The historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the very basis for the truth of Christianity. The resurrection of Jesus Christ and Christianity either stand or fall together. Jesus Himself risked everything upon His resurrection. Twice, when asked for a sign, He gave His future resurrection as evidence that He was who He claimed to be (Matt. 12:38-40; Jn. 2:19-22).
If Jesus failed to come forth from the grave the third day after His death, He would have been proven to be a fraud - either a liar or a lunatic. But, if His tomb was found empty, then He would be declared the Son of God (Rom. 1:4).
Christianity is a system of faith. We accept it by faith. However, it is not a leap of faith. Everything we believe in is based upon good, solid evidence; including the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. What historical evidence supports the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Why do I believe Jesus rose from the dead?
1. The Way He Died. One argument against the resurrection is the "Swoon Theory." This theory suggests that Jesus didn't die on the cross, that He only appeared to be dead. Due to pain, shock and loss of blood Jesus lost consciousness. He was taken from the cross and placed in Joseph's tomb where He later revived and somehow managed to escape the sealed tomb. The Bible states that Jesus died (1 Cor. 15:3-4). His death was the result of crucifixion. This means of death itself disproves the "swoon theory."
History records no survivors of crucifixion. The Roman soldiers were professional executioners. Before the actual crucifixion was a scourging. This was done with a whip consisting of leather cords with metal beads and bones woven in. The victim was beaten unmercifully until his back became a tangled mass of flesh. Historians tell us that on occasions the spine or bowels would become exposed. The victim then had to carry his own crossbeam on his shoulders to the place of crucifixion. Jesus was unable to do this, which suggests He was already in shock. Next the victim's arms were stretched across the cross and 5 to 7 inch spikes were nailed through the wrists. These nails crushed the median nerve, which would feel like a pair of pliers squeezing and crushing the "funny bone." The crossbeam was then lifted and attached to the beam already in the ground. Another spike was driven through the victim's heels. The weight of the body on the outstretched arms would have dislocated both shoulders (Psa. 22:14). In this outstretched position, the victim could inhale, but not exhale. Carbon dioxide built up in bloodstream, and eventually the victim would die of asphyxiation.
Even if Jesus was able to survive this experience and somehow fool the soldiers into believing He was dead, His doom was sealed when a Roman soldier thrust a spear into His side, producing water and blood (Jn. 19:34). There is no way Jesus survived this execution to escape from the tomb under His own power. Jesus went into Joseph's tomb a dead man.
2. His Burial. Some skeptics deny that Jesus was buried. Historians tell us that the bodies of most crucified people were simply discarded in a pit and consumed by wild animals. But archaeologists have discovered the remains of a crucified man buried in a tomb.
The Bible tells us that Jesus was buried, but His body wasn't just thrown into a tomb and covered with a sheet. Jesus was buried according to the custom of the Jews (Jn. 19:38-40). If this was so, it would have been impossible for Him to walk out of the tomb. In a Jewish burial, the body was wrapped three times in white cloth. Once to the armpits, then again to the neck, and finally the head. Spices were mixed in with these burial cloths. Myrrh was like a gummy adhesive. The three layers of cloth were literally glued in place. The total encasement would have weighed 117-120 pounds. No one, having gone through what Jesus did on the cross, could have wrestled themselves out of that kind of encasement.
3. The Empty Tomb. On the first day of the week the women found an empty tomb. What are the facts? We know that this was a new tomb, thus His was the only body in the tomb. It was hewn out of rock, so there wasn't a "back door." A large stone rolled against the door of the tomb. And the tomb was sealed and a guard was posted to keep it undisturbed (Matt. 27:59 - 28:8). What happened to the body?
The women didn't go to the wrong tomb, they had carefully observed where His body was placed. Jesus did not survive to walk out alive. There is no way He could have moved the stone or gotten past the guard in his critical condition. The disciples didn't steal the body. For one, they didn't understand that He was supposed to raise the third day. And secondly, they couldn't have gotten past the soldiers guarding the tomb. And we know the Jewish leaders didn't steal the body. It would have been in their best interest to keep Jesus' body in the tomb. And if they had it, why didn't they produce it when the apostles began preaching the resurrection some fifty days later? The only answer: Jesus rose from the dead.
4. Post-Resurrection Appearances. Jesus didn't appear to one person, on only one occasion. The gospels and Acts record several appearances. Some to individuals, some to groups, sometimes indoors, sometimes outdoors, to different kinds of people. At times they touched Jesus or He ate with them, showing that He was physically present.
First Corinthians 15:5-8 provides a list of people who saw the risen Lord. When Paul says that the greater part of them remain to this day, he is telling the Corinthians that they could find these people and ask them what they saw. Paul wouldn't make a statement like this if it wasn't true.
5. Circumstantial Evidence. Sometimes a strong case is built, not on eyewitness testimony, but on circumstantial evidence. By themselves they may not be very impressive, but placed together they form a wall of evidence that points to the certainty of the resurrection of Jesus.
Bravery of the Disciples. When Jesus was arrested, His disciples fled in fear. Peter later denied Him. But after the resurrection they boldly preached the gospel in the face of opposition, persecution and even death. It is not reasonable to believe that these twelve men willingly died for a story they all knew to be false. Men will not die for a lie.
Beginning Place of the Church. The apostles didn't go to some far off place to start preaching the resurrection. The first gospel sermon was preached in Jerusalem, within walking distance of the empty tomb. If the resurrection was a hoax, it would have been easily crushed by the Jewish leaders before it ever got off the ground. Why didn't they just produce Jesus' dead body when Peter preached that he was a witness of the risen Christ (Acts 2:32)? Why? Because there was no body. The tomb was empty!
Conversion of Skeptics. Something extraordinary had to happen to change the minds of some of the Lord's strongest critics. Thomas was the representative of every critic that would come after him. He refused to believe until he put his hands in the wounds on the Lord's body. He saw the evidence he needed and changed from a doubter into a believer (Jn. 20:24-28). James, the brother of the Lord, was not a believer (Jn. 7:5). On at least one occasion he tried to stop Jesus (Mark 3:21). But he went on to become a pillar of the church in Jerusalem (Gal. 1:19). Saul the feared persecutor of the church became the beloved apostle Paul. What caused these changes? They saw the risen Savior.
First Day of the Week. The church was originally made up of Jewish converts. The Jews had kept the Sabbath for centuries. One would think they would have kept this custom in the church, but all of a sudden there is a change in the day of worship. The disciples of Jesus met on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), the day Jesus rose from the dead.
Conclusion: There is only one event which can logically explain all of these facts - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.