The day we celebrate Easter varies from year to year. To be clear, the Bible doesn’t specify the exact date of either Jesus’ crucifixion or resurrection, nor is it an essential salvation truth that we must ascertain. However, scholars studying evidence from astronomy and history have narrowed the possible dates down to just four...with 33 A.D. being the most likely year. If this date is correct, it has been 1,987 years since Jesus rose from the grave.
During the week of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection people were arriving in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. On Thursday evening of that week Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, shared the Last Supper with them in the Upper Room, spoke with them about His impending death, dismissed Judas to complete his betrayal, prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and was arrested, all by midnight Thursday to very early Friday morning. Through the pre-dawn hours of Friday, Jesus was unjustly tried by the religious leaders and political leaders so that by 9 a.m. on Friday, He was already condemned to die and ready to be crucified on Calvary.
From 9 a.m. till noon Jesus spoke three times from the cross and at noon the skies became eerily dark for three hours.. During that time Jesus spoke briefly four more times from the cross and indicated that He had accomplished His Father’s will in coming, which was to pay the sin debt of all mankind.
After Jesus had given up His Spirit to His Father, His body had to be buried before the Sabbath Day began at sunset. Joseph of Arimathea, with the assistance of Nicodemus, took His body, wrapped it in a burial cloth and laid it in a nearby garden tomb. The opening to the tomb was sealed with a large stone and Roman guards were placed outside to prevent any nefarious plot by His disciples to steal His body (cf. Matthew 27:62-66).
During the following hours of Friday, Saturday and early Sunday all of His disciples were despondent and dejected. They did not yet believe that Jesus would rise from the dead and you can imagine the depth of painful emotions and fears they were experiencing as they wondered what would happen to them now that Jesus was gone.
It seems likely that Peter and John were still in Jerusalem, possibly at John’s house during the Sabbath between Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The other disciples probably traveled to Bethany until the Sabbath ended, excluding Thomas who may have gone to some more distant place to stay.
On Sunday, April 5, 33 A.D., Mary Magdalene with Mary, the wife of Cleopas, set out very early that morning (Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1) to Jerusalem, accompanied by Cleopas. They first visited John’s house where Cleopas remained while the women went on to the tomb. They were joined by Salome, Joanna and Susanna as they made their way to the garden where Jesus had been laid, to finish the preparations of His burial. As they walked toward the garden tomb they discussed among themselves how they were going to remove the stone (Mark 16:3) in order to gain access to Jesus’ body.
It is with their arrival at the garden tomb that we first learn that this is not going to be just another Sunday at the beginning of a new week. In fact, the events of this day would change the course of history and eternity forever.
As the women entered the garden where Jesus’ tomb was located, they “looked up” and immediately recognized that the enormous stone had already been removed (Mark 16:4). Mary Magdalene turned around and began running back to the city in panic and fear to tell Peter and John that someone had taken the body of Jesus (John 20:2). The other women continued on to the tomb and upon entering, saw two angels, one of which spoke to them and commissioned them to return to the disciples with a specific message (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:7).
When Mary Magdalene arrived back in Jerusalem where Peter and John were staying, she told them that the body of Jesus had been taken and the women (“we”) did not know where they had laid Him (John 20:2). Peter and John began a foot race to the tomb to see for themselves what had happened (John 20:4), followed by Mary Magdalene. John got there first, but didn’t go into the tomb. Peter, however, ran right inside when he arrived (John 20:6), which led John to enter, also. Upon seeing the empty tomb and the grave clothes of Jesus, they both returned to Jerusalem (John 20:3-10; Luke 24:12). Peter was still somewhat confused by all that he had seen and what had happened.
When Peter and John left the tomb, Mary Magdalene remained and encountered the angels who asked her why she was crying (John 20:13). It’s in the following moments after her encounter with the angels that the very first post-resurrection appearance of Jesus occurs (Mark 16:9). As Mary turned to leave, Jesus spoke to her and asked, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” She didn’t immediately recognize that it was Jesus speaking to her...until He called her by name (John 20:16). She fell at His feet and clung to Him as He commissioned her to go to His disciples and tell them she has seen Him alive.
The four other women who had gone to the tomb with Mary Magdalene that morning had returned to Jerusalem, but not until after Peter and John had left on their foot race to the garden tomb. Consequently, they waited for Peter and John because the message they were told to communicate specifically included Peter’s name separately (Mark 16:7; Matthew 28:7). These women had initially been too frightened to say anything, but they quickly processed what they heard and delivered the message to Peter & John when they returned. After doing so, they left for Bethany (where the remaining disciples may have gathered) to tell the other disciples that Jesus was alive (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:7). As they were on their way, the second post-resurrection appearance of Jesus occurred. It is to these women that Jesus appeared as they made their way along the road to Bethany (Matthew 28:8). He reiterated the message they had been told by the angels to share with the disciples and instructed them to tell His disciples that they were to meet Him in Galilee at a specific place (Matthew 28:10).
