“So the other disciples told him [“Doubting Thomas], ‘We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’”
John 20:25, ESV
A healthy skepticism is good but Thomas suffered with a problem that is common to all of us to one degree or another: unbelief and a lack of faith in God’s promises. Thankfully, Easter is a time for reminding ourselves of the evidence. And really there are only two questions that have ultimate relevance regarding Jesus’ resurrection:
- Did Jesus really rise from the dead?
- So what?
On this first question, the evidence is strong and compelling. Although many excellent books have been written on this topic,[1] consider the following four areas:
- Over 10 Post-Resurrection Appearances by Jesus and Lots of Witnesses. Five independent sources—Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul testify to the Resurrection. John Stott notes that “an investigation of the ten appearances reveals an almost studied variety in the circumstances of person, place and mood in which they occurred. He was seen by individuals alone (Mary Magdalene, Peter, and James), by small groups and by more than 500 people together. He appeared in the garden of the tomb, near Jerusalem, in the upper room, on the road to Emmaus, by the lake of Galilee, on a Galilee mountain and on the Mount of Olives.” Additionally, Paul’s account in 1 Corinthians 15 was written 15-20 years after the Resurrection. The idea was if anyone had doubts about the certainty of the event they could go ask around. But someone might say…
- The Humble Beginnings of the Disciples Themselves. Who started this resurrection story? Were the disciples just 12 gullible guys with a weakness for ghost stories? Or were they shrewd conspirators who started the resurrection plot as a way to jumpstart their new religion? A careful analysis of the facts shows their credibility. One day the disciples are fearful and hiding. The next day they are facing hostile audiences. What else could account for this transformation? Even today, the Christian church is the largest institution that exists or has ever existed in the history of the world. The last I saw the numbers, over one billion, three hundred million people profess to worship a resurrected Christ! As someone has said “the Grand Canyon was not formed by someone dragging a stick.” Similarly, the church was not brought into existence by the lies or hallucinations of twelve men.
- How the Biblical Account Has Stood Up to Careful Study. Arguably, the resurrection of Christ has been studied more carefully than any other event in history. Consider these examples:
- Simon Greenleaf (1782-1853), the American lawyer and devout Episcopalian who contributed extensively to the development of Harvard Law School. Hailed by many as one of the the greatest legal scholars of all time, his conclusion on the resurrection was that anyone who examined the evidence carefully would find it convincing.
- Albert Henry Ross (1888-1950) the British freelance journalist wrote Who Moved the Stone? under the pseudonym Frank Morison, but it was not the book he set out to write. He began his work to discredit the resurrection but was moved to discover its validity. The apologetic classic has influenced many including T.S. Eliot, G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy Sayers, Josh McDowell, James Warwick Montgomery, and Lee Strobel.
- Lew Wallace (1807-1905), the American lawyer, Union General, governor of New Mexico Territory, and author of Ben Hur. Most know this as a classic movie with Charlton Heston and a cool chariot race, but most don’t know that it was also the best-selling novel and most influential Christian book of the 19th century! Although Wallace never became a regular church-goer, his research nurtured his faith and brought him to a place of greater respect for Jesus as the Son of God.
- Examples of the Concept of Resurrection in the Natural World. Almost without exception, denials of Jesus resurrection are not based on specific critiques of the historical accounts in the gospels, but rest solely on the contention that resurrection itself is not possible. One disbeliever wrote, “I don’t know why the disciples thought Jesus rose from the dead, but it seems to me that any explanation is better than the one which assumes he actually rose from the dead.” The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians—”the great resurrection chapter,” addresses this objection head on. He says:
- The resurrection is truly miraculous but is it any more miraculous than the birthing process (45-49)?
- Take a seed for instance (36), Paul says, “what you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” Right there in the simplicity of a garden seed is the phenomenon of life being brought about in death.
- Look at “the variety of bodies” around you (39-44). Notice that your flesh is different than the flesh of animals, birds or fish. Now look up, see the moon, stars, and sun. The beauties of the heavens are a different kind than that of the earth. Is it really so unreasonable, says Paul, to imagine a heavenly existence that is imperishable, glorious, and powerful?
Of course, it takes more than evidence to believe in the resurrection of Christ. It also takes the Spirit of God working in a person’s heart (Acts 16:14). But that doesn’t mean that belief in the resurrection should be held apart from strong evidence. As theologian Greg Boyd observed, “When it comes to truth the mind and the Spirit work in harmony.”
Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Again, the evidence that he did is compelling. What’s more, here is one of Paul’s main answers to the “so what?” question:
“With all of this going for us, my dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourself into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.”
1 Corinthians 15:18, The Message
Happy Easter! He is Risen!
[1] Three of my favorites are Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (especially chapter four), Loving God by Chuck Colson (chapter six), and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (chapters 11-14).