What historical evidence supports the resurrection mentioned in Romans 4:24? Text and Immediate Context of Romans 4:24 “but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” Romans 4 rests its doctrine of justification on an objective, historical resurrection. Paul’s argument has no force unless Christ truly rose. The following evidences, ancient and modern, converge to confirm that event. Early, Multiple, and Eyewitness Testimony • 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 is a creed scholars date to A.D. 32-34—within months of the event. It lists named witnesses, most still alive when circulated. • The Gospels arose within living memory (Mark before A.D. 70; Luke by early 60s). Luke notes he interviewed “eyewitnesses” (Luke 1:2). • Extra-biblical attestation: Josephus, Antiquities 18.3.3 (c. A.D. 93); Tacitus, Annals 15.44 (c. A.D. 115); Pliny the Younger, Letter 10.96 (c. A.D. 112) acknowledge Jesus’ execution and the early worship of Him as risen. The Empty Tomb • All four Gospels record it (Mark 16:1-8; Matthew 28:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10). • The report originated in Jerusalem, where a corpse could easily have refuted it. • Jewish polemic (“His disciples stole the body,” Matthew 28:13-15) concedes the tomb’s vacancy. • Archaeology verifies rock-hewn tombs and the rolling-stone design consistent with the narratives (cf. Talpiot Tomb styles, 1st c. ossuaries). • The Nazareth Inscription (1st c. edict against grave robbery) shows Rome addressing tomb violations in a Jewish context soon after the Christian proclamation. Post-Resurrection Appearances • Multiple settings: garden, road, upper room, shore, hill country. • Varied group sizes: individuals (Mary, Peter), small groups (Emmaus pair), large gatherings (“more than five hundred brothers at once,” 1 Corinthians 15:6). • Physicality: eating fish (Luke 24:42-43), offering touch (John 20:27). • Duration: forty days of instruction (Acts 1:3). Transformation of the Witnesses • Pre-Easter fear (John 20:19) flips to bold proclamation (Acts 4:13). • James, skeptic brother of Jesus, becomes a pillar after an appearance (1 Corinthians 15:7; Josephus, Ant. 20.9.1). • Saul of Tarsus, sworn enemy, converts after encountering the risen Christ (Acts 9). His own letters, undisputed by critics (Galatians, 1 Corinthians, Philippians), testify to this dramatic reversal. Rapid, Costly Proclamation in Jerusalem • Message preached “in this city” (Acts 5:28) mere weeks after Passover. • Apostles accepted imprisonment, flogging, and ultimately martyrdom; no evidence any recanted. Tertullian, Apologeticus 50, lists executions; Clement of Rome (1 Clem 5) mentions Peter and Paul’s deaths for their testimony. Early Creeds and Hymns Philippians 2:6-11; 1 Timothy 3:16; Romans 1:3-4 encapsulate resurrection faith in pre-Pauline formulas, revealing that belief predates all New Testament writing. Enemy and Neutral Confirmation • Sanhedrin records in the Babylonian Talmud (b. Sanh. 43a) reference Jesus’ execution on Passover Eve. • Toledot Yeshu, though polemical, repeats the empty-tomb motif, implying a missing body needed explanation. Archaeological and Geological Corroboration • Seismological research (Williams, Schwab, Brauer, “Dead Sea Fault” in International Geology Review 2012) identifies a Jerusalem-area earthquake in A.D. 33, matching Matthew 27:51-54. • Ossuaries of Caiaphas (1990 discovery) and Pilate’s stone inscription (1961, Caesarea) anchor Gospel figures in the historical record, lending credibility to their reported actions concerning Jesus. Inadequacy of Alternative Theories • Swoon: Roman scourging, spear thrust (John 19:34) and centurion confirmation (Mark 15:44-45) exclude survival. • Hallucination: Group appearances, extended dialogues, and empty tomb defy purely psychological explanations. • Myth: Time gap too brief; resurrection proclaimed while eyewitnesses could dispute. • Stolen body: Guards (Matthew 27:62-66) and costly martyrdoms make conspiracy implausible. Philosophical and Behavioral Coherence Human longing for meaning, the universality of moral law (Romans 2:14-15), and the witness of conscience converge with historical evidence, providing an integrated explanation: God acted in history to raise Jesus, validating His claims and satisfying humanity’s deepest needs. Miraculous Continuity to the Present Documented healings and conversions in Christ’s name—from Craig Keener’s two-volume Miracles database to modern medical verifications—demonstrate the risen Lord’s ongoing activity, echoing Hebrews 13:8. Theological Implication Romans 4:24 anchors justification in the factual resurrection. As history validates the event, faith rests on solid ground: “He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Salvation is therefore both historically rooted and eternally secure for those who believe. |
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