A True Story and Why It Matters
When you consider the resurrection of Jesus, you must remind yourself that this event really happened. It is a true story and not a historical myth, as when George Washington supposedly chopped down a cherry tree (a story which his biographer invented). Nor is it a legend, resembling the imaginary character of Robin Hood and his merry men, who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. Unlike these fictional accounts, the resurrection of Jesus is a real event with firm evidence coming from multiple historical sources.
The resurrection of Jesus is a real event with firm evidence coming from multiple historical sources.
Multiple books of the Bible like Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written by separate authors from the same period as the resurrection and from the same location in the world. Some of these men even served as eyewitnesses of the events surrounding the resurrection, yet each wrote from a distinct point of view, uncoordinated with the others. As such, their writing shows astounding agreement which underscores the resurrection as a real, genuine event. Early readers accepted these records as true, many of whom had witnessed the same event, and these records have continued throughout history with unrelenting integrity. As Paul said to King Agrippa in the first century, “This thing was not done in a corner” (Acts 2:26).Now, we must not only remind ourselves that this event really happened, but we must also remind ourselves why it matters. Many things happen the world, but not everything is equally significant. If I lose my pen, it is a real event, but it is not significant. If the Mets win their season opener against the Cardinals, it is a more significant event than me losing my pen, but it is still not very important. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is far different from these things because it happens to be a very important event. That is why critics work so hard to disprove it. Historians will spend little time disproving the Mets home opener, but they will work excruciatingly hard to discredit the resurrection. But why is it so important?
The resurrection of Jesus is a true story.
Let’s consider some things that Paul said about the resurrection. He was a man who devoted his life to spreading the gospel message throughout the world. This word gospel means “good news,” and the good news was about Jesus. More specifically, it was that Jesus died and was buried, and that he resurrected and many people saw him (1 Cor 15:3-11).
He died.
Paul said that part of the good news about Jesus is that he died. Some people suggest that he only appeared to die. They say that he swooned, fainted or passed out, and that he later returned to consciousness. However, one of the original men who followed Jesus refutes this. The Apostle John observed the crucifixion of Jesus firsthand and recorded what he saw. He tells us that the Roman soldiers intended to break the legs of Jesus, ensuring that he would die rapidly. Instead, they observed that he had died already. As a result, they never broke his legs. It is fascinating to know that this small detail in the crucifixion story fulfills a prophecy about Jesus recorded more than a thousand years earlier, which said, “Not one of his bones would be broken” (Psa 34:20).John told us that to confirm Jesus had died, the soldiers plunged a sword into his side. When they did this, John observed that both water and blood immediately gushed out (John 19:31-35). Some scholars suggest that the sword punctured his heart, drawing blood from the heart and water from the pericardial sac around the heart. Others suggest that they punctured his lower abdomen, causing blood and water to come out which had accumulated due to severe torture and hemorrhaging. Whatever the case, this eye-witness details makes it clear that Jesus had already died. No person who had endured the suffering of Christ and been crucified, followed by a punctured heart or a ruptured abdomen, would have remained alive and resumed regular activities a few days later.
He was buried.
Paul said that the “good news” about Jesus was that he died and that he was also buried. This fact underscores the fact of his death. After he died, two men worked in tandem to provide him with a proper burial, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (John 19:38-42). Both of these men were prominent religious leaders in Jerusalem. In fact, Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, the governing council of Jewish religious leaders (Mark 15:43). As prominent figures in the community, they secured legal permission from Roman government officials to bury Jesus. No records or claims exist to question or dispute these public details.These men wrapped the body of Jesus in cloth and layered it with approximately 75 pounds of potent rubbing compounds. So then, even if Jesus had somehow lived through the traumatic experiences of torture and crucifixion, he would have surely died after being wrapped in such a manner.
He resurrected.
But the good news about Jesus is not only that he died and was buried. This is how the story of any other person usually ends. We die, and we are buried. But Jesus resurrected from the grave. After three days, his tomb turned up empty. Early witnesses – even those who strongly opposed Jesus – accepted this fact. That is why both the Jewish leaders and the Roman soldiers agreed to spread a false explanation. They colluded to say that the disciples of Jesus had stolen his body from the grave (Matt 28:11-15). But if the tomb was not empty, then such a story would be unnecessary.
We die, and we are buried. But Jesus resurrected from the grave.
