Significance of Jesus’ Resurrection
Jesus Changes Everything
The previous issues identified the Gospels as “a passion narrative with an extended introduction” (see May and June issues). Just like the shockwaves of an earthquake spread abroad from the epicenter, everything that God the Father is doing through all eternity for His glory centers on and can only be experienced through the Cross.[1] However, as important as it is, Christ’s work of redemption means absolutely nothing if Jesus did not really rise from the dead.[2]
Let’s suppose that a devout Muslim is asked, “Could Allah have given his final revelation by someone other than Muhammad, if he wanted to do so?” In the end he would have to answer, “I believe that Allah, blessed be he, gave his revelation to Muhammad. But, yes, Allah, blessed be he, is sovereign and free to have chosen someone else other than Muhammad.” In other words, the Muslim faith does not depend on the person of Muhammad, as he himself was not the revelation. Likewise, for a Buddhist, it is not relevant for his Buddhist faith whether all that the Buddha experienced was true or whether he even existed,[3] because his faith is in the philosophy of the Buddha and not in the person of Buddha. To put it another way, for all the religions in the world, historicity—whether the stories or claims in their scriptures actually happened in time and space—is not relevant to their existence.
Not so with Christianity. Christianity stands or falls on the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus pinned His claims and credibility on the most unlikely, historically unprecedented, and yet historically verifiable test in the history of the world: His own resurrection three days after His death. Such a historical test of truth is unique to Christianity.
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, He was a false prophet and a charlatan whom no rational person should follow. Conversely, if He did rise from the dead, this event confirmed His radical claim. . . . Jesus’ test is different [from the “proofs” offered by all other religions] in that it leaves no room for ambiguity. Either Jesus rose from the dead confirming His claims to divinity or He was a fraud. This external test [of historicity] does not negate the inward assurance that Christians believe come from God, rather it substantiates it. . . . The external evidence of Jesus’ resurrection confirms the truth we have received via God’s written revelation [not only to be credible, but to be uniquely credible].[4]
The tombs of Buddha, Muhammad, etc. are all visited because they hold the bones of famous religious leaders. The tomb of Jesus is visited because it is empty.
[1] See Ephesians 1:3-14.
[2] See 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
[3] The Buddha (or Siddhartha Gautama) did not leave anything in writing. The first Buddhist writing to record what the Buddha taught was by the King Ajatasattu, who lived over 280 years after Buddha’s death (!) and claimed to be the reincarnation of one of the Buddha’s closest friends.
[4] Gary R. Habeermas and Michael Licona, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, 27.