by Dr. Patrick Briney

Jesus is alive and well! Three days after Jesus Christ was unmercifully and shamefully crucified, He arose in triumph over death, hell, and the grave. It was a real event.

First century letter confirms miracle during Christ’s crucifixion.

Cornelius Tacitus (52-54 A.D.) A Roman historian and Governor of Asia, and son-in-law to Julius Agricola wrote of Jesus’ trial and death. “Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also” (Annals XV 44). Pagan Samaritan historian, Thallus, in 52 A.D., tried to explain away the darkness at the time of Jesus’ death (A.D. 32) as a solar eclipse. However, Julius Africanus disputed the claim because the crucifixion took place during the time of a full moon. Unwittingly, Thallus admits that Christ was crucified and that during the crucifixion, it was dark. This dispute confirms what the Bible states.

Critics admit that Jesus’ tomb was empty.

At the time when it mattered, critics were disputing what happened to Jesus’ body after His burial. The dispute was not whether Jesus’ tomb was empty but why it was empty. To explain the empty tomb, Justin Martyr wrote in his Dialogue Against Trypho (A.D. 100) that some Jews were claiming that Jesus’ disciples had stolen His body from the grave and claiming resurrection. Likewise, Tertullian scorned in his De Spectac that Jesus’ disciples stole His body to claim resurrection (A.D. 160).

Martyrdom proves Christ was resurrected.

The eye witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection included those who are alleged by unbelievers to have stolen His body. However, this explanation is debunked into extreme absurdity by the martyrdom of the eye witnesses. Consider that people lie and tell stories under threat to avoid torture and death. How much more, then, one will tell the truth to save His life. If Jesus’ disciples had stolen the body of Jesus, then they knew full well there was no resurrection and no life after death. Yet, they insisted that Jesus was alive for which they endured torture and death rather than deny their claim. The only way to make sense out of this is to conclude that they must have been telling the truth. It is absurd to think that a group of men are going to lie in order to be tortured and killed. There is absolutely nothing to gain and everything to lose. They really did see the Christ alive!

Orthodox Jewish scholar believes in  resurrection

Orthodox Jew, Pinchas Lapide, a non-Christian , and a scholar living in Frankfurt, Germany says in his book The Resurrection of Jesus that he believes that Jesus Christ was indeed resurrected.

Have you found Jesus?

Amazingly, many people are still ignorant of the claims and teachings of Jesus Christ. But once they hear the evidence of His resurrection and of His Words, they want to find Him. Have you found Jesus? Tired of anemic religion? Looking for more than nominal, mediocre Christianity? Ready to live your faith 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Ready to turn the world upside down? Come and join others like yourself. Get radical! Get real for Jesus! We are students of the Word – the Collegiate Discipleship Ministry at the U of A in Fayetteville. Look for the cross and mortar board.