Even so, such a story was impossible to believe, and it eventually became irrelevant. For anyone to remove the body of Jesus would require them to break through a team of four Roman soldiers, each serving four-hour shifts to stay alert. What’s more, the penalty for removing the body would be a death sentence. Would the soldiers allow this to happen with such a consequence on the line? And would the disciples attempt this either?The disciples had already abandoned Jesus and were hiding somewhere in a room to avoid arrest. As such, they were in no condition to remove the body of Jesus from the tomb. They didn’t even believe that he would return from the grave, even though he taught them that he would do so. Like any other Jew at that time, they believed all resurrections would take place at once, at the end of time. They did not expect anyone like Jesus to resurrect before that time.Considering all these things, it is entirely unreasonable to suggest that the disciples removed the body of Jesus from the tomb. To this day, no one has ever recovered his bones. Weeks after Jesus had died and rose again, his disciples preached the message of his resurrection throughout the city of Jerusalem and no one disputed their message. No one disputed that Jesus had died, or that he was buried, or that he left behind an empty tomb.
It is entirely unreasonable to suggest that the disciples removed the body of Jesus from the tomb.
We must remember that many in Jerusalem had witnessed the crucifixion, and the tomb of Christ was just outside the city walls. They knew where it was and could see it for themselves. They also had witnessed the crucifixion. Therefore, if the disciples were making a false claim about these things, these same people would have rejected them outright. However, thousands believed on Jesus instead. So, the question was not, “Did Jesus die,” or, “Did he rise again?” It was instead, “Since these things happened, why did they happen? Why did Jesus die and resurrect?”
Many saw him.
To further underscore the reality of the resurrection of Jesus, Paul tells us that he appeared physically in person to many people after he rose from the dead. He appeared to the original disciples multiple times, which is important because these were the men who had known Jesus in a personal and intimate way. They had traveled with him for nearly three years. So, if the man who appeared to them was an imposter or a ghost of some kind, they would have recognized this discrepancy. In fact, their post-resurrection contact with Jesus influenced them so strongly that they devoted the remainder of their lives to following his instructions and spreading the good news about him to the world, even though it would cost them their lives.On another occasion, Jesus appeared to a crowd of five-hundred believers. Though we do not know their names, we do know that most of them were still alive when Paul made this claim.Paul also tells us that Jesus appeared to James. This is a very important point because James was a half-brother to Jesus. They shared Mary as their mother and grew up in the same household together. James and the other half-siblings did not believe on Jesus, believing that he was crazy instead (Mark 3:21; John 7:5). But after Jesus appeared to James following the resurrection, James converted and believed on him as God and Savior. His conversion was so dramatic and complete that he became a prominent pastor and leader for the church in Jerusalem. He eventually died as a martyr and even wrote a book in the New Testament. Consider, what it would take for you to believe that your half-brother is also your God and Savior and that you should devote your life to following him?
What it would take for you to believe that your half-brother is also your God and Savior and that you should devote your life to following him?
Then, of course, you have the testimony of Paul himself. Like Joseph of Arimathea, he had been a member of the Sanhedrin. But unlike him, he had hated Jesus Christ vehemently. His hatred was so great that he presided over the first Christian martyrdom and labored tirelessly to imprison and kill many more. This changed completely when the resurrected Jesus appeared to him. As a result of this meeting, he abandoned his former lifestyle and devoted his life to following Jesus instead, risking his life on a regular basis and eventually dying as a martyr for Christ.
Why does the resurrection of Jesus matter?
This evidence for the death, burial, resurrection, and appearances of Jesus is partial, for even more evidence exists. But the question still remains. Why does it matter? Why is it significant that Jesus died and rose again?
He died for your sins.
Paul tells us not only that Jesus died and rose again, but he tells us something more about his death. He tells us that Jesus “died for our sins” (1 Cor 15:3). This teaches us that Jesus did not die for his own sins, for he had no sins on his record.Now, sin is any thought, word or action that violates the good nature and purpose of God. Lying, stealing, sexual sins, swearing, disrespecting your parents, murdering, and calling other people impolite names – these things are sin, and Jesus never did anything like this. But you and I do things like this because you and I are sinners, and the consequence for our sin is death, eternal death and separation from God forever. There is nothing we can do to reverse or remove these consequences any more than a person who has committed theft can reverse his prison sentence by giving his money to charity.You die because you sin, but Jesus did not die because he sinned. He died because you sinned. At first this doesn’t sound right. But you need to understand that as God and as a man, Jesus lived a perfectly innocent and obedient life. He always thought, said and behaved according to the good nature and purpose of God. So, when he died, he was not dying for his own sins. Instead, he chose to become guilty for your sins and mine. And in this way, he was experiencing the very death that you deserve to die for your sins.
You die because you sin, but Jesus did not die because he sinned. He died because you sinned.
