Dictionaries :: Resurrection of Christ

Resurrection of Christ:

one of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the gospel. If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain (1Cr 15:14). The whole of the New Testament revelation rests on this as an historical fact. On the day of Pentecost Peter argued the necessity of Christ's resurrection from the prediction in Ps. 16 (Act 2:24-28). In his own discourses, also, our Lord clearly intimates his resurrection (Mat 20:19; Mar 9:9; 14:28; Luk 18:33; Jhn 2:19-22).

The evangelists give circumstantial accounts of the facts connected with that event, and the apostles, also, in their public teaching largely insist upon it. Ten different appearances of our risen Lord are recorded in the New Testament. They may be arranged as follows:

(1.) To Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre alone. This is recorded at length only by John (Jhn 20:11-18), and alluded to by Mark (Mar 16:9-11).

(2.) To certain women, "the other Mary," Salome, Joanna, and others, as they returned from the sepulchre. Matthew (Mat 28:1-10) alone gives an account of this. (Mar 16:1-8; and Luk 24:1-11.)

(3.) To Simon Peter alone on the day of the resurrection. (See Luk 24:34; 1Cr 15:5.)

(4.) To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection, recorded fully only by Luke (Luk 24:13-35; Mar 16:12,13).

(5.) To the ten disciples (Thomas being absent) and others "with them," at Jerusalem on the evening of the resurrection day. One of the evangelists gives an account of this appearance, John (Jhn 20:19-24).

(6.) To the disciples again (Thomas being present) at Jerusalem (Mar 16:14-18; Luk 24:33-40; Jhn 20:26-28; also 1Cr 15:5).

(7.) To the disciples when fishing at the Sea of Galilee. Of this appearance also John (Jhn 21:1-23) alone gives an account.

(8.) To the eleven, and above 500 brethren at once, at an appointed place in Galilee (1Cr 15:6; Mat 28:16-20).

(9.) To James, but under what circumstances we are not informed (1Cr 15:7).

(10.) To the apostles immediately before the ascension. They accompanied him from Jerusalem to Mount Olivet, and there they saw him ascend "till a cloud received him out of their sight" (Mar 16:19; Luk 24:50-52; Act 1:4-10).

It is worthy of note that it is distinctly related that on most of these occasions our Lord afforded his disciples the amplest opportunity of testing the fact of his resurrection. He conversed with them face to face. They touched him (Mat 28:9; Luk 24:39; Jhn 20:27), and he ate bread with them (Luk 24:42,43; Jhn 21:12,13).

(11.) In addition to the above, mention might be made of Christ's manifestation of himself to Paul at Damascus, who speaks of it as an appearance of the risen Saviour (Act 9:3-9,17; 1Cr 15:8; 9:1).

It is implied in the words of Luke (Act 1:3) that there may have been other appearances of which we have no record.

The resurrection is spoken of as the act (1) of God the Father (Psa 16:10; Act 2:24; 3:15; Rom 8:11; Eph 1:20; Col 2:12; Hbr 13:20); (2) of Christ himself (Jhn 2:19; 10:18); and (3) of the Holy Spirit (1Pe 3:18).

The resurrection is a public testimony of Christ's release from his undertaking as surety, and an evidence of the Father's acceptance of his work of redemption. It is a victory over death and the grave for all his followers.

The importance of Christ's resurrection will be seen when we consider that if he rose the gospel is true, and if he rose not it is false. His resurrection from the dead makes it manifest that his sacrifice was accepted. Our justification was secured by his obedience to the death, and therefore he was raised from the dead (Rom 4:25). His resurrection is a proof that he made a full atonement for our sins, that his sacrifice was accepted as a satisfaction to divine justice, and his blood a ransom for sinners. It is also a pledge and an earnest of the resurrection of all believers (Rom 8:11; 1Cr 6:14; 15:47-49; Phl 3:21; 1Jo 3:2). As he lives, they shall live also.

It proved him to be the Son of God, inasmuch as it authenticated all his claims (Jhn 2:19; 10:17). "If Christ did not rise, the whole scheme of redemption is a failure, and all the predictions and anticipations of its glorious results for time and for eternity, for men and for angels of every rank and order, are proved to be chimeras. 'But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.' Therefore the Bible is true from Genesis to Revelation. The kingdom of darkness has been overthrown, Satan has fallen as lightning from heaven, and the triumph of truth over error, of good over evil, of happiness over misery is for ever secured." Hodge.

With reference to the report which the Roman soldiers were bribed (Mat 28:12-14) to circulate concerning Christ's resurrection, "his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept," Matthew Henry in his "Commentary," under Jhn 20:1-10, fittingly remarks, "The grave-clothes in which Christ had been buried were found in very good order, which serves for an evidence that his body was not 'stolen away while men slept.' Robbers of tombs have been known to take away 'the clothes' and leave the body; but none ever took away 'the body' and left the clothes, especially when they were 'fine linen' and new (Mar 15:46). Any one would rather choose to carry a dead body in its clothes than naked. Or if they that were supposed to have stolen it would have left the grave-clothes behind, yet it cannot be supposed they would find leisure to 'fold up the linen.'"