Though all the disciples ultimately heard the report of the five women who had seen Jesus (excluding Thomas who apparently wasn’t with Peter/John in Jerusalem or with the other eight disciples in Bethany), they still didn’t believe that He was alive (Mark 16:11).
Later that morning Jesus appeared a third time and on this occasion it was to Peter, perhaps while he was visiting the tomb again after being told by Mary Magdalene that she had seen Jesus alive (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).
There were also two men that set out from Jerusalem to go to Emmaus sometime after hearing from the four women about seeing/hearing the angels: Cleopas (his wife Mary was one of the women reporting that they had seen the empty tomb and angels) and another unnamed disciple. While they were walking toward their destination and discussing everything they had heard, Jesus appeared to them, though they were supernaturally prevented from recognizing Him (Luke 24:13-32). Since these men left Jerusalem before Mary Magdalene reported seeing Jesus alive and because they had not yet heard the report of the other women who were met by the living Christ on their way to Bethany, these two men only knew the message the angels had delivered to the women...evidenced by their discussion as they journeyed with their yet unrecognized guest (Luke 24:13-32). When they arrived in Emmaus with their travelling companion, they broke bread together and the men immediately realized that the One who had been journeying with them was none other than the resurrected Christ. This was the fourth appearance of Jesus after His resurrection.
By the evening of that Sunday, ten of the disciples had gathered in Jerusalem where they heard the report from Cleopas and the unnamed disciple that they had seen Jesus alive (Luke 24:34; Mark 16:13) at Emmaus. There was palpable excitement in the room as they discussed the possibility that Jesus could really be alive, though it was tempered by a measured skepticism. They had now heard from four different sources (Mary Magdalene, the other women, Peter and finally, from the two disciples returning from Emmaus), testifying to the resurrection of Christ.
In those moments while the disciples were discussing all they had been told, as well as listening to the eyewitness testimony of the two coming from Emmaus, Jesus appeared in the room with them (Luke 24:35-49; John 20:19-23). This was His fifth appearance after His resurrection. He showed them His hands and feet to prove He was not a ghost, explained the scripture about how He was to be crucified and rise again, then ate a meal with them and instructed them to be witnesses of what they had seen and to wait for the coming Holy Spirit.
It would be eight days (including resurrection Sunday) before Jesus would appear the sixth time (John 20:24-29). The disciples were gathered again in a room behind a locked door when He suddenly appeared in their midst. This time Thomas, who was not there when Jesus first appeared to the disciples the previous Sunday night, was with them, but he still remained skeptical that Jesus had risen. With this appearance, Jesus gave him the opportunity to touch the nail prints in His hands and the wound in His side. Thomas believed because He had seen Jesus for himself, which prompted Jesus to make a wonderful pronouncement for those who wouldn’t see Him in the flesh in this world. “Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’” (John 20:29)
During the forty days following Passover and leading up to Jesus’ ascension, He appeared a total of ten times. Sometimes it was to individuals. On other occasions it was to groups. Once we are told that He appeared to more than 500 at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6). These eyewitnesses gave incontrovertible evidence that Jesus arose from the dead.
In addition to the six appearances of Jesus just mentioned, He was also seen...
Added to these appearances are the ones that occurred after He had ascended…
Added to these fourteen eyewitness accounts of the resurrected Jesus is all of the other evidence that proves He was alive. Most people would concur that this evidence correlates perfectly with the resurrection appearances.
Consider the additional evidence…
What we realize as we read and consider all of this evidence is that it is impossible for this many people to have made up the story of His resurrection, or to have maintained the story with this type of accuracy...if Jesus had not risen from the dead.
During the week of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection people were arriving in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. On Thursday evening of that week Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, shared the Last Supper with them in the Upper Room, spoke with them about His impending death, dismissed Judas to complete his betrayal, prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and was arrested, all by midnight Thursday to very early Friday morning. Through the pre-dawn hours of Friday, Jesus was unjustly tried by the religious leaders and political leaders so that by 9 a.m. on Friday, He was already condemned to die and ready to be crucified on Calvary.
From 9 a.m. till noon Jesus spoke three times from the cross and at noon the skies became eerily dark for three hours.. During that time Jesus spoke briefly four more times from the cross and indicated that He had accomplished His Father’s will in coming, which was to pay the sin debt of all mankind.
