Jesus: Death, Burial, and Resurrection
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Jesus accomplished many things during his earthly ministry, but we're about to discuss his greatest accomplishment - rising from the dead. This is the central event upon which all of Christianity is built.
Prediction and Fulfillment
Jesus predicted his own death, burial, and resurrection:
Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Matthew 20:17-19
After his prediction, things happened exactly the way Jesus said they would. You can read about it in Matthew 26:1 - 28:20. Less than 72 hours after being crucified and buried Jesus was seen by as many as five hundred eye witnesses as the resurrected Son of God:
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8
Witnesses To The Resurrection
In his final appearance to his disciples Jesus told them that they would be responsible for spreading his life story all over the world:
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:1-11
Next Steps
As you can see, Christianity is founded on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and Christians are commanded to spread this message. Jesus' resurrection is the proof that he was more than just human - he was and is God's Son. As you will see in the next section, in Jesus God and man blend perfectly.
Next: God In Human Form
How To Use This Material
Jesus' death, burial, and resurrecton happened exactly as he predicted they would. Reflect on these passages and allow their truth to sink in. If you're reading this for help in introducing others to Jesus invite them to read these passages for themselves and reflect on the meaning of his resurrection.