10 Reasons I Believe Jesus Rose From The Dead

The resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in Christian history. I am convinced that it is the most significant event in all of history! Without the resurrection of Jesus, Christianity does not exist. So, the question is, did it really happen?

Here are 10 reasons I believe the resurrection of Jesus really happened:

Reason #1: The death of Jesus couldn’t be faked

One objection to the resurrection is the idea that Jesus never really died on the cross. I think any discussion on this topic has to begin with the reality of Jesus' death. The gospel accounts tell us that Jesus was crucified by the order of Roman officials at the hands of Roman soldiers. This is important because Romans were experts at crucifixion. The idea that they would fail to completely execute someone is ridiculous. However, the gospel accounts give us some indications that Jesus was really dead. First, Jesus is speared in the side and water and blood come forward. Medically, this is a sure sign of death. Second, if a crucifixion was taking too long, Romans would break the legs of those being crucified to speed up the process. When the soldiers came to Jesus, they did not break his legs. Why? Because he was already dead. Jesus was executed by expert Roman soldiers, and he absolutely died on that Roman cross.

Reason # 2: The report of Mary Magdalene 

The second reason I believe in the resurrection is because of the report of Mary Magdalene. Mary is reported to be the first witness of the resurrection of Jesus. At that time, and in that culture, women had very little social standing and their testimony was considered next to worthless. If the early church leaders were inventing the story of the resurrection, they would never cast Mary as the first witness. Why? Because it hurts their case! Those in that time who would hear the report would be dismissive of Mary’s account, making it harder to share the gospel. If they were inventing the story, they would have said Peter or some other male was the first witness. So why then did they say that Mary was the first to see Jesus? Because that is what happened! Reporting Mary as the first witness lends historical credibility to the story.

Reason #3: The response of Thomas

Similarly, the reporting of Thomas’s reaction to the apostles' testimony about the risen Jesus lends historical credibility to the account. When the apostles tell Thomas that they have seen the resurrected Jesus, he does not believe them. This casts Thomas in a negative light. Again, if the early church leaders were inventing this story, they would never cast one of the apostles, one of the founders of Christianity, in this doubtful, faithless, negative light. The fact that they do is evidence that they were simply reporting what actually happened. It lends historical credibility to the account, and it is one of the reasons why I am convinced that it is true.

Reason #4: The transformation of the disciples

Another reason I believe the resurrection of Jesus really happened is the transformation of his disciples. When Jesus died, his disciples had every reason to think this whole thing was over. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, the Messiah, the savior of the world, and now he was dead. Jesus’ death was evidence to the disciples that Jesus was not who he claimed to be. They would have considered this to be game over. They would not have tried to fabricate a story to keep the dream alive! The fact that on the other side of Jesus' crucifixion, there is such a marked change in the attitude and behavior of the disciples really says something. The disciples went from fearful, doubting, inconsistent followers of Jesus to bold lions willing to give their lives not for what they believed, but for what they claimed to have seen. What caused this change in the disciples? It was the fact that they encountered Jesus alive after he was crucified. The resurrection of Jesus convinced them that Jesus was who he claimed to be, and it transformed them into bold witnesses.

Reason #5: The failure of the religious leaders to produce a body

Another reason I’m convinced about the resurrection of Jesus is the fact that all the religious leaders of the time had to do to shut this movement down was to produce the body of Jesus. The burial place of Jesus was well known, and the body of Jesus could be easily recovered by the religious leaders and offered as evidence that the resurrection is a fabrication. The fact that the religious leaders failed to do this does not prove that Jesus rose from the dead. But it does prove that there wasn’t a body. At which point, you have to explain what happened to the body. Many have attempted to do this over the centuries and all have failed. The only explanation that fits the facts is that Jesus rose from the dead.

Reason #6: The conversion of Jewish religious leaders

Another reason I believe in the resurrection of Jesus is the conversion of many Pharisees and religious leaders. During Jesus' life and ministry, the gospels record the active opposition of Jewish religious leaders. What is interesting is that in the book of Acts, there are several mentions of the fact that many Pharisees and religious leaders had come to believe in Jesus. The question is, what could have happened after Jesus' death to convince them to follow Jesus that wouldn’t have happened during Jesus' earthly life and ministry? It stands to reason that meeting Jesus, listening to his teaching, interacting with him would be a more convincing way to convert followers, as opposed to stories told by his disciples after he was killed at the hands of Romans. But that’s not what happens. Instead, we have religious leaders coming to believe after the fact. What makes sense to me is that these religious leaders were convinced that Jesus was a liar, and then they encountered him risen from the dead after he was crucified, and in that moment, many of them realized that they had been wrong and they put their trust in him. I think the conversion of first-century Jewish religious leaders is powerful evidence for the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus.

