Resurrection of Christ
Definition
The claim of the bodily resurrection of Jesus is central to the Christian message as the cornerstone of all claims to divinity and salvific efficacy, and although it has been hotly contested by those with naturalist presuppositions, the historical data supports the Christian claim of the resurrection.
Summary
The claim of Jesus’s bodily resurrection is central to the gospel message. Without his bodily resurrection, Jesus’s claims to divinity would be empty, and the gospel’s claim to be the power of God for salvation would be false. Although many with naturalistic presuppositions have questioned the legitimacy of the claim of resurrection, six facts support the credibility of the historical claim. First, death by crucifixion was not something that the followers of Jesus were likely to invent. Second, burial account fits with all historical evidence that we have. Third, the claim of the empty tomb was easily verifiable, but there are no contradictory accounts. Fourth, the apostles claim to have met the resurrected Jesus face-to-face. Fifth, these apostles were willing to suffer and die for these claims. Sixth, those who were very unlikely to be converted to this belief were, nonetheless, converted by means of personal experiences of the resurrected Christ.
Podcasts
Courses
Articles
Echoes of Holy Saturday in Old Testament Books
Holy Saturday is like . . . the whole Old Testament.
What’s the Earliest Evidence for Christianity? (The Answer May Surprise You)
Followers of Jesus need to be aware of a revolutionary discovery that is greater than Sinaiticus, greater than P52, greater than all the archaeological discoveries combined.
How to Outgrow Your Christmas Skepticism
Christmas makes Easter possible, while Easter makes Christmas meaningful.
Who Were the Six Women Who Saw the Risen Christ?
The fact that the gospels describe women as discovering the empty tomb is a pointer to their historicity. If this was an apocryphal legend, they would not have invented women as the first witnesses and responsible for telling the men.
How the Old Testament Prepares Us for the Third Day
The empty tomb shouldn’t have been a surprise, especially coming when it did.
The Surprising Purpose in Christ’s Resurrection
Suffering shame and social exclusion isn’t a stray shower on the Christian’s radar screen. It’s the extended forecast.
No Holy Spirit, No Penal Substitutionary Atonement
There would be no atonement apart from the Spirit’s work in these four ways.
Turning Point of World History: The Resurrection According to Acts
In his Gospel, Luke recounts Christ’s resurrection. In Acts, he gives us five implications.
