(from Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Baker, 1999)

The bodily resurrection of Christ is the crowning proof that Jesus was who he claimed to be, God manifested in human flesh. Indeed, the resurrection of Christ in flesh is of such importance to the Christian faith that the New Testament insists that no one can be saved without it (Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor. 15:1-7).

Some have opted for a spiritual or immaterial resurrection body, but the New Testament is emphatic that Jesus rose in the same physical body of flesh and bones in which he died. The evidence for this consists in the New Testament testimony of numerous appearances of Christ to his disciples for a period of forty days, in the same physical, nail-scarred body in which he died, now immortal.

Of course, the evidence for the resurrection of Christ depends on the fact of his death. For arguments that Jesus actually died physically on the cross, see other articles in Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics: CHRIST, DEATH OF; SWOON THEORY. It remains here only to show that the same body that permanently vacated his tomb was seen alive after that time. The evidence for this is found in his twelve appearances, the first eleven of which cover the immediate forty days after his crucifixion.

To Mary Magdalene (John 20:10-18). It is an unmistakable sign of the authenticity of the record that, in a male dominated culture, Jesus first appeared to a woman. In the first-century Jewish culture, a writer inventing a resurrection account would never have taken this approach. A woman’s testimony was not even accepted in court. Anyone faking the record would have Jesus appear first to one or more of his twelve disciples, probably a prominent one such as Peter. Instead, Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearance was to Mary Magdalene. During this appearance there were unmistakable proofs of the visibility, materiality, and identity of the resurrection body.

She saw Christ with her natural eyes. The text says, "she turned around and saw Jesus standing there" (vs. 14). The word "saw" (theoreo) is a normal word for seeing with the naked eye. It is used elsewhere in the New Testament for seeing human beings in their physical bodies (Mark 3:11; 5:15; Acts 3:16) and even for seeing Jesus in his pre-resurrection body (Matt. 27:55; John 6:19).

Mary heard Jesus. "Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" (vs. 15). Then again, she heard Jesus say "Mary" and she recognized his voice (vs. 16). Of course, hearing alone is not a sufficient evidence of materiality. God is immaterial, and yet his voice was heard in John 12:28. Nevertheless, physical hearing connected with physical seeing is significant supportive evidence of the material nature of what was seen and heard. Mary’s familiarity with Jesus’ voice is evidence of the identity of the resurrected Christ.

Mary touched Christ’s resurrection body. Jesus replied, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father" (vs. 17). The word "hold" (aptomai) is a normal word for physical touching of a material body. It too is used of physical touching of other human bodies (Matt. 8:3; 9:29) and of Christ’s pre-resurrection body (Mark 6:56; Luke 6:19). The context indicates that Mary was grasping on to him so as not to lose him again. In a parallel experience the women "clasped his feet" (Matt. 28:9).

Mary "went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance." So she ran to Peter and announced that the body was gone (vs. 2).

The parallel account in Matthew informs us that the angels said to her, "Come and see the place where he lay" (Matt. 28:6). Both texts imply that she saw that the tomb was empty. Later, Peter and John also went into the tomb. John "bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there" and Peter "went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head" (vss. 5-7). But seeing the same physical body that once laid there is proof of the numerical identity of the pre- and post-resurrection body.

In this one account Jesus was seen, heard, and touched. In addition, Mary witnessed both the empty tomb and Jesus’ grave clothes. All the evidence for an unmistakable identity of the same visible, physical body that was raised immortal are present in this first appearance.

To the Women (Matt. 28:1-10). Jesus not only appeared to Mary Magdalene but also to the other women with her (Matt. 28:1-10), including Mary the mother of James and Salome (Mark 16:1). During this appearance there were four evidences presented that Jesus rose in the same tangible, physical body in which he was crucified.

First, the women saw Jesus. They were told by the angel at the empty tomb, "He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him." And as they hurried away from the tomb, "suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said" (vs. 9). So they received visual confirmation of his physical resurrection.

Second, the women clasped his feet and worshiped him. That is, they not only saw his physical body but they felt it as well. Since spiritual entities cannot be sensed with any of the five senses, the fact that the women actually handled Jesus’ physical body is a convincing proof of the tangible, physical nature of the resurrection body.

Third, the women also heard Jesus speak. After giving greetings (vs. 9), Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me" (vs. 10). Thus the women saw, touched, and heard Jesus with their physical senses, a three-fold confirmation of the physical nature of his body.

Fourth, the women saw the empty tomb where that body had lain. The angel said to them at the tomb, "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay" (vs. 6). The "he" who had been dead is now alive, demonstrated by the fact that the same body that once lay there is now alive forevermore. So in both the case of Mary Magdalene and the other women, all four evidences of the visible, physical resurrection of the numerically identical body were present. They saw the empty tomb where his physical body once lay and they saw, heard and touched that same body after it came out of the tomb.

To Peter (1 Cor. 15:5; cf. John 20:3-9). First Corinthians 15:5 declares that Jesus "was seen of Cephas (Peter)." There is no narration of this event, but the text says he was seen (Gk. ophthe) and implies that he was heard as well. Certainly Peter was not speechless. Jesus definitely spoke with Peter in a later appearance when he asked Peter to feed his sheep (John 21:15, 16, 17). Mark confirms that Peter (and the disciples) would "see him, just as he told you" (Mark 16:7). Peter, of course saw the empty tomb and the grave clothes just before this appearance (John 20:6-7). So Peter experienced at least three evidences of the physical resurrection; he saw and heard Jesus, and he observed the empty tomb and grave clothes. These are definite pieces of evidence that the body that rose is the same, visible, tangible, material body he had before the resurrection.

On the Emmaus Road (Mark 16:12; Luke 24:13-35). During this appearance three evidences of the physