THE DOCTRINE OF

CHRIST’S RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD

A Look at what the Bible Says

Since God has revealed Himself to us in Scripture, and the doctrine that He wants taught in His church is nothing other than what the Bible says; it should be obvious that those who refuse to teach what the Bible says, or affirm that it is true, do so because another authority has replaced the authority of Scripture in their lives.

GOD’S RECORD OF WHAT TOOK PLACE

Matthew 27 Christ’s burial

57 ¶ When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea came, named Joseph, who was also Jesus’ disciple:

58 He went to Pilate, and requested the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered that the body be given to him.

Mark 15:44 And Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead: and summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.

45 And when he was told by the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.

46 And he bought fine linen, and took Jesus down, and wrapped him in the linen, and placed him in a tomb that had been cut into the rock, and rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

Matthew 27 Posting of the guard

62 Now the next day, which followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate,

63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, I will rise again after three days.

64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and tell the people, He is risen from the dead: so that the last deception is worse than the first.

Matthew 28 Christ’s resurrection

1 ¶ After the sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and going to the tomb rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow:

4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

5 And the angel spoke and said to the women, Do not be afraid: for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he has risen, just as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7 Then go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, he goes before you into Galilee; you will see him there: now, I have told you.

8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy; and ran to tell his disciples.

9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, Greetings. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

10 Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid: go tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and they will see me there.

11 ¶ Now when they were going, some of the guards went into the city, and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.

12 And when the chief priests had met with the elders, and had conferred, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

13 Saying, You must say, His disciples came during the night, and stole his body while we were asleep.

14 And if the governor hears of this, we will satisfy him, and keep you out of trouble.

15 So they took the money, and did as they were told: and this story is widely circulated among the Jews to this day.

Mark 16 Christ’s appearance on the road to Emmaus

12 After that Jesus appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.

13 And they went and told it to the rest: but they did not believe them either.

Christ’s appearance to the apostles

Mark 16:14 ¶ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at dinner.

John 20:24 But Thomas, called Didymus, who was one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore told him, We have seen the Lord. But he said, Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 ¶ A week later his disciples were again inside, and the doors were locked, and Thomas was with them: then Jesus came, and stood among them, and said, Peace be with you.

27 Then he said to Thomas, Bring your finger here, and examine my hands; and stretch out your hand, and thrust it into my side: and do not be faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas said to him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus then said, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed.

30 And Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, that are not written in this book:

31 But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.

Matthew 28 Christ’s great commission

16 ¶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

John 11

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

1Corinthians 15

1 ¶ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand;

2 By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 4

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Acts 2

24 Whom God has raised up, freeing him from the agony of death: because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

1Corinthians 15

13 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ did not rise:

14 And if Christ did not rise, our preaching is a waste of time, and your faith is worthless.

15 Not only that, but we stand condemned as men who lied about God; because we have testified that God raised Christ from the dead: whom he did not raise, if it is true that the dead do not rise.

16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ has not risen:

17 And if Christ has not risen, your faith is worthless; and you are still in your sins.

18 In which case those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

19 If our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are the most pathetic of all people.

20 ¶ However, Christ has risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of those who sleep.

21 For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man.

22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

23 Yet each in his own order: Christ the first fruits; then those who are Christ’s at his coming.

CONCLUSION

The historical record of Christ’s resurrection is just as much a doctrine of Scripture as anything else that the Bible says (2Timothy 3:16). Those who deny the truth of the Biblical account do not change that fact, nor do they change what the Bible says, they simply reject it.

“The pure doctrine is simply nothing else, absolutely nothing else, than the pure Word of God.” (Law and Gospel, page 349) “Neither ought any doctrine be taught or heard in the church but the pure Word of God, that is to say, the Holy Scriptures; otherwise accursed be both the teachers and hearers together with their doctrine.” (Martin Luther)

Gary Ray Branscome