Yes — the resurrection of Jesus is one of the best-attested events of the ancient world: the empty tomb, over 500 eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6), the transformed disciples who died for their testimony, and the explosive birth of the church. Here’s the evidence and why it changes everything.
A great deal of historical, literary, and legal testimony validates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave and answers the question, “Was Jesus Raised From The Dead?”
The resurrection is an event that can be best proved from a historical perspective. We can study the history of the resurrection through the accounts recorded in the Bible. Although some people attack the Bible’s historical accuracy, archaeological findings continue to validate it.
Here are five facts from the Bible about this and when you read them all together, it makes a solid case for the resurrection of Jesus:
Fact 1
The Roman seal was broken. Matthew records that the tomb was sealed (Matthew 27:66). Who would dare to break this seal, when the penalty for doing so was death?
Fact 2
The large stone covering the tomb was moved (John 20:1). Who could move such a large stone without the permission of the Roman soldiers who guarded the site?
Fact 3
The tomb was empty. Jesus’ followers couldn’t have claimed His resurrection if the tomb hadn’t been empty or if a body had been found (Matthew 28:11-15).
Fact 4
The clothes in the grave had been vacated (Luke 24:12). Jesus was gone, but his grave clothes were still lying there.
Fact 5
Many eyewitnesses saw Jesus. One crowd numbered more than five hundred (1 Corinthians 15:6).
After reading through all of these facts, I believe we can conclude that Jesus rose from the dead just as the Bible says. What do you think? Please leave us a comment below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What evidence supports the resurrection?
The empty tomb (verified by hostile witnesses), appearances to over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6), the transformation of terrified disciples into bold martyrs, the conversion of skeptics like Paul and James, and the church’s explosive growth in the very city Jesus was buried.
Couldn’t the disciples have stolen the body?
People don’t die for what they know is a lie. The disciples gained nothing earthly — poverty, persecution, execution — and every one continued testifying to the risen Christ. A stolen body explains none of the appearances.
Why does the resurrection matter?
Paul said if Christ isn’t raised, faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:17). The resurrection is God’s public receipt that the payment for sin was accepted — and the guarantee that everyone in Christ will also rise.
Related: 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die and Scripture on Easter
Here are other Frequently Asked Questions and how the Bible answers them.
Hello Mike, may I ask you a random question? :-) I got to your site via Michael Hyatt’s. I was wondering, do you use a plugin for your “you might also like” list of posts? If so, what is it? If not, is it related to the theme?
Hey Matthew,
No problem at all. It is the nRelate plugin found at:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/nrelate-related-content/
Let me know if you need anything else! Thanks!
Yes I agree no bones about it Christ raised from the dead. There were never any bones found! Proof he arose archeologist dig today and more dig more they find the Bible as true.
Thanks for commenting Steve!