Statement: Biblical accounts of the physical (bodily) resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate. This event actually occurred.
45% of respondents strongly agreed. 35% disagreed or were not sure. 20% somewhat agreed. But, if you look at the age group of 18-24, the percentage that strongly agreed dropped to 34% and the number of those who disagreed or were not sure jumped to 48%.
We agree with and accept the statement that the Bible is the highest authority for what we believe.
We also believe the words of 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man or God may be complete, equipped for every good work”.
So, what does the Bible say?
All four of the gospel narratives relate the events of Jesus’ resurrection. The New Testament Passages on the Resurrection of Jesus are: Matthew 28:1–20; Mark 16:1–20; Luke 24:1–53; and John 20–21.
Matthew
Matthew tells us that Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” came to the tomb after the Sabbath and encountered an angel who told them Jesus was risen as he said he would be. (Matthew 28:6) This other Mary is likely the mother of James the Younger (James the Less), one of the Twelve, and Joseph (Joses in the older translations). She was the wife of Alphaeus, also known as Cleopas. She was also present at the crucifixion of Jesus. (John 19:25).
The angel showed them the empty tomb. Then, Jesus appeared to the them and they worshiped him. Notice that the women took hold of Jesus’ feet. (28:9) That shows us that Jesus rose bodily. He was not a spirit or a ghost or an apparition.
The women went and told the disciples. Matthew was one of the disciples, so he heard their account straight from them and immediately after the event.
Mark
Mark identified “the other Mary” as Mary the mother of James, meaning James the Younger (or “the Less”). Mark also adds that Salome was there. She was the wife of Zebedee and mother of the apostles James and John.
Luke
Luke identified some of the other women who came to the tomb as Joanna and “the other women with them”. (Luke 24:10).
Luke’s account adds that Peter, upon hearing the report of the women, ran to the tomb and found it empty other than the linen cloths that had wrapped Jesus’s body. (Luke 24:12)
John
John adds that, not only Peter, but another disciple ran to the tomb and saw it empty. We assume that disciple is John himself. (John 20:3-7) John actually went into the tomb and saw the linen cloths and the face cloth lying separately and “believed”. (John 20:8)
So, we have eyewitness accounts of the empty tomb here. We have several women, named and unnamed, and the apostles Peter and John. Matthew certainly heard the accounts of the women first hand, along with Peter and John and the other disciples.
Post Resurrection Appearances
In addition to the eyewitness accounts of the empty tomb, there are accounts of those who saw Jesus alive after his death and resurrection.
First, of course, are Mary Magdalene and the other women who saw Jesus at the tomb. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus appeared to these women first rather than the disciples?
Then, Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples in Galilee. (Matthew 28:16) This is the Twelve minus Judas, who had betrayed Jesus and then killed himself.
Jesus also appeared to two disciples on the road to the village of Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-34) They reported this to the 11 apostles. (33-34) During the report, Jesus appeared to all of them. He had them touch him and ate a piece of fish, both to show them that he was not a spirit, but bodily resurrected. (36-43)
John also recorded Jesus appearing specifically to Thomas the apostle who was doubting the resurrection. Thomas felt Jesus’ wounds and believed. (John 20:26-28) This was eight days after the resurrection.
John recorded another appearance to the apostles Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two other disciples by the Sea of Tiberious. (John 21) John, in relating the appearances to the other disciples, is a witness. This is a firsthand account.
Stephen
Stephen, while being stoned to death, saw the resurrected Jesus in heaven at the right hand of God. Luke recorded this in Acts 7:44. Since Luke traveled with Paul, it is likely he got the account from Paul, who was holding the garments of those who stoned Stephen. (Acts 7:54-58)
Paul
Paul, then, had his own encounter with the risen Lord. On his way to persecute Syrian Christian Jews, he was struck to the ground by a light from heaven. Then Jesus spoke to him and identified himself to him. (Acts 9:1-9)
Paul recited this event twice in his ministry. First, he addressed a crowd in the temple courtyard in Jerusalem after he was arrested by the Romans. (Acts 22:3-16) Second, he related the story to King Agrippa and Festus. (Acts 26)
Paul also wrote that Jesus appeared to more than 500 brothers at the same time, many of whom were still alive at the time Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians. (1 Corinthians 15:6) That means Paul offered up witnesses that could be interviewed and questioned about their encounter with the risen Christ.
James
Paul also wrote that Jesus appeared to his half brother, James, who would become the leader of the church in Jerusalem. (1 Corinthians 15:7)
Believing, as we do, that the Bible is our authority and is true, we must believe in the resurrection of Jesus. The Bible leaves no room for questioning the issue. You cannot believe the Bible and not believe in the resurrection.
Why is the resurrection important theologically?
Paul wrote that it was of first importance that Jesus was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”. (1 Corinthians 15:4)
The resurrection was proof that Jesus is the Son of God. “…Christ Jesus…was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:1-4)
It is our hope for resurrection of our bodies when Christ returns. “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
It is our hope for again seeing those brothers and sisters we have lost to death. “For, since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
The resurrection is God’s acceptance of Jesus’ death as a sacrifice for our sins. “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and your are still in your sins”. (1 Corinthians 15:17) Jesus was “delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification”. (Romans 4:25)