Reason #7: The conversion of Paul

In the same vein, the conversion of Paul is one of the preeminent examples of this. Saul of Tarsus was a well-respected Pharisee. He was convinced that Jesus was a liar and Christianity was a disease, and he decided to be God’s instrument to stomp it out. Saul of Tarsus went on a campaign to persecute, arrest, and in some instances even have killed some of Jesus' followers. But something happened that changed his mind. Something happened that changed Paul from an ardent persecutor to a devoted follower. So much so, Paul traveled the Roman world proclaiming that Jesus was the Christ, and that salvation was only possible through faith in him. Ultimately, Paul would give his life for his claim that Jesus was alive, risen from the dead, and the Son of God. The question is, what could have changed his mind? In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul tells us what changed his mind: he encountered the resurrected Jesus. He met Jesus alive, and in that moment, he realized that he had been wrong and Jesus was who he claimed to be. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus is powerful evidence for the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus.

Reason #8: The conversion of James

One of my favorite pieces of evidence for the resurrection of Jesus is the conversion of James. James was the half-brother of Jesus. He grew up in the same house in the same family. The gospels record that during Jesus' life and ministry, his brothers did not believe in him. This makes sense. It’s a big ask for someone to believe that their brother is God. If you have siblings, you can relate! Yet, James shows up after Jesus' death as a leader in the early church. Now, before you think that James is being opportunistic and cashing in on his late brother's fame to gain wealth and prestige in the early church, you should remember that at this time there was no prestige. There was no wealth. The closest a person could get would be infamy and persecution. So there was no win for James showing up as a leader, there was only sacrifice. Yet, James shows up as a follower of Jesus. James shows up convinced that his brother is his Lord. How could that have happened? Again, the only explanation that makes any sense to me is the one given by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15: James encountered Jesus, his brother, alive, risen from the dead.

Reason #9: The deaths of the Apostles

Another reason why I believe in the resurrection is the way many of Jesus' first followers died, specifically the apostles. Church history records that many of the apostles were murdered for their faith in Jesus. They gave their lives for the claims that Jesus was risen from the dead and the Son of God. Now, many people, Christian or otherwise, throughout the ages have died for what they believe. However, there is an important distinction between the martyrdom of the apostles and others throughout history who have died for what they believe. The distinction is this: the disciples did not die for what they believed; they died for what they claimed to have seen. The apostles claimed that Jesus was alive and that they had seen him, touched him, talked to him, ate with him. This means that if Jesus had not risen from the dead, the apostles were in a position to know it. They did not die for something they hoped was true. They died for the claim that they were in a position to know whether or not it was true. Meaning, that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, the apostles knowingly allowed themselves to be killed for the lie they perpetrated. This is utterly ridiculous! Who would do this? Perhaps one of them was disturbed enough to be willing to allow himself to be killed for the lie that he told, rather than come clean about it, but all of them? I find this to be utterly preposterous! I think the way many of the apostles died is powerful evidence that they were not lying about what they claimed. When you square that up with the fact that they were in a position to know whether or not what they claimed was true, I think it serves as powerful evidence for the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus.

Reason #10: The survival of the early church

Lastly, I think a powerful piece of evidence for the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus is the survival of the early church. This ragtag band of early Christians should never have survived. The church stood opposed to the power of Rome and the temple in Jerusalem. They absolutely should have been crushed, and yet the opposite happened. Over the course of a couple of hundred years, temple worship in Jerusalem was no more, and the Roman Empire was converted to Christianity. How did this happen? I am convinced that those Christians had the truth on their side. Jesus was risen from the dead, and he didn’t do it in secret. He was seen by many others who came to believe in him and were willing to give their lives for the truth of what they had seen and experienced. Because of that, God did a miracle, and the church exists today. The survival of early Christianity, I think, is powerful evidence for the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus.

Bonus Reason: My personal experience with the risen Jesus. 

Okay, one more, the most important piece of evidence for me is the least important piece of evidence for you. That is this: I believe in the resurrection of Jesus because of my own personal encounter with the risen Christ. Now, to be clear, I would never ask you to believe in the resurrection based on my personal experience. However, I am well within my intellectual rights to believe something based on what I have experienced. You and I do this all the time, and doing it is intellectually honest! I believe in Jesus because I have personally encountered the presence of God through the risen Jesus in my own life. While I have not had an experience of the risen Jesus in the same way that the first Christians or the apostle Paul did, Jesus has shown up in my life in ways that have convinced me that his claims to be the risen Son of God and the only hope for the world are true. I believe in Jesus, I believe the resurrection is true because I have encountered the risen Jesus in my own life.

Jesus really is who he claims to be: the Son of God and the Savior of the world, and that is the best news ever! It means that forgiveness and salvation are possible for everyone, but more personally, it’s possible for you! Would you turn from your sin and place your faith in Jesus?

Click the link below to learn more about how to do that. https://www.knoll.org/jesus

I'm cheering for you!

Pastor Chris