Although historical occurrences in the first century cannot be proven beyond any doubt, there is a great body of evidence to validate the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection was not an afterthought of God the Father or Jesus the Son. It is not only true that such great patriarchs and prophets as Job and David firmly believed in and clearly enunciated the truth of a bodily resurrection, but Peter in his sermon on Pentecost solemnly affirms that the God-head in pre-determinate counsel intricately planned the scenario. (Acts 2:23-27)
Jesus on a number of occasions clearly and graphically foretold His own resurrection. When the extent of the precautions taken by both the friends and enemies of Jesus to ensure His body could not be stolen from the tomb are considered, the resurrection is the most logical explanation for the empty tomb. To advocate such a deceitful plot could have been successfully planned and executed is unrealistic. The manipulation, timing and intricate detail involved would have entailed a logistical nightmare. The successful direction and control of the dozens of people necessarily involved in such a continuing cover-up defies common sense.
The appearances of Jesus in a resurrected body is an irrefutable evidence of the resurrection. His appearances to his disciples over the following forty days follow this approximate chronological order: Certain women returning from the tomb, Mary Magdalene at the tomb, Peter before the evening meal, all eleven apostles a week later, a number of disciples while fishing on Galilee, the apostles and over five hundred others upon a mountain, James, and last of all the apostles before His ascension. If the resurrection did not occur, is it reasonable the Four Gospels, the Book of Acts, and the First Corinthian letter, all giving these appearances as historical and indisputable fact, would be written and published within the lifetime of many of the witnesses mentioned, without a record of even one dissenting voice being raised?
The dramatic life-change of the disciples is convincing evidence of the authenticity of the resurrection story. They had seen Jesus cruelly crucified and had fled and gone into hiding in fear for their lives. Then Peter who had cursed and denied Christ three times, after the resurrection stood up and fearlessly preached Christ crucified to many of the same mob that had made him cringe in terror. The same disciples that had gone into hiding in an upper room for fear of the Jews, went out in the power of the Holy Spirit to turn the world upside down, after meeting and talking with the resurrected Christ. Many courageously and joyously died the most horrendous deaths for the sake of the gospel.
These transformations took place even though the disciples were evidently not expecting Jesus to rise from the dead. How could self-deluded or deceitful men maintain such dedication to a false cause in the face of such fierce persecution? Who can possibly suggest a rational reason for their fabrication of such a story, and then their subsequent absolute dedication to Christ? Only unreasoning and unreasonable men would reject the evidence God has given confirming the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus on a number of occasions clearly and graphically foretold His own resurrection. When the extent of the precautions taken by both the friends and enemies of Jesus to ensure His body could not be stolen from the tomb are considered, the resurrection is the most logical explanation for the empty tomb. To advocate such a deceitful plot could have been successfully planned and executed is unrealistic. The manipulation, timing and intricate detail involved would have entailed a logistical nightmare. The successful direction and control of the dozens of people necessarily involved in such a continuing cover-up defies common sense.
The appearances of Jesus in a resurrected body is an irrefutable evidence of the resurrection. His appearances to his disciples over the following forty days follow this approximate chronological order: Certain women returning from the tomb, Mary Magdalene at the tomb, Peter before the evening meal, all eleven apostles a week later, a number of disciples while fishing on Galilee, the apostles and over five hundred others upon a mountain, James, and last of all the apostles before His ascension. If the resurrection did not occur, is it reasonable the Four Gospels, the Book of Acts, and the First Corinthian letter, all giving these appearances as historical and indisputable fact, would be written and published within the lifetime of many of the witnesses mentioned, without a record of even one dissenting voice being raised?
The dramatic life-change of the disciples is convincing evidence of the authenticity of the resurrection story. They had seen Jesus cruelly crucified and had fled and gone into hiding in fear for their lives. Then Peter who had cursed and denied Christ three times, after the resurrection stood up and fearlessly preached Christ crucified to many of the same mob that had made him cringe in terror. The same disciples that had gone into hiding in an upper room for fear of the Jews, went out in the power of the Holy Spirit to turn the world upside down, after meeting and talking with the resurrected Christ. Many courageously and joyously died the most horrendous deaths for the sake of the gospel.
These transformations took place even though the disciples were evidently not expecting Jesus to rise from the dead. How could self-deluded or deceitful men maintain such dedication to a false cause in the face of such fierce persecution? Who can possibly suggest a rational reason for their fabrication of such a story, and then their subsequent absolute dedication to Christ? Only unreasoning and unreasonable men would reject the evidence God has given confirming the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
