The Resurrection of Jesus

What does it mean for the believer?

The Gospel Accounts and the Early Church Witness:

With the death of Jesus on the cross the continuation of Jesus’ message and life
could have easily ended. Death by crucifixion could have quite easily stopped
anyone believing that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The grief and despair of
Jesus’ disciples is well expressed in Luke’s story of the two followers on the road to
Emmaus-when they recount: “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to
redeem Israel,” but now it was all over. The body of Jesus, had been quickly buried
in a nearby tomb, as the following day had been the Sabbath. And this should have
been the end….but
The Resurrection occurred:
In different ways, all four Gospels agree that female followers were the first to
discover that the tomb was now EMPTY. They all agree that his miraculous event
happened on the dawn of the ‘first day of the week- the day after sabbath’.
Matthew , Mark and Luke tell the reader that one or two mysterious heavenly
beings (figures in white) are in that place, ‘where his body had been laid’ saying not
to be afraid and to realise that the Jesus, they are looking for, isn’t there but has
been raised.
John mentions no figures in white, but Jesus himself appears to Mary Magdalene in
the garden near the tomb. Then he appears to the disciples and then a week later to
Thomas(who didn’t at first believe). Then John mentions later appearances of Jesus
around the Sea of Galilee to the disciples.
St Paul, writing letters to early believers before any Gospel had been written, tells
the Corinthians what he himself had been told: that Jesus
died and was buried, and that he was raised to life on the
third day. He lists those who saw Jesus alive, including
‘Cephas (St Peter), all twelve apostles, James ’, and
‘more than 500 disciples at one time, most of whom are
still alive” (1 Corinthians 15:4-6)
And then St Paul, referring to himself says, “ Last of all,
as to one untimely born, he appeared to me…( 1 Cor
15:8-9)
Paul, after the ascension of Jesus, also believes he has
seen the RISEN JESUS.
The Foundational Belief of the Early Church was
that:
 Jesus had died by crucifixion
 His body had been hastily buried in a nearby tomb
 People experienced him alive after his death.
 People were called to witness to this great event and to share Jesus’
way of living with others.
The Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection:

Does: Doesn’t:
 Believe that Jesus  Explain how the
had been executed resurrection took
and had died on place in the tomb.
Cross.  Say that Jesus’
 Recount that his body was the same
body had been as his pre-
placed into a tomb. resurrection body.
 That the tomb was  That Jesus was not
empty at dawn (on a re-animated
the First Day of corpse.
Week).  Worry about
 That he appeared to proving the truth of
followers (female the resurrection.
and male) in  Believe that Jesus is
conclusive ways. just an ordinary
 Accept that Jesus is prophet after the
truly risen from resurrection.
death.  Believe that a
 He wasn’t a ghost person’s life will
 His resurrected stay the same after
body was different/ becoming a
had different believer in Christ
qualities- but Risen.
recognisable.