The Resurrection is more than a story...Part 1 of 3

In the decades before and after Jesus’ life and death, there were dozens of ‘messianic’ movements in Israel. In almost every case the ‘messianic leader’ was killed, in many cases by execution, and after the leader’s death each of these movements invariably collapsed. Everybody went home, and that was it. Of the dozens of move-ments, only one did not collapse after the death of the leader. Not only did the movement not collapse, it exploded—in the course of about 300 years it had spread through the entire Roman Empire.

Of all the messianic movements, what made the Christian faith different? What happened to cause explosive growth in Christianity after its founder’s death?

Jesus died in mid-afternoon and the Sabbath began at sunset. The Jewish law permitted no work on the Sabbath, which meant they could not bury the body of Jesus that night or the next day. So Joseph of Arimathea visits Pilate, hoping to be able to bury the body before the Sabbath begins. Joseph, though a Pharisee, shows enormous courage and independence of thought by asking for Jesus’ body. Mark reports:
“Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.” (Mark 15:44–47)

The way Mark reports the burial is significant: He is “certifying” that Jesus was really dead. Joseph of Arimathea is named here as an identified witness who actually had Jesus’ body wrapped up and sealed it in a tomb. A Roman centurion (who would be an expert) bore witness of Jesus’ death to Pilate (who would be the legal authority on the matter). Finally, two women are cited as eyewitnesses to the burial. So multiple experts and witnesses prove He was really dead. ----- Adapted from: King's Cross by Timothy Keller © 2011. To be continued next week.