Why Does It Matter That Jesus Resurrected?

The resurrection of Jesus is the core of the Christian faith. Here are some passages of Scripture depicting it:

Matthew 28:9
And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

Luke 24:2–8
And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” And they remembered His words.

Luke 24:12
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

Luke 24:36–39
While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

John 20:20
And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus’s resurrection was literal and bodily. The gospel records are unequivocal that the tomb was empty. When Jesus appeared to His disciples, He placed special emphasis on His hands, feet, and side in order to show them the bodily wounds He had suffered on the cross to prove to them that it was really Him and that He, not a mere spirit, was present with them.

The Importance of the Resurrection

Romans 1:3–4
Concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:3­–8
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

Jesus’s resurrection was literal and bodily. The gospel records are unequivocal that the tomb was empty.

1 Corinthians 15:20–22
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Ephesians 1:19–20
And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.

It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection is the assurance that He is the Son of God. It is the assurance that He is the Messiah. Jesus had repeatedly told His disciples that He would be taken, beaten, crucified, and rise again (Matt. 16:21; 17:22–23; 20:17–19; Mark 8:31; 9:30–32; 10:32–34; Luke 9:22, 43–45; 18:31–34; 24:7, 26, 46; see John 2:19–22; 3:14; 7:6, 8, 30, 33–36; 8:20, 21; 10:11, 15; 12:7, 23; 15:24–25), and so when He rose from the dead, His words and all His claims were verified. The resurrection is the assurance that He will come again—to judge (see Acts 10:40–42; 17:31; 2 Tim. 4:1) and to reign (see Rev. 1:5–7, 18). The resurrection is the assurance that our sins are forgiven and that all who are in Christ will be raised with Him (see 1 Cor. 15:20–22).