The historicity of Christ, including his death by crucifixion, is a fact that about as well attested as any in the ancient world. The evidence for Christ's existence is much stronger than that for Socrates, Alexander the Great, and numerous figures of ancient times whose historicity no one doubts. Historians are unanimous that Christ was born, that he developed a following, that he antagonized the Jewish and Roman authorities, and that he was put to death. But what about the resurrection?
"If Christ had not been raised," Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:17, "our preaching is useless and so is your faith." The resurrection is the most important event in Christianity. (For this reason, Easter is actually a more important holiday for Christians than Christmas.) Other religions such as Judaism and Islam may feature miracles but miracles are not central to their theology. Christianity, by contrast, is based on the miracle of the resurrection.
Since the nineteenth century, some biblical scholars have refused to accept the biblical account of the Resurrection because it was produced by people obviously biased in Christ's favor. Interestingly Christ's followers, by their own admission, did not expect the resurrection. Arriving three days after his death, the women brought spices to his tomb to anoint and preserve his body. Only then did they observe that the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty.
The fact of the empty tomb was admitted by the Roman guards and also by the Jewish magistrates, who told the Roman authorities that Christ's followers must have stolen the body. In Jewish polemic against Christianity, this has been the standard explanation for the empty tomb. Yet it is prima facie implausible, since how could a handful of female disciples have subdued Roman guards and moved the stone blocking access to the tomb?
The apostles were deeply skeptical about reports of a resurrection, and Christ had to appear to them several times before these doubts were dispelled. Paul writes that Christ "appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, although some have passed away." Paul here appeals to direct empirical evidence: the testimony of multiple witnesses who actually saw Jesus alive after his execution. Of this group, Paul says that many are still alive, which means they are in a position to refute him if what he is claiming is wrong. In the history of hallucinations, is there a single instance in which five hundred people all saw the same person--a figure known to them--and were all equally mistaken?
But is the testimony of the early Christians reliable? Well, let us see. The disciples became so convinced of what they had seen that their dirges of lamentation were replaced with cries of joy. Proclaiming Christ crucified and Christ risen, they launched the greatest wave of religious conversion in history. Historians tell us that the number of Christians increased from around 100 at the time of Christ's death to around 30 million by the early fourth century, when the Roman emperor himself converted to Christianity.
These conversions occurred in the teeth of fierce political opposition and the persecution of the greatest empire in the ancient world, the empire of Rome. The early Christians did not hesitate to identify themselves with a man who had been branded a traitor and a criminal. They endured imprisonment, torture, exile, and death rather than renounce their commitment to a resurrected Christ.
Imagine a disputed event in court where numerous eyewitnesses gave evidence of the same fact and stood by their testimony so firmly that they would be willing to endure life imprisonment or even the death penalty rather than say the contrary. Would any jury doubt that such people, who would have little to gain and everything to lose, were telling the truth?
"Yes," an atheist friend of mine conceded. "But aren't the radical Muslims also willing to die in order to get the virgins in heaven?" Perhaps so, but the two cases are not comparable. The radical Muslims are taking on faith that their actions will take them to an Elysian place where the virgins will be waiting. By contrast, the Christians who went to their deaths at the hands of the Romans did so because they refused to renounce an event in their own experience. Why would someone be willing to die for something that he knew to be a lie?
Even from a secular point of view, the evidence for Christ's resurrection is surprisingly strong. It might even be sufficient to convince an impartial jury in a court of law. The big question surrounding Good Friday and Easter is not: did all this happen? It did. The big question is whether we will let Christ into our hearts, so that he can raise us up on the day of judgment.
This Easter reflection is adapted from my book What's So Great About Christianity.
Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 56)
46. O yeah the dead Jewish guy flew off into outer space and the Dali Lama will be reincarnated when when he dies and Mohammed flew off into heaven on his horse at the site of the Dome of The Rock and Moses was taking to burning bushes and Baron Samedi is stealing souls down in Hati and the the Manson Familly though he was God. You religious cult members crack me up. Every religious cult has it's nutjob myths.... Who would die for a lie DD? Most religious nuts would and Soldiers have been dying for lies for centuries..... Face facts DD your just another cult member.
Larry at 3:25PM on Mar 21st 2008
47. Also, according to Mark, there are no guards. According to Matthew and Luke there are.
Assuming Jesus was a historical person, it seems to me that the most logical explanation for the "empty tomb" is either grave robbers hoping to perpetuate his myth or he didn't die on the cross and he wandered off. Roman frontier medicine would have no way of identifying a coma. Isn't it fishy that he "died" in about three hours instead of 2-3 days (which is about how long it typically took on a cross).
