The Death and Resurrection of Jesus

As human beings we find ourselves in a contradictory and puzzling reality. We live in a world that is undeniably marked by wickedness, suffering, and death. Yet, within us lies an unquenchable longing for what is good, true, and beautiful. We yearn for a happiness that seems just out of reach, a peace that this world cannot provide.

The Christian narrative addresses this very tension, asserting that we were indeed created for an extravagant happiness, but our faults and shortcomings—our sins—have disqualified us from such a life. According to Christianity, this ultimate happiness and the full restoration of humanity can only be found in God, and Jesus Christ is the sole way back to Him. This is why the question of Jesus’s death and resurrection is the single most significant question for all of humanity. The destiny of our entire race hinges on this one event.

This claim, however, is not merely a theological abstraction—it is grounded in historical events that invite investigation and reflection. If Jesus truly died and rose from the dead, then His life, teachings, and promises hold the key to our deepest longings and our ultimate destiny.

Historical Evidence for Jesus’s Death

The crucifixion of Jesus is one of the most well-documented events in ancient history. Even secular historians agree on the historical reality of Jesus’s execution under Roman authority. Roman and Jewish sources, such as the Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, explicitly mention the execution of Jesus by Pontius Pilate. Tacitus, writing in the early 2nd century, refers to “Christus” who suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius in his Annals. Similarly, Josephus, in his Antiquities of the Jews, refers to Jesus’s crucifixion and the subsequent emergence of His followers.

Additionally, the New Testament Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—provide detailed accounts of Jesus’s trial, crucifixion, death, and burial. These texts, written within a few decades of the events, are based on eyewitness testimony and were widely circulated among early Christian communities, making it difficult for later generations to fabricate or significantly alter the narrative. Crucifixion was a common method of execution used by the Romans, particularly for those deemed a threat to the state. Jesus’s crucifixion is attested to by multiple independent sources, both within and outside the Christian tradition, making it one of the most certain events of antiquity.

The Empty Tomb and Post-Resurrection Appearances

The central claim of Christianity, however, is not only that Jesus died but that he three days later rose from the dead. This claim rests on two critical pieces of evidence: the empty tomb and the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. All four Gospels report that on the third day after Jesus’s crucifixion, women followers discovered His tomb empty. The fact that women were the primary witnesses to the empty tomb is significant because, in the cultural context of the time, women were not considered reliable witnesses. If the empty tomb story were a fabrication, it is unlikely that the early Christians would have invented women as the primary witnesses.

Moreover, the earliest Jewish explanations for the empty tomb, such as the claim that the disciples stole the body, presuppose that the tomb was indeed empty. This indirect corroboration suggests that the empty tomb was a well-known fact that needed to be addressed by Jesus’s opponents. The New Testament also records multiple appearances of the risen Jesus to various individuals and groups, including the apostles and over 500 people at one time, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:6. These appearances were not fleeting visions but involved physical interactions—Jesus eating with His disciples, inviting Thomas to touch His wounds, and providing detailed teachings over the course of 40 days. The transformation of the disciples from a group of fearful, disillusioned followers into bold proclaimers of the resurrection is difficult to explain without the reality of these appearances. They were willing to endure persecution and martyrdom for their unwavering testimony that they had seen the risen Christ.

The Early Christian Movement

The rapid growth of the early Christian movement is another piece of evidence for the resurrection. Within a few decades of Jesus’s death, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, despite intense persecution. The central message of this movement was the resurrection of Jesus—an event that was not only preached but was the foundation of the faith itself. The apostles and early Christian leaders were willing to face martyrdom for their faith, and their willingness to die rather than renounce their belief in the resurrection suggests they were convinced of its truth.

Early Christian writings, such as Paul’s letters, contain creeds and hymns that reflect a belief in the resurrection dating back to the very beginning of the Christian movement. These texts were composed within a few years of the events they describe, providing strong evidence that the belief in the resurrection was not a later development.

Fulfilment and Vindication

The resurrection of Jesus is not just an isolated miracle; it represents the culmination of God’s redemptive plan, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies and confirming Jesus’s claims about His divine identity and mission. Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, promises of a coming Messiah who would conquer sin and death, restore humanity’s relationship with God, and establish an eternal kingdom are woven into the narrative. The resurrection serves as the ultimate validation of these promises, demonstrating that Jesus is indeed the long-awaited Savior. Prophecies such as Isaiah 53’s depiction of the suffering servant and Psalm 16:10’s assurance that God’s Holy One would not see decay find their fulfilment in the resurrection. For the early followers of Jesus, this event was the decisive turning point that transformed doubt into conviction and despair into hope. It provided undeniable evidence that Jesus’s teachings about the kingdom of God, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life were not empty words but divine truths rooted in historical reality.

The Ultimate Question

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ stand at the heart of the Christian narrative, addressing the deepest longings and contradictions of the human condition. The historical evidence for Jesus’s crucifixion, the compelling testimony of the empty tomb, post-resurrection appearances, and the rapid growth of the early Christian movement all point to the transformative reality of the resurrection. Far from being a mere religious myth, the resurrection of Jesus emerges as a historical event with profound implications for all of humanity. It offers the hope of ultimate restoration, the promise of a happiness that surpasses the brokenness of this world, and a path back to the God for whom we were created. If true, it changes everything, revealing that the longing for goodness, truth, and beauty within us is not in vain, but a reflection of our destiny in the eternal embrace of God.

The Death and Resurrection of Jesus

Historical Evidence for Jesus’s Death

The Empty Tomb and Post-Resurrection Appearances

The Early Christian Movement

Fulfilment and Vindication

The Ultimate Question

Further Reading