Subject: Matthew #68 Title: The Resurrection of Christ Text: Matthew 28:1-15 Introduction Friday at 9:00 am, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified on a cross with criminals. Six hours later at 3:00 p.m., after bearing the weight of our sin on the cross, He breathed His last breath, having been forsaken by the Father. At that moment, the earth shook, the veil was torn, and a Roman centurion confessed, Truly, this was the Son of God (Matthew 27:51-54). At Jesus death, on the eve of the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea prepared Jesus for His burial and laid Jesus in his own tomb (Matthew 27:57-60). Jesus, in the eyes of the religious leaders, was not a distant memory. Just as with other past false prophets, Jesus example will forever remind other would-be false prophets of the harsh consequences of undermining God s established leadership in Jerusalem. The last sentence of Matthew 27 draws us back into the private conniving of the religious leaders. Finally the chief priests and elders have had their way. Yet one more small detail remains to be settled before they can rest their heads in ease. They must ensure that this deceiver, Jesus, stays where He belongs - in His grave. They have not forgotten that this Jesus of Nazareth said He would rise again (Matthew 27:63), and with that, they can take no chances. The next day, on the Sabbath, the religious leaders made a visit to Pilate and requested permission that they might secure the grave site in case one of Jesus disciples tried to steal the body and subsequently report a miraculous resurrection (Matthew 27:62-64). This would be far worse for the religious authorities. They could not have talk circulating Jerusalem that the false prophet who claimed to be the Son of God came back from the dead. This would cause far too many problems for the religious leaders, so that the last error shall be worse than the fi rst (27:64). Pilate responded in support of their request, even appointing his own guards to secure and seal the tomb (27:65-66). At last, the religious leaders could breath a sigh of relief. Jesus, the enemy of God and of the state, is crucified, dead and buried. His grave is secured and sealed by a Roman guard. Surely, upon sealing the tomb, the religious leaders must have thought to themselves, It is finished! Ironically, they do not have the last word! A secured and sealed tomb, along with Roman guards, are not enough to contain the power of God. One commentator writes that the religious leaders held all the cards of earthly power, including access to the Roman governor, but despite all their efforts, they could not contain the Son of God. They will be last seen arranging a lying cover-up story...and the risen Jesus will be back in Galilee, commissioning His resorted followers to begin a triumphant mission to all nations which will last to the end of time. (France, p.1092). The next day, the first day of the week...mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to pay a visit to the tomb, but upon their arrival, they were stunned, for Jesus is not there...he is risen, as He said (Matthew 28:1-6). 1
The Resurrection of Christ Chapter 28 is the last chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, and it contains the most important, powerful, and potent truth in all of Scripture. This chapter records the most significant event in the history of mankind and the central event in God s redemptive history. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of Christian truth and doctrine. If you want to prove that Christianity is a false religion and another opiate of the people, all one has to do is to produce the body of Jesus Christ and game over! Thomas Arnold wrote, I know of no one fact of history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead. The message of Scripture is the message of resurrection hope. Life, not death, is ultimately victorious. For the believer, death has never been an end, but rather, a doorway that leads to eternity with God. (John MacArther). In the Old Testament, we see glimpses and suggestions that refer to the resurrection in several passages: Genesis 22/ Hebrews 11:19 Psalm 49:15 Psalm 73:24 Isaiah 26:19 Job 14:14; 19:25-26 But Daniel 12:2 clearly states the inevitable - And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Simply put - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are man s only hope of salvation and eternal life. Paul wrote: I Corinthians 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Peter speaks: I Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefi led, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. The foundation of our hope lies in the words of Jesus Himself: 2
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: Each of the four gospel writers speaks of the resurrection of Christ: - Matthew 28:1-10 - Mark 16:1-13 - Luke 24:1-12 - John 20:1-18 Each of these writers approach the event from a slightly different perspective. Matthew focuses on the emotional reaction of a group of women who were very close to the disciples and loved the Lord Jesus Christ. Reading the other accounts will make the story no more true but richer, fuller and more complete. Outline I. He is not here: for he is risen (1-8) II. Go tell my brethren... (9-10) III. Say ye, His disciples came by night (11-15) (Explain the text) THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST: THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS (Notes by Dan Wallace) (1) The Resurrection in the Old Testament The resurrection of the dead was not plainly revealed in the OT until very late in salvation history. It was not until the Jews were taken in captivity, in the sixth century BC, that this was clearly articulated. Daniel 12:1-2 is the principal text: it speaks of the resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous: (2) The Resurrection of Christ in Early Christian Preaching The early church took the resurrection of Christ seriously. * Acts 1:22 - criterion for selection of an apostle - must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. * Acts 2:23-24 - the keynote in Peter s first sermon on the day of Pentecost - Whom God hath raised up * Acts 3:15 - Peter s second sermon. And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. * Acts 4:2 - preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead * Acts 4:10; 4:33; 13:30, 34; Acts 17:3; 17:18, 31; 23:6; 24:21; 26:23 * Also, note 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-5. The church embraced the resurrection as both true and central to the preaching of the gospel. 3
