Resurrection Proofs: How Do We Know Jesus Rose from the Dead?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. As the apostle Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). But Christianity is not a “blind faith.” God has given us “many infallible proofs” of Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 1:3) and invites us to examine the evidence.

HIS RESURRECTION WAS FORETOLD

Jesus Himself said that He would be killed and on the third day rise again. The risen Jesus spoke to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, telling them, “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you— that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:47). The suffering death of the Savior was foretold in numerous Old Testament prophecies, down to minute details, all of which were precisely fulfilled.

JESUS DIED

Some skeptics have proposed the “swoon theory”—that Jesus didn’t really die on the cross but instead passed out and later revived in the tomb. But He was brutally beaten, flogged with a cat-o’-nine-tails tearing His flesh, hung on a cross with thick spikes driven through His hands and feet, then—to ensure that He was dead—He was pierced in the side with a spear. The Roman soldiers were professional executioners who knew how to do a thorough job. No one in this condition could have survived, then awakened to roll away a two-ton stone and slipped by the Roman guards posted at the sealed tomb. That Jesus died and was buried is reported even by secular sources of the time.

THE TOMB WAS EMPTY

Even Jesus’ enemies did not dispute that the tomb was empty. Instead, they claimed that the body was stolen while the guards slept —even though the guards faced execution if they fell asleep on the job. It would have been impossible for the cowardly disciples, who fled upon Jesus’ arrest, to overpower a squadron of professional soldiers. And why would they? They each faced persecution and death for their eyewitness testimony, fully convinced that Jesus Christ rose from the grave. What would they gain by dying for a known lie? The Jewish leaders certainly wouldn’t have stolen the body. Their goal was to stop the spread of Christianity, so having people believe in Jesus’ resurrection was the furthest thing from their minds. If the body could have been found anywhere, they surely would have searched until they produced it and put this new religion to rest.

“Truly, the Son of God has power over life and death, and He is alive to transform lives today. All who repent and trust in Him will “know Him and the power of His resurrection”—they too will encounter the risen Lord and be given eternal life.”

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HE WAS SEEN ALIVE AFTER THE RESURRECTION

These were not “hallucinations” or brief sightings—Jesus ate, drank, and spoke at length with His disciples. Jesus appeared at least 11 times over a 40-day period, and to over 500 eyewitnesses! In writing of this amazing eyewitness testimony, the apostle Paul noted that “most of [them] remain to the present.” With witnesses still alive for cross-examination, skeptics could have easily verified the truth of the claim. Dr. Simon Greenleaf, a founder of Harvard Law School, was one of the greatest legal minds in this country. He concluded that the resurrection of Christ was one of the best supported events in history, according to the laws of legal evidence used in court. In fact, Greenleaf was so convinced by the overwhelming evidence, he committed his life to Christ!

LIVES ARE RADICALLY TRANSFORMED

Overnight, the fearful disciples became bold, fearless witnesses, proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After seeing the ultimate proof of Jesus’ deity, thousands of Jews abandoned centuries-old religious rituals to follow the Messiah. Truly, the Son of God has power over life and death, and He is alive to transform lives today. All who repent and trust in Him will “know Him and the power of His resurrection”—they too will encounter the risen Lord and be given eternal life.

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