After Jesus had given up His Spirit to His Father, His body had to be buried before the Sabbath Day began at sunset. Joseph of Arimathea, with the assistance of Nicodemus, took His body, wrapped it in a burial cloth and laid it in a nearby garden tomb. The opening to the tomb was sealed with a large stone and Roman guards were placed outside to prevent any nefarious plot by His disciples to steal His body (cf. Matthew 27:62-66).
During the following hours of Friday, Saturday and early Sunday all of His disciples were despondent and dejected. They did not yet believe that Jesus would rise from the dead and you can imagine the depth of painful emotions and fears they were experiencing as they wondered what would happen to them now that Jesus was gone.
It seems likely that Peter and John were still in Jerusalem, possibly at John’s house during the Sabbath between Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The other disciples probably traveled to Bethany until the Sabbath ended, excluding Thomas who may have gone to some more distant place to stay.
On Sunday, April 5, 33 A.D., Mary Magdalene with Mary, the wife of Cleopas, set out very early that morning (Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1) to Jerusalem, accompanied by Cleopas. They first visited John’s house where Cleopas remained while the women went on to the tomb. They were joined by Salome, Joanna and Susanna as they made their way to the garden where Jesus had been laid, to finish the preparations of His burial. As they walked toward the garden tomb they discussed among themselves how they were going to remove the stone (Mark 16:3) in order to gain access to Jesus’ body.
It is with their arrival at the garden tomb that we first learn that this is not going to be just another Sunday at the beginning of a new week. In fact, the events of this day would change the course of history and eternity forever.
As the women entered the garden where Jesus’ tomb was located, they “looked up” and immediately recognized that the enormous stone had already been removed (Mark 16:4). Mary Magdalene turned around and began running back to the city in panic and fear to tell Peter and John that someone had taken the body of Jesus (John 20:2). The other women continued on to the tomb and upon entering, saw two angels, one of which spoke to them and commissioned them to return to the disciples with a specific message (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:7).
When Mary Magdalene arrived back in Jerusalem where Peter and John were staying, she told them that the body of Jesus had been taken and the women (“we”) did not know where they had laid Him (John 20:2). Peter and John began a foot race to the tomb to see for themselves what had happened (John 20:4), followed by Mary Magdalene. John got there first, but didn’t go into the tomb. Peter, however, ran right inside when he arrived (John 20:6), which led John to enter, also. Upon seeing the empty tomb and the grave clothes of Jesus, they both returned to Jerusalem (John 20:3-10; Luke 24:12). Peter was still somewhat confused by all that he had seen and what had happened.
When Peter and John left the tomb, Mary Magdalene remained and encountered the angels who asked her why she was crying (John 20:13). It’s in the following moments after her encounter with the angels that the very first post-resurrection appearance of Jesus occurs (Mark 16:9). As Mary turned to leave, Jesus spoke to her and asked, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” She didn’t immediately recognize that it was Jesus speaking to her...until He called her by name (John 20:16). She fell at His feet and clung to Him as He commissioned her to go to His disciples and tell them she has seen Him alive.
The four other women who had gone to the tomb with Mary Magdalene that morning had returned to Jerusalem, but not until after Peter and John had left on their foot race to the garden tomb. Consequently, they waited for Peter and John because the message they were told to communicate specifically included Peter’s name separately (Mark 16:7; Matthew 28:7). These women had initially been too frightened to say anything, but they quickly processed what they heard and delivered the message to Peter & John when they returned. After doing so, they left for Bethany (where the remaining disciples may have gathered) to tell the other disciples that Jesus was alive (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:7). As they were on their way, the second post-resurrection appearance of Jesus occurred. It is to these women that Jesus appeared as they made their way along the road to Bethany (Matthew 28:8). He reiterated the message they had been told by the angels to share with the disciples and instructed them to tell His disciples that they were to meet Him in Galilee at a specific place (Matthew 28:10).
Though all the disciples ultimately heard the report of the five women who had seen Jesus (excluding Thomas who apparently wasn’t with Peter/John in Jerusalem or with the other eight disciples in Bethany), they still didn’t believe that He was alive (Mark 16:11).
Later that morning Jesus appeared a third time and on this occasion it was to Peter, perhaps while he was visiting the tomb again after being told by Mary Magdalene that she had seen Jesus alive (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).
