What historical evidence supports the events described in Matthew 28:7? Full Text of Matthew 28:7 “Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you.” Scope of the Historical Question The verse claims (1) the resurrection of Jesus, (2) angelic instruction to female witnesses, (3) the empty tomb, and (4) forthcoming appearances in Galilee. The supporting data fall into four broad strands: manuscript evidence, archaeological‐historical corroboration, early literary testimony (Christian and non-Christian), and behavioral/psychological evidence from eyewitnesses. Archaeological-Historical Corroboration • First-century rolling-stone tombs cut into limestone hillsides—identical to the description implied in Matthew 27:60—have been excavated around Jerusalem (e.g., the Talpiot family tomb, the Sanhedrin tombs, and the tombs in the Dominus Flevit necropolis). These validate the burial setting required for an “empty tomb” event. • The Pontius Pilate inscription at Caesarea Maritima (discovered 1961) and the Caiaphas ossuary (discovered 1990) corroborate the historical figures integral to the Passion narrative, confirming the Gospels operate in an authentic first-century Palestinian milieu. • The “Nazareth Inscription” (a 1st-century imperial edict forbidding tomb violation, now in the Paris Louvre) illustrates Rome’s concern over grave-robbery in the very decades following Jesus’ death and claims of resurrection, consistent with Matthew 28:13–15’s report of a bribed guard story. • Galilean archaeology—fishing boat remains at Ginosar (first century), synagogue foundations at Magdala and Capernaum—substantiates an active Jewish population in which post-resurrection appearances in Galilee make geographical sense. Multiple Independent Early Literary Witnesses 1. Synoptic Parallel: Mark 16:7—“But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee’ …” (earliest Gospel source, c. AD 60s). Independent redaction yet identical core. 2. Lukan Tradition: Luke 24:6–12 confirms an angelic proclamation and empty tomb, though Luke emphasizes appearances in Jerusalem; the tension points to multiple streams of tradition, not collusion. 3. Johannine Tradition: John 20–21 records both Jerusalem and Galilee appearances, harmonizing the two locales and reinforcing the reality of subsequent meetings. 4. Early Creed: 1 Corinthians 15:3–7 (dated within 3–5 years post-crucifixion) lists resurrection appearances, including to “Cephas, then the Twelve … then to more than five hundred brothers at once,” many still alive when Paul wrote (c. AD 55), inviting investigation. 5. Acts 2–5: Public proclamation of resurrection in the same city where Jesus was buried; hostile authorities could have produced a body but didn’t, supporting the empty tomb claim behind Matthew 28:7. 6. Non-Christian Notices: • Tacitus, Annals 15.44 (c. AD 115) affirms Jesus’ execution under Pilate and the rapid spread of the resurrection movement. • Josephus, Antiquities 18.3.3 (neutral Greek historian, c. AD 93) notes Jesus’ crucifixion and subsequent following; the shorter, undisputed wording confirms historicity of Jesus’ death and growing belief in resurrection. • Pliny the Younger, Ephesians 10.96–97 (c. AD 112), reports early believers meeting “on a fixed day,” singing hymns “to Christ as to a god,” behavior rooted in resurrection conviction. Empty Tomb Criteria • Jerusalem Location: Public burial site; impossible for myth to flourish if body remained. • Women Witnesses: In 1st-century Judaism female testimony was lightly regarded; fabricating women as primary witnesses damages credibility, evidencing authenticity. • Enemy Testimony: Matthew 28:11–15 shows the Jewish leadership implicitly conceding the tomb is empty by asserting theft. Acknowledgment by adversaries serves as hostile corroboration. • Early Proclamation: Resurrection preaching begins “fifty days later” (Acts 2). No time for legend accretion. Galilean Appearances • Converging accounts in Mark 16, Matthew 28, and John 21 place Jesus in Galilee post-Easter. Diversity of settings (seashore breakfast, mountain commissioning) argues for multiple independent memories rather than a single literary invention. • Cultural geography: The directive to leave politically charged Jerusalem for Galilee, Jesus’ ministry headquarters, fits the known pattern of Messianic movements avoiding direct clash with Roman power in the capital after a leader’s death. Alternative Naturalistic Hypotheses Evaluated • Body Theft: Requires disciples willing to die for what they knew was false; fails to explain post-resurrection appearances. • Wrong Tomb: Collapses under weight of Joseph of Arimathea’s well-known tomb and official guard (Matthew 27:57–66). • Legend Development: Time gap too short; resurrection preached in presence of hostile witnesses. • Hallucination: Cannot account for empty tomb or group encounters involving touch and shared meals (Luke 24:39–43). Continuing Miraculous Testimony While modern cases of divine healing or answered prayer do not “prove” the first Easter, they form a cumulative experiential backdrop reflecting an ongoing risen Christ who still “goes before” His people (Hebrews 13:8). Documented medical reversals—e.g., instantaneous cure of spinal tuberculosis at Lourdes (Med. Bureau file #68) or disappearance of metastasized cancer at Reading, Pennsylvania (peer-reviewed case, 1981)—provide contemporary echoes of Matthew 28:7’s supernatural claim. Synthesis and Conclusion All available streams—textual transmission, archaeology, early hostile and friendly literary testimony, behavioral transformation of eyewitnesses, and the logical collapse of competing hypotheses—converge to uphold the historicity of the events embedded in Matthew 28:7. The angel’s declaration, the empty tomb, and the Galilean encounters rest on a bedrock of evidence unparalleled among ancient claims, cohering seamlessly with the broader biblical narrative and inviting every generation to “go quickly and tell” the same life-altering news: “He has risen.” |
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