At Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Unlike most philosophies or religions, at the heart of Christianity is a historical event. So, it can be investigated. If true, it validates Jesus’ teachings, his claim to be God, and his authority to call us to believe in him and receive eternal life. If false, it is the most impactful hoax, whether intended or not, in all of human history.
Like any investigation, we have to look at the facts of the Easter event. Despite different beliefs and opinions concerning the gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus, the following events are considered knowable history by virtually all scholars:
- Jesus was a man who lived in the 1st century and claimed to be God, the promised Messiah.
- People who heard him speak saw him do things that appeared to be miracles.
- He convinced many of his disciples that he was God.
- He died due to the rigors of Roman crucifixion.
- He was buried.
- His death caused his disciples to despair and lose hope.
- He was buried in a tomb that was discovered to be empty just a few days later.
- The disciples and others had overwhelmingly real experiences that they believed were literal appearances of the risen Jesus.
- Because of these experiences, the disciples were transformed from doubters afraid to identify themselves with Jesus to bold proclaimers of his death and resurrection.
- Many of these disciples were killed proclaiming their belief in the message of Jesus’ divinity, death, and resurrection.
Now it’s our turn. It’s time to put the resurrection on trial and prove it wrong. How do we account for the empty tomb or the changed lives of Jesus’ disciples? Let the investigation begin! Here are a couple of quotes from prominent scholars that indicate that the resurrection could not have been an elaborate hoax.
If Jesus remained dead, how can you explain the reality of the Christian church and its phenomenal growth...All the power in Rome and of the religious establishment in Jerusalem was geared to stop the Christian faith. All they had to do was to dig up the grave and to present the corpse. They didn’t.
~Henry Schaefer III, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Georgia
Why would the apostles lie? Liars always lie for selfish reasons. If they lied, what was their motive, what did they get out of it? What they got out of it was misunderstanding, rejection, persecution, torture, and martyrdom. Hardly a list of perks!
~Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy at Boston College
The resurrection is a game changer. It is the anchor upon which faith, hope, and love rest. Take time to investigate it and talk about it with your kids!
