What Scripture says
All four Gospels report that Jesus was buried in a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish council (Mark 15:42–47, ESV). On the first day of the week, women came to the tomb and found it empty (Matthew 28:1–8, Mark 16:1–8, Luke 24:1–12, John 20:1–10). Matthew reports that the Jewish leaders responded by saying the disciples had stolen the body (Matthew 28:11–15).
The early creed says Jesus “was buried” and “raised on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:4), which implies the tomb was empty.
What the evidence says
History
What scholars think
A majority of scholars accept the empty tomb as historical, though fewer than accept the appearances. Gary Habermas’s survey of scholarly literature since 1975 estimated that about 75% of scholars who address the question favour the empty tomb. Others, including Bart Ehrman, are doubtful.
The case for the empty tomb
1. Women as first witnesses. All four Gospels say women discovered the empty tomb. In 1st-century Jewish and Roman society, women’s testimony was considered less credible. Josephus wrote: “let not the testimony of women be admitted, on account of the levity and boldness of their sex” (Antiquities 4.219). The pagan critic Celsus (c. AD 175) mocked the resurrection story as resting on a “hysterical woman”. If the story were invented, women would be an odd choice of witness.
2. The opponents’ response. The earliest Jewish response, recorded in Matthew 28:11–15 and later by Justin Martyr (c. AD 150) and in Jewish polemic, was that the disciples stole the body. That response admits the tomb was empty.
3. Jerusalem. The disciples proclaimed the resurrection in Jerusalem, the city where Jesus was buried, within weeks (Acts 2). If the body were still in the tomb, it would have been easy to disprove.
4. Early tradition. The burial is part of the early creed (1 Corinthians 15:4) and in Mark’s Gospel, the earliest (Mark 15:42–47). Joseph of Arimathea, a named member of the council that condemned Jesus, would be an unlikely invention.
5. Simplicity. Mark’s account of the discovery is short and lacks the embellishment of later accounts such as the Gospel of Peter (see 3B.20).
6. No tomb veneration. There is no record of early Christians venerating Jesus’ tomb as containing his remains, though tombs of prophets and holy figures were commonly honoured.
The case against
- Romans often left crucified bodies on crosses to rot or be eaten by animals, as a deterrent. Ehrman argues Jesus may have been thrown into a common grave.
- Paul doesn’t mention the empty tomb explicitly, only that Jesus was buried and raised.
- Mark’s account ends with the women saying nothing to anyone (Mark 16:8), which some read as explaining why the story was unknown earlier.
Responses:
- In Judea, Jewish law required burial before sunset (Deuteronomy 21:22–23), and Josephus says the Romans allowed it: “the Jews are so careful about funeral rites that even malefactors who have been sentenced to crucifixion are taken down and buried before sunset” (Jewish War 4.317). The crucified man Yehohanan was buried in a family tomb (see 6.2).
- For a 1st-century Jew like Paul, “buried… raised” implies the body left the grave.
- The Gospel accounts say the women did tell the disciples (Matthew 28:8, Luke 24:9).
Archaeology
The Nazareth Inscription, a marble tablet from the 1st century AD, records an imperial decree imposing the death penalty for disturbing tombs and removing bodies. Some scholars link it with reports of Jesus’ missing body; its date and origin are uncertain.
Where they meet
Several lines of evidence support the empty tomb, especially the women witnesses and the opponents’ own claim that the body was stolen. A majority of scholars accept it.
What’s still open
Whether Jesus received an individual burial, and how to explain the empty tomb (see 7.7 and 7.9).
Bottom line
A majority of scholars say yes. Women are named as first witnesses (unlikely to be invented then), and opponents claimed the body was stolen, admitting it was missing. Some scholars doubt it, so this is rated Debated.