(3) What s at Stake? What s at stake? Everything! What are the ramifications of the resurrection? Why does it matter? Significance of the Resurrection of Christ (1) The Ultimate Apologetic: Validation of the Miracles of the Bible George Eldon Ladd, in his A Theology of the New Testament (p. 354) states: God did not make himself known through a system of teaching nor a theology nor a book, but through a series of events recorded in the Bible. The coming of Jesus of Nazareth was the climax of this series of redemptive events; and his resurrection is the event that validates all that came before. If we can embrace this miracle, what is to prevent us from embracing lesser ones? (2) Proof that God is the God of the Living and is a Living God Several texts prove this point, but none so eloquently as 1 Corinthians 15:20-26: I Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the fi rstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the fi rstfruits; afterward they that are Christ s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. As Ladd pointed out (p. 354): If Christ is not risen from the dead, the long course of God s redemptive acts to save his people ends in a dead-end street, in a tomb. If the resurrection of Christ is not reality, then we have no assurance that God is the living God, for death has the last word. Faith is futile because the object of that faith has not vindicated himself as the Lord of life. Christian faith is then incarcerated in the tomb along with the final and highest self-revelation of God in Christ--if Christ is indeed dead. (3) Fulfillment of Jesus Predictions and of Scripture John 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 4
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: Thus, if Christ is not raised from the dead, he is a liar. And if he is a liar, then his death did not pay for our sins. (4) An Essential Part of the Gospel (cf. John 11:25, 26; Acts 1:22; 2:31; 3:15; 4:2, 10, 33; 13:30, 34; 17:3; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 2 Tim 2:8) John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (5) Implicit Demonstration of Christ s Deity (John 2:19-22) The resurrection of Christ is unique in two major ways: * All others who were raised from the dead returned to their graves (e.g., Lazarus, Jairus daughter, Eutychus); * Christ s is the only resurrection to take place without a human agent. If Christ raised himself from the dead, he must be more than a man! (6) Guarantee of Believers Resurrection (cf. Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:12-14, 20; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:5) (7) Balanced Perspective on the Spiritual Status of the Human Body (Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 6:13-20; 15:32-34; 2 Timothy 2:18) The bodily resurrection of Christ speaks volumes about the spiritual status of the body: it is not inherently evil, with the mind being inherently good. Both were created good by God; both were corrupted in the fall of man. If they will be redeemed, then there is something salvageable about them.... they can be dedicated to God and used for his glory NOW! Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifi ce, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the fi rstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 5
(8) The Indwelling of the Spirit and Resurrection Power (John 14:17; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4; 8:11-14; Ephesians 1:13-14, 20; Philippians 3:10-16) The Spirit was promised to those who put their trust in Christ. (9) Forgiveness of Sins (John 19:30; Acts 2:32-38; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 17) Note especially John 19:30. Jesus cry from the cross is It is fi nished. This the Greek word tetelestai. It was often written across a bill to indicate that the bill was paid in full. The resurrection is the receipt that God gave humanity that Jesus death did, indeed, pay the full price of our sins. First, forgiveness was costly (the cross), but because of the resurrection, there should not be lingering guilt for sin. But the resurrection means that no sin is so heinous that we cannot forgive ourselves. Second, you have no right to withhold forgiveness from someone else. To sum up: life, relationship, forgiveness, sanctification, the future, sanctity of the body. A whole philosophy, an entire world view, is wrapped up in the resurrection of Christ. EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION (Notes by Josh McDowell) For centuries many of the world s distinguished philosophers have assaulted Christianity as being irrational, superstitious and absurd. Many have chosen simply to ignore the central issue of the resurrection. Others have tried to explain it away through various theories. But the historical evidence just can t be discounted. * A Question of History I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted on the minds of human beings--or it is the most remarkable fact of history. * Living Witnesses The New Testament accounts of the resurrection were being circulated within the lifetimes of men and women alive at the time of the resurrection. Those people could certainly have confirmed or denied the accuracy of such accounts. The writers of the four Gospels either had themselves been witnesses or else were relating the accounts of eyewitnesses of the actual events. 6
