Resurrection

Something Happened, And It Was A Big Deal

Most people who express their thoughts on Jesus believe he was a great person, an excellent teacher, full of thoughtful comments, and did a lot of good. I a

Those

I don’t know about you, but if I heard of a man running around telling people he was God, I might start thinking the dude was on the wrong side of the crazy line. However, he gives only three choices: crazy, a liar, or the God he said he was. After reviewing the evidence and the difference he makes in my life, I accept him as God.

Coming Back From the Dead

That just doesn't happen.Does it?

The resurrection occurred a long time ago. There are no videos, photographs, or audio recordings, and the New Testament was not compiled until the late fourth century. When discussing miracles, critics often cite David Hume, who argued that extraordinary events require extraordinary evidence—and claim that such evidence does not exist.

You may hear this type of objection delivered quickly, confidently, and with an air of authority. Sometimes it comes from someone in an academic setting who holds power over you. This can make you feel unsure of how to respond. These concerns are the reason I am writing this page.

One common claim is that the Bible was not written until the third or fourth century. I will give a brief response here and more details later. While the New Testament canon was formally compiled in the late 300s, most of the individual books were written much earlier—within roughly 15 to 65 years of the resurrection. Later on this page, I will examine passages in 1 Corinthians that Paul learned within 2 to 5 years after the resurrection.

When studying history, what matters most is not how long ago an event occurred, but how soon it was recorded. Shortly after the resurrection, the Apostle Paul traveled to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and James. This visit is described in Galatians 1:18, and scholars generally agree that it took place within 2 to 5 years after the resurrection. What Paul learned during that visit is reflected in the early creed he records in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

It is important to note that these verses were shared with Paul during his visit, and they are not Paul's writing style. There is a rhythm to the verses since most of the population could not read, but they could

memorize, and this is easier to memorize. Therefore, these verses were most likely spread just after the resurrection. These verses were most likely spread just after the resurrection.

A favorite patron saint of atheism is David Hume who is mentioned frequently when talking about miracles. Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

He defines the word

I also want to address David Hume’s argument against miracles briefly. Earlier on this website, I discussed logical fallacies, one of which is “begging the question,” or circular reasoning. Many philosophers argue that Hume’s critique falls into this category because he assumes in his conclusion what he presupposes in his premises—namely, that miracles cannot occur. Others note that when Hume formulated his argument, our understanding of natural laws was far less developed than it is today

Premise 1 o

Spiritual Inspiration

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Shortly after the resurrection, Paul traveled to Jerusalem. He met with Peter and James (Galatians 1:18). Most scholars — including many who are not Christians — date this meeting to within 2–5 years of the resurrection. What Paul learned there is preserved in the creed found in 1 Corinthians 15:3–8.

This passage does not sound like Paul’s regular writing. It is rhythmic, structured, and easy to memorize — exactly the kind of statement believers would repeat before most people could read. That means this creed was not invented decades later. It was already circulating within the earliest Christian community, right where the events took place, and among the very people who claimed to have seen Jesus alive.

If the resurrection were fabricated, this would have been the worst possible place and time to invent the story — surrounded by eyewitnesses who could immediately expose it.

Skeptics often appeal to David Hume as a final answer against miracles. But Hume’s argument quietly assumes the very thing he claims to prove. He begins by saying miracles cannot happen — and then concludes that miracles have never happened. This is circular reasoning. It does not weigh historical evidence; it dismisses it before it is even considered.

Ironically, if we took Hume’s reasoning seriously, we would also have to reject many well-attested but rare historical events simply because they are unusual. History is full of events that are unique, surprising, and difficult to repeat — yet we accept them because the evidence is strong.

The resurrection must be evaluated the same way: not by prejudice against miracles, but by asking an honest question:

What explanation best fits the earliest and strongest historical evidence?

When we do that, the picture becomes clearer: early eyewitness claims, early creeds, early preaching in the very city where Jesus was crucified, transformed disciples, and the explosive growth of a movement grounded not in myth, but in proclamation:

MEEEET

Early eyewitnesses

Sure 🙂
The Apostle’s Creed, found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, provides firm support for the early evidence.

Faith is a strong belief in something that is not backed by any proof or evidence. It is a personal conviction and can be based on religion, spirituality, or personal experiences.

Religions of the World

There are many religions in the world, each with its own set of beliefs, practices, and traditions. Some of the major religions include Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism.

The Power of Prayer

Prayer is a way of communicating with a higher power and seeking guidance, support, and strength. It can be a powerful tool for coping with stress, anxiety, and difficult situations.

What is The Best Explanation For the Resurrection?

The Bible is an historical document

Instead of following the rules of logic on this topic, we treat the Bible as a historical document and look for the best explanation for the most significant historical event in human history. Some professors may say you really can’t find the truth about anything in history, but if that is true, why study history at all? There are standard ways of determining what really happened, and we will review the resurrection using them.

