Christ’s Resurrection

Prayer: With expectant hearts and minds, we seek your truth, O God. In this study, help us to be attentive as we listen, careful as we speak, and awake to your wisdom. Open our hearts to your Scripture and give us the courage to change in light of what we read. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

With your group, take turns reading the introduction and text and answering the questions in each section.

Introduction

Jesus’ death devastated his disciples; his resurrection made a way to heal the world.

Up until Jesus died, he had been healing people and miraculously removing demonic and physical maladies. He included and welcomed sinners, the poor, the outcasts, and the hurting in Jewish society. His powerful teaching and miraculous actions had led his disciples to believe that he was the Messiah, the coming deliverer awaited by Israel. Jesus healed lepers with a daring touch, blessed the blind into sight, and fearlessly told demons to go, speaking to them as if they were the lowest of servants. Then, after a cascade of traumatic and shocking events culminating in his own humiliation and torture, Jesus was dead.

The Scriptures attest that Jesus got up from the dead three days later, and this miracle forms the central tenet of Christianity. It is vital to the faith that Jesus really did rise from the dead, because Christians are looking forward to a day when we, too, will be raised to immortal life.

This study will explore what the Scriptures say about the resurrection of Jesus. We will begin in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, continuing through an account of the first Christian martyr and ending in a church epistle (letter) list of witnesses of the resurrected Jesus

Section 1: The Gospel accounts tell us that Jesus was buried in a specific tomb: that of an unlikely supporter.

Mark 15:43–46^1
15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ^15:44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. ^15:45 When Pilate was informed by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. ^15:46 After Joseph bought a linen cloth and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock.

John 19:38–41
^19:38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. ^19:39 Nicodemus, the man who had previously come to Jesus at night, accompanied Joseph, carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about seventy-five pounds. ^19:40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices, in strips of linen cloth according to Jewish burial customs. ^19:41 Now at the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried.

Question 1: Mark’s Gospel says that Joseph was a member of “the council,” almost certainly the same council of the Sanhedrin that had Jesus put to death. John says that he was “secretly” a disciple of Jesus. If the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection were fictitious, why would this detail be unlikely?

Question 2: Why do you think the details recorded here are so specific? Does it matter where the tomb was, or what kind and amount of oils and spices Joseph and Nicodemus used to treat Jesus’ dead body?

Section 2: The Gospels say that the tomb was empty (in fact, the disciples’ initial critics accused them of stealing Jesus’ body).

Mark 16:3–6^16:3 They had been asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” ^16:4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled back. ^16:5 Then as they went into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. ^16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him.”

Luke 24:1–3
^24:1 Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they had prepared. ^24:2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, ^24:3 but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

John 20:1–7
^20:1 Now very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. ^20:2 So she went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” ^20:3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out to go to the tomb. ^20:4 The two were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. ^20:5 He bent down and saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, but he did not go in. ^20:6 Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, ^20:7 and the face cloth, which had been around Jesus’ head, not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself.

Matthew 28:11–15
^28:11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. ^28:12 After they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ^28:13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole his body while we were asleep.’ ^28:14 If this matter is heard before the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ^28:15So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story is told among the Jews to this day.

Question 1: Why do these Gospels share different details? If the resurrection was a made-up story, do you think the details would match more consistently?

Question 2: Look at Matthew 28:11–15. How do you think Jesus’ missing body helped the case for the resurrection in the early church?

Section 3: Paul’s letter to the Corinthians lists groups of people and individuals who had seen the risen Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8
^15:3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, ^15:4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, ^15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ^15:6 Then he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. ^15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ^15:8 Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.

Question 1: Let’s imagine for a moment that Jesus’ death and resurrection are fiction. What would one of his followers have to gain by listing over 500 people—some of them by name—as eyewitnesses?

Question 2: Imagine living in a time when multiple acquaintances of yours said that they had seen Jesus. What would that be like?

Section 4: Jesus’ disciples were willing to die for their belief that Jesus was the Messiah—and they considered the resurrection proof.

