Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

April 23rd, 2009

A few months ago, publishers of SEVEN magazine asked me to write a cover article entitled ”Easter: Is it for Real?” for their March 1, 2009 issue. You can read the full article, and the whole issue, online. Scroll down the page for the appropriate PDF of the magazine. Below is a brief overview of the article.

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“Could you come over and explain the real meaning of Easter to our boys? I don’t want them to think that Easter is only about the Easter Bunny and chocolate eggs.” Though expressing no open commitment to the Christian faith, this young couple instinctively knew that the story of Jesus dying and rising again was at the heart of Easter, that it was something important for their young boys to know.

Christians, at least in the evangelical branch in which I was raised, tend to make a great deal of fuss over Christmas, while observing the surrounding events of Jesus’ death and resurrection with relatively little fanfare. And yet, Easter presents a great opportunity to talk about the heart of Christianity – that Jesus lived, died and rose again to make atonement for our sins.

A couple of years ago, while discussing Judaism and Christianity with an orthodox rabbi, he challenged me: “Prior to his crucifixion and alleged resurrection, why would a first century Jew have believed that Jesus was the Messiah?” In calling the resurrection “alleged,” my rabbi friend was stating he did not believe it to be true. However, though I doubt he meant to do so, his comment underscored the importance of the resurrection as the crucial, watershed issue in establishing the credibility of Christianity.

Given its vital importance, are there reasonable evidences for believing Jesus actually rose from the dead? There are four common lines of evidence for the physical resurrection of Messiah Jesus.

The Old Testament Scriptures clearly predicted the death and resurrection.
Jesus really died. It may seem strange to raise this as evidence, but many refute the resurrection by claiming that Jesus never really died.
The empty tomb – Where is his body? To this day, no one has ever produced the body of Jesus.
Jesus appeared to many people in different places.

Aside from the factual evidence above, the circumstantial evidence for Messiah’s resurrection is simply too great to ignore. As Christians we are committed to the truthfulness of Scripture – both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament scriptures. It is God’s Word – we believe what it says. But not everyone shares our commitment to the veracity of Scripture. So is there anything else to which we can appeal? There are several matters demanding plausible alternative explanations, if we are to deny the resurrection of Jesus. Here are just a few.

The radical change in behavior of the disciples must be explained.
The conversion of hardened skeptics is significant.
The worldwide existence of the Christian church cannot be ignored.

However, as valuable as apologetics is, I believe one of the best defenses for the reality of the resurrection is the testimony of a transformed life. The New Testament says “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Just as Jerusalem’s citizens marveled at the bold witness of the early Christians, our culture also takes note of those who live authentic lives. When Christian faith truly informs a believer’s life – in marriage and family relationships, in one’s work ethic, in one’s interests and ambitions – the surrounding community takes note that something powerful is at work in that life.

This was surely true in ancient Thessalonica, for Paul wrote to them: “…your faith in God has become known everywhere…we do not need to say anything about it … they tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10).

As important as it is to be informed about the reasons for believing in the resurrection, Christians must also be transformed by that resurrection power residing in them through God’s Holy Spirit. It is that empowering presence of God’s Spirit in one’s life that compels the Christian to share the great news that Jesus really did rise from the dead.

Please read the full article . And as always, I welcome your comments and questions.

Contributed by David Daniels, former General Director of New Covenant Forum and Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Richmond Hill.

Posted in A Gentile perspective, Atonement, Goyim for God, Resurrection | No Comments »