* Is the New Testament Reliable? Because the New Testament provides the primary historical source for information on the resurrection, many critics during the 19th century attacked the reliability of these biblical documents. By the end of the 19th century, however, archaeological discoveries had confirmed the accuracy of the New Testament manuscripts. Those findings increased scholarly confidence in the reliability of the Bible. William F. Albright, who in his day was the world s foremost biblical archaeologist, said: We can already say emphatically that there is no longer any solid basis for dating any book of the New Testament after about A.D. 80, two full generations before the date between 130 and 150 given by the more radical New Testament critics of today. Coinciding with the papyri discoveries, an abundance of other manuscripts came to light (over 24,000 copies of early New Testament manuscripts are known to be in existence today). E. M. Blaiklock (Professor of Classics, Auckland University) - I claim to be an historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history. * Background The New Testament witnesses were fully aware of the background against which the resurrection took place. The body of Jesus, in accordance with Jewish burial custom, was wrapped in a linen cloth. About 100 pounds of aromatic spices, mixed together to form a gummy substance, were applied to the wrappings of cloth about the body. After the body was placed in a solid rock tomb, an extremely large stone was rolled against the entrance of the tomb. Large stones weighing approximately two tons were normally rolled (by means of levers) against a tomb entrance. A Roman guard of strictly disciplined fighting men was stationed to guard the tomb. This guard affixed on the tomb the Roman seal, which was meant to prevent any attempt at vandalizing the sepulcher. So many security precautions were taken with the trial, crucifixion, burial, entombment, sealing, and guarding of Christ s tomb that it becomes very difficult for critics to defend their position that Christ did not rise from the dead. Consider these facts: Fact #1 - Broken Roman Seal The seal stood for the power and authority of the Roman Empire. The consequences of breaking the seal were extremely severe. 7
Fact #2 - Empty Tomb The disciples of Christ did not go off to Athens or Rome to preach that Christ was raised from the dead. Rather, they went right back to the city of Jerusalem, where, if what they were teaching was false, the falsity would be evident. Both Jewish and Roman sources and traditions admit an empty tomb. Those resources range from Josephus to a compilation of fifth-century Jewish writings called the Toledoth Jeshu. Dr. Paul Maier calls this positive evidence from a hostile source, which is the strongest kind of historical evidence. Fact #3 - Large Stone Moved Fact #4 - Roman Guard Goes AWOL Fact #5 - Graveclothes Tell a Tale The tomb was not totally empty. John, a disciple of Jesus, looked over to the place where the body of Jesus had lain, and there were the grave clothes, in the form of the body, slightly caved in and empty--like an empty caterpillar s cocoon. The first thing that stuck in the minds of the disciples was not the empty tomb, but rather the empty grave clothes--undisturbed in form and position. Fact #6 - Jesus Appearances Confirmed Christ appeared alive on several occasions. If the number of eyewitnesses is substantial, the event can he regarded as fairly well established. - Over 500 Witnesses - Several very important factors arc often overlooked when considering Christ s post-resurrection appearances to individuals. The first is the large number of witnesses of Christ after that resurrection morning. One of the earliest records of Christ s appearing after the resurrection is by Paul. The apostle appealed to his audience s knowledge of the fact that Christ had been seen by more than 500 people at one time. Paul reminded them that the majority of those people were still alive and could be questioned. - Hostile Witnesses - He also appeared to those who were hostile or unconvinced. No author or informed individual would regard Saul of Tarsus as being a follower of Christ. F.F. Bruce (Manchester University) - If the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt. 8
Christians believe that Jesus was bodily resurrected in time and space by the supernatural power of God. The difficulties of belief may be great, but the problems inherent in unbelief present even greater difficulties. The theories advanced to explain the resurrection by natural causes are weak; they actually help to build confidence in the truth of the resurrection. * The Wrong Tomb? A theory propounded by Kirsopp Lake assumes that the women who reported that the body was missing had mistakenly gone to the wrong tomb. If the resurrection-claim was merely because of a geographical mistake, the Jewish authorities would have lost no time in producing the body from the proper tomb, thus effectively quenching for all time any rumor resurrection. * Hallucinations: The appearances of Jesus after the resurrection were either illusions or hallucinations. * Did Jesus Swoon? Another theory, popularized by Venturini several centuries ago, is often quoted today. This is the swoon theory, which says that Jesus didn t die; he merely fainted from exhaustion and loss of blood. * The Body Stolen? * The Resurrection is a Fact Professor Thomas Arnold (author of the famous, History of Rome) said: I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead. Brooke Foss Westcott, an English scholar, said: no historic incident better or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ. * Real Proof: The Disciples Lives But the most telling testimony of all must be the lives of those early Christians. We must ask ourselves: What caused them to go everywhere telling the message of the risen Christ? They laid down their lives as the ultimate proof of their complete confidence in the truth of their message. 9