Last month we looked at eyewitness reports that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. Christians still believe that Jesus is alive today—that he is God. However, others have tried to explain away the resurrection with their own theories. Let’s take a closer look at these possibilities.

Doubting Thomas and the evidence for Christ’s return

Can the story of Christ’s resurrection stand up to scrutiny? Read More » 

 One theory says that Jesus didn’t actually die on the cross; instead, he fainted from the pain and was mistakenly presumed dead. Later, when he regained consciousness, people believed it was a miracle. This explanation might sound plausible at first, but does it really hold up under scrutiny?

The Romans were experts in the brutal art of crucifixion. Soldiers would typically break the legs of the condemned, leaving him unable to push his body up and breathe, and he would die of asphyxiation. 

After hours on the cross, the guards examined Jesus and confirmed he was dead before preparing him for burial. 

But suppose, for argument’s sake, that Jesus hadn’t actually died and merely fainted. His body would have been wrapped in over 100 pounds of cloth and spices—a common burial practice at the time—and left in a sealed tomb for three days. If he had somehow survived all of that, the idea that he could revive, unwrap himself and move the two-ton stone covering the tomb beggars belief. 

Another theory is that Jesus’ followers imagined it all. They were so desperate to believe he was still alive that they hallucinated the appearances. 

While this may seem possible, it doesn’t account for some key details. Mass hallucinations that occur in multiple places and over an extended period of time are virtually unheard of. Additionally, in several instances, the disciples didn’t recognize Jesus at first. If they were imagining his return, they would likely have recognized him immediately. And, of course, this theory doesn’t explain the empty tomb.

One more theory suggests that the disciples stole Jesus’ body and then falsely claimed he had risen. But this too seems highly unlikely. 

Jesus’ disciples had scattered in fear after his arrest, terrified they might be the next to face execution. They weren’t exactly the kind of group that was gung-ho to take on such heroics. Additionally, the tomb was guarded by Roman soldiers. The idea that the disciples could have snuck past them and pulled off a body heist seems far-fetched.

Perhaps most telling is the fate of the disciples themselves. Almost all of them—including Doubting Thomas—ended up giving their lives for proclaiming that Jesus was alive and that he was God. It’s one thing for people to die for something they truly believe in, but it’s quite another for them to sacrifice their lives for something they know to be false. When the executioner was about to end their lives, I doubt they’d say, “Uh, hold on a minute. I didn’t really mean it. I didn’t really see Jesus. Let’s just forget all this!” 

The bottom line is this: if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, if his body remained in the grave, then he was not the living God Christians believe him to be. He might have been a remarkable man, a wise teacher and a leader, but he would not have been God incarnate. 

However, if Jesus did rise from the dead, if he is alive today, then all bets are off. 

Doubting Thomas did us all a favor by showing that it’s normal—perhaps even wise—to doubt. After all, nobody wants to fall for a hoax. But when Thomas encountered the undeniable evidence, his doubts were settled and he committed his life to Jesus Christ.

“‘My Lord and my God!’ Thomas exclaimed.

Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me’ ” (John 20:28-29, NLT).