The Resurrection of
Jesus
A Miracle in one of Three ways
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was a miracle. No matter if you
believe in God or not, no matter if you’re a philosophical
naturalist or a Christian, the account and effects of Jesus’
resurrection are truly miraculous.
The resurrection is a miracle in one of three ways – it is either:
1. A biological miracle
2. A psychological miracle
3. A theological miracle
Before we continue, two quick
points are necessary.
First, the first two options are
purely natural-only explanations
of the resurrection and therefore
the definition of “miracle” in their
case (a highly uncommon / out of
the ordinary, but still natural
occurrence) is different than the
third option, where the Biblical
definition of miracle applies.
Second, it is important to remember that the majority
of historical scholars – Christian or non-Christian – do
not doubt the core facts surrounding the resurrection,
which are:
• Jesus was crucified and buried.
• Three days after His death, His body went missing.
• There were reported appearances of Jesus over
the course of 40 days to both believers and
unbelievers.
• These individual’s lives were transformed from the
appearances and they began to proclaim Christ’s
resurrection even up to the point of being martyred
for their proclamation.
These are the core facts of Jesus’ resurrection, and
these facts are not in dispute with any educated
historian, secular or religious. That being the case,
let’s conduct a brief tour of each possible explanation
of the resurrection and see where a philosophical
appeal to the best explanation leads us.
A Biological Miracle…?
The biological miracle option asserts that Jesus didn’t actually
die, but rather those conducting His execution only believed He
was dead. Sometime after He was placed in the tomb – and
against all biological and medical odds – He revived, emerged,
and then presented Himself to His disciples as being raised from
the dead.
The Biological Miracle
The lack of popularity for this option is due to the following strong points that argue to the contrary:
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The New Testament specifically records that Jesus was beaten and scourged before His
crucifixion; a procedure that history says caused the death of many condemned persons before
they ever reached their appointed cross. The historical gospels also record that Jesus was so
physically weakened from His scourging that He could not carry His cross to Golgotha (cf. Matt.
27:32); a clear sign of His failing condition.
The Romans were experts at carrying out crucifixions. They knew death well; in fact, the soldiers
themselves were held liable if any victim sentenced to death happened to survive.
John 19:34-34 describes a spear being thrust into Jesus’ side, with the description by John clearly
showing a rupture of the pericardium, which would be instant death if a casualty had not already
occurred via the crucifixion procedure.
Jesus’ death was viewed by close eyewitnesses, friend and foe alike.
After He was taken from the cross, He was wrapped in cloths and bathed in heavy spices by loving
friends who certainly would have noticed if He was still alive.
For Jesus’ ruse to have occurred, He would need to revive in the tomb, push back the huge stone
covering the mouth of His grave, overpower the Roman guards sent to protect the tomb (cf. Matt.
27:62-66), and then appear to His followers and skeptics.
The disciples’ reaction to a clearly disfigured and crucified Jesus would have been much different
than the accounts recorded in the four gospels of Jesus’ resurrection.
“Accordingly, interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus
did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern
medical knowledge.“
- “On the physical death of Jesus Christ”, Journal of American Medical Association, March 21, 1986.
Lastly, the biological miracle option paints a picture of Jesus’ moral character that is
markedly different than His portrayed life and teachings. It means that Jesus was not only a
liar, but much worse. Not only would Jesus have deliberately deceived His disciples, but He
would have remained in hiding while His disciples were arrested, tortured, and murdered
for proclaiming His false resurrection.
For these reasons and others, the biological miracle option is highly unlikely, which is why it
is literally never raised against the resurrection of Jesus.
A Psychological Miracle…?
“I believe the best explanation, consistent with both scientific findings and
the surviving evidence . . . is that the first Christians experienced
hallucinations of the risen Christ, of one form or another. . . . In the ancient
world, to experience supernatural manifestations of ghosts, gods, and
wonders was not only accepted, but encouraged.”
- Atheist Richard Carrier, “The Spiritual Body of Christ” in The Empty Tomb, pg. 184.
