Glory
The questions/Trail: Jesus Christ

Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

Yes, the resurrection is a historically attested event with multiple independent witnesses, and it is the hinge of the Christian faith. If Christ did not rise, our faith is futile; because He did, death is defeated and we have a living hope.

This question arose from studying Why did Jesus have to die?.

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Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.

The study

What the Scripture says

A historical claim with checkable witnesses

This is not myth. Paul delivers what he 'received': Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose the third day according to the Scriptures, and appeared to Peter, then the twelve, then more than five hundred brothers at once, then James, then Paul. Most of those witnesses were still alive when he wrote and could be questioned.

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8

The tomb was empty

The women found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty; the grave clothes were left behind. The angel's words are the heart of it: 'He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said.' No one has ever produced His body, because there was none to produce.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They entered in, and didn’t find the Lord Jesus’ body. While they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee,
Luke 24:1-6
He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.
Matthew 28:6
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.
John 20:6-7

He appeared bodily, not as a ghost

Jesus insisted He was not a spirit: 'See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.' He even ate in their presence and invited Thomas to touch His wounds. The resurrection was a bodily, physical event.

See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they still didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. He took them, and ate in front of them.
Luke 24:39-43
Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”
John 20:27

The resurrection vindicates who He is

Paul writes that Jesus was 'declared to be the Son of God with power… by the resurrection from the dead.' Peter tells the crowd that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, and raised Him as public proof. The resurrection is God's own verdict on Jesus.

who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
Romans 1:4
This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Acts 2:32-36
because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”
Acts 17:31

It means death is defeated for us

Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection, and because He rose, those who belong to Him will rise too. The Spirit who raised Jesus will give life to our mortal bodies, and we are born again to a living hope through His resurrection. His victory is ours.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22
But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Peter 1:3

As you read, you may wonder…

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Verses to meditate on

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20
See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.”
Luke 24:39
But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11

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