May 5

How do we know that Jesus rose from the dead? The Lord would not leave us in any doubt. “He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days” (Acts 1:3). Writing circa 56 ad, Paul lists some of the witnesses who saw the risen Christ (and that doesn’t include the meetings with women, their testimony not being valid in a first century court of law), including the statement that over 500 saw Him all at once. Who would deny the corroborating testimony of so many? And many of the witnesses would seal their testimony in their own blood! Not to mention the author himself, who was the most unlikely of witnesses, on the way to Damascus to incarcerate some who dared claim Jesus to be the resurrected Son of God. Peter adds: “We did not follow cunningly devised fables” (2 Pet 1:16). There is no other valid explanation. Otherwise why did the Jews or the Romans not present His closely guarded body? He is risen indeed!