Did Jesus of Nazareth really rise from the dead? And the truth of the matter impact our view of history and everything that we believe about God – this matter is of the greatest eternal importance for us to consider while we are still alive on this planet, we call earth.
Jesus Being Fully God and Fully Man. God made Himself known in a tangible way. When we read about Jesus, we encounter the heart of God displayed in human form.
The Divine Authority of Jesus.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30
Jesus’ humanity – as fully human.
An example: “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” Matthew 4:2
The Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus is the central historical event in the Christian faith. There would be no Christianity without the Resurrection, “and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” says God via 1 Corinthians 15:14
Jesus as a historical person, actually lived and walked on this Earth slightly more than two thousand years ago – this’s an indisputable fact.
- The year 2025 – our Calendar bears witness to Jesus’ birth on planet earth.
- Jesus’s historical existence is generally accepted among scholars.
- The evidence for the reality of Jesus Christ includes writings by historians, artifacts and eyewitness accounts.
Consider this few evidence among many others:
Time itself revolves around the Birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. When he was born, time was reset by the world and the calendar history of time was split into two epochs B.C. “Before Christ” and A.D. “Anno Domini or In the Year of our Lord”. It has been about 2025 years (and counting) since Christ was Born – this is on the calendar we refer to daily.
These days, it seems for some to appear to be “politically correct” to use B.C.E. (Before Common Era) and C.E. (Common Era) to replace B.C. and A.D. this is an attempt by the enemy of God to influence folks and an attempt to use those reference to detract from the significance of Jesus’s birth or any reference to Him. However, the origin of the date is still the same, the year is the same, even though folks want to obliterate the name of Jesus from the calendar reference.
The historicity of Jesus Christ, His basic existence sits primarily within the realm of historical inquiry— as to whether He existed as a real person in first-century Judea. By and large, historians and biblical scholars from various religious and non-religious backgrounds accept that Jesus was a historical individual.
Historians: Non-Christians:
Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37–100 AD) stands out. In his work Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus briefly refers to Jesus, describing Him as a teacher and mentioning His brother James (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 20, Chapter 9, §1). The consensus view is that Josephus did mention Jesus in a historical context (Ehrman, 2012; Meier, 1991).
Pliny the Younger, who was also governor in Asia Minor, wrote letters to Emperor Trajan around AD 112 describing Christians worshipping Jesus as a God:
“They (Christians) were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food, but of an ordinary and innocent kind ,” wrote Pliny in Epistle 10.96 https://vroma.org/vromans/hwalker/Pliny/Pliny10-096-E.html
Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus (56–120 AD) references “Christus,” the founder of the Christian movement, in his Annals (c. 116 AD). Tacitus describes Emperor Nero’s persecution of Christians and notes that Jesus “had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilatus” (Tacitus, Annals 15.44). This text is widely regarded as an independent, near-contemporary Roman acknowledgment of Jesus’s existence and execution.
The Four canonical Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John serve as principal textual sources for Jesus’s life and teachings. These documents provide a bedrock of early testimony about Jesus with historical details such as geographical references, cultural practices, and interactions with known historical figures (e.g., Pontius Pilate). Scholars typically regard Mark as the earliest Gospel, composed around 65–70 AD, indicating that sources about Jesus’s life circulated within a few decades of His death (Ehrman, 2012; Sanders, 1993).
The letters of Paul, written between the late 40s and mid-60s AD, are some of the earliest Christian documents – they refer to Jesus as an actual person, referencing His crucifixion and resurrection as historical events within living memory (1 Corinthians 15:3–8). Paul’s occasional mention of Jesus’s family (Galatians 1:19) further underscores a belief in a real, historical individual.
Thus, early Christian texts, independent Jewish sources, and Roman historical documents each contribute overlapping testimony of Jesus of Nazareth’s existence.
Now we address the claims of the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead and to establish the truth. of the matter. The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead has been attacked from every angle, so what evidence is there that it happened?
Below is a concise yet comprehensive breakdown of the convincing evidence:
1. The Empty Tomb: An Undisputed Fact.
All four Gospels (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20) record that Jesus’ tomb was found empty by women on the third day.
This fact is acknowledged by enemies. Jewish leaders did not dispute the empty tomb and admitted the tomb was empty. (Matthew 28:11-15), and accusing the disciples of stealing the body—which would have been impossible given Roman guards (Matthew 27:62-66). This is also significant because it shows that the Jews did not deny the empty tomb but admitted the empty tomb. Instead, their “stolen body” theory admitted the significant truth that the tomb was in fact empty.