Five reasons why the psychological miracle hypothesis fails…
#1 – It confirms an empty tomb
To even get off the ground, the psychological miracle option needs and confirms
an empty tomb. If the disciples and followers of Jesus were the ones
experiencing hallucinations and being tricked into believing Christ was alive
when He was not, then who stole the body? Certainly Jesus’ enemies would not
have, and if the disciples didn’t, then who would have taken such risk to steal
the corpse?
#2 – Hallucinations? I don’t think so…
A psychological miracle option – and specifically one that proposes hallucinations
as the underlying cause – fails to account for the facts behind the appearances of
Jesus. The appearances of Jesus are remarkable in that they occurred…
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Not just once, but multiple times;
Not just to one person, but to different persons;
Not just to individuals, but to groups of individuals;
Not just at one location, but at multiple locations;
Not just in one circumstance, but in multiple circumstances;
Not just to believers, but also to unbelievers, skeptics, and even enemies.
#3 – They weren’t expecting it…
Every account in the gospels showcases the fact that the disciples in no way
expected Jesus to rise from the dead. In fact, they are clearly portrayed as being
dull to the teaching of Jesus on His predicted resurrection. This fact is highly
significant in that it shows how, mentally, they were not building themselves up to
believe that their murdered leader would appear to them alive.
#4 – Jewish Belief on the Resurrection…
Jewish belief only looked forward to a resurrection at the end of the world, with no
one believing that anyone would be resurrected and remain alive before that
appointed time (cf. Dan. 12:2). This fact further solidifies the argument that the
disciples weren’t anticipating any return of Jesus.
#5 – Skeptics Saw Him…
It is worth calling out distinctly, although it has already been mentioned, that
skeptics and enemies of Jesus – including disbelieving members of His own family
– claimed to see Him alive after His crucifixion. From a psychological perspective,
these individuals had no reason to mentally concoct a false appearance of a person
they didn’t believe in from the start.
One More … Cognitive Dissonance?
Lastly, skeptics try to argue that one way the
psychological miracle option could be powered is
through cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance
proposes that people have a motivational drive to
reduce mental dissonance between reality and what
they want reality to be, and so they change their
attitudes, beliefs, or actions to conform to what they
desire. Cynics say that the disciples so greatly wanted
Jesus to be their Messiah that, after He was
executed, they mentally adjusted themselves to
compensate for their internal grief.
However, an argument of cognitive dissonance fails to
explain the two core facts of the resurrection, which
are the missing body and the appearances to skeptics
and enemies of Jesus. Moreover, an argument can be
made that the skeptics who doubt the resurrection of
Jesus are simply suffering from cognitive dissonance
themselves in arguing against the Biblical account.
Although popular, as can be seen, the psychological miracle
option suffers from too many drawbacks to seriously be
considered as the best explanation for Jesus’ resurrection.
A Theological Miracle…?
The theological miracle option asserts that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Unlike the first two options that are pure, naturalistic-only explanations, the
theological miracle option does not omit a supernatural possibility. It allows
a transcendent Creator to be part of the equation, which automatically
permits true miracles.
“But if we admit God, must
we admit Miracle? Indeed,
indeed, you have no security
against it. That is the
bargain.“
- C. S. Lewis
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The primary reason this option is rejected by critics is because, following
their anti-supernatural bias, they rule God out in an a priori manner. It is not
a review of the evidence, but rather a commitment to naturalism that causes
skeptics of the resurrection to exclude the theological miracle possibility.
The Bible on Jesus’ Resurrection
“Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a
severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from
heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his
appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards
shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the
women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has
been crucified. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see
the place where He was lying. “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has
risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there
you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” And they left the tomb quickly with
fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met
them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and
worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word
to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
(Matthew 28:1–10)
Evidence for Jesus’ Death and Burial
• Burial recorded in all gospels
• Joseph of Arimathea petitioned Pilate
for body
• Joseph put Jesus in his own tomb –
Sanhedrin member: unlikely that this
would be a lie
• Burial witnessed by close friends
• Tomb guarded by soldiers
• Jews never denied that Jesus was
dead and buried
“All the strictly historical evidence we have is
in favor of [the empty tomb], and those
scholars who reject it ought to recognize that
they do so on some other ground that that of
scientific history."
