Page 97 - Biblical Theology Textbook - masters

Study Section 14: The Messiah Raises from the Dead

14.1 Connect

The Bible says in I Corinthians 15:17 that if Christ did not resurrect from the dead, that our faith
is useless, and we still are under condemnation for our sins. The verse concludes that we are
hopeless if Christ did not rise. If Jesus did not raise from the dead, we might as all “pack it up,”
go out and have a good time, and not think about tomorrow. As the beer commercial said years
ago, “You only go around once in life, so get all the gusto you can get!” We should “eat, drink,
and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” If Christ did not rise from the dead, then that would prove to the
world that not only was He a liar, because He told everyone He would raise after three days, but it also
proves his death was worthless.

Fortunately, He did raise from the tomb. He was alive and was seen by dozens of people and at one
time, over 500 people saw Him alive. His resurrection is a historical fact! And because He rose, His
sacrifice to redeem us was acceptable to the Father. Because He arose, we can have eternal life! Let’s
examine how important His resurrection is…

14.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to explain why the physical resurrection of Christ is so important.

2. The student should be able to give historical proofs of the resurrection.

3. The student should be able to describe the various theories that seek to disprove the resurrection.

14.3 The Messiah Raises from the Dead

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith. Without the
resurrection, the belief in God's saving grace through Jesus is destroyed. When Jesus rose from
the dead, he confirmed his identity as the Son of God and his work of atonement, redemption,
reconciliation, and salvation. The resurrection was a real, literal, physical raising of Jesus’ body
from the dead.

Jesus was arrested, tried and found guilty of claiming to be a king. His body was hung on a cross
between two thieves. After his death, Jesus’ body was wrapped in linen clothes and placed in a tomb
with a large stone rolled across the opening. On the third day, an early Sunday morning, Mary
Magdalene and another Mary came to the tomb and found it empty. Sitting on the rolled away stone
was an angel of the Lord who told them to not be afraid because Jesus had risen. As the women left to
tell the disciples, Jesus Christ met them and showed them his nail pierced hands.

Both the Old and the New Testament speak of the truth of the Jesus being raised from death - Jesus
testified of his resurrection before he died on the cross and his disciples witnessed his body after the
resurrection.

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