FAQS ABOUT THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS

Did Jesus Really Die?

The “Swoon Theory” - Jesus never died from crucifixion but instead fainted from exhaustion. Assuming He was dead, He was placed in the tomb and while laying there He gained enough strength to roll the stone away from the inside, defeat the Roman guards and set himself free from the tomb.

Is this possible? Jesus’ death by crucifixion is not only recorded in all four gospels but is also found in other ancient non-Christian manuscripts. Jewish historian Josephus and Roman historian Tacitus both confirm that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified under the reign of Pontius Pilate. When discussing Roman crucifixion, we need to realise there is not one reported case of anyone ever surviving a full-blown crucifixion. The Romans were professional executioners. They were experts in torturing and killing people and they had to be, for if a prisoner escaped, they paid with their own life. It was their job to make sure the prisoner was dead. In John 19:34 we are told that Jesus, before being removed from the cross, was pierced with a spear through His side and blood and water poured out. From modern medical knowledge we now know this is confirmation of death by asphyxiation or suffocation. Jesus no longer had the strength to push on the nails through His hands and feet to breathe and died from suffocation due to pure exhaustion. He committed His spirit to His Father and died.

Was Jesus’ Body Placed in the Tomb?

The tomb was found empty because Jesus’ body was never placed in there. This theory says the Romans didn’t allow for Jesus’ body to be placed in a tomb but instead He was thrown on the “dead pile” like most of the others who suffered the death penalty under the Romans.

Is this possible? This theory falls apart when you realise the corrupt religious leaders were aware of Jesus’ statements that He would rise from the dead (Matthew 27:63). If Jesus’ body was thrown on the dead pile, the Jewish leaders or even the Romans would have quickly pointed out to the disciples the fact that His body was right there … with the rest of the deceased. But it wasn’t there, nor was it in the tomb. Jesus’ body was missing.

Was the Tomb Empty Sunday Morning?

Is it conclusive that the tomb was empty Sunday morning or did the disciples make this up? Maybe the women went to the wrong tomb and assumed He had risen from the dead? There is absolutely no doubt that Jesus’ tomb was empty Sunday morning. If it was not empty, then it would have been very easy to discredit the resurrection story by simply pointing people to the fact that His body was still in the tomb. If the corrupt religious leaders or Romans knew the whereabouts of His body, as stated earlier, they would have quickly presented publicly the body of the crucified Christ. It would have been a trouble-free, straightforward end to Christianity. Did the Disciples Steal Jesus’ Body? This is the only probable theory that makes sense outside the miracle of the resurrection. It is also the theory the Jews propagated the day the resurrection took place, as recorded in Matthew 28:11-15.

Firstly, how did they get past the guards? These are trained Roman soldiers. The theory in Matthew 28 states that the guards conveniently fell asleep, and that’s how the disciples got by. This creates more questions than it answers:

1. How did the disciples manage to roll away the heavy stone and carry the body out without waking the guards?

2. Why would the disciples leave the grave clothes in the tomb – and not only leave the grave clothes, but fold them up? With guards sleeping outside, they would have been in a hurry and quickly grabbed the body – not taken the time to unwrap it and fold the grave clothes.

3. If the guards were asleep, how did they know it was the disciples who stole the body? Secondly, what motivation would the disciples have to steal the body? Assuming the disciples did take the body, another question arises“What would motivate them to do it?”

By saying Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, they were inviting imprisonment, beatings and eventually death. Not only would they have been thieves, they would’ve been liars also. Lies, and the nature of lies, especially when it involves a large group of people have a tendency to be exposed. If the disciples lied about the body, it would be reasonable to assume that at least one would have cracked under the threat of the death penalty? And thirdly, history tells us that none of the disciples ever denied the resurrection. They all went to their graves proclaiming that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead.

A missing body doesn’t prove a resurrection occurred, but the Bible records that the risen Jesus appeared to people on at least ten separate occasionsproving that he wasn’t just a missing person but that He was alive and well. 1 Corinthians 15:6 states that Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once. This also confirms He was real and couldn’t have been a hallucination as 500 people don’t hallucinate the same thing at the same time. In John 20:26-28 the Bible also states that those to whom He appeared, also touched Him and some ate with Him (John 21:12-14). Another theory is that the resurrected Jesus was an imposter – someone who just looked like Jesus. However, this theory doesn’t explain the empty tomb and having spent so much time with Jesus, at least one or some of the disciples would have noticed if he was being impersonated.

After the resurrection of Jesus the disciples turned from being cowards, denying Christ and deserting Christ into courageous preachers - boldly proclaiming the truth that Jesus was alive! But why? Would they do this for a lie they knew to be a lie? It is one thing to lie; but it is quite another thing to die for a lie. Yet, the disciples sealed their testimony of Jesus in their own blood.

They lived and died for the Lord Jesus Christ because they knew the truth - HE IS ALIVE!!!

J ESUS freed us from the power of sin by taking upon himself the punishment that was ours. “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 In Genesis, we read how God created a perfect world, and how Satan deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God. This disobedience bought sin into the world and destroyed the relationship man (the human race) once had with God. Sin is an offence to God and brings with it the punishment of death. Sin separates us from God. Jesus provided a way that we could be freed from the punishment of sin, by taking upon himself the punishment that was ours.

E VERYONE who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 “For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 Jesus paid the price for our sins. All we must do is repent and receive His gift of forgiveness through faith. When we believe Jesus died in our place and accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, we have passed from death into life.

S ATAN gained a foothold when he tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God. This is why the Bible teaches “… that the world around us is under the control of the evil one”. 1 John 5:19 Through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and victorious resurrection, the work of Satan was defeated, and we have been gifted the opportunity to be in a right relationship with God.

U S – You and I. “God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 We were created to experience a full and lasting relationship with God our Father. This is why Jesus died in our place. “Christ suffered once for our sins …. that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

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is a gift from God. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so no one can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9