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Argument ID: PHY-DS05
Argument: Jesus was Raised from the Dead
Argument:
(P1) Jesus died a certain death by crucifixion and was buried in a tomb secured by guards [HIS-IS23].
(P2) Subsequently, hundreds of people witnessed the bodily resurrection of Jesus [HIS-IS34].
(P3) After seeing Jesus in the flesh, his disciples completely reoriented theirs lives
to serve Jesus and were martyred for their faith [HIS-IS31].
(C) Therefore, Jesus was raised from the dead.
Summary: Jesus died a certain death from injuries resulting from Roman scourging and crucifixion. He was later witnessed alive by 500+ people who had a personal, physical encounter with him. As a result of these encounters, many of Jesus' disciples reoriented their lives to teach the gospel message and died a martyr's death to demonstrate the depth of their convictions. Based on the preponderance of evidence, the most reasonable conclusion is that Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God.
Description: The resurrection of Jesus is the central tenet of the Christian faith. According to the apostle Paul, if Jesus were not raised from the dead, the Christian faith would be futile and devoid of power.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:14-17)
Therefore, it is critical to establish that Jesus' resurrection can be attested by medical, historical, and archeological evidence.
Based on forensic evidence alone it is abundantly clear that Jesus died from injuries resulting from Roman scourging and crucifixion. The details regarding scourging and crucifixion are well documented by historical Roman records and the Gospel accounts. Essentially, the victim was brutally tortured to death. This is why Tacitus refers to crucifixion as the extreme penalty [HIS-EV61].
The Shroud of Turin [HIS-IS42] illustrates the brutality of crucifixion. The linen clearly depicts severe hemorrhaging and other fatal conditions that would have resulted in death.
According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. This tomb was hewn stone and designed to be sealed by a heavy circular stone. This sealing stone, once installed, secured the entrance to the tomb making it exceedingly difficult to enter the tomb. This sealing stone was intended to be immovable and thus permanent.
Pilate and the Pharisees further secured the stone with a Roman seal. This seal officially authenticated that the tomb was in fact the burial tomb of Jesus. Guards were posted 24/7 to ensure that the tomb would not be disturbed.
This evidence attests to the finality of the death and burial of Jesus.
Jesus appeared on 13 separate occasions to 500+ people over the span of 40 days [HIS-IS34]. His resurrection appearances were not isolated incidents. He appeared in private and in public. He appeared to different people, at different times and in different locations.
These appearances were eye witnessed by people who knew him. In many cases these people had a personal encounter with the risen Jesus. Many touched him, spoke with him and interacted with him in a physical manner. These people were absolutely convinced Jesus was alive in bodily form.
After encountering the risen Jesus, people dramatically reoriented their lives. Their lives were marked by an unwavering, deep-seated commitment to Jesus' teaching and mission. This dramatic shift from skepticism/cowardice to belief/boldness can only be explained by Jesus' resurrection. No other event would have produced such a dramatic change in their lives.
To demonstrate their solidarity to Jesus, many of his disciples were persecuted and martyred. This includes notable, first century church leaders such as Peter [HIS-EV58], John, James [HIS-EV56], and Paul [HIS-EV57], and the apostolic fathers that followed in the footsteps. It also includes millions of Christians martyred for their faith throughout the ages [HIS-EV57]. This commitment was more than an act of human willpower. It was a work of God the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Based on the preponderance of evidence, the most reasonable conclusion is that Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God. Alternate theories such as swooning, stolen body, delusions, and hallucinations are not supported by the evidence.
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