First, I review eye witnesses and attestations to determine how strong the evidence is; then, I will mention

different explanations given.

The resurrection occured over 2,000 years ago can that be trusted

In studying history, the time from the event to its recording is more significant than the time elapsed from the event to the present day. Within five years after the resurrection, the Apostle Paul traveled to Jerusalem to visit Peter and James. This visit is recorded in Galatians 1:18, and it is generally agreed that it occurred within 2 to 5 years after the resurrection. What Paul learned during the visit he recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me."

Note the rhythmic nature of the verses; it is not Paul’s writing style. Since only about 5% of the population could read, they memorized. This information was easily memorized by those who could not read and shared with others who could not read. It would have been spread orally before being shared with the Apostle Paul. Dating a 2,000-year-old event to within 2 to 5 years is incredible, but most biblical scholars agree with the timing.

MEEET

an acronym for the ressurection

Watching the popular series “The Chosen” is a charming story about the life of Jesus and his apostles as they gather, work together, and grow close to each other in the early days of Jesus’s ministry. Not only that, but a group of women is also part of the ministry. They witnessed many incredible miracles: turning water into wine, healing the blind, helping the Lame walk, and raising a man from the dead. What a wonderful group of people to travel with. Then things turned south.

When I say south, I mean more than Antarctica and the Apostles. Hope and excitement were over. The crucifixion. Their Rabbi was executed or murdered sickeningly. His skin was torn off His back, He was spit upon and beaten by his own people, and he carried a heavy cross, and his hands and feet were nailed to a cross. It was the golden age for psychopaths working for the Roman government.

Fortunately, death occurred within just six hours, and a sword penetrated the pericardial sac ( around his heart) to prove his death. Blood and water from the pericardial sac flowed down his body, and the ministry was over. The dead body was placed in a grave owned by a member of the Sanhedrin: Joseph of Arimathea.

For the apostles, it was over the ministry for which they sacrificed all their effort and emotions. They returned to the second floor of a building and tried to recover from an overwhelming defeat.
Now, what? How can you restart your life, and how can you find meaning in your life or purpose?

On the third day, after the crucifixion, the emotionally drained women were able to walk to the grave with hopes of wrapping his body in linen and various spices. The first woman there was Mary Magdalene. She was shocked; the stone covering the grave had been rolled away, and she saw the empty linen lying on the ground inside the tomb. Wasn’t the crucifixion severe enough? Did someone really have to take the body from its place of rest? Waiting for all this pain end.

Friday must have been the worst day in the lives of Jesus’ followers, but they didn’t realize that Sunday was coming. Mary first spoke to a man standing in the area, let me, and spoke to her by calling her name upon hearing her name. She recognized Jesus and called him Rabboni. This set off a chain of activities: she ran and told Peter and John, Peter and John ran to the tomb, saw the linen clothes, and believed, but they didn’t see Jesus. Christ then appeared to the other women, to Peter, to the 11 apostles, to a crowd of over 500, to James, brother of James, and finally to Paul.

1. The Early Response: “The Stolen Body” (1st–4th Century)

In the earliest centuries, Jewish polemics did not necessarily deny that the tomb was empty; instead, they offered alternative natural explanations for its emptiness.2

The Stolen Body Hypothesis: The earliest record of a Jewish response is found in the Christian New Testament itself. Matthew 28:11–15 claims that the chief priests bribed the Roman guards to say, “His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.” 3
The Significance of this Claim: Historians note that this polemic implies the tomb was indeed empty.4 If the body were still in the grave, the authorities could have produced it to crush the nascent Christian movement.5 By arguing theft, the early counter-argument implicitly conceded the body was missing.6
+2
The “Gardener” Theory: Other early traditions (as referenced by church fathers like Tertullian) suggested that a gardener might have moved the body so visitors to the tomb wouldn’t damage his lettuce patches.

2. The Medieval Response: Toledot Yeshu (Middle Ages)7

In the Middle Ages, Jewish communities circulated a counter-narrative known as the Toledot Yeshu (“The Generations of Jesus”).8 This was a satirical folklore collection designed to refute Christian claims.

The Narrative: In this version, the body was not stolen by disciples but was moved by a gardener (often named Juda) specifically to prevent the disciples from stealing it and faking a resurrection.9
The “Reveal”: The story claims that when the Christians began proclaiming the resurrection, the Jewish leaders located the gardener, who revealed where he had re-buried the body (often in a water channel or under a path). The body was then reportedly dragged through the streets of Jerusalem to prove Jesus had died, thereby debunking the resurrection claim for the Jewish community.10

3. The Modern Rabbinic & Scholarly View

In the modern era, the focus shifted from explaining the empty tomb to questioning the historical reliability of the narrative itself.

