What Scripture says
The resurrection is the centre of the Christian faith. Paul writes, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain… and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, ESV). Peter proclaimed, “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24). The Gospels end with the empty tomb and the appearances of the risen Jesus.
What the evidence says
History
The facts most scholars accept
Michael Licona and Gary Habermas argue from a small set of facts accepted by most scholars, including skeptics:
- Jesus died by crucifixion (see 6.2, 7.1).
- His disciples sincerely believed he appeared to them alive (see 7.3).
- Paul, a persecutor, was converted by what he believed was an appearance of Jesus (see 7.4).
- James, Jesus’ skeptical brother, was converted in the same way (see 7.4).
- The tomb was empty, accepted by a majority, though fewer (see 7.5).
To these, others add: the resurrection belief arose very early (see 7.2), and the disciples were willing to suffer for it (see 7.7).
Explanations compared
| Explanation | Explains | Fails to explain |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus didn’t die (swoon) | Appearances, empty tomb | His death, which is certain; the disciples’ worship (7.1) |
| The body was stolen | Empty tomb | The disciples’ sincerity; the appearances (7.7) |
| Hallucinations | Some appearances | Group appearances, skeptics, empty tomb (7.6) |
| Legend | The stories | The early creed (7.2) |
| Wrong tomb | Empty tomb | The appearances; the authorities could correct it |
| Jesus rose from the dead | All the facts | Requires a miracle |
Most naturalistic theories explain one or two facts but not all of them. Some skeptics combine them, for example, the body was moved and the disciples had visions. Critics reply that combined theories become increasingly complicated and less likely.
Explaining the belief itself
N. T. Wright argues that the disciples’ belief in Jesus’ resurrection needs explanation in its own right. First-century Jews believed in a resurrection of all the righteous at the end of the age (Daniel 12:2), not of one person in the middle of history. Messianic movements whose leader was killed usually either disbanded or found a new leader. Only Jesus’ followers claimed their leader had been raised. Wright concludes that the best explanation for both the empty tomb and the appearances is that Jesus really rose.
Philosophy
The question of miracles
Bart Ehrman argues that historians, by method, can only say what probably happened, and a miracle is by definition the least probable explanation. So historians can never conclude that a miracle happened, even if it did.
Responses:
- This rules out the resurrection beforehand, rather than weighing the evidence (see 6.5). If God exists, a resurrection isn’t impossible.
- A miracle would be improbable as a natural event, but the claim is that God raised Jesus, which is a different question, about whether God exists and might act (see 1.1).
- In this case, the context is significant: Jesus’ claims about himself (see 6.4) and his predictions of his death and resurrection (Mark 8:31) make a resurrection a fitting act of God, not a random event.
So the question often comes down to worldview. If miracles are ruled out from the start, some natural explanation must be correct, however weak. If they are possible, the resurrection is a strong candidate.
Other religions’ miracle claims
Skeptics ask why Christians accept the resurrection but not other religions’ miracle claims. Christians reply that each claim should be weighed on its evidence, and that the resurrection is unusually well attested: early sources, multiple witnesses, enemies converted, and an empty tomb in the city where Jesus died.
Where they meet
The resurrection is the best explanation for the facts most historians accept: Jesus’ death, the empty tomb, the appearances, and the conversions of Paul and James. Rejecting it usually rests on ruling out miracles beforehand, not on the evidence.
What’s still open
Whether miracles are possible, and how historians should weigh miracle claims.
Bottom line
It’s the best explanation for all the facts above. Rejecting it usually rests on ruling out miracles beforehand, not on the evidence. This is rated Debated.