We need to be cognisant that the Jewish leaders were opposed to Christianity and were hostile witnesses. This was positive evidence from a hostile source – as, if a hostile source admits a fact that is decidedly not in its favor, the fact is genuine.
The Jews or Romans had no motive to steal the body–they wanted to suppress Christianity, not encourage it by providing it with an empty tomb. The disciples would have had no motive, either; because of their preaching on the resurrection, they were beaten, killed, and persecuted. Why would they go through all of this for a deliberate lie?
Women as first witnesses, in a culture where women’s testimony was disqualified in court, their role as primary witness, as women were not seen as reliable witnesses in the culture at the time (Mark 16:1-8) argues for historical authenticity. The presence of women as the first witnesses to the empty tomb would likely be an unlikely invention by the Gospel writers if they were making up the story.
If the body of Jesus had remained in the tomb, the early Christian movement would have likely faltered, as opponents of the movement could have easily produced the body. No body was ever produced – the simplest explanation is that Jesus rose.
The empty tomb is supported by the historical reliability of the burial story. The burial story is one of the best-established facts about Jesus because of the inclusion of Joseph of Arimethea as the one who buried Christ. Joseph was a member of the Jewish Sanhedrein, a sort of Jewish supreme court. People on this ruling class were simply too well known for fictitious stories about them to be pulled off in this way. This would have exposed the Christians as frauds. So they couldn’t have circulated a story about him burying Jesus unless it was true. The burial account was accurate, then the empty tomb was accurate too, as everyone knew where Jesus was buried. This would have been decisive evidence to refute the early Christians who were preaching the resurrection, for if the tomb had not been empty, it would have been evident to all and the disciples would have been exposed as fraudsters or charlatans.
2. Credible Eyewitness Accounts and Over 500 Witnesses at one time.
The New Testament speaks of many people who claimed to have seen Jesus alive after His death. The fact that these witnesses were numerous and, in some cases, still alive at the time 1st Corinthians was written tells us that the resurrection claim could be verified by contemporaries. 1 Corinthians (written within 25 years of Jesus’ death), provide an early and credible source of resurrection testimony. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 records that Jesus appeared to:
– To individuals (Mary Magdalene – John 20:14-17)
– Peter (Luke 24:34)
– The small groups (disciples – Luke 24:36-43)
– 500+ people at once (1 Corinthians 15:6 many still alive when Paul wrote, meaning they could be questioned).
– James – Jesus’ brother was not a believer (“For neither did his brethren believe in him.” John 7:5), who later became a Christian leader after seeing a risen Christ. (“After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.” 1 Corinthians 15:7)
– Paul who is a former persecutor of Christians, while on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9:1-9) became Christianity’s foremost missionary after encountering the risen Christ.
The physical proof that Jesus appeared physically: He ate fish (Luke 24:42-43), showed His wounds (John 20:27 – “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”), and was touched (“And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.” Matthew 28:9).
3. The Disciples’ Radical Transformation: From Cowards to Martyrs.
Before the resurrection, Jesus’ followers fled and hid. (Mark 14:50; John 20:19). The same cowardly men who fled at Jesus’ arrest later died as martyr proclaiming His resurrection.
After seeing Him alive, they preached boldly despite beatings, imprisonment, and execution (Acts 4:18-20; 5:40-42).
If the disciples knew that Jesus had not really risen, but they made up this story about the resurrection, then why did 10 of the disciples willingly die as martyrs for their belief in the resurrection? People will often die for a lie that they believe is the truth. But if Jesus did not rise, the disciples knew it. Thus, they wouldn’t have just been dying for a lie that they mistakenly believed was true. They would have been dying for a lie that they knew was a lie. Ten people would not all give their lives for something they know to be a lie.
People may die for the truths but they don’t die for a lie, Jesus rose. Many of the apostles were martyred for their faith, which will not happen if they knew the resurrection was a fabrication – in fact, all but John the apostle was martyred, yet none recanted —the disciples truly believed, because they have seen the risen Christ, one who was crucified to death and now lives again.
4. Historical Documentation – Early and Credible Historical Sources.
Early Creed: 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 records a resurrection creed dated within 3-5 years of the event, confirming the resurrection was preached from the beginning. The Gospels were written within 30-60 years of Jesus’ death, while eyewitnesses were still alive.
The Gospels were written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses and included embarrassing details (e.g., Peter’s denial, women as first witnesses) indicating authenticity.
Non-Christian historians confirm key facts:
Josephus (AD 93) wrote that Jesus was crucified, and His followers claimed He rose. (Antiquities 18.3.3).
