This is the second in a series of Apologetic Minutes on the resurrection. In the first article, we listed the New Testament passages describing the resurrection and examined the documentary evidence that confirmed that Jesus was physically dead before His body was removed from the cross. In this article we will examine evidence concerning where and how His body was buried, and for the discovery of the empty tomb two days later.

THE BURIAL OF JESUS

Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin who did not agree with their decision to have Jesus executed, asked Pilate for Jesus’ body so as to give it an honorable burial. It is most unlikely that Jesus’ followers would have invented a story that a member of the Sanhedrin was willing to stand with Jesus while many of His disciples had run off in fear. If the story had been false, it would have been easy for opponents to check with Joseph to prove the story untrue.

Joseph buried Jesus in his own private tomb, which had never been used before. Several women-followers of Christ witnessed the burial. The tomb was cut out of rock and secured with a large stone. The tomb was sealed the next day under the orders of Pilate, who provided a guard to prevent theft of the body.

Important implications of these facts include:

(1) The location of the buried body was well established: in the private garden tomb of a prominent religious leader. This would not have been the case had Jesus been buried in a common grave.
(2) The tomb was cut out of rock, facilitating its sealing and guarding.
(3) Since the tomb had not been used before, there was no question of his body being confused with that of someone else.

THE EMPTY TOMB

On the first day of the following week, the tomb was found to be empty by Christian women who went to it intending to complete the embalming process. As noted above, they had witnessed the burial, so it is most unlikely that they went to the wrong tomb. When the disciples Peter and John went to investigate their report, they too found the tomb empty, although they did find the grave-cloths. While one of the women thought the body had been stolen, this is not consistent with the fact that the body was gone but the grave-cloths left. Also, the presence of guards would have prevented the tomb from being robbed.

When the guards reported to the Jewish religious leaders what had happened (a violent earthquake and an angel rolling back the stone), they were bribed to say that while they were asleep the disciples had stolen the body. This report was of course not credible: how could they have known what happened while they were asleep? Interestingly, a marble tablet found in Nazareth in the 19^th century, dating to around A.D. 40, contains a warning from an unnamed Caesar that desecration or robbery of tombs carried the death penalty. Historians think that something very unusual had to have happened to cause such an edict!

In the next Apologetic Minute we will discuss Jesus’ resurrection appearances. As a result of these appearances the disciples were convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead and at Pentecost they began to testify publically to this miracle. If the tomb had in fact not been empty, the Jewish authorities could easily have produced the body and discredited reports of the resurrection. As it was, they were unable to silence the early church. This is a strong testimony to the historicity of the resurrection.

Note: This article is based on material in John Lennox’s Gunning for God (see recommended resources below).

Recommended Resources:

(1) Gary R. Habermas and Michael R. Licona, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004).
NOTE: This book can be found in our Lending Library…it is excellent!!!

(2) John C. Lennox, Gunning for God: Why the New Atheists are Missing the Target (Oxford: Lion Hudson, 2011), Chapter 8

This is the third in a series of Apologetic Minutes on the resurrection. In the first two articles, we listed the New Testament passages describing the resurrection and discussed the documentary evidence concerning Jesus’ death on a cross, where and how His body was buried, and the discovery of the empty tomb two days later. In this article we will list the eyewitness accounts of His resurrected body, and discuss the impact of this miracle on the witnesses.

The resurrection appearances occurred over a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3); specific appearances recorded in the Bible are as follows:

• To Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb (John 20:11-18)

• To the other women who went to the empty tomb (Matthew 28:9-10)

• To two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32)

• To Peter (Luke 24:34)

• To the ten assembled disciples in Jerusalem (John 20:19-25)

• To the eleven assembled disciples in Jerusalem (John 20:26-31)

• To seven disciples while fishing at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-24)

• To the eleven disciples in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20)

• To more than 500 followers(I Corinthians 15:6)

• To James (I Corinthians 15:7)

• To the eleven disciples on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:4-12)

Two appearances after His Ascension were to:

• Stephen (Acts 7:55-56)

• Paul (Acts 9:1-6)

The number of eyewitnesses, combined with the variety of appearances, including some in which the disciples touched Jesus and ate with Him, is compelling evidence for the historicity of the resurrection. However, there is additional evidence.

First is the dramatic change in the disciples’ behavior. They went from a group of men frightened and in hiding to strong, courageous witnesses sharing the gospel throughout the world. What else could explain this dramatic change other than the risen Christ appearing to them?

Second is the life of the apostle Paul. What changed him from being a persecutor of the church into an apostle for the church? It was when the risen Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6).

A third convincing proof is the empty tomb. If Christ were not raised, then where was His body? The disciples and others saw the tomb where He was buried. When they returned, His body was not there. Angels declared that He had been raised from the dead as He had promised (Matthew 28:5-7).

Another proof of the resurrection of Jesus is the great amount of weight the apostles gave to Jesus’ resurrection. A key passage on Christ’s resurrection is 1 Corinthians 15. In this chapter, the apostle Paul explains why it is crucial to understand and believe in Christ’s resurrection. The resurrection is important for the following reasons:

1) If Christ was not raised from the dead, believers will not be either (1 Corinthians 15:12-15).
2) If Christ was not raised from the dead, His sacrifice for sin was not sufficient (1 Corinthians 15:16-19).

Jesus’ resurrection proved that His death was accepted by God as the atonement for our sins. If He had simply died and stayed dead, that would indicate His sacrifice was not sufficient. As a result, believers would not be forgiven for their sins, and they would remain dead after they die (1 Corinthians 15:16-19). There would be no such thing as eternal life (John 3:16). “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20 NAS).

Finally, Scripture is clear that all those who believe in Jesus Christ will be raised to eternal life just as He was (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). 1 Corinthians 15, a Christian Creed dated to within 2 years of Christ’s Resurrection by most scholars, goes on to describe how Christ’s resurrection proves His victory over sin and provides us the power to live victoriously over sin (1 Corinthians 15:24-34). It describes the glorious nature of the resurrection body we will receive (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). It proclaims that, as a result of Christ’s resurrection, all who believe in Him have ultimate victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:50-58).

What a glorious truth the resurrection of Christ is! “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). According to the Bible, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is most definitely true. The Bible records Christ’s resurrection, records that over 500 people witnessed the resurrected Christ and proceeds to build crucial Christian doctrine on the historical fact of Jesus’ resurrection.

Recommended Resources:
Gary R. Habermas and Michael R. Licona, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004).
NOTE: This book can be found in our Lending Library…it is excellent!!!

This article is mostly based upon: http://www.gotquestions.org/was-Jesus-resurrected.html#ixzz3N0oJZ0CT