Jesus Raised from the Grave
The phrase “Jesus raised from the grave” captures the most decisive and miraculous event in human history–the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ. This singular event transformed a crucified rabbi into the risen Lord and turned sorrowing disciples into fearless witnesses who changed the world. The resurrection stands at the center of Christian theology, confirming Jesus’ divinity, validating his redemptive work, and providing the foundation of Christian hope. This article explores how Jesus conquered death, the divine power that raised him, the role of the guards, women, and angels at the empty tomb, and why the resurrection anchors the believer’s eternal confidence.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central moment in human history and the foundational doctrine of Christianity. As the eternal Son of God, Jesus was raised from the dead in a glorified physical body, which validates his divine identity and demonstrates his complete victory over death.[1]
The Historical Reality of the Resurrection
The Crucifixion and Burial: Setting the Stage
Before considering the resurrection, one must understand that the crucifixion was a verified historical death. Roman execution was designed to ensure that victims did not survive. Jesus was scourged, nailed to a cross, pierced through the side, and pronounced dead by experts in execution (John 19:33-34). Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus buried Him in a new rock-hewn tomb (Matthew 27:57-60). The stone sealed the entrance, and Roman guards were stationed to prevent theft (Matthew 27:65-66). This official guarding of the tomb inadvertently strengthened the case for the resurrection: if the body were gone, it could not be explained by deceit or theft.
The Gospels agree that Jesus was placed in the tomb shortly before sundown on Friday and remained there until early Sunday morning, the third day according to Jewish reckoning (Luke 24:7). The setting emphasizes divine order–Christ’s body lay in rest even as the Sabbath was kept, and the dawn of the first day of the week greeted the dawning of new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Event Itself: The Shaken Earth and the Empty Tomb
Matthew reports that “there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it” (Matthew 28:2). An earthquake marked his emergence from the tomb, and he left with the stone rolled away, arising as the Victor over death and hell.[2] The open tomb was not to let Jesus out, but to let witnesses in.
Mark records that the women found the stone already rolled away and heard the angel proclaim, “He has risen; he is not here” (Mark 16:6). The first resurrection morning, then, was marked not by human triumph but divine action–God breaking into history with resurrection power.
Witnesses of the Resurrection: Guards, Women, and Angels
The Guards and the Bribery Narrative
Matthew 28:11-15 recounts how the guards, terrified by what they witnessed, reported the events to the chief priests. In response, the religious leaders bribed them to claim that Jesus’ disciples stole the body. This plot reveals both the reality of the empty tomb and the unwillingness of the authorities to accept its implications. Interestingly, Matthew’s account also includes a subplot where Jewish leaders attempted to discredit the resurrection by bribing guards to claim the disciples stole Jesus’s body.[3] Ironically, in trying to suppress belief, they inadvertently preserved further evidence of the resurrection’s authenticity.
The Women: First Witnesses of the Risen Lord
The resurrection unfolded in a way that defied the cultural norms of the first century. Women, whose testimonies were often not considered valid in Jewish courts, became the first to bear witness. The women were key witnesses to this miraculous event: they saw the empty tomb, met with angels, and were then personally met by Jesus himself, making the resurrection incredibly convincing.[4] Mary Magdalene, along with other women, encountered both celestial and physical confirmation. Their encounter with Jesus in person (Matthew 28:9-10) refutes the claim that the resurrection was a mere spiritual vision.
The Angels: Heavenly Heralds of the New Creation
Angels accompanied the announcement of the Incarnation and now heralded the completion of redemption. Their message–“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:5-6)–marks the cosmic reversal of the Fall: life restored, death defeated, and God’s promise fulfilled.
The Power That Raised Jesus from the Grave
Scripture unites the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the resurrection. The question arises: who raised Jesus–God or Jesus? The answer is “yes,” for all three Persons of the Trinity acted in perfect unity.
God the Father Raised His Son
Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, proclaimed, “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:32). Similarly, Paul writes that Jesus “was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father” (Romans 6:4). The resurrection is therefore the Father’s vindication of the Son’s perfect obedience.
The Son Exercised His Own Divine Power
In John 10:17-18, Jesus declared, “I lay down my life that I may take it up again… I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.” By claiming to raise himself, Jesus identified himself as possessing God’s power, confirming his equality with the Father.
The Spirit’s Role in Resurrection Power
Romans 8:11 adds yet another perspective: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies.” The Holy Spirit was the agent by whom resurrection life was actualized in Christ’s glorified body. These complementary testimonies affirm that the Triune God raised Jesus, displaying unified divine power.
