When considering evidence for the truth of Christianity, the resurrection is a good place to start. The resurrection of Jesus is the historical event upon which Christianity stands or falls. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor. 15:14, ESV). Either Jesus rose from the dead, or Christianity is false. If the resurrection didn’t happen, we can throw away our Bibles, abandon our faith, and give up any hope for eternal life with Christ. The resurrection is that important!
Because the resurrection was a supernatural event, it is commonly objected to by people who have an anti-supernatural bias. Many people—skeptics and believers alike—are unaware there is historical evidence for the resurrection that even non-Christian scholars and historians accept as valid. This kind of evidence can be especially convincing for those who reject the Bible's authority, because it does not depend at all on the inspiration or inerrancy of Scripture. For those who already believe the Bible is God’s inspired Word, this evidence serves to confirm the truth that has been given through God’s special revelation. In my next few blogs, I will briefly present this evidence, hoping you will find it helpful in conversations with skeptics, as well as in solidifying your own faith.
The five most widely accepted pieces of evidence for the Resurrection are the following facts:
· Jesus died by crucifixion.
· The disciples truly believed Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them.
· Paul was suddenly changed.
· James (the skeptical brother of Jesus) was suddenly changed.
· The tomb was empty.
In the book The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (Habermas and Licona), these are called the ‘minimal facts’ because virtually every scholar (Christian and non-Christian) who has seriously studied the subject accepts them as verifiably true. The empty tomb has not been quite as widely accepted as the first four facts, but is supported by so much evidence that the majority (75%) of critical scholars accept it as historically verifiable.
It is important to keep in mind that evidence for most historical events can only provide a high level of probability, not 100% certainty. (I can’t prove with 100% certainty that I wasn’t just created 10 minutes ago with the appearance of age and a lifetime of memory.) Historians’ findings are based on the most reasonable explanation for the available data. This means their findings are not irrefutable, but that there are no alternative theories that provide a more reasonable explanation. This will be especially relevant when we evaluate opposing theories that have attempted to disprove the biblical account of the resurrection.
It should encourage you to know that many of the people, places, and events described in the Bible have been confirmed by archaeologists and historians, but no reliable historical data has ever disproved the Bible. Unless someone produces a bona fide corpse of Jesus of Nazareth, we can be confident that the biblical account of the resurrection is reliable.
With the Easter season approaching, my hope is that this information will help to enrich your celebration of our risen Lord with renewed confidence if you're a Christian, or to convince you (if you're not a believer) there is something (and Someone) worth celebrating. I invite you to follow along as I explain in my next few blogs the five ‘minimal facts’ and examine the arguments both for and against the resurrection through the lens of historical accuracy.
Recommended resources:
The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, Gary R. Habermas and Michael R. Licona
Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek
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