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God raised His son Jesus from the dead. The Bible insists this is an historical fact, not merely a teaching. This action vindicated all that Jesus had been teaching and doing for the past 3½ years. This man was not only alive again after being buried in a tomb for three days, but was transformed from human to divine nature. This reality became a matter of “first importance” when preaching the gospel (1Cor 15: 3). The fact of Jesus’ resurrection by God is the critical, core teaching of the Gospel, and the cornerstone of Bible Christianity.
Understanding the truth about the resurrected Jesus will compel you to discard misconceptions and share the true Bible teaching with others.
This claim is supported by the following Scripture evidence.
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Each of these six Bible references is discussed in terms of relevant teaching Points followed by So What implications, with respect to Jesus and then to his disciples.
The context of this verse is John’s gospel account of Jesus’ dying moments, and a Roman soldier’s verification that Jesus had actually died.
28 After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the scripture), "I thirst." 29 A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; 33 but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of him shall be broken." 37 And again another scripture says, "They shall look on him whom they have pierced."
See how God both foiled their plan and fulfilled His:
A good case can be made that Jesus was either quoting the entirety of Psalm 224 or at least citing its opening and ending verses. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” (Ps 22:1) is explicitly cited by Jesus (Mt 27:46), while “that he has wrought it” (Ps 22::31) can be aligned with “it is finished [fulfilled]” (Jn 19:30). Jesus wanted to make God’s final message from the cross loud and clear.
| What the Jewish leaders tried to do | What God did according to His purpose |
|---|---|
| Have a curse brought on Jesus by him being crucified, i.e., “hung on a tree” | Used this evil deed to have the innocent, obedient Jesus remove the curse of the law |
| Show the failure of Jesus’ claims by mocking him on the cross, challenging him to come down and demonstrate he was the Messiah of God | Let their dreadful actions fulfill the prophecies of Jesus’ crucifixion & helped Jesus continue to resist the temptation to save himself |
| Have Jesus’ legs broken, arguably so that he could not be regarded as a “Passover lamb” | Besides making His Son’s suffering shorter, let Jesus die early, so no need to break his legs; a soldier’s spear made sure Jesus was dead, piercing his body, as prophesied |
This verse is part of the section on Jesus’ death, discussed above.
38 After this Joseph of Arimathe'a, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicode'mus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight. 40 They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
The death state of those who die without God and thus without hope of ever living again, is aptly described in Ecclesiastes 9. Read the following passage:
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that one fate comes to all; also the hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward; but the memory of them is lost. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and they have no more for ever any share in all that is done under the sun.
9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life which he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
| Living State | Death State |
|---|---|
| Has hope | No hope |
| Know will die | Know nothing |
| Can get reward | No more reward |
| Can love, hate & envy | Love, hate & envy perished |
| Can work and think | No work or thought |
| Can know, be wise | No knowledge or wisdom |
| Enjoy life as you are able | Sheol, the grave, is your end |
| Do what you can while you live – that’s your one chance! | |
So what? Without God, hope means wanting to exist a little longer, perhaps to pursue a few things. Then existence ends. No immortal soul. No reincarnation. But with God, there is hope of resurrection and eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Paul had a comparably wicked and misguided alliance with the chief priests in Jerusalem. Initially, he had headed the persecution of the early believers10. Before he changed his name, Paul was called Saul. As Saul, he had “punished them often in the synagogue and tried to make them blaspheme; and in raging fury against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities” (Acts 26:11).
It was on such a trip to Damascus “with the authority and commission of the high priests” that Saul was confronted with his folly, blinded and struck down by the personal appearance of the risen Jesus. Remarkably, the words that Jesus spoke to Paul are descriptive of the resurrection: “But rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and bear witness to the things in which you have seen me”. Saul, though living, had been dead in his sins. Now he would be baptized11, have his sins washed away, and start a new life in the power and purpose of his Lord.
While most disciples will not have such a dramatic conversion to Christ, it will be exciting nevertheless. Why? Because like Paul, they have had their eyes opened to the truth, and having been baptized into Jesus, they have established a relationship with God.
This pairing of verses illustrates how Scripture presents fulfilled prophecy.
Is 53:8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Mt 27:57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathe'a, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.