- William Wand
Oxford University Church Historian
Evidence for Jesus’ Appearances
Appeared to
Where
When
References
1 Mary Magdalene
Jerusalem
Sunday
Mark 6:9-11; John 20:11-18
2 Other Women
Jerusalem
Sunday
Matt 28:9-10
3 Peter
Jerusalem
Sunday
Luke 24:32; 1 Cor. 15:5
4 Emmaus disciples
Emmaus
Sunday
Luke 24:13-35; Mark 16:12
5 10 disciples
Jerusalem
Sunday
Mark 16:14; Luke 24:26-42; John
20:19-25
6 11 disciples
Jerusalem
A week later
John 20:26-31; 1 Cor. 15:5
7 7 disciples
Galilee
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John 21:1-25
8 500 brethren
Galilee
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1 Cor. 15:6
9 James
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1 Cor. 15:7
10 11 disciples
Galilee
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Matt 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18
11 11 disciples
Jerusalem
40 days later
Acts 1:3-12
"It is historically certain that Peter and the
other disciples had experiences after Jesus'
death in which Jesus appeared to them as
the risen Christ."
- Gerd Ludemann, Atheist
Guttingen University, Germany
“Therefore, having received orders and complete
certainly caused by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus
Christ and believing in the Word of God, they [the
disciples] went with the Holy Spirit’s certainly, preaching
the good news that the kingdom of God is about to
come.”
- Clement, Bishop of Rome
A. D. 30-100
(perhaps Clement referred to in Phil. 4:3)
“Why, then, did some of the disciples claim to see Jesus
alive after his crucifixion? I don’t doubt at all that some of
the disciples claimed this. We don’t have any of their
written testimony, but Paul, writing about twenty-five years
later, indicates that this is what they claimed, and I don’t
think he is making it up. And he knew at least a couple of
them, whom he met just three years after the event.”
- Bart Ehrman
Evidence for The Disciples Transformed Lives
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Peter – crucified upside down
Andrew – crucified on an X-shaped cross
James (disciple) – beheaded by Herod
John (disciple) – banished to Patmos; died
natural death in Ephesus
Thomas – martyred in India
James (half-brother of Jesus) – thrown from the
top of the temple, then stoned
Bartholomew – filleted alive
Matthew – killed with sword in Ethiopia
Luke – hanged in Greece
Matthias – stoned and beheaded
Jude – murdered by archers
Barnabas – stoned at Salonica
Paul – beheaded in Rome
* Writings of Origen tell of Peter being crucified upside down and Paul’s martyrdom in Rome by Nero.
“And when [Jesus] came to those with
Peter, he said to them: “Take, handle me
and see that I am not a bodiles demon.’
And immediately they handled him and
believed, having known his flesh and
blood. Because of this they also
despised death; but beyond death they
were found.”
-Ignatius
Bishop in Antioch
Martyred in Rome, A.D. 110
Foundation for the Undisputed Facts
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Multiple independent sources support the facts
Attestation by enemies of Christianity support the facts
Embarrassing admissions support the facts
Eyewitness testimony support the facts
Early testimony support the facts
When the thinking person steps back and reviews the universally accepted
historiographical criteria used when examining a historical account such as
explanatory power, explanatory scope, not being ad-hoc, plausibility, not
contradicting accepted beliefs, and far exceeding its rival theories in
meeting those conditions, the theological miracle emerges as the best
possible option.
This being the case, the rational person can hardly be blamed if
he/she concludes on the basis of the evidence and a commitment
to unbiased historiographical investigation that a divine miracle
occurred on that first Easter morning.
“I have been used for many years to study the histories of
other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of
those who have written about them, and I know of no one
fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and
fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair
inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that
Christ died and rose again from the dead.”
- Dr. Thomas Arnold,
Former chair of modern history at Oxford
Author three volume “History of Rome”
For More Information And Resources
www.confidentchristians.org
The Resurrection of
Jesus
A Miracle in one of Three ways