Topical Bible: The Resurrection of Christ was Attested by Apostles

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The resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as a cornerstone of Christian faith, and its authenticity is powerfully attested by the apostles, who were eyewitnesses to the risen Lord. The New Testament provides numerous accounts of these attestations, emphasizing the centrality of the resurrection in apostolic preaching and teaching.

Scriptural Testimonies

The apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, underscores the importance of the resurrection and lists those who witnessed the risen Christ. He writes, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve" (1 Corinthians 15:3-5). Paul further notes that Jesus appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once, most of whom were still alive at the time of his writing, providing a substantial body of witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6).

The Gospels also record multiple appearances of the resurrected Christ to His apostles. In the Gospel of John, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and later to His disciples, showing them His hands and side as proof of His physical resurrection (John 20:19-20). Thomas, one of the Twelve, initially doubted the resurrection until Jesus invited him to touch His wounds, leading Thomas to proclaim, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).

In the Gospel of Luke, the risen Jesus appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, explaining the Scriptures concerning Himself and later revealing Himself to the Eleven, eating in their presence to demonstrate His bodily resurrection (Luke 24:13-43).

Apostolic Preaching

The apostles consistently proclaimed the resurrection as a foundational truth of the Gospel. In the Book of Acts, Peter boldly declares to the crowd at Pentecost, "God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32). The resurrection was not only a testament to Jesus' divine nature but also a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, as Peter explains by referencing the Psalms (Acts 2:25-31).

The apostolic witness to the resurrection was not without cost. The apostles faced persecution and martyrdom, yet they remained steadfast in their testimony. Their willingness to suffer and die for their proclamation underscores their conviction in the truth of the resurrection.

Theological Significance

The resurrection of Christ, as attested by the apostles, is central to Christian theology. It affirms Jesus as the Son of God, victorious over sin and death, and provides the basis for the believer's hope in eternal life. Paul articulates this in Romans, stating, "He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification" (Romans 4:25).

The apostolic witness to the resurrection continues to be a vital element of Christian faith, serving as a testament to the transformative power of the risen Christ and the hope of resurrection for all who believe.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 1:22
Beginning from the baptism of John, to that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
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Acts 2:32
This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
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Acts 3:15
And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
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Acts 4:33
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was on them all.
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Library

Of the History of the Resurrection.
... is not that, as a miracle, the resurrection ought to ... in the Gospels, it is better
attested than some ... is completely certain that the apostles of Christ, and the ...
/.../paley/evidences of christianity/chapter viii of the history.htm

The Resurrection of Christ.
... I will add the observations of Canon Farrar (Life of Christ, vol ... Our belief in the
resurrection, as an historic fact, as absolutely well attested to us ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 19 the resurrection of.htm

Proofs of the Resurrection.
... (5) They attested this fact, not only by ... The resurrection completely transformed
them; inspired them with a new conception of Christ's, kingdom as for all ...
/.../the new testament commentary vol iii john/proofs of the resurrection.htm

The Apostles' Creed.
... The resurrection of the body (flesh); 12 ... traces the Creed, like the Lord's Prayer,
to Christ himself, in ... This fact is attested even by Rufinus, who mentions the ...
/.../ 7 the apostles creed.htm

On the Resurrection of the Flesh
... Chapter XXXVIII.--Christ, by Raising the Dead, Attested in a Practical
Way the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Flesh. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on the resurrection of the flesh/

The Resurrection of the Dead
... The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is one of ... the fact of his death having
been attested beforehand ... when we know for a certainty that Christ died and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the resurrection of the dead.htm

The Grave of the Dead John and the Grave of the Living Jesus
... gather some thoughts as to the Resurrection of Christ, as attested by the ... gone no
farther than to establish the belief in the Resurrection of Christ, as the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the grave of the dead.htm

The Tradition of the Apostles Secured by Other Excellent ...
... the miracles by which God Almighty attested their reports ... But the apostles and disciples
of Christ, to preserve ... a perpetual memorial of his resurrection as the ...
/.../sect vi the tradition of.htm

The First Epistle to the Corinthians
... also respecting the doctrine of the resurrection, 15. ... unity of faith that is in Jesus
Christ; and to ... canonicity of the Epistle is abundantly attested by early ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the first epistle to the.htm

The Mythical Hypothesis of Strauss.
... Admit the resurrection of Christ, and there can be no ... of society and culture,"is
better attested by external ... is an overwhelming evidence of the Christ of the ...
/.../schaff/the person of christ/the mythical hypothesis of strauss.htm