The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the core of
Christianity and the single most important historical event in history! It’s very unfortunate that people have missed the
"evidence" of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The one supreme act
of God to mankind that binds those who follow Christ. People may have head-knowledge
by reading the bible, but the heart and connection to the evidence is missing
in their studies. The evidence for Jesus’ bodily resurrection is
overwhelming. The Lord himself declared: “Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up.” Subsequently, an inspired apostle informs us: “He
spoke of the temple of his body” (Jn. 2:19-21). Note: Raise it up … his body.
This is too plain to misunderstand. Only a perverse mind would so twist the
Scriptures as to conclude that the resurrection was merely “spiritual.” The
bodily resurrection of Jesus is the best-attested fact of human history.
From Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8,
"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."
Short list of Evidence of Jesus resurrection:
1. The Execution of Jesus - He was clearly dead on the
cross or stick, whatever you want to call it historically. Witnesses and
historians of the day have recorded Jesus did in fact die in crucifixion. The
American Medical Asso., has done a historical study of his death as it unfolds
in scripture in medical terms .
2. The Empty Tomb - Everybody in the ancient world agreed
the tomb was empty. The disciples or grave robbers didn't take him out, none of
them had the means. The Roman guards didn't remove him. How would it have been
taken out? Nobody knows because there is not one single written word in all of
ancient reporting that remotely suggests it was taken out. If it was removed
there would have been an accounting because nobody could have kept a secret
about a fake resurrection.
3. There were Eyewitnesses - Over 515 of them after he
rose from the dead while reappearing to many disciples and townspeople before
he was taken up to heaven. Lives were transformed, people even accepted
persecution and died for their new found faith in Christ as the Son of God.
4. Early written Records - Within 24-36 hours of his
resurrection, we have the recording of his life, ministry, death, burial and
resurrection as spoken by our scripture reading above. We have over 28,000
manuscripts of the New Testament all written within 50 years of Jesus
resurrection. This would be as low as 80 AD. The time lines closest secular
manuscript to its original is Pliny the Newcomers at 750 years, Aristotle's at
1400 years in which these number in only the hundreds!
5. The Emergence of the Church - Beginning in Acts chapter 2 to present day, the Lords church is and will remain until the end of
the age. This alone is self evident of the truth of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. How can one honestly and with proof explain this truth away as a lie? No man can withhold a lie whether written or spoken for any length of time until it is revealed, especially 2000 years to date. The exposure of such a great deception would have been made known to the world.
The thousands of first-century people who became followers of Jesus were in a much better position to evaluate the reality of the resurrection event, than are modern critics. In view of these considerations, the New Testament accounts of Christ’s resurrection are demonstrated to be highly credible. And the explosive growth of the first-century Christian movement is ample testimony to the power of that evidence.
The thousands of first-century people who became followers of Jesus were in a much better position to evaluate the reality of the resurrection event, than are modern critics. In view of these considerations, the New Testament accounts of Christ’s resurrection are demonstrated to be highly credible. And the explosive growth of the first-century Christian movement is ample testimony to the power of that evidence.
A message for us.
Many blessings…
