Did the Resurrection Really Happen?

During the Easter Season we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. An event that has dramatically shifted the course of human history and giving those that have been baptized a pledge to eternal life. But many today (even some that claim the name of Christian) do not believe this event ever happened. Claiming that the disciples simply made a religious claim that had no basis, that they imagined the appearance of Jesus because of their grief, or deliberately lied to mislead and obtain influence/power.

It is important to note that as stated in the Creed, the Scriptures, and perennial teaching of the Church the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus really took place. To be a Christian we MUST believe in the Easter message of Christ’s resurrection. There is no wiggle room we either believe Jesus rose from the Dead or our Faith is a farce. (1 Corinthians 15:14-19) But the Church's perennial teaching, the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus what evidence do we have? I will highlight just three points though much more could and has been said in favor of the Resurrection.

1. The eleven remaining apostles were martyred (with the exception of St. John who was exiled for his Faith). This shows that the apostles truly believed and witnessed the Resurrected Christ. Otherwise, why would they have gone so readily to their death for a lie? The apostles lived lives of simple poverty that gave no worldly recompense and testifying to the centrality of Jesus Christ provided only worldly difficulty throughout the remainder of their lives. With no tangible benefit it is not reasonable for the Apostles to have clung to the idea of a resurrected Savior.

2. A preponderance of historical evidence- not only does the entirety of the New Testament announce the reality of the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus. (The New Testament is a collection of documents that attest to early Christian beliefs and eyewitness account no matter what skeptical scholars would baselessly suggest.) The Jewish historian Josephus testifies to what Christians believe already in 93-94 AD. Which is very close to the time of Jesus. Pliny the Younger further testifies to the way in which Christians saw themselves different from other pagan religions. Serving as an objective perspective that shows that early Christians praised Christ as God and such a belief only makes sense in light of the Resurrection. Within the 1st century AD, it is clear that Christians as a whole understood the Resurrection of Jesus as a literal and a historical fact.

3. The Shroud of Turin- while there is still a lot of debate on the authenticity of the Shroud, I personally believe that is the authentic burial shroud of Jesus Christ that testifies to both His death but also His Resurrection. But the most recent scientific studies point to the high likelihood that the Shroud is indeed authentic. There is a lot that could be said about the Shroud. But I would like to invite you to search “Robert Spitzer The Truth about The Shroud of Turin Chris Stefanick” on Google and watch the video from Formed.com to hear about the different scientific evidence for the Shroud’s authenticity. You can also search “The Trial of the Shroud of Turin Catholic Answers” to find an article that details the evidence for and against the Shroud of Turin.

Please note that I do not place my belief in the Resurrection upon scientific evidence but instead upon personal encounter with Jesus Christ that is the gift of Faith. The above information is meant to bolster your belief in the Resurrection, not become the foundation of your belief. As Faith is a gift and should be treasured as such only the Lord can bestow this gift.

Thank you to all of our Catechists and Religious Education employees their hard work and trust in God’s Providence has certainly borne fruit in St. Joseph, Pillar of Families. I am especially thankful to Jodie Blindauer who has supported and charitably challenged me on so many occasions.

Peace in Christ,
Fr. Jarred Kohn