There were also two men that set out from Jerusalem to go to Emmaus sometime after hearing from the four women about seeing/hearing the angels: Cleopas (his wife Mary was one of the women reporting that they had seen the empty tomb and angels) and another unnamed disciple. While they were walking toward their destination and discussing everything they had heard, Jesus appeared to them, though they were supernaturally prevented from recognizing Him (Luke 24:13-32). Since these men left Jerusalem before Mary Magdalene reported seeing Jesus alive and because they had not yet heard the report of the other women who were met by the living Christ on their way to Bethany, these two men only knew the message the angels had delivered to the women...evidenced by their discussion as they journeyed with their yet unrecognized guest (Luke 24:13-32). When they arrived in Emmaus with their travelling companion, they broke bread together and the men immediately realized that the One who had been journeying with them was none other than the resurrected Christ. This was the fourth appearance of Jesus after His resurrection.
By the evening of that Sunday, ten of the disciples had gathered in Jerusalem where they heard the report from Cleopas and the unnamed disciple that they had seen Jesus alive (Luke 24:34; Mark 16:13) at Emmaus. There was palpable excitement in the room as they discussed the possibility that Jesus could really be alive, though it was tempered by a measured skepticism. They had now heard from four different sources (Mary Magdalene, the other women, Peter and finally, from the two disciples returning from Emmaus), testifying to the resurrection of Christ.
In those moments while the disciples were discussing all they had been told, as well as listening to the eyewitness testimony of the two coming from Emmaus, Jesus appeared in the room with them (Luke 24:35-49; John 20:19-23). This was His fifth appearance after His resurrection. He showed them His hands and feet to prove He was not a ghost, explained the scripture about how He was to be crucified and rise again, then ate a meal with them and instructed them to be witnesses of what they had seen and to wait for the coming Holy Spirit.
It would be eight days (including resurrection Sunday) before Jesus would appear the sixth time (John 20:24-29). The disciples were gathered again in a room behind a locked door when He suddenly appeared in their midst. This time Thomas, who was not there when Jesus first appeared to the disciples the previous Sunday night, was with them, but he still remained skeptical that Jesus had risen. With this appearance, Jesus gave him the opportunity to touch the nail prints in His hands and the wound in His side. Thomas believed because He had seen Jesus for himself, which prompted Jesus to make a wonderful pronouncement for those who wouldn’t see Him in the flesh in this world. “Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’” (John 20:29)
During the forty days following Passover and leading up to Jesus’ ascension, He appeared a total of ten times. Sometimes it was to individuals. On other occasions it was to groups. Once we are told that He appeared to more than 500 at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6). These eyewitnesses gave incontrovertible evidence that Jesus arose from the dead.
In addition to the six appearances of Jesus just mentioned, He was also seen...
- In Galilee by the seven at the Lake of Tiberias (John. 21:1-23)
- In Galilee on a mountain with the apostles, as well as 500+ others (1 Corinthians 15:6)
- In Jerusalem and Bethany by James (1 Corinthians 15:7)
- At Olivet and His ascension (Acts 1:3-12)
Added to these appearances are the ones that occurred after He had ascended…
- To Paul near Damascus (Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8)
- To Stephen outside of Jerusalem (Acts 7:55)
- To Paul in the temple (Acts 22:17-21; 23:11)
- To John on Patmos (Revelation 1:10-19)
Added to these fourteen eyewitness accounts of the resurrected Jesus is all of the other evidence that proves He was alive. Most people would concur that this evidence correlates perfectly with the resurrection appearances.
Consider the additional evidence…
- The tomb was empty.
- The apostles immediately had a new-found courage to tell others about Christ.
- Skeptics of Jesus were changed by His resurrection (James, the half-brother of Jesus, Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, not to mention 3000 plus Jews on the Day of Pentecost).
- Women were the first witnesses of His resurrection, which no first-century writer would have used had it not been true.
- There were an overwhelming number of eyewitnesses that saw Him.
- There was no body and no bones of Jesus that have ever been produced.
- The Roman authorities conspired together to cover up the missing body of Jesus.
- The empty grave clothes were left. undisturbed and in place in the tomb
- The willingness of the Apostles to die as martyrs for the testimony of Christ’s resurrection.
- The consistent message of the early church in proclaiming Christ’s death, burial and RESURRECTION in the face of such severe persecution (Acts 2:22-36; 3:13-18; 4:10-12, 33; 5:29-32; 10:37-43; 13:27-37; 17:23, 30-32; 23:6; 24:14-16; 25:19; 26:22-23; Romans 1:3-4; 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-58; 2 Corinthians 4:10-14; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:19-23; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:8-11; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 1:21; etc.).
What we realize as we read and consider all of this evidence is that it is impossible for this many people to have made up the story of His resurrection, or to have maintained the story with this type of accuracy...if Jesus had not risen from the dead.
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