The evidence for the resurrection of Jesus is surprisingly strong. Jesus certainly died by Roman crucifixion, his tomb was found empty by unlikely witnesses, hundreds of people saw him alive afterward, and his frightened followers became bold witnesses willing to suffer for their message. Together, these facts are best explained by one conclusion: Jesus really rose from the dead.
Jesus Really Died on the Cross
Over the years, some have suggested that Jesus didn’t actually die but only fainted on the cross and later revived in the cool of the tomb. This “swoon theory” doesn’t hold up. Roman soldiers carried out crucifixions routinely, and they had every reason to make sure the job was finished. Jesus had already been brutally flogged before he was nailed to the cross.
John’s gospel records exactly how the soldiers confirmed his death.
John 19:33-34 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
A man who had barely survived flogging, crucifixion and a spear wound could hardly have convinced his followers that he had conquered death. Jesus died, and that sets the stage for everything that follows.
The Empty Tomb and Its Unlikely Witnesses
The gospels agree that some of Jesus’ female followers were the first to find his tomb empty. That’s a remarkable detail. In the first century, a woman’s testimony carried little weight, and in many settings it wasn’t accepted in court. If someone were inventing a resurrection story, they would have chosen respected men like Peter or John as the discoverers. The most reasonable explanation for the detail is that it’s simply what happened.
Mark 16:6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
The empty tomb also created a problem for Jesus’ opponents. To stop the new movement, they only needed to produce his body, and they never did. Instead, the earliest response was the claim that the disciples had stolen it (Matthew 28:11-15), which quietly admitted the tomb was empty. Yet the tomb had been sealed and guarded (Matthew 27:62-66), and the frightened disciples were hardly in a position to overpower Roman authority.
Hundreds of Eyewitnesses
If only one or two people claimed to see Jesus alive, we might suspect a hallucination or a fabrication. But the New Testament records appearances to individuals, small groups and a large crowd. Paul passed along an early summary of Christian belief, which many scholars date to within a few years of the crucifixion.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: 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, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Paul’s note that most of the five hundred were “still living” was an open invitation to go and ask them. He goes on to list appearances to James, to all the apostles and finally to Paul himself (1 Corinthians 15:7-8). Hallucinations are private experiences, which makes it very hard to explain so many people, at different times and places, seeing the same risen Jesus.
Changed Lives That Can’t Be Explained Away
After the crucifixion, the disciples were hiding behind locked doors, afraid of the authorities (John 20:19). Within weeks, the same people were preaching publicly in Jerusalem, the very city where Jesus had been executed. When they were arrested and ordered to stop, their answer was simple.
Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
People sometimes die for things they wrongly believe are true. But the disciples were in a position to know whether the resurrection really happened, and they were willing to suffer and even die rather than deny it. James, who didn’t believe in his brother during his ministry (John 7:5), and Paul, who persecuted the church, were transformed too. The best explanation is that they really saw the risen Jesus. If you’d like to learn more about putting your faith in Jesus, check out How can I become a Christian?
The Takeaway
The evidence for the resurrection is strong: a certain death, an empty tomb discovered by unlikely witnesses, hundreds of eyewitnesses and lives radically changed. The best explanation is that Jesus really rose, which means his promises of forgiveness and eternal life are true for everyone who trusts him.