Knowing this, we can say today (and I know this is bad English) that your sins are “died for” already. Your penalty has already been paid. You deserve to die for your sins and to remain in that condition forever. But Jesus died for your sins already to prevent you from dying for yourself.Now, the difference between Jesus dying for your sins and you dying for your sins is significant. Do you know what this difference is? When you die for your sins, you stay in the grave. But when Jesus died for your sins, he returned from the grave. Jesus died for your sins and he totally fulfilled the judgment that you deserve. There is no more death to die and no more sentence for you to serve if you will admit that you are a sinner and will believe on Jesus as your God and Savior instead. The resurrection matters because it provides a powerful testimony that Jesus died for your sins and he did so completely. There is no more death for you to die if you will believe on him.
He is the man God has appointed
In another place, Paul preached a sermon about the gospel. Here is what he said: “[God] has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).You can research every religion in the history of the world, but you will never find another religious figure like Jesus. There are many gods in the world, but none like the God of the Bible and none like Jesus. He is the one God and the one teacher who actually matters. He is superior to all the rest. He has more authority than all the rest. You should listen to him and follow him before all the rest.
You can research every religion in the history of the world, but you will never find another religious figure like Jesus.
How do we know this? Because he is the only person who died and resurrected, never to die again. His resurrection demonstrates that he is the one person from God appointed to carry out God’s plan for all people throughout history. To put your trust in the teaching or character of any other person in history is to put your trust in another person who succumbs to death just like you. It is to put your trust in someone whom God has not appointed.There is no one else like Jesus, and the resurrection is the most obvious evidence for this. There is no comparable alternative. The resurrection not only assures you that Jesus provides you with a means of salvation, it also makes it clear that he is the only means of salvation. God has chosen no other person, being or means to be rescued from your penalty of everlasting death.
He is the man who will judge the world
Not only does the resurrection demonstrate that your death has been conquered and that Jesus is the one on whom you must believe, but it also shows us that Jesus is the one who will judge the world at the end of time. No other religious leader is able to judge the world, because every other religious leader has died and remained in that condition (or will die in the future). As such, no other religious leader is capable of exercising decision-making authority over life and death.
No other religious leader is able to judge the world, because every other religious leader has died and remained in that condition (or will die in the future).
No other religious leader is qualified to make final decisions about the eternal destiny of the people of the world. Only Jesus is available to do this, because he returned from the dead; and only Jesus is able to do this, because he has exercised power over the grave.No other religious leader is a good choice to follow because Jesus will judge every other person, just as he will judge you. Muhammad and Moses, Buddha and Joseph Smith will take their place before Jesus as their judge, just as you will do. The resurrection demonstrates that this will be the case.
Muhammad and Moses, Buddha and Joseph Smith will take their place before Jesus as their judge, just as you will do.
If you look at this in a legal way, to trust in any other religious leader for your eternity is to put your trust in an inadequate lawyer or attorney. To put your trust in Jesus Christ is to put your trust in the highest power and authority, the Judge himself. Why would you follow the teaching of any other prophet (who has the same problems with God’s law that you have and the same weaknesses that you have) when you can put your trust in the perfect, righteous Judge from God who died and rose again, never to die again?
How should you respond to the resurrection of Jesus?
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is indeed good news. It is a true story that truly matters. So, how should you respond to the resurrection of Jesus today and in the future?
Believe and receive Jesus for yourself.
If Jesus died and resurrected, then he is the only person whose message and person you can trust to be there on the other side of death to guarantee salvation and eternal life. Will you turn from your wrong beliefs, your other gods, and your sinful life to believe on Jesus as God and Savior? That is why Paul tells us to “receive” (1 Cor 15:1, 3) and “believe” (1 Cor 15:2, 11). Receive means “to take as your own” and believe means “to accept something as true and depend on it.” Will you take this good news about Jesus as your own? Will you take the death and resurrection of Jesus for your sins as your own? Will you accept what he did as the true way to God and depend on him alone?
Declare, deliver and preach the good news of Jesus to others.
Since Jesus died and rose again and is your Savior, then anything you face in this life – as a normal hardship of life, or as a result of being a Christian and obeying the Bible – should cause no fear. Just like the eleven disciples who initially doubted and were afraid to even show their faces, if you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will be able to openly love people in the world and share with them the good news about him, even if it gets you killed. That is what Paul means when he mentions “declaring” the gospel (1 Cor 15:1), “delivering” the gospel, and “preaching” the gospel. Declare means “to make known,” deliver means “to give to someone else,” and preach means “to proclaim.” When you understand the reality of Jesus dying for sins and rising from the grave, then you will understand your need to make this known to others and to give them this good news. Though you may naturally be afraid, knowing that Jesus died and rose again should give you the courage that you need to share Jesus without fear.
Additional Resources for More Information
The following sources provide additional, more detailed information about the truth of the resurrection and why it matters.
