The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. As Paul wrote:
“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:17a, KJV)
You can’t get any clearer than that. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, Christianity collapses.
But if He did—then everything changes.
Here are seven compelling reasons why we can be confident that the resurrection really happened:
1. The Empty Tomb
There are two possible candidates today (though some say three) for the tomb that once held Jesus’ body: the Garden Tomb and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Both of them are empty.
Now, it may not be a big deal that a tomb is empty after 2000 years. A lot can happen in 2000 years.
But…
We’re not focused on today. We’re focused on the days immediately after Jesus’ body was put into the tomb! All four Gospels tell us that Jesus’s body was taken from the cross and put into the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. In other words, this was a known tomb. Even if there is some dispute today over which tomb is the authentic one, there was no confusion after Jesus’s crucifixion.
The historical record, even among many skeptical scholars, acknowledges that Jesus’ tomb was known at the time–and it was found empty!
Was that a lie? Well, think about this: if Jesus’ body had been there, Christianity could’ve been stopped cold by simply producing it. Don’t you think Pilate or Caiaphas would have ordered that?
But no one ever did.
2. Multiple Eyewitness Accounts
Jesus reportedly appeared to many people after His resurrection—including individuals, small groups, and even a crowd of over 500 people at once (1 Corinthians 15:6).
And, no, these aren’t hallucinations. Hallucinations don’t occur in groups—and they certainly don’t eat fish (Luke 24:42-43).
3. The Transformation of the Disciples
Before the resurrection, the disciples were scared and scattered. Afterward, they became bold proclaimers of the gospel—willing to suffer and die for what they saw.
Some will say “Big Deal! People die for religious causes all the time.” True, but people don’t suffer torture and death for something they know is a lie. And the disciples would have known whether Jesus’ resurrection was true or not. That is the key!
4. The Conversion of Skeptics
James, the brother of Jesus, was a skeptic during Jesus’ ministry. Paul was a persecutor of Christians. Both became believers after encountering the risen Christ—and both died for their faith. What changed them? Something real.
5. The Rise of the Early Church
The explosive growth of Christianity in the very city where Jesus was crucified—and just weeks after His death—points to something extraordinary.
Also, the resurrection wasn’t a legend that developed over centuries. It was proclaimed from the start.
6. Enemy Testimony
Even Jesus’ enemies admitted the tomb was empty. They claimed the disciples stole the body (Matthew 28:13), which ironically supports the fact that the tomb was indeed vacant. The only question is: what happened to the body?
7. The Women Discovered the Tomb
The Gospels all credit women with discovering the tomb empty. This is striking for the first century. If this were legend, if it were made up, there is no way that first-century writers would have put the announcement of the empty tomb on the lips of women. No way! Women’s testimony was (sadly) not considered on the same level as men’s testimony.
That all the Gospels tell us the women did discover the empty tomb is pretty good evidence that that’s how it really happened.
Want More?
Check out these books:
- The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller
- Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels by J. Warner Wallace
- On the Resurrection, Volume 1: Evidences by Gary Habermas
***
The resurrection is not wishful thinking. It’s rooted in history, defended by logic, and confirmed by transformed lives.
Jesus really did rise from the dead.
And that changes everything.
Thank you for Reading!
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