Acts 2:14, 32
^2:14 But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say.… ^2:32 …This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it.”

Acts 5:30–32
^5:30 “The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree. ^5:31God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.^5:32 And we are witnesses of these events, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 21:13
Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Question: In Acts 21:13, what kind of events do you think Paul is describing?

Section 5: Romans says that belief in Jesus’ resurrection is essential to salvation.

Romans 10:9–10
^10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ^10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.

Question: According to these two verses, what is the other thing that is essential to be saved?

Read through the texts again below.²

Section 1

Mark 15:43–46
^15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ^15:44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. ^15:45 When Pilate was informed by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. ^15:46 After Joseph bought a linen cloth and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock.

John 19:38–41
^19:38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. ^19:39 Nicodemus, the man who had previously come to Jesus at night, accompanied Joseph, carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about seventy-five pounds. ^19:40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices, in strips of linen cloth according to Jewish burial customs. ^19:41 Now at the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried.

Section 2

Mark 16:3–6
^16:3 They had been asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” ^16:4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled back. ^16:5 Then as they went into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. ^16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him.”

Luke 24:1–3
^24:1 Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they had prepared. ^24:2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, ^24:3 but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

John 20:1–7
^20:1 Now very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. ^20:2 So she went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” ^20:3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out to go to the tomb. ^20:4 The two were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. ^20:5 He bent down and saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, but he did not go in. ^20:6 Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, ^20:7 and the face cloth, which had been around Jesus’ head, not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself.

Matthew 28:11–15
^28:11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. ^28:12 After they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ^28:13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole his body while we were asleep.’ ^28:14 If this matter is heard before the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ^28:15So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story is told among the Jews to this day.

Section 3

1 Corinthians 15:3–8
^15:3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, ^15:4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, ^15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ^15:6 Then he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. ^15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ^15:8 Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.

Section 4

Acts 2:14, 32
But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say.…
…This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it.”

Acts 5:30–32
^5:30 “The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree. ^5:31God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.^5:32 And we are witnesses of these events, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 21:13
Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Section 5

Romans 10:9–10
^10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ^10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.

Discussion and application questions

1. In the world of ancient Judaism, a woman’s testimony was not accepted in court.³ What does it say about God that, in every Gospel account, women were the first people to encounter the resurrected Christ?
2. Imagine you are researching a miracle that happened two thousand years ago. What information would lead you to believe the miracle was credible? What about a miracle that happened last week? Use this standard to discuss the biblical evidence.
3. Has Jesus’ resurrection had an impact on your life that you could retell? Do you have a story about how Jesus’ resurrection became real to you personally? Share with the group.
4. Paul says in 1 Corinthians that many people he knew had seen the risen Lord Jesus. Do you know or have you read about anyone who says they saw Jesus? How do you think that would impact your life?

Conclusion

Challenge: As you encounter truth and fiction this week, remember the different ways God has patiently worked to make his truth known to his people. Pray that you would see his truth clearly and with wisdom.

Blessing: May you look to the resurrected Jesus as the hope for your life and remember that God patiently offers the truth of his resurrection to all who are willing to hear. May you go in peace, knowing that the resurrected Lord is alive today.

Other Scriptures that Teach the resurrection of Jesus:

Matthew 16:21; 17:9, 23; 20:19; Mark 8:31; 9:9, 31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 18:33; John 2:19–21; Acts 3:15, 26; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30, 34; 17:3, 31; Romans 1:4; 4:24, 25; 6:4, 9; 7:4; 8:11; 10:9; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:20–21; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:14; 2 Timothy 2:8; 1 Peter 1:21; Revelation 1:18;

1. Scripture and/or notes quoted by permission. Quotations are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.  All rights reserved.[↩]
2. We find that rereading the text is very helpful—please don’t skip this part of the study![↩]
3. Mishnah Rosh Hashanah, trans. William Davidson, William Davidson Digital Edition ed. (c. 190–230 AD), 1.9.[↩]