The Resurrection Of The Lord Jesus

Feature 3 – April 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Resurrection Of The Lord Jesus

The Christian’s faith is built on the foundation of the death, burial and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus. His resurrection is an absolute fact, confirmed by many of His own who saw Him alive after His crucifixion and burial.

Consider what He said before His death concerning His resurrection: “‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’ ... He was speaking of the temple of His body” (Jn. 2:19,21 NKJV). “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again” (10:17). “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again” (Lk. 18:31-33).

We know He was mocked, insulted, spat upon, scourged and crucified. We also know that on the third day He arose from among the dead. Before going to the cross, He said to His disciples, “You now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you” (Jn. 16:22). After His resurrection, “He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord” (20:20).

The apostle John saw the empty tomb (vv.5,8). He saw and heard the voice of the Lord Jesus after His resurrection and before His ascension. After His ascension, years later, while on the Isle of Patmos, he saw the Lord and heard His voice saying, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen” (Rev. 1:18).

The first to see the Lord Jesus after His resurrection was Mary Magdalene. On the first day of the week she went to the tomb and stood weeping. She heard the angel saying, “I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead” (Mt. 28:5-7). Soon after, Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? ... Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him, ‘Rabboni!’ (which is to say, Teacher)” (Jn. 20:15-16).

The apostle Paul said, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and ... He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as the one born out of due time” (1 Cor. 15:3-8).

Cephas, who is Peter, also saw the empty tomb. On the day of Pentecost he boldly declared to the Jews, “Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it ... This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:23-24,32).

A witness is one who has “seen and heard” (Jn. 3:32). The Lord Jesus is “the Faithful and True Witness” (Rev. 3:14). Peter saw Him, heard Him and ate in His presence. The apostle also said, “You denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses” (Acts 3:14-15). “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (4:20). The Scripture says, “With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus” (v.33). His resurrection is the absolute proof that His work on the cross was done completely to God’s perfect satisfaction. He “was raised because of our justification” (Rom. 4:25), “therefore God also has highly exalted Him” (Phil. 2:9) “God ... raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory” (1 Pet. 1:21).

There is no question about the truth of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The apostle Paul said, “He was seen by me ... Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:8,20). Because of His resurrection, believers have a living hope not only for time but also for all eternity. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3).

By Paul Palmer