Published: April 07, 2009 09:14 am      

Easter and the Christian faith

Holy Week marks the highpoint of the year for the Christian faith. The week culminates with Easter, the day in which Christians commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. No other event in the life of Jesus Christ has greater significance, as Jesus Himself indicated.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were antagonistic toward Jesus and skeptical of His claims. They wanted proof. Jesus told them there would be one definitive sign, “the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (See Matthew 12:38-40.)

Before it happened, Jesus predicted His own resurrection. Jonah coming out of the fish alive after three days pictured what would happen to Jesus. On the third day after dying, Jesus would come out of the tomb alive. Jesus said this would be the “sign,” the proof of His claims to be the Messiah, to be able to forgive sins, to be God Himself in the flesh.

Jesus’ resurrection, then, is of paramount importance to the Christian faith. And Christians believe there is reasonable evidence that the resurrection really happened.

First, the tomb was empty on Easter morning. The grave in which Jesus was buried had been sealed by the Roman governor and guarded by Roman soldiers. The powerful ruling authorities wanted to make sure Jesus’ body remained undisturbed.

But despite their best efforts, the stone sealing the tomb was moved and Jesus’ body was gone.

It is unlikely that the followers of Jesus could have overcome the guard-trained soldiers whose lives were forfeit if they failed in their mission — and stolen the body.

It is even less likely that Jesus had not really died and was able to escape the tomb. The Romans were proficient in execution by means of crucifixion, and Jesus’ death had already been confirmed with the Roman governor. (See Mark 15:42-46.)

Second, there were eyewitnesses: Mary, the 11 disciples, and, quite significantly, more than 500 people on one occasion. (See 1 Corinthians 15:6.) Although some might suggest hallucination or wishful thinking for a single, isolated witness, more than 500 people seeing the same thing at the same time is compelling evidence. When the Apostle Paul wrote about these 500 eyewitnesses, most were still living. (Again, see 1 Corinthians 15:6.) Anyone, then, who first read Paul’s statement, could have looked up these witnesses to verify Paul’s claim.

Third, lives were changed. The “before and after” picture of Jesus’ 11 disciples presents a dramatic contrast and requires explanation. Before the resurrection, the disciples were deniers and deserters, running and hiding when Jesus was arrested and killed. A short time later these same men boldly and publicly proclaimed Jesus as Lord in the very city where He had been killed. They were willing even to die for their confident assurance that Jesus was the resurrected Messiah, something they would not have done if they knew Jesus was really dead and His body was in their possession.

Two journalists, one early in the 20th century in Britain and one late in the 20th century in America, set out to prove that the story of Jesus’ resurrection was nothing but myth. After researching the details, however, both journalists concluded that Jesus did indeed come back to life. Each wrote about what he found.

Frank Morison, the British journalist, wrote “Who Moved the Stone?” and Lee Strobel, the American, wrote “The Case for Christ.”

Christians believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is the annual celebration of that great event.





The Rev. Thomas J. Loyola is pastor of the Evangelical Free Church, Clinton.