In his resurrected state, Jesus was no longer bound by physical limitations, able to enter locked rooms and depart at will, with no tomb able to hold him prisoner. His glorified body demonstrated triumph over natural decay and time, yet it was tangible–He ate fish (Luke 24:42-43) and invited Thomas to touch his wounds (John 20:27). This paradox–physical reality and transcendent glory–reveals the resurrection body as the prototype of redeemed humanity.
Where Did Jesus Go Between His Death and Resurrection?
Between his death and resurrection, Jesus’ human body lay in the tomb, but his spirit descended to the realm of the dead. According to 1 Peter 3:18-19, He “was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.” The ancient creed expresses this truth: “He descended into hell,” meaning he entered the abode of the dead (Sheol or Hades), proclaiming victory over the powers of death.
The Theological Meaning of the Resurrection
Validation of Jesus’ Divine Claims
Jesus’ resurrection is not simply a miracle among others–it is the miracle that authenticates every claim he made. During his ministry, he foretold: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). The fulfillment of that statement confirmed his divinity and his authority over life and death (John 11:25-26). As Paul proclaimed, Jesus “was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).
The resurrection’s significance is profound: it proves the Kingdom of Heaven has broken into earth’s history, confirms that death has been conquered, validates the church’s witness, and demonstrates that God accepted Christ’s atonement for sins. Moreover, it shows that if Jesus conquered death, he can conquer anything. In other words, Jesus’ resurrection fulfilled his messianic mission, substantiated apostolic authority, and sealed salvation with divine approval.
Atonement Accomplished and Applied
On the cross, Jesus cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The resurrection demonstrated that the Father approved his sacrifice - the debt of sin was fully paid (Romans 4:25). Paul explains, “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” The empty tomb speaks not merely of life restored but of forgiveness secured and new creation begun.
The Resurrection as Historical and Evidential Fact
The Evidence of the Empty Tomb
Every ancient source–Christian, Jewish, and Roman–acknowledges the empty tomb. The enemies of Jesus did not produce a body, though this would have immediately ended the apostolic proclamation. The story of the stolen body implies that the tomb was indeed empty. Archaeological and textual analysis supports that the earliest Christian preaching (Acts 2-4) occurred in Jerusalem, where the tomb could have been verified as either occupied or empty.
Multiple and Independent Post-Resurrection Appearances
The Gospels provide multiple independent attestations as to the historicity of the post-resurrection appearances. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-16), to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), to the apostles (John 20:19-29), to over five hundred brethren at once (1 Corinthians 15:6), to James, and finally to Paul (1 Corinthians 15:8). The diversity of settings–indoors, outdoors, individual and group–makes hallucination theories untenable.
Transformation of the Disciples
The disciples were transformed from terrified fugitives into bold proclaimers of the risen Christ, willingly dying for their testimony. This psychological and moral transformation demands an adequate cause–nothing less than a genuine encounter with the risen Jesus. The resurrection, therefore, stands as the best historical explanation for the rise of Christianity.
The Resurrection’s Connection to Old Testament Hope
Fulfilled Prophecy
Jesus’ resurrection was foretold in typology and prophecy. Psalm 16:10 declares, “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” Peter explicitly cites this text in Acts 2:25-32, asserting that David spoke prophetically of Christ. Isaiah 53:10-12 likewise anticipates that after suffering, the Servant “shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days.” The empty tomb is thus the eschatological fulfillment of centuries of divine promise.
Continuity with Jewish Resurrection Hope
The concept of resurrection was familiar to Jewish people, who anticipated it would occur at the end of times–a belief Jesus dramatically illustrated when he raised Lazarus, powerfully declaring himself ’the resurrection and the life’. In raising himself, Jesus inaugurated the very resurrection that Jews expected at the last day (John 11:25-26). His rising was both the firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:20) and the guarantee that his followers will rise likewise.
The Glorified Body and the Nature of New Creation
Scripture describes Jesus’ resurrected body as continuity and transformation combined. He bore recognizable features, including the marks of crucifixion, yet he possessed transcendent qualities: He could appear at will, pass through doors (John 20:19-26), and vanish from sight (Luke 24:31). This glorified body is the pattern of the believer’s future body (Philippians 3:20-21). Mortality has been “swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:4). The resurrection thus launches the renewal of creation itself; it is God’s declaration that his purpose for embodied life will not be thwarted by sin or death.
The Resurrection as the Anchor of Christian Hope
Hope for the Present Life
Because Christ lives, believers know that their labor “is not in vain in the Lord”
(1 Corinthians 15:58). The resurrection assures that suffering, loss, and persecution are not the final word. Jesus’ victory over the grave guarantees that all injustice will one day be rectified. As Paul writes, “If we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5). Christian obedience, therefore, is grounded not in futility but in future glory.
