The Power of the Resurrection

Among the religions of the world, there is only one claiming that its founder was raised from the dead. Of course, such a claim could have been fabricated; it was not, however imagined by the followers of Jesus, according to the Gospels. In fact, in all four Gospels, references are made to Jesus’ having predicted his death on a Roman cross, followed by the resurrection, but the disciples simply had no comprehension of what he was talking about. Later, though, they are reported as understanding what he had said in the light of post-resurrection consciousness. After encountering the risen Christ, his followers were transformed from huddling debauches into bold proclaimers of what they had seen and heard—willing to stand for their faith their entire lives—even unto death. That bespeaks a powerful set of transformations.

The Gospel of Mark records women coming to the tomb to embalm the body of Jesus, but the tomb was found empty (Mark 16:1-8). They clearly had no conception of his not being dead; they came to prepare a corpse for an honorable demise. Yet, in all four Gospels, it is women who bear witness to the apostles that the tomb was empty, and in the Gospel of John, it is Mary Magdalene who becomes the apostle to the apostles—declaring that she had seen the Lord (John 20:11-18). If early Christians really wanted to construct a believable narrative, it is unlikely they would have built such a claim upon the testimony of women. That narrative is unlikely to have been concocted.

The Gospel of Matthew records a second cash-for-service scheme, following the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. When the guards at the tomb reported its being empty, they were instructed by the chief priests to say that the disciples of Jesus had stolen the body while they were sleeping (Matt 28:11-15). That would let them off the hook, and such a story is reported to have been circulated among Jewish leaders up until the finalization of Matthew’s Gospel. And yet, if the body of Jesus had really been stolen, would it not have served religious and political authorities to have turned it up as proof of their claim? No such report, though, nor even accounts of endeavors to seek such evidence, have survived. The stolen-body allegation was purely a concoction, in Matthew’s judgment, and evidence to support it is totally missing.

The Gospel of Luke reports several post-resurrection encounters with Jesus among his followers. Twice they are reminded of the earlier prediction that the Son of Man and Messiah would rise again on the third day, conveyed first by messengers, and then Jesus. Then, on the road to Emmaus, two disciples found themselves conversing with Jesus, although they did not recognize him at first. Later they testified that they had felt a spiritual presence when Jesus was with them—like hearts afire—and recognition finally came in the breaking of bread together. When they added their testimony to that of others in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared to his followers, declaring his peace and showing them his hands and feet. As his final commission to his followers, Jesus instructs them to tarry until they are clothed with power from on high—the power of the resurrection (Luke 24:1-49).

The Gospel of John reports three corporate encounters of Jesus after the resurrection. First, as the disciples were gathered on the first day of the week—huddled, for fear of their own safety—Jesus appeared to them behind locked doors. He breathed on them, commissioned them as apostles and priests, and offered them his peace. A week later he appeared to them again—this time including Thomas—inviting him to touch his flesh wounds. Thomas then believed. Later, after the disciples had returned to Galilee, Jesus appeared to them on the seashore—breaking bread and eating fish together—availing an opportunity for Peter to be restored following his threefold denial of Jesus, also around a charcoal fire (John 20:19-21:17). In John’s view, the reality of the resurrection abides in the experience of Christ’s followers, from that first-day encounter continuing within the lived experiences of later generations.

The story of post-resurrection consciousness continues in The Acts of the Apostles. Here Luke picks up where he left off in his Gospel. The commission to tarry until they are filled with the Holy Spirit comes true in the Pentecost experience; there, the Spirit is poured out without measure, and boundaries of language, race, and culture are transcended by the unity-producing work of the Spirit (Acts 1-2). An avid persecutor of the Jesus movement is radically transformed by his encounter with the risen Christ on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9). Saul (now Paul) then becomes an ardent promoter of the gospel message that in the death and resurrection of Jesus as the Christ, God is reconciling the world to Godself (2 Cor 5:19). As a result, the sins of humanity are no longer counted against them, and boundaries between Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, men and women no longer hold. As children of God, the genuine unity of humanity can now be celebrated because of what God has done in Christ Jesus.

In Paul’s defense of the resurrection against its doubters in 1 Corinthians 15, though, he cites an interesting detail not reported elsewhere. Whereas Luke and John report that the risen Christ had appeared to many, Paul cites his appearance to his brother, James, as significant. Interestingly John 7:5 reports that the brothers of Jesus did not yet believe in him. And yet, Acts 15 shows James the brother of Jesus as acting as head of the movement, offering needed leadership at a momentous turning point. That being the case, what could have turned the thinking of James from not believing in his brother as the Messiah/Christ to becoming the leader of the movement? In Paul’s view, it was an encounter with the resurrected Lord, making all things new. Paul then goes on to share that the power of resurrection extends also to believers. The same power that enlivened the crucified Jesus avails hope for eternity, release from the past, and empowerment in the present.

In reflecting upon the post-resurrection experiences of his followers, the good news of the Jesus movement differs radically from other religious claims. In nearly all religions, the goal is to imitate the practice and experience of the founder, but such is not the heart of the gospel; the “good news” of the Jesus movement invites humanity to experience the presence of the founder. In that sense, the central trust of Christianity is not to further a religion—the erection of practices designed to produce a spiritual experience; it is to invite an openness to revelation—responsiveness the Divine Presence, from which all authentic spiritual experiences and practices flow.

That being the case, the finest celebration of Easter occurs on the remaining 364 days of the year, wherein the reality of Easter Sunday continues as an ongoing celebration of that time-changing event reported by the first followers of Jesus long ago. One need not have a reasoned account for how the resurrection occurred, nor can it be had; the good news is that God has acted in human history, making all things new—both then and now. In that sense, we are not alone in the battles and challenges we face. In mundane arenas we might lose, despite our best efforts; at times worthy causes and movements seem to founder. But the power of the resurrection reminds us that finally, battles and outcomes are not up to us; God has acted in human history, and the power of the resurrection is good news to all. As George Fox put it over three centuries ago, “The Power of the Lord is over all!”

So, happy Easter! That’s good news; there is hope; and, that hope abides not just on calendar celebrations of the resurrection, but on every day in between, as well.