Jesus & resurrection
Read the New Testament claims about Jesus, His death, and His resurrection.
Christian faith centers on Jesus Christ: fully divine and fully human, crucified and risen. Christians honor His teaching, but their claim extends beyond calling Him a moral example. They believe that God reconciles sinners to Himself through Jesus.
John 1:1–18 identifies the Word with God and describes the Word becoming flesh. Mark 2:1–12 presents Jesus forgiving sins and records the objection that God alone can do so. In John 20:24–29, Thomas addresses the risen Jesus as his Lord and his God. Readers should examine these passages in their literary contexts rather than depend on isolated slogans.
The Gospels describe Jesus experiencing hunger, grief, and suffering. Hebrews 2:14–18 connects His shared humanity with His work on behalf of human beings. Christian teaching about His deity must retain this humanity. Calling Him divine does not make His suffering an illusion.
In 1 Corinthians 15:1–8, Paul summarizes the message he received concerning Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and appearances. Later in the chapter, he says that Christian faith would be futile if Christ had not been raised. The resurrection is therefore a claim about an event, as well as the foundation of Christian hope.
A historical discussion must examine testimony and competing explanations. This short introduction does not settle questions about the dating of sources, the reliability of witnesses, or the possibility of miracles. Those questions deserve focused arguments.
A reader may accept that the New Testament describes Jesus this way while disputing the truth of its account. That distinction matters. Showing what Christians believe is the start of apologetics; defending why someone should believe it requires further inquiry into evidence and worldview.
Read Mark from beginning to end. Note what Jesus says, what He does, and how others respond. Then read 1 Corinthians 15. Ask which claim you need to investigate before you could trust Him.
Mark 2:1–12; John 1:1–18; John 20:24–31; Hebrews 2:14–18; 1 Corinthians 15. Read 1 Corinthians 15 (KJV).