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What would it take to convince you that someone had come back from the dead? An empty grave? Lots of eyewitnesses? Witnesses who had nothing to gain by lying? Sceptics who changed their minds? Seeing them yourself?
Christianity stands or falls on this question. Paul, one of the first Christian leaders, said that if Jesus wasn't raised, Christian faith is useless (1 Corinthians 15:17). That makes the resurrection more than a nice idea for Easter cards. It's a claim about history, and claims about history can be investigated. So in this lesson you get to be the detective. Christians and non-Christians can do this together.
What you'll learn
- What Luke's account of the first Easter morning actually says, and which details look like eyewitness memory
- Why 1 Corinthians 15:3–8 is such early and important evidence
- How to weigh up the other explanations fairly and reach your own conclusion
The first Easter morning
Early on Sunday, a group of women went to Jesus' tomb with spices to finish his burial. They found the stone rolled away and the body gone. Then two men in dazzling clothes appeared:
"As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’’" (Luke 24:5–7)
Now ask yourself: if you were making this story up to convince people, what would you change? Several details in Luke 24:1–12 are not what an inventor would write:
- The first witnesses are women (v. 10). In that culture, women's testimony was often given less weight. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that women should not be accepted as witnesses in court. Someone inventing the story would probably have chosen respected men.
- The apostles don't believe them (v. 11). They think the women's report is nonsense. The future leaders of the church come across as slow and stubborn.
- Nobody expected it. Jesus had told them he would rise, but the women came to finish a burial, not to meet a risen Lord.
- Peter goes home puzzled (v. 12), not triumphant.
- The linen cloths are lying there (v. 12). Grave robbers don't usually unwrap a body before stealing it.
One more thing to get clear: this is resurrection, not resuscitation. Lazarus came back to life and later died again. The Bible claims Jesus rose with a new, physical body that will never die (Luke 24:39–43; Romans 6:9).
The earliest list of witnesses
In a letter to the church in Corinth, Paul passes on a summary of the Christian message, then lists the people who saw the risen Jesus:
| Witness | Who they were |
|---|---|
| Cephas (Peter) | A close friend who had denied Jesus |
| The Twelve | His closest followers |
| More than 500 at once | A large group, most still alive when Paul wrote |
| James | Jesus' brother, who hadn't believed in him before (John 7:5) |
| All the apostles | A group |
| Paul himself | An enemy who had been persecuting the church |
"After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15:6)
Why does this matter so much?
- It's early. Most scholars date the letter to about AD 53–55, around twenty years after Jesus died. And Paul says he is passing on something he had already received, probably when he met Peter and James in Jerusalem a few years after the crucifixion (Galatians 1:18–19).
- It's checkable. Paul says most of the 500 are still alive. That's like saying, "Go and ask them."
- It's varied. The witnesses include friends, a big crowd, a sceptic (James) and an enemy (Paul).
Case file: weighing the explanations
Historians, Christian and non-Christian, widely agree on several facts: Jesus died by crucifixion; his followers sincerely believed they had seen him alive; and Paul and James changed sides. Most also accept that the tomb was found empty. The debate is about the best explanation. Here are the main options:
| Theory | The idea | Problems to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Swoon | Jesus didn't really die; he fainted and revived in the tomb. | Roman soldiers were experts at execution (John 19:33–34). A half-dead, badly wounded man would hardly convince anyone he had conquered death. |
| Stolen body | The disciples stole the body and lied. | The disciples suffered, and some died, for their claim. People die for what they believe is true, but rarely for what they know is a lie. |
| Wrong tomb | The women went to the wrong grave. | They had seen where he was buried (Luke 23:55). The authorities could have shown the right tomb and ended it. It doesn't explain the appearances. |
| Hallucination | Grieving followers saw visions. | Hallucinations are private, but Jesus appeared to groups, at different times and places, including to a sceptic and an enemy. Visions don't empty tombs. |
| Legend | The stories grew over time. | The list in 1 Corinthians 15 is far too early, and the witnesses were still alive to correct it. |
| Resurrection | God raised Jesus bodily from the dead. | It requires a miracle, so it's only believable if God exists. |
Be fair about that last row. Some historians argue that history can never conclude a miracle happened, because historians only look for natural causes. But that's a starting assumption about how the world works, not just a matter of evidence. So the real question becomes: if God exists, is a resurrection impossible?
Key words
- Resurrection: being raised from death to a new, physical life that can never die again.
- Resuscitation: being brought back to ordinary life, and dying again later (like Lazarus).
- Eyewitness: someone who saw an event for themselves.
- Firstfruits: the first part of the harvest, a sign and promise that the rest is coming.
How this points to Jesus
Paul admits that if Christ hasn't been raised, Christians are to be pitied. Then he declares:
"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15:20)
Jesus' resurrection is the firstfruits: a preview of the resurrection of everyone who belongs to him. For Christians, death is not the end. It also connects with the cross: Romans 4:25 says Jesus was raised for our justification. The resurrection is God's public sign that Jesus' payment for sin was accepted. If Jesus stayed dead, he was a good teacher who died. If he rose, he is exactly who he said he was.
Think about it
Why does it matter that women were the first witnesses to the empty tomb?Show answer
In that culture women's testimony was often taken less seriously, so someone inventing the story would probably have chosen men. It suggests Luke is reporting what happened, even when it was awkward.
What is the biggest problem with the "stolen body" theory?Show answer
The disciples were willing to suffer and even die for their claim. People rarely die for something they know is a lie.
Why do some people look at this evidence and still not believe?Show answer
Evidence can invite belief but can't force it. Some people start from the assumption that miracles can't happen; others have personal reasons. It's worth asking what your own starting assumptions are.
Take it further
Look back at your answer to the first question: what would it take to convince you? How much of your list does the evidence meet? Wherever you land, write down your own conclusion this week with at least two reasons. Honest doubts are welcome; this question matters more than almost any other.
If you've lost someone close to you, the hope of resurrection can be a real comfort. Take your time with it, and talk to someone you trust if it stirs things up.
Your worksheet helps you take detective notes on Luke 24, list Paul's witnesses, and rate each theory for yourself.