Tacitus (AD 115) recorded Jesus’ execution under Pilate and the rapid spread of Christianity with Christians believing in a resurrected Christ. (Annals 15.44).
Historical and Archaeological Support.
While there is no direct archaeological evidence for the resurrection itself, the historical and archaeological context of the New Testament stories is considered supportive. For instance, the existence of figures like Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who ordered Jesus’ crucifixion, and the historical accuracy of the locations mentioned in the Gospel accounts are seen as lending credibility to the broader narrative.
Additionally, the discovery of early Christian symbols, writings, and other artifacts can help establish the authenticity of the early Christian belief in the resurrection.
5. The Rapid spread or the Explosive Growth of Christianity.
Jesus’ disciples had real experiences with one whom they believed was the risen Christ. As a result of the preaching of these disciples, which had the resurrection at its center, the Christian church was established and grew.
Christian Messianism very unique community behaviour.
– Christianity began in Jerusalem, where Jesus was publicly crucified, within weeks of His death (Acts 2).
– Jewish leaders couldn’t stop the movement despite having the power to persecute Christians.
– Christianity exploded in Jerusalem where Jesus was publicly crucified, with 3,000 converted at Pentecost (Acts 2:41), including former opponents (Acts 6:7) because the evidence was undeniable.
Jesus’s followers continued to worship Him as their Messiah, despite His public execution. This can only be explained by the resurrection appearances of Jesus, which transformed their comprehension and empowered their mission.
6. Changed Worship Practices.
Messianic (the Jews who believe Jesus as the Messiah) Jews began worshipping on Sunday instead of on the Sabbath day on Saturday (Acts 20:7 “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”)
– The Cross (an execution device) became a symbol of victory.
7. The Failure of the opposition to produce the body and other Alternative Theories.
They couldn’t produce the body to disprove the resurrection, though they had every incentive to do so.
So they said “The disciples stole the body” – impossible, as it requires defeated disciples to overpower the Roman guards and there were no motive to face persecution and die for a lie. If the body had been found, Christianity would have been crushed immediately.
“Jesus didn’t really die” (Swoon Theory). Roman executioners were brutally efficient and ensured death (“But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” John 19:33-34). Much later, medical findings confirmed that when a person died from Crucifixion, water/plasma and red blood cells separates, accounting for the blood and water to come out as recorded by John.
“They hallucinated”. The hallucination theory is untenable because it cannot explain the physical nature of the appearances. The disciples record eating and drinking with Jesus, as well as touching him. This cannot be done with hallucinations.
Hallucinations are highly of an individual occurrence and not group projections. Hallucinations don’t explain the empty tomb or 500+ witnesses – there is the psychological inconceivability of mass hallucinations maintaining consistent experiences over 40 days.
In addition, the hallucination theory cannot explain the conversion of Paul, three years later. It was preposterous that Paul, the persecutor of Christians, so hoping to see the resurrected Jesus that his mind invented an appearance as well? (Since the disciples could not have been lying or hallucinating, we have only one possible explanation left: the disciples believed that they had seen the risen Jesus because they really had seen the risen Jesus. So, the resurrection appearances alone demonstrate the resurrection. Thus, if we reject the resurrection, we are left with an inexplicable mystery, first the empty tomb and now the appearances.)
“It’s a myth”. The accounts are too early and detailed to be legendary at that time. The empty tomb account in the gospel of Mark is based upon a source that originated within seven years of the event it narrates. This places the evidence for the empty tomb too early to be legendary, and argues for the fact that it is accurate description of what had actually transpired.
Wrong tomb theory – Roman and Jewish Authorities would have simply pointed to the correct tomb and could have produced the correct body.
All alternative theories cannot account for the evidence coherently.
There is simply no plausible natural explanation today to account for Jesus’ tomb being empty. If we deny the resurrection of Jesus, we are left with an inexplicable mystery.” The resurrection of Jesus is not just the best explanation for the empty tomb, it is the only explanation!
The Resurrection is the only compelling explanation that fits all the Evidence and collectively form the basis for the resurrection. Thus, the only Conclusion is, Jesus’ bodily resurrection happened and is a historical event two thousand years ago – rooted in both the evidence and its’ amazing transformative impact on early Christianity.
– The tomb was empty.
– Jesus appeared alive to hundreds.
– The disciples transformed from cowards to martyrs.
– Prophecies fulfilled (Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10-11).
– The Church exits and exploded in the very city where Jesus was killed; no other event explains its birth – the church.
