Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
3 Powerful Reasons to Believe
Religious scholars and secular academics alike agree on this: there was a first-century Galilean teacher named Jesus who, despite a brief public career as a rabbi, managed to draw the ire of the ruling religious establishment. They handed him over to the Roman authorities—specifically, a Roman prefect named Pontius Pilate—to be executed. These facts are part of the uncontested history of the Christian tradition (Matthew 27:1–2; Luke 23:1–2). They are not disputed.
What happens next, however, as related in the Gospel accounts, is that Jesus of Nazareth, after being crucified under Pilate, was laid in a tomb donated by a wealthy man named Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57–60; John 19:38–42). These details, too, are considered historically reliable. But what follows is a matter of faith: all four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament bear witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ—that he was raised from the dead and walked out of that tomb early on the third day (Matthew 28:1–10; Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12; John 20:1–18; Acts 2:24).
Jesus has been called a wise teacher, a prophet, a sage—but these descriptions fall short if what the New Testament says about the resurrection is true. Jesus claimed to be God, numerous times, even taking on the holy name of the Hebrew deity—“I AM” (John 8:58). He accepted worship (Matthew 14:33; John 9:38). He predicted his own death and resurrection (Mark 8:31; John 2:19–22). If these accounts are true, then Jesus cannot merely be a wise man, a prophet, or a moral teacher.
It follows, then, that if the resurrection actually happened, Jesus’ words to his followers—and by extension, to us—cannot be treated as optional advice we are free to accept or reject. If he walked out of that tomb, it means his claims are true, and that the Bible is trustworthy and authoritative from Genesis to Revelation. After all, Jesus himself affirmed the Scriptures, saying, “Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18).
Many modern people approach the Bible as a book of wisdom but struggle with the miraculous. Did God really part the Red Sea? (Exodus 14:21–22). Did Jesus actually walk on water and raise Lazarus from the dead? (Matthew 14:25; John 11:43–44). If the resurrection happened, then the rest is not only possible—it’s probable.
So for anyone who seeks to answer the big questions—Is there a God? Does God really love me? Is there a purpose to my life? Is there more to this world than what I can see? The ultimate question is this: Did the resurrection take place? If it did, then it’s the most significant event in human history, and Jesus’ words are trustworthy. But if it did not, then you would be right to dismiss the whole story (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17).
Easter Sunday is right around the corner, and Christians around the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. To outsiders, Christianity may appear to be an exercise in blind faith, with no rational basis for believing in something as miraculous as a dead man coming back to life. But for many believers, this is simply not the case. Philosophers, scholars, and academics have studied the resurrection for centuries and found compelling reasons to believe in the reliability of the Gospel accounts.
1. The Textual Argument
One of the most overlooked reasons for belief is the literary character of the Gospel accounts. They are written in a style that wasn’t seen again for over a thousand years. Unlike ancient myths or legends, the Gospels include irrelevant details that don’t advance the plot—which is exactly how eyewitnesses speak (John 20:6–7; Mark 4:38).
C.S. Lewis, a professor of medieval literature at Oxford and Cambridge and a lifelong scholar of mythology, observed:
"I have been reading poems, romances, vision-literature, legends, myths, all my life. I know what they are like. I know that not one of them is like this. Of this text there are only two possible views. Either this is reportage—though it may no doubt contain errors—pretty close up to the facts; nearly as close as Boswell. Or else, some unknown writer in the second century, without known predecessors or successors, suddenly anticipated the whole technique of modern, novelistic, realistic narrative. If it is untrue, it must be narrative of that kind. The reader who doesn’t see this has simply not learned to read."
In addition, the Gospels include highly counterproductive material. The apostles consistently appear confused, fearful, and slow to understand (Mark 9:32; Matthew 26:56). Jesus’ cry from the cross—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—is not the kind of line you invent for a triumphant hero (Matthew 27:46). And crucifixion? That method of execution was so shameful it was illegal for Roman citizens (Acts 22:25–29). In an age of heroic epics, no fictional savior would end up that way (1 Corinthians 1:23).
2. The Historical Argument
Another compelling reason to believe in the resurrection is the historical behavior of the apostles. All of them—except Judas, who betrayed Jesus and took his own life (Matthew 27:3–5)—went on to live lives marked by suffering and death, proclaiming that Jesus was risen.
According to the apostle Paul, over 500 people saw the resurrected Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:6). If it were a fabrication, it’s hard to imagine this group of young, frightened disciples willingly embracing persecution and martyrdom. Thomas was killed in India; Peter was crucified upside down (John 21:18–19); John was exiled to Patmos after surviving being boiled in oil (Revelation 1:9).
Yes, people will die for a lie—if they believe it to be true. But no one dies for something they know to be a lie. Yet these men, who claimed to have seen Jesus alive, endured torture, hardship, and death without recanting (Acts 4:33). The most plausible explanation is that they truly believed what they said: they saw the risen Christ.
Addressing common counter-theories further strengthens this argument. The idea that Jesus’ body was stolen by his disciples (Matthew 28:11–15) falls apart under scrutiny. Roman guards faced execution for failure. The “hallucination theory” also fails—hallucinations don’t occur to groups of 500 people simultaneously. And the “swoon theory,” which claims Jesus didn’t really die, is medically implausible given the brutality of Roman crucifixion.
3. The Conversion of Paul
The transformation of Paul is perhaps one of the most powerful testimonies to the resurrection. Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) was a Pharisee, deeply committed to persecuting Christians (Philippians 3:5–6; Acts 8:1–3). He was present at the stoning of Stephen and approved of his death (Acts 7:58–8:1).
Yet, while en route to Damascus to arrest more Christians, Paul encountered the risen Jesus in a vision so vivid it blinded him for three days (Acts 9:1–9). His life took a complete turn. He became Christianity’s most influential missionary and wrote the majority of the New Testament.
Paul endured beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment, assassination attempts, and eventually martyrdom—all for the sake of the message he once tried to destroy (2 Corinthians 11:23–28). What could explain such a drastic transformation if not an authentic encounter with the risen Christ?
Why It All Matters
The resurrection is more than a historical question—it’s a deeply personal one. Scripture says:
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
This isn’t just a theological claim—it’s the heart of the gospel. Jesus’ death was not a tragic accident. It was a substitutionary sacrifice for sin. His resurrection is a guarantee of new life, forgiveness, and hope for all who trust in him (Romans 6:4; 1 Peter 1:3).
The resurrection of Jesus is not merely a theological idea—it is a historical event that demands a response. If Jesus really rose from the dead, then his words are true. His authority is real. And his invitation stands:
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).
This Easter, if you’ve never seriously considered the resurrection, now is the time. Ask yourself: Did it really happen? If it did, then so much more is possible!