Jesus’ killers13 were worried about his prophecy of rising after three days in the tomb. They were determined to prevent this using every means possible. The Matthew 27 account relates the story about the desperate measures taken by the chief priests, while chapter 28 tells the glorious outcome, and how the unmistakable fact of an empty tomb was the only vestige left to lie about. Read the drama for yourself:
Ch 27:62 Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise again.' 64 Therefore order the sepulchre to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away, and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first." 65 Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can." 66 So they went and made the sepulchre secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
Ch 28:1 Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you." 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, "Tell people, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed; and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
| What the Jewish leaders tried to do | What God did according to His purpose |
|---|---|
| Put a guard of soldiers at the tomb to make sure the disciples could not steal the body | Sent an angel to the tomb; the terrified soldiers “became like dead men” |
| Sealed the stone door of the tomb, to create a second obstacle to any attempt to steal the body | Caused an earthquake, the angel rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. |
| When both the soldiers and seal failed to keep the dead body in the tomb, they spread a rumor of that the disciples had indeed stolen the body | The efforts of evil men only made it more certain that it was God who raised Jesus from the dead. Any other explanation is a lie. |
Modern-day skeptics of the resurrection of Jesus have put forward various arguments designed to cast doubt on the Bible record14. Defenders of Bible truth have examined the strength of such arguments, and concluded that the best case of the skeptics is no better than the flimsy lie of the chief priests and soldiers. It is not blind faith to believe in the resurrection of Jesus. The Gospel text rings magnificently true. Read it for yourself. The context of this first verse is the very popular John 3:16 that is frequently quoted by Christians around the world. The second reference is the OT source to which Jesus is alluding.
Jn 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Num 21:4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." 6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.Points:
“I will put enmity between you and the woman 1, and between your seed and her seed 2; he shall bruise your head 3, and you shall bruise his heel 4.” (Gen 3:15)
The idea of Jesus representing a dead snake on a pole would have been shocking to some people. It could have been much like his “hard saying” that “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (Jn 6:53, 60-65). But it is Bible truth22. It makes sense when one grasps the right Bible teaching about human nature. Understanding that Jesus was a human being just like the rest of mankind, makes it easy to see how alluding to the bronze serpent fittingly becomes a metaphor for his victory over sin.This verse has come up before. The reader will recall the context being the opening verses in the chapter that discusses the fact of Jesus’ resurrection.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.
“died for our sins” is a phrase open to various interpretations. In English, “for” can mean “in the place of” or “on behalf of”. The Greek word here is uper, which means “on behalf of”. It is the preposition consistently used by Paul when describing how the death of Jesus was for the benefit of believers. It is incorrect to interpret “for our sins” to mean that Jesus was a substitute for mankind. If that is what Paul wanted to communicate, he would have used the word anti.24 | Viewpoint | Comment and Implications |
|---|---|
| Substitute - Jesus died in the place of or instead of those who become his disciples. | Strictly speaking, this does not work, since Jesus’ disciples are still accountable for their sins on judgment day, and do die. This viewpoint usually entails the idea of ‘propitiation’25 or appeasement of an angry God, who demands a victim for punishment and blood for satisfaction. |
| Representative - Jesus died on behalf of those who would believe in him.
Also, Jesus lived to provide the example of what his disciples had to believe in & follow. |
The idea of representation may be drawn from the day of Atonement when the high priest of Israel killed the sin-offering goat “for the people” and placed all their sins on the head of the living scapegoat to “bear all their iniquities upon him to a solitary land”26. God put Jesus forward as an ‘expiation’27, a mercy seat / meeting place. As a human being, called “Son of man”, Jesus was qualified to represent mankind28.
Jesus showed the way that must be taken not only by him, but by his disciples, who are to “follow in his steps” both in the nature of crucifixion and resurrection29. As was the role of OT priests, Jesus represented [taught, showed] God to the people, not the people to God. |
This series of references provide “first importance” teaching on the nature of Jesus and how it was prerequisite for him to meet and defeat sin in his own body of flesh. This was the arena of battle, and this is where Scripture uses the term “devil” as a way of depicting the temptations of Jesus from within his own self. Those temptations not only had to be resisted30. but ultimately eliminated forever. Recall the illustration in Chapter 1:
When Jesus did this31, his victory over sin and death was complete, and opened the door for the rest of mankind to be saved the same way.
Heb 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage.
1Jn 3:4 Every one who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does right is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God commits sin; for God's nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God 10 By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
Before trying to understand what the passage in 1Jn 3 is about, first examine and understand the points made in 1John 1:8-2:6.
Ch 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Ch 2:1 My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He who says "I know him" but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: 6 he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Disciples of Christ do sin, but such behavior is not a defining characteristic or desire. If they confess their sins, they are forgiven, and are ‘covered’ by the expiation32 sacrifice of Jesus. Go back then and analyze the 1John 3:4-10 passage:
| To do right is to… | To sin is to … |
|---|---|
| Be righteous (v.7) | be lawless (v.4) |
| be born of God (v.9) | [born] of the devil (v.9) |
| not sin, with respect to a particular opportunity33. (v.9) | willingly sin, with respect to every opportunity34.(v.8) |
| be children of God (v.10) | be children of the devil (v.10) |
| do the things that God commands (see v.14, 24); be like Abel (v. 12) | not do the things that God commands (v.10); be like Cain (v.12) |
The exercise is a good example of how the proper explanation of one Scripture passage can often provide insight to understanding a passage which is discussing the same topic. It can also prevent going off in a wrong direction.