Before anyone says "How'd he move the stone". According to Mark, Joseph of Arimathea put the stone in place by himself. It couldn't have been that heavy.
Also, why would there be Roman guards at a private Jewish tomb? That's not typical. The Mark author mentions no guards. Yet Luke and Matthew do. Why? Because Luke and Matthew were written latter when there was a clearer idea of the direction the gospel needed to take.
In short, it's all a load of crap...
Ryan Anderson at 3:26PM on Mar 21st 2008
48. Did the Resurrection Actually Happen?
Did Mohammed actually ride a flying horse?
Does Zeus actually cause lightening?
Is Elvis actually in the building?
Will the Easter Bunny actually hide eggs Sunday?
Am I actually the Queen of Prussia?
Joe Bob at 3:31PM on Mar 21st 2008
49. As you have no way of knowing that Jesus was resurrected.
Ryan Anderson at 3:08PM on Mar 21st 2008
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Ryan, this is how I know that you were never saved.
A person who has truly been saved, knows for sure and certain that Jesus did in fact raise from the dead, because Jesus reveals himself unto a person when he saves their soul.
If Jesus had not resurrected from the dead, he could not reveal himself to them that seek him.
Just remember, the choices you make in this life you shall give an account for on the day of judgement.
Observant at 3:37PM on Mar 21st 2008
50. The problem, Dinesh, is that you are trying to find evidence for the historicity of a document by citing evidence from thet same disupted document. If the document is fictional, then your evidence is presumably fictional also.
For example, suppose someone were to ask, "Did Bilbo really destroy the One Ring of Power?" He might cite evidence such as the sudden collapse of the armies of Mordor, the many witnesses who saw the shadow of Sauron erupting from Mount Doom and so on. All of which, of course, proves nothing--it's all fiction.
Similarly, if the Gospel narrative is fiction, then there was no tomb, no stone, no women, no guards, and so on.
Bruce Peterson at 3:40PM on Mar 21st 2008
51. Dear Observant: Jugment Day huh? Look bible thumper if there is some kind of afterlife I sure as hell do not want to spend it with people like you.
Larry at 3:41PM on Mar 21st 2008
52. Oops! Wrong Hobbit! Sorry!
Bruce Peterson at 3:44PM on Mar 21st 2008
53. "A person who has truly been saved, knows for sure and certain that Jesus did in fact raise from the dead, because Jesus reveals himself unto a person when he saves their soul." --Observant
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Which suggests that Dinesh's need for historical proof of Christ's resurrection betrays his lack of salvation?
Paul at 3:44PM on Mar 21st 2008
54. Observant; I knew for sure and certain that Jesus did in fact raise from the dead and was the son of God. Turns out I was wrong. Those things happen.
Ryan Anderson at 3:46PM on Mar 21st 2008
55. Poor UnObservant. He's so terrified that there are atheists who used to be christians that he has to LIE HIS ASS OFF and say that they never were christians.
Knight_of_BAAWA at 3:49PM on Mar 21st 2008
56. 52. Dear Observant: Jugment Day huh? Look bible thumper if there is some kind of afterlife I sure as hell do not want to spend it with people like you.
Larry at 3:41PM on Mar 21st 2008
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What sort of people do you want to spend an eternity in hell with? According to your comment it is clear you are an unbeliever, and according to the bible hell is the place were unbelievers go.
Can you spend eternity in the lake of fire and brimstone with no regreats for the choice you make to be an unbeliever?
Observant at 3:51PM on Mar 21st 2008
57. "In the lake of fire and brimstone..." --Observant
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God's cosmic campfire for those who don't do his will. Of course, if god already knows all that shall be, and he creates you with the full knowledge that you will reject him, then you can't possibly violate what god already knows to be true. You're doomed to roast in god's barbecue pit before your mamma even squeezes you out.
Paul Berror at 3:56PM on Mar 21st 2008
58. Dear Observant: Actually hell is a whorehouse outside Las Vegas Nevada. You'll might like it there.
Larry at 3:58PM on Mar 21st 2008
59. Observant; please explain to the group who was present at the tomb on Sunday morning.
Actually, I'll make it easy. I'll make it multiple choice...
A) Mary Magdalene, "The Other Mary", Guards, an Angel from Heaven
B) Unspecified Women and two men in gleaming clothes
C) Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome and a young man.
D) Just Mary Magdalene.
Ryan Anderson at 3:59PM on Mar 21st 2008
60. I choose number E: NOBODY
Paul at 4:00PM on Mar 21st 2008