The “Common Grave” Historical View: Many modern scholars (and Jewish thinkers) argue that the Romans rarely allowed crucified criminals a proper tomb burial. The standard practice was to leave bodies on the cross or toss them into a common pit (mass grave) for criminals. From this perspective, there never was a specific “empty tomb” to respond to; the story is viewed as a later legend developed by the church.
Theological Irrelevance: From a strict theological perspective, rabbis argue that an empty grave—even if historical—would not prove Jesus was the Messiah. In Judaism, the criteria for the Messiah are functional, not miraculous:
- Did he bring world peace? (No)
- Did he gather all Jewish exiles to Israel? (No)
- Did he rebuild the Temple? (No)
- Since these prophecies were unfulfilled, the presence or absence of a body is considered theologically irrelevant to his status as Messiah.

Summary Table

EraResponse TypeExplanationAncientAdmission & Rebuttal “The tomb is empty because the disciples stole the body.” MedievalSatirical Folklore:” A gardener moved the body to a ditch; we later found it and exposed the fraud.” ModernHistorical Skepticism” He was likely buried in a common criminal’s pit; the tomb story is a legend.”

Scholars agree that Paul visited Peter and James (Jesus’ half-brother) after learning the Apostles’ Creed. The meeting recorded in Galatians 1: 18 occurred within five years of the resurrection.

M Multiple and individual eyewitnesses. On several occasions, Jesus appeared to groups, including one group of over 500 people. In addition, Jesus met with several people, including the 11 disciples, James, his brother, and the apostle Paul.

E Embarrassing accounts. People do not make up lies that are embarrassing to them. In that part of the world, and at that time, it was embarrassing that women were the brave ones to discover the empty tomb. If someone were making up a new religion, would they start with women finding the empty tomb? Of course not. Women’s testimony in a court of law was nearly useless in the culture of that time.

The guys were crying in their wine. I’m sure a guy could lose his “man card” over a story like this.

E Early accounts. Eyewitness accounts are closer to an actual event and more accurate than later accounts. For example, nearly all scholars agree that the tomb was empty.

Jesus’s

Enemy attestation Bias is unlikely from a neutral or hostile source. Certainly, the apostle Paul was a hostile source. Before God appeared to Paul, he hated Christians and punished them. Per John 7:5, James, Jesus’s half-brother, did not agree with what Jesus said until after the resurrection.

T transformation of the disciples

ET is an acronym for empty tomb, and the dramatic transformation of witnesses

Most scholars agree that the tomb of Jesus was Empty; this includes skeptics, atheists, and Christian scholars. Perhaps more importantly, who discovered the empty tomb? In a section below, I’ll go into additional evidence for this miracle.

No matter who you are, you must agree that this was a Transformative event in the lives of all who knew Jesus.

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Something Happened

Regardless of one’s worldview, nearly all scholars agree that something significant occurred in the early first century. Christianity began, eyewitnesses spread this news worldwide, and men lost their lives, proclaiming they saw the risen Jesus. But is there historical evidence to support our belief in today’s world?

Eyewitness reports help report a historical event. However, some are stronger than others. Below is the acronym to help remember eyewitness accounts of resurrected Jesus.

MEEE or ME X 3

Scholars agree that Paul visited Peter and James (Jesus' half-brother) when he learned the Apostles' creed. The meeting recorded in Galatians 1: 18 occurred within five years of the resurrection.

E Embarrassing accounts. People do not make up lies that are embarrassing to them. In that part of the world, and at that time, it was embarrassing that women were the brave ones to discover the empty tomb. If someone were making up a new religion, would they start with women finding the empty tomb? Of course not. Women's testimony in a court of law was nearly useless in the culture of that time.

The guys were crying in their wine. I'm sure a guy could lose his "man card" for a story like this one.

E Early accounts. Eyewitness accounts are closer to an actual event and more accurate than later accounts. For example, nearly all schol

Enemy attestation Bias is unlikely from a neutral or hostile source. Certainly, the apostle Paul was a hostile source. Before God appeared to Paul, he hated Christians and punished them. Per John 7:5, James, Jesus's half-brother, did not agree with what Jesus said until after the resurrection.

For Iron Man, who breaks steel with his bare hands

Something Happened, And It Was A Big Deal

Coming Back From the Dead

That just doesn't happen.Does it?

Spiritual Inspiration

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Were There Eyewitnesses?

MEEEET

Early eyewitnesses

Religions of the World

The Power of Prayer

What is The Best Explanation For the Resurrection?

The Bible is an historical document

The resurrection occured over 2,000 years ago can that be trusted

MEEET

an acronym for the ressurection

1. The Early Response: “The Stolen Body” (1st–4th Century)

2. The Medieval Response: Toledot Yeshu (Middle Ages)7

3. The Modern Rabbinic & Scholarly View

Summary Table

ET is an acronym for empty tomb, and the dramatic transformation of witnesses

How Do You Explain the Resurrection?

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Something Happened

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Nearly all Biblical Scholars agree on these 5 historical events