Easter as a liturgical season celebrates the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Resurrection is the rising again from death to life. In Christian theology, it refers most especially to the return of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day after His Crucifixion, never to die again, but to live forever in a glorified state. Even though some cultures have talked about transmigration and regeneration of souls, the idea of personal resurrection is therefore typically Christian and was first realized in its fullest sense in Jesus Christ.
Often times, many have different notions about resurrection, but the Church speaks of the resurrection of the body basing her stance on the scripture.
What does the Scripture say about the Resurrection?
The scripture teaches the literal resurrection of the body as is evident from many passages of the scripture. Resurrection means to rise again (the calling up of that which was buried or restoration to life of that which was dead). Man is made up of body and soul, the soul being immortal does not die. When the scripture uses the term resurrection, it is in reference to that which can, and does die – the body. It is therefore only a dead body that can resurrect.
Some Scriptural Passages that talk of the Resurrection of the Body.
The Bible says that those in the dust of the earth; those that are in the graves will rise again (cf. Dan 12:2, Is 26:19-21; Jn 5:28-29; Ezk 37:12; Rev 20:12; Acts 24: 15). But it is only the body that can be in the grave and therefore it is only the body that its resurrection is being referred to.
The Import of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
We now come to a major part of this month’s catechesis which is to explore the importance of the resurrection to Christianity.
- The Transformation of the Disciples and the Spread of the Gospel Message
The greatest evidence of the Resurrection in Scripture is to be seen in the transformed lives of Jesus’ disciples. It was the factor that transformed the despairing disciples and changed their outlook from discouragement to faith. Only the appearance of the risen Christ can satisfactorily explain how within 50 days of his crucifixion, his disciples had been miraculously transformed from a defeated, frustrated, hopeless group of individuals into a confident band of Christian soldiers determined to win the world for Christ. Fear having been conquered; the disciples were motivated to spread the Gospel message to the ends of the earth even at the cost of their lives.
- The Establishment of a New Day for Christian Worship – The Shift from Saturday (Sabbath) to Sunday
One of the transforming effects of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the change of the day of regular Christian worship from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday, the first day of the week.
The Sabbath day was a very holy day and its sanctification as seen in the Mosaic law had been practiced for centuries. Yet immediately after the resurrection, the first Christians, who were Jews however, began to worship on Sunday, instead of on the Jewish traditional day of worship on the Sabbath. They started worshipping on this first day of the week, because according to all of the four Gospel accounts, Christ resurrected on the first day of the week (cf. Matthew 28:1; Mark 16: 2; Luke 24: 1; John 20:1). They saw in this resurrection the beginning of something new, something unprecedented and thus designated it as their day of worship. This tradition has been upheld even to the present day.
- Resurrection as the Central Message of the Christian Message
The resurrection of Jesus is at the core of the Christian message and the pivotal point of Christian theology. It is the central claim of Christianity. It is indeed the origin of Christianity and key to its proper interpretation. By rising from death not in the mind of his disciples but concretely in time and space, Christ made Christianity a religion that is factual and based on history.
Indeed, Christianity stands or falls on the validity and the historical reality of the resurrection. Without the resurrection, Christianity could never have come into being. St. Paul writes: If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain… If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished (1 Cor 15:14-18).
Put simply, belief in Jesus’ resurrection is the foundation and origin of the Chrisitan faith. Without Jesus’ resurrection, there would have been no Church, no New Testament, and no Christian faith.
Conclusion
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in world history. It is a divine act. The resurrection demonstrates the power and Being of God. God has power not only to call into being what was not, but also the power to restore the dead to life. The Christian message of eternal life rests on the reality of Jesus’ victory over death. It demonstrates that death does not have the final word, that death is not the end of the human project, and that death will be defeated. Without the resurrection of Christ, the Christian message is reduced to one of the possible ways of living. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then the crucifixion would have remained a sad end to the mission of Jesus, and Jesus himself would have been a complete failure.
Articulated by Rev. Fr. Cyprian K. Nwabueze
Sources:
Coakley, S. “Is the Resurrection a ‘Historical’ Event? Some Muddles and Mysteries,” in The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, P. Avis (Ed). London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1993.
Igbo, Philip M. Resurrection in the Old and New Testament. Enugu: Clacom, Claretian Publications, 2013.
