Resurrection means either (i) a standing or (ii) a rising up

In the Bible, resurrection is associated with rising from the dead.  In the New Testament (NT), Jesus raised two people from the dead.

Lazarus,  “And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”   (John 11:43-44)

Jairus’s daughter   “And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.  And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was [of the age] of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.”  (Mark 5:41-42)   The NT Greek word here translated as ‘arise’ means ‘to stand again’.

Jesus was able to perform these two great miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit given him by his Father, thereby showing to everyone who witnessed the events that, as the son of God, he had God’s authority to carry out such things. Both Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus, though brought to life by the miracle, retained their mortal state and would die again at some future date.

Man dies because he is sinful; that is to say he doesn’t keep God’s commandments. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)

So, everyone dies because we have all committed sin.  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)

In the Old Testament (OT), under the law of Moses, God’s people offered animal sacrifices to request that their sins be forgiven.  The shed blood of the animals provided a covering for sin. Yet, these animal sacrifices were unsuccessful in providing a permanent covering for the sins of mankind for they had to be offered continually.

In the NT, we read; “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”  (Hebrews 10:4)

However, because Jesus was sinless. he did not deserve to die; he willingly laid down his life as a sacrifice and shed his blood to cover the sins of mankind. Jesus only had to do this once because he sacrificed a perfect life. “For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” (Romans 6:10)

Jesus knew he would die but also knew he would be raised again. Jesus told his disciples this on at least three occasions. For example.  “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things … and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”  (Matthew 16:21)

God raised Jesus from the dead to die no more bestowing upon him eternal life or immortality. “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.”  (Romans 6:9) 

In Corinthians 15 the apostle Paul responds to the argument put forth by some who disbelieved in any resurrection from the dead.  He counters their argument by saying that if there is no resurrection then Jesus Christ could not have risen and therefore all preaching and faith is futile.  We just live and die and those with faith in Christ are perished without any hope. The whole hope of the gospel message rests on the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.  If we cannot believe that this happened, then we are undermining the gospel message and the power of God.  “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”  (I Corinthians 15 v 20-22)

Here, the apostle Paul describes Jesus as ‘the first fruits’ of those that sleep in Christ (death of a believer is often referred to as sleeping in the scriptures).  The idea of Jesus being ‘the first fruits’ implies that there will be a later harvest. i.e. those was are dead in Christ (sleeping) rise up again at Jesus’s return to the earth.  “But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:23)

By believing the Gospel, being baptised and seeking to follow Jesus’s example, through God’s grace and mercy, we have this assurance of resurrection even if we die before the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth.   “… but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. … …  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”  (Hebrews 9:26,28)

So, how can we satisfy ourselves of the certainty of the resurrection of Jesus? 

Let’s look at the evidence:-

There were contemporary rumours that Jesus wasn’t dead when he was taken down from the Cross. In Mark 15:39 and Luke 23:47 the Roman Centurion witnesses Jesus taking his last breath. Then John’s Gospel records “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:   But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”  (John 19:33-34)  The Roman Soldiers would have been very familiar with death, so it is inconceivable that they could make such a mistake.

After placing the body of Jesus in a nearby tomb, the Jewish Authorities dealt with their very real concern that the disciples would come by night to steal the body by approaching the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, who agreed to set a guard and seal the stone. (Matthew 27:62 onwards).

Jesus had been flogged so mercilessly that he had insufficient strength to even carry his own cross. He  had hung there in that condition for several hours with his feet and hands nailed to the cross. Having been meted out with such inhuman treatment, to suppose, that Jesus,  could then have revived in the cool of the tomb, could have had the strength to remove the stone single-handedly and then to escape into the night is quite an incredible idea.

To overcome the armed guard and roll away the stone at the entrance to the tomb would have required the full-bodied strength of many men. Afterall, the stone was so very large and heavy  that even the women coming to the tomb on the 3^rd day could not consider moving it.  “And they (the women) said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” (Mark 16:3) 

In the inconceivable suggestion that the disciples had overcome the guards and had moved the stone, it is implausible that they then would have taken the time and trouble to remove all the grave clothes from Jesus’s body knowing that at any time they could be discovered.

And finally, we have the record of the witnesses who met Jesus after his resurrection; all the disciples (John 20:16) and two others on the road to Emmaus (John 24:31). It is also recorded by the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 15:3) that Jesus appeared to above five hundred brethren at one time.

After finding the tomb was empty on the 3^rd day, the Authorities concealed the truthfulness of what had happened by bribing the armed guard (Matthew 28:11) to say that the body of Jesus had been stolen on their watch by the disciples (something punishable by the execution of the guards).  The Authorities compound the crime by reassuring the guards that should the events of the night come to the ear of the Roman Governor, the Authorities will satisfy the Governor’s suspicions and keep the guards from trouble.

In what form did Jesus rise from the dead?

Jesus experienced a physical Resurrection from the dead.  He was not a ‘spirit’ nor a vision.  To prove his bodily presence, we read that he ate a meal with his disciples (Luke 24:38-43).  Later, he said to the one disciple who doubted, “… Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”  (John 20:27). And when Thomas declared his firm belief, Jesus then declared “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. ”  (John 20:29).

This was followed later in Acts 1, when referring to the Apostles whom he had chosen:- To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:  (Acts 1:3)

To Summarise

People had been raised from the dead before Jesus was resurrected.  Some were raised by Jesus himself.  However, all who rose to life retained their mortality and died again at the end of their days.

Jesus rose from the dead to an everlasting life. His resurrection would be the first of many resurrections (first fruits) that will follow, in God’s purpose, at his promised return to the earth.

Those who will have died in the faith are said to be ‘asleep’ ready to awaken, to ‘rise’ when Christ returns. We then have a hope of life for ever with Christ in God’s kingdom on earth.  This is the time when the Lord’ Prayer will be fulfilled – “… …Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

There is hope for us all.   “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)