– Changed lives —from James the half-brother of Jesus, Paul to modern believers.
Scripture said in Acts 17:31 “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” God has given proof of the resurrection by raising Jesus from the dead. When all these facts are taken together we have an even more powerful case for the resurrection. The historical record stands water tight, impermeable.
As Scripture said:
“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (1 Corinthians 15:17, 20).
The Importance of the Resurrection.
Why does it matter? What is the relevance to our lives? Indeed, the resurrection is the most important truth in the world with far-reaching eternal implications on our lives.
The resurrection proves that the claims Jesus made about himself are true. Some Bible verses that Jesus claimed to be God.
“Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:57,58
“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?” John 14:9
“I and my Father are one.” John 10:30
“Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” John 5:18
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” John 20:28 (Note: Jesus accepted this accolade from Thomas when Thomas saw the resurrected Jesus.)
Some Bible passages that confirmed that Jesus is God:
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:” Hebrews 1:1-3
“But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Hebrews 1:8
(Note: God the Father calling the Son, O God. The Triune God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. ONE GOD in Three Persons. The reference to “the Son” is to show the “relational dimension” in the Godhead.)
” Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:9
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:” Hebrews 1:3
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” John 5:23
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
Now, if Jesus had stayed dead in the tomb, it would be foolish to believe this claim. But since He rose from the dead, it would be foolish not to believe it. The resurrection proves that what the Bible and Jesus said about Himself is true. He is fully God and fully man.
Sometimes, it was Jesus’ actions that revealed His identity. Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in Mark 2 was done to demonstrate His authority and ability to forgive sins. In the minds of His Jewish audience, they knew fully well that such abilities (no one can forgive sin, for example, only God can) were reserved for God alone. Jesus also receives worship several times in the Gospels (Matthew 2:11; Luke 24:52; John 9:38) Never did Jesus reject such adoration. Rather, He regarded their worship as well placed. Elsewhere, Jesus taught that the Son of Man will ultimately judge humanity (Matthew 25:31-46) and taught that our eternal destinies depend on our response to Him (Mark 8:34-38). Such behavior is further indication of Jesus’ divine self-understanding.
Jesus also stated that His forthcoming resurrection from the dead would vindicate the very special claims that He made for Himself
“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:38-40
After having been crucified and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus did, in fact, rise from the dead, establishing His claims to deity.
If Jesus rose from the dead, then we have seen this validates His claim to be God. If He is God, He speaks with absolute certainty and final authority. Therefore, what Jesus said about the Bible must be true. What did Jesus say about the Bible? He said that it was inspired by God.
Christianity is the only religion that believes Jesus Christ is both God and man. All other religions say that he was a good man only-and not God. Clearly, both claims are mutually exclusive and cannot be right at the same time! Somebody is wrong. How are we to know which religion is correct? By a simple test: which religion gives the best evidence for its truth? In light of Christ’s resurrection, Christianity has the best reasons behind it.
Jesus is the only religious leader who has risen from the dead. All other religious leaders are still in their tombs. Who would we want to believe? Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates that what He said was true. Therefore, we must accept his statement to be the only way to God: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, except through me” John 14:6
The resurrection of Christ provides genuine hope for eternal life. Jesus says that by repenting of our sins and putting our faith and trust in Him we will be forgiven of our sins and thereby escape being condemned at the final judgment day of God on mankind. The Bible tell us that Christ rose from the dead – that He did this because we are sinners and sin must be atoned for. God is just and holy. The penalty for our sins must be paid for – Jesus paid the penalty of our sins on our behalf.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36
So, God, out of His love, became incarnate – to be fully man in Jesus Christ, in order to pay the penalty for sinners. On the cross, Jesus died in the place of those who would come to believe in Him. He took upon Himself the very death pronouncement on sin that we deserve. The Bible declares that Christ’s resurrection proves that His mission to conquer sin was successful. His resurrection proves that He is the Saviour who is willing and able, to deliver us from the wrath of God that is coming on the day of judgment. The forgiveness that Jesus died and rose again to provide a joyous eternal life is given to those who put their faith and trust in Him for salvation.
The Bible says that Christ’s resurrection is the architype for those who believe in Him will follow – those who believe in Christ will one day be resurrected by God just as He was. The resurrection proves that those who trust in Christ will be resurrected one day. Because of the resurrection of Christ, believers in Jesus will one day experience forever, the freedom of having a glorified soul and body and lives forever with God in heaven, for all eternity.
Dr. Cheong Kok Weng
April 24, 2025