Hope for Life Beyond the Grave
The resurrection transforms the Christian’s view of death itself. Death is described not as annihilation but as sleep, awaiting awakening in Christ: “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). This hope is not wishful thinking but a promise anchored in historical reality. The same power that raised Jesus will one day raise all who belong to him (1 Corinthians 6:14).
Hope for the Renewal of All Things
Jesus’ resurrection is more than an individual vindication; it inaugurates the renewal of creation. Paul declares that creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay when the children of God are revealed (Romans 8:21). The risen Christ is the “firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20)–the initial sheaf guaranteeing the full harvest to come. This means that all suffering, ecological decay, and injustice are not permanent; resurrection entails the dawning of new creation–“Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
How Did Jesus Conquer Death?
Jesus conquered death through substitution, satisfaction, and sovereignty.
Substitution - He bore the penalty of sin on our behalf. Scripture asserts, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Because Jesus was sinless (Hebrews 4:15), death had no rightful claim on Him. He voluntarily endured death to break its claim over us (Hebrews 2:14-15).
Satisfaction - On the cross, Jesus satisfied God’s justice. His final cry, “It is finished” (John 19:30), announced that sin’s debt was paid in full. The resurrection was God’s public receipt that the payment was accepted. Romans 4:25 confirms, “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
Sovereignty - In rising, Jesus demonstrated lordship over all creation. As Revelation 1:18 proclaims, “I am the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
The resurrection was not a reversal of tragedy but the divine unveiling of victory. What seemed defeat was, in truth, triumph.[5]
The Resurrection and the Triumph Over Death in the Believer’s Life
Death remains humanity’s universal enemy. Yet in Christ, its sting has been removed. Paul rejoices: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). The resurrection assures that for believers, physical death has become a doorway, not a defeat. Jesus promised, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). Every Christian funeral thus becomes not simply mourning but hope-filled waiting.
The hope of resurrection transforms grief into patient confidence, compelling Christians to endure suffering with the assurance that the grave is not the end of the story. As Romans 8:38-39 proclaims, nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That love conquered in the tomb and will conquer again at the second coming, when “the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
The Resurrection in Cosmic Perspective
The resurrection of Jesus is not an isolated miracle but the hinge of cosmic history. Through it, God inaugurated the final stage of redemption. It is creation renewed–the ultimate reversal of the curse announced in Genesis 3. When Jesus rose, he bore not only the wounds of crucifixion but the promise of restored creation. In Revelation 21-22, the new heavens and new earth fulfill what began in Christ’s empty tomb. His glorified body is the prototype of the new universe–imperishable, holy, and radiant with divine glory.
The Resurrection: Personal and Existential Implications
The resurrection is not merely to be analyzed; it is to be encountered. Its power calls the believer to a new mode of existence. Paul’s cry sums this transformation: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10). The believer’s daily life is participation in resurrection power–new birth from spiritual death (Ephesians 2:4-6), ongoing renewal by the Spirit, and anticipation of bodily resurrection. It is precisely because Jesus has destroyed death that Christians can face suffering without despair. The resurrection ensures redemption’s triumph.
The Resurrection’s Final Consummation
The empty tomb points ahead to a greater unveiling–the general resurrection of the dead. Jesus declared, “An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out” (John 5:28-29). The resurrection of Christ thus guarantees the future resurrection of humanity: some to eternal life, others to judgment. For those in Christ, this anticipation is bright hope; for those outside, it is warning. The risen Christ stands as both Savior and Judge, the One to whom every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10-11).
Conclusion - Jesus Raised from the Grave
The raising of Jesus from the grave is the center of Christian faith, the vindication of divine justice, and the pledge of eternal hope. It affirms that God’s purposes cannot be thwarted, that love is stronger than death, and that the kingdom has already dawned. “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54). Because Jesus lives, every believer lives. Because he rose bodily, embodied life will be restored. Because he reigns, evil cannot triumph finally.
The resurrection echoes as God’s resounding “Yes” to his creation and to his covenant promises. All Christian theology, worship, and hope flow from this victorious truth. For as Christ himself promised, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).
Endnotes
[1] Zachary Lycans, “Jesus’ Resurrection,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018), 141.
[2] Simon J. Kistemaker, The Miracles: Exploring the Mystery of Jesus’s Divine Works (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2006), 229.
[3] Halvor Moxnes, Memories of Jesus: A Journey through Time (Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2021), 320.
[4] Michael A. Eaton, The Branch Exposition of the Bible: A Preacher’s Commentary of the New Testament (Carlisle, Cumbria: Langham Global Library, 2020), 120.
[5] Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 125.