhedrin were deemed responsible for Jesus crucifixion so it would be highly unlikely that the Christians would have fabricated a story where one of them was put in such a positive light if it were not true.

Not only is Jesus’ burial well documented, but the discovery of the empty tomb is as well.

The discovery of the empty tomb is recorded in Mark 16:1-8 and is also independently recorded with additional details in Matthew 28:1-9 and in Luke 24:1-10 and in John 20:1-10

Matthew also records the claims which the Jews made to explain the empty tomb. Matthew 28:11-15- the falsified claim that the body was stolen

This claim would be completely illogical if Jesus body remained in the tomb.

The simplicity of these early accounts, especially that of Mark’s gospel is also evidence of the historical accuracy of the accounts of the discovery of the empty tomb.

Notice the resurrection itself is not witnessed or described, and there is not reflection on Jesus’ triumph over sin and death, no use of divine titles, no quotation of fulfilled prophecy, and no description of the risen Lord.

This is in stark contrast to later apocryphal accounts such as are found in the gospel of Peter for example.

“Early in the morning, as the Sabbath dawned, there came a large crowd from Jerusalem and the surrounding areas to see the sealed tomb. But during the night before the Lord’s day dawned, as the soldiers were keeping guard two by two in every watch, there came a great sound in the sky, and they saw the heavens opened and two men descend shining with a great light, and they drew near to the tomb. The stone which had been set on the door rolled away by itself and moved to one side, and the tomb was opened and both of the young men went in. Now when these soldiers saw that, they woke up the centurion and the elders (for they also were there keeping watch). While they were yet telling them the things which they had seen, they saw three men come out of the tomb, two of them sustaining the other one, and a cross following after them. The heads of the two they saw had heads that reached up to heaven, but the head of him that was led by them went beyond heaven. And they heard a voice out of the heavens saying, “Have you preached unto them that sleep?” The answer that was heard from the cross was, “Yes!” (Gospel of Peter 9: 1—10: 5)”

This embellished account is what we expect from legendary accounts.

It is also of note that each of the accounts of the discovery of the empty tomb record that women were the first to discover it.

In Jewish society of the day women were not regarded as credible witnesses so a falsified account would certainly have placed men as the primary witnesses.

This fact can only be plausibly explained if the women were indeed the first to discover the empty tomb and the writers accurately recorded what actually happened.

On the basis of this evidence most scholars accept the historicity of the empty tomb even if they do not believe that Jesus rose from the dead.

Jesus’ Postmortem Appearances

I Corinthians 15:3-8- this passage records the various witnesses who saw Jesus alive after the crucifixion

The first eyewitness mentioned is Peter and there is an independent record of this appearance to Peter.

Luke 24:34 KJV 1900

Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

Next Paul speaks of Jesus appearance to “the twelve” obviously speaking of the original group of twelve disciples.

Luke 24:36-48- Jesus appears to the disciples (This appearance is also recorded in John 20:19-20)

At this appearance Jesus demonstrates the physical nature of His resurrection by showing the disciples His hands and feet and even taking food.

Appearance to five hundred brethren

We might choose to be more skeptical of this appearance since it is not mentioned in the gospel accounts.

Yet it appears that Paul had personal contact with a number of these eyewitnesses as he records that some have died but a great many of them were still alive as he penned this letter to the Corinthian church. (basically daring the skeptical reader to investigate his claims for themselves)

Appearance to James

The scriptures record that Jesus brothers did not at first believe in Him.

John 7:5 KJV 1900

For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Yet later they would apparently become believers.

Acts 1:14 KJV 1900

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

James especially would play a crucial role in the early church.

Acts 21:18 KJV 1900

And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.

This is strong evidence that the appearance to James may have been a turning point which led him to become a believer. In fact the historian Josephus records the martyrdom of James for his faith in AD 60 at the hands of the Sanhedrin.

Appearance to “all the apostles”

This was likely an appearance to a larger group than the twelve similar to the group seen in Acts 1:21-22 gathered in the upper room.

Appearance to Saul of Tarsus

This is in reference to the appearance recorded in Acts 9:1-9 and then repeatedly referenced by Paul as he testified of Christ on many occasions.

This appearance produced a remarkable change transforming a persecutor of Christians into a preacher of the gospel.

Saul/Paul would also ultimately be martyred in Rome for his faith in Christ.

Ultimately there can be no doubt that the disciples and many others saw what they believed to be a resurrected Jesus.

The Physical Nature of the Appearances

The only question that remains is whether what they saw was physical or spiritual in nature.

If these appearances were physical , a purely psychological explanation becomes highly implausible.

The scriptural record gives strong support for the fact that the appearances of the resurrected Jesus were physical bodily appearances.

Paul Implies that the appearances were physical

In I Corinthians 15:42-44 Paul speaks of a resurrection body like that of the Lord Jesus

There is also a clear distinction in scripture when a vision rather than a physical appearance of Jesus is described. Compare for example the vision of Stephen with the resurrection appearances.

Acts 7:55 KJV 1900

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

The gospel accounts record details which show that the appearances were physical and bodily

Jesus ate with the disciples, showed them the wounds from the crucifixion, and even walked and talked with them.

John 21 provides a number of details which can only be explained by a physical not a spiritual appearance.

The Origin of the Christian Faith

Even skeptical scholars recognize that the Christian faith owes its origin to the belief of the earliest disciples that God had raised Jesus of Nazareth from the dead.

The Jewish people were looking for a Messiah who would triumph over their enemies and restore the nation to prominence and as such no one would have suggested that Jesus was the promised messiah if He simply died on a cross never to be heard from again.

Yet many did proclaim Him to be the messiah and this can only be explained by the fact that He miraculously arose from the dead and appeared to many eyewitnesses alive after His crucifixion.

Acts 2:32 KJV 1900

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

Acts 2:36 KJV 1900

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

If Jesus remained in the tomb or if His body was merely stolen by some of His followers then no one would have believed in Him. Yet the rise of the Christian faith and its propagation throughout history is a testimony to the fact that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead and that there were many who personally testified that they had seen the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth.