Infallibly
Convincing Proofs
Matthew Arnold said, “The resurrection of Jesus Christ is
the best attested fact in history.”
William Lyon Phelps of Yale wrote, “It may be said that the
historical evidence for the resurrection is stronger than for any other miracle anywhere
narrated.”
Some of the best books on the resurrection have been written by
lawyers who set out with the goal of disproving it as a historical fact.
Sir Edward Clark wrote, “As a lawyer I have made a prolonged
study of the evidences for the first Easter. To me the evidence is conclusive, and over
and over again in the high Court I have secured the verdict on evidence not nearly so
compelling. As a lawyer I accept it unreservedly as the testimony of men to facts that
they were able to substantiate.”
The historian Luke wrote that Jesus “presented Himself alive,
after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty
days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).
Jesus foretold His own death and resurrection (Luke 9:22; Mark
12:40).
After He rose from the dead Jesus appeared to a wide variety of
people in numerous circumstances, through out the land. He showed Himself alive as
“demonstrative proofs,” or “evidences manifest to the senses.” Luke
uses a word that is not used in the sense of a vision, but the idea “to let oneself
be seen.” Let me summarize briefly the testimony of eyewitnesses to the fact of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Mary Magdalene was the first witness who saw Jesus alive after His
resurrection (John 20:11-18). She was standing outside the tomb when Jesus startled
her into recognizing Him when He called her name, “Mary!” Surprised by joy, she
grabbed hold of Him, and then rushed away to tell the disciples, “I have seen the
Lord” (v. 18).
Several women went to the tomb early that first Easter morning
and an angel told them that Jesus had “risen from the dead” (Matthew 28:9-10). A
few moments later they saw Jesus and “held Him by the feet and worshipped Him”
(v. 9). Jesus told these women to go and tell the disciples to meet Him in Galilee.
Later on that first Sunday two disciples were walking on the
Emmaus Road from Jerusalem (Luke 24:12-32). A
stranger caught up with them and listening to their conversation asked what they were
talking about. They were discussing the events of the crucifixion of Jesus and the rumors
that the tomb was empty except for grave clothes, and some women said angels told them
that He was alive, “but Him they did not see.” At the end of their journey to
Emmaus they invited Him for dinner and, “Their
eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight” (v. 31).
Jesus appeared to Peter (Luke 24:33-35; 1 Cor. 15:5). Jesus
spent special time with the disciple who had denied Him three times.
Peter was with ten of the disciples when the two from Emmaus
arrived back in Jerusalem to tell the disciples that they had meet with Jesus (Luke
24:36-43). There in the upper room Jesus suddenly appeared to the gathered disciples,
greeted them, and ate with them in their sight.
A week later eleven disciples, including Thomas, were in a secure
room (John 20:26-31). Thomas refused to believe the witnesses for a week and then
Jesus suddenly appeared to the men and said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and
see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving,
but believing” (v. 27). Thomas believed and declared, “My Lord and my God!”
(v. 28)
Sometime later seven of the disciples who had been fishermen
returned to Sea of Tiberias and talked with Jesus (John 21:1-25). They spent the whole
night fishing without any luck, when a stranger on the beach acted as a spotter and
directed them to a catch of 153 large fish. John recognized Jesus first and shouted to
Peter, “It is the Lord!” That was the best catch of fish those old fishermen
ever had. Jesus invited them to “come and have breakfast” with Him.
Jesus appeared to the eleven in Galilee who “saw Him,
and worshipped Him.” Then He gave them His commission to share the message to the
world (Matthew 28:16-20).
Jesus appeared to 500 people gathered in one place (1 Corinthians
15:6), and most of them were still alive 30 years later when the apostle Paul wrote
his letter to the church at Corinth, Greece in 56 A.D.
He also appeared to His half-brother James, and then after His
ascension to an arrogant Jewish Pharisee named Saul (1 Corinthians 15:7-8). “And
last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also (v. 8).
The last recorded appearance of Jesus before His ascension was to
His disciples near Bethany (Acts 1:9-12). As He stood there talking to these
eyewitnesses, “He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (v.
9).
The historical evidence is accurate and clear. Jesus Christ is alive!
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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