Many Christian churches teach that ‘the devil is a rebel fallen angel bent on causing mankind to sin, directly or indirectly’. However, Scripture uses the term “devil” to represent sinful human nature. To incorrectly identify the ‘devil’ means your effort to resist will likely fail!
There is a passage in Colossians 2 that reinforces the teaching on how Jesus ‘destroyed his devil / condemned sin’ when he died on the cross. Here’s the text for further examination:
11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12 and you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 having canceled the bond which stood against us with its legal demands; this he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.
The probable OT story behind Heb 2:15 is when on behalf of Saul’s army, David came out to face Goliath. He killed what seemed to be an undefeatable foe. You can read this exciting fight and glorious outcome in 1Samuel chapter 17.
| David kills Goliath | Jesus’ victory over Sin & Death |
|---|---|
| David [which means ‘beloved’] was anointed by God to be king of the nation of Israel. Given this calling, he was determined to fight Goliath in the name of the LORD. | Jesus Christ [which means ‘anointed’] was born king of the Jews, called “my beloved son’ by God, who anointed him to be the one to save Israel from their sins. Thus Jesus determined to do his Father’s will, and to obey unto death. |
| He slew Goliath, cut off his head, and won the victory for the LORD and for Israel. This prompted his fellow soldiers to join the battle, rather than hide in fear. | Jesus destroyed the devil [Sin] on the cross, fulfilling the prophecy of the seed of the woman crushing the head of the serpent. This victory prompted his apostles to join the fight for Gospel truth rather than hide in fear behind closed doors. |
| Goliath’s head was displayed in public fashion outside Jerusalem, currently occupied by the Jebusites, who were enemies of Israel. His armor was taken over by David, and likely displayed. The terror of the Philistine was now over. | The death and resurrection of Jesus was victory over Sin and Death, and a symbolic overthrow of the authorities in Jerusalem (chief priests, Pilate and Herod). Like a dead serpent on a pole, the crucified Jesus displayed the end of Sin’s power. Per God’s OT promise to David, Death could not hold Jesus in the grave; its terror was now over. |
| A ‘champion’ was required for Israel, one who would settle a dispute between two opposing forces or ideologies. Just as shame had come upon God’s people by a representative man — Goliath / Adam — so too would deliverance come through a representative man raised up by God — David / Jesus37. | |
Jesus died by crucifixion on a tree. No bones were broken, but his side was pierced by a Roman soldier. His dead body was taken down, bound in linen cloths with spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews (Jn 19:40). The body was put in Joseph’s new tomb, whose great stone door was later sealed at the request of the chief priests and with the authorization of the Roman governor. For “three days” according to Jewish reckoning and his own prediction, Jesus ceased to exist.
The reality of Jesus’ death and burial had been prophesied in the Old Testament, and now had been fulfilled. Since he was a mortal human being, Jesus could and did die. However, his time in the grave would be short, since he had destroyed the power of sin represented by the serpent as foretold in Genesis 3:15. The “law of sin and death” was to be superseded by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ, the resurrected man who had never sinned.
Jesus likened himself to a dead snake on a pole. This shocking picture is not one of a victim but of victory. When Jesus died, it was the end of sin in and for him. While crucifixion is certainly a terrible and very painful thing, the cross of Jesus was the end of suffering and a superlative triumph over his #1 enemy. Disciples who ‘get it right with Jesus’ will appreciate and share the triumph of their Lord.
The diagram below illustrates what true teaching about Jesus is for, and therefore what wrong teachings must be contended against.
1. What are the implications of Jesus ceasing to exist, even for the short time in the tomb?
2. How was the prophet Jonah being in the belly of the great fish (Jon 1:17), and then being vomited out on the dry shore (2:10) a foreshadowing of what would happen to Jesus?
3. Jesus was dead. God cannot die. Using Scripture, how is this explained by those who claim that Jesus was God the Son, whose nature is identical with the immortal nature of God the Father?
4. What other prophecies predict the death of Jesus? How were they fulfilled?
5. What do you think you need to do to “get it right with Jesus”?
The reader is encouraged to ponder and then answer these questions. If desired, send the answers to the author, whose home address and e-mail address can be found in the Foreword. A response to your effort is promised.
a. Look in the Appendix for Strong’s Concordance analysis for the following words translated “hell” in the KJV: sheol, hades, gehenna.
b. See how Revelation picks up the idea of binding and ultimately destroying the enemy. There is reference to the symbolic dragon, “that ancient serpent” [cf. Gen 3:1] which is first bound in Rev 20:2 and then destroyed in the lake of fire (v. 9). This serpent is introduced earlier in the book (12:9) and “is called the Devil and Satan”. Figure out the connection with Mt 25:41 and the predicted elimination of Sin and Death for those who among the faithful of Jesus.
c. Check out the study paper “Basic Bible Teaching about the Devil” in the Appendix.
