Essay Sample on Resurrection in Christianity: Significance & Reasoning

The concept of resurrection plays a significant role in the Christian faith, and it has been severally mentioned in the New Testament. Notably, it has been the major point for every sermon in the Book of Acts as Christians believe that without it, faith is inadequate. More precisely, Paul believed that resurrection is fundamental to the believers in due to numerous reasons; for example, he suggested that preaching of Christianity would look empty if Jesus did not resurrect (Keener, 2011). And, the believer's faith is worthless if Christ failed to rise since Jesus is the symbol of faith. Additionally, resurrection is also significant in the identity and the mission of Christ; for example, resurrection demonstrates that Jesus is the Son of God and that Jesus would not be the true prophet if he could have failed to come back from the dead as per his predictions before dying on the cross. The uniqueness of the Christian message reveals that Jesus died and then resurrected (Keener, 2011). The paper seeks to provide an argument on the historicity of the resurrection through the analysis of various issues, including the empty tomb, the resurrection appearances as well as analyzing the origin of the Christian faith to corroborate on the miracle of resurrection.

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Empty Tomb

Understandably, the empty tomb is proper evidence that Jesus came back from the dead and that resurrection is true and is believable in Christianity settings. The tomb in which Jesus was buried was discovered empty on Sunday after the crucifixion. The preaching of resurrection happened within the city in which Jesus was buried, and the disciples ignored the obscure places, where he did not preach the gospel. Still, they preached resurrection in the city of Jerusalem, where he died and buried (Habermas & Licona, 2004). Therefore, it is true that the disciples could not preach resurrection if the Christ did not come back from the dead; hence, people, including the Christians, would never believe in the resurrection. And, the evidence is clear because the tomb was found empty. Additionally, Paul Althaus also suggested that the resurrection proclamation may not have been understood in the city of Jerusalem at any single hour or day if the emptiness of the tomb was not established to justify that the Christ resurrected (Keener, 2011).

On the other hand, the Jewish argument against Christianity also conforms to the empty tomb. According to Mathew 28: 11-15, the Jewish tried to refute Christianity and suggested that the disciples of Jesus stole the body. Such an argument is critical because it demonstrates that the Jewish admitted the empty tomb, as the idea of the stolen body also agreed that indeed the tomb was discovered empty. Also, the Toledoth Jesu, which forms the compilation of the Jewish writings, accepted the fact that the tomb was empty, showing that truly resurrection is possible for Christians (Habermas & Licona, 2004). Again, the empty tomb that is shown in the gospel of Mark depends on the source, which originated from the seven years story, explains why the empty tomb could be too early to be legendary, as it also corroborates on its accuracy (Licona, 2011). Also, the empty tomb has been supported by the historical reliability of the burial story, and that is the proper fact underpinning the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Resurrection Appearances

More imperatively, the disciples of Jesus have the actual experience with the risen Christ. Such evidence cannot be disputed in the contemporary days because there is the testimony of the original disciples who saw Jesus alive again. For instance, in the Book of 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul had revealed the ancient creed regarding the death, burial, and resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ, which was too earlier than when it was recorded (Habermas & Licona, 2004). For confirmation of resurrection, Christians believe that Jesus died for their sins according to the Scriptures, then raised on the third day, and the twelve disciples and Cephas saw him in the appearances as well as appearing for many brethren. It is generally accepted by many scholars that Paul received the creed from both James and Peter at about 3-5 years in the aftermath of crucifixion; hence, the two individuals were listed in the creed for observing the resurrection of Christ, because they gave the creed to Paul (Licona, 2011). According to Pinchas Lapide, the creed could be recognized as the statement of the eyewitnesses.

Additionally, the theory of hallucination is untenable since it has failed to explain the physical nature of appearances, and the disciples also record the drinking and eating together with Christ as well as touching his body. Such a theory may not as well explain the conversation that Paul had three years later, and the concept of hallucination cannot deal with the evidence demonstrated by the empty tomb. Thus, because the disciples of Jesus could not lie or hallucinate, there is only one event that can possibly explain the appearance. The twelve disciples believed that they had observed the resurrection of Christ because it is true that they actually saw the risen Jesus (Habermas & Geivett, 1997). Therefore, the appearances also indicated the resurrection of Christ, which may not allow people, even those who cannot believe in a miracle, to reject the resurrection.

Origin of the Christian Faith

Similarly, the existence of the Christian church is also crucial in the corroboration of resurrection because even the skeptical scholars accepted that the disciples believed in the notions that Jesus raised from the grave. More importantly, the origin of the Christian faith and the belief can be explained through the use of William Lane Crag's suggestions of through probable causes including the pagan influence, the Jewish or the Christian influence (Craig, 1989). According to Crag, the belief about the resurrection was the foundation of Christianity, and it cannot be used in the product of Christianity (Craig, 1989). And it has also been seen that there are impossibilities of hallucination of the belief. The Jewish influence also may not explain the belief in the resurrection because even Judaism did not buy the concept of any person arising from the dead in the middle of history. And that the concept of one individual coming back from the dead was new to them; hence the Judaism could not produce the hypothesis of resurrection, which also account for a critical argument against the idea that the disciples of Jesus were hallucinating.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of Christianity; therefore, all Christian should believe that there is resurrection after death and that Jesus died to wash away sins. The resurrection provides the assertion of the claim made by Jesus, underpinning his death and rising back from the dead. Much evidence has been used to prove the concept of resurrection; for example, Jesus indeed raised from the dead after the tomb was found empty following the burial of Jesus in the aftermath of his crucifixion. Resurrection appearances also confirm the rising of Jesus as the disciples justify that they saw him alive again.

References

Craig, W. L. (1989). Assessing the New Testament evidence for the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus. E. Mellen Press. https://wuve.pw/bik-mu-lix.pdf

Habermas, G. R., & Geivett, R. D. (1997). In Defense of Miracles. Downers Grove: IVP. https://www.amazon.com/Defense-Miracles-Comprehensive-Action-History/dp/0830815287

Habermas, G. R., & Licona, M. R. (2004). The case for the resurrection of Jesus. Kregel Publications. https://www.amazon.com/Case-Resurrection-Jesus-Gary-Habermas-ebook/dp/B001QOGJY0

Keener, C. S. (2011). Miracles: 2 volumes: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts. Baker Books. http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/miracles/335370

Licona, M. R. (2011). The historicity of the resurrection of Jesus: historiographical considerations in the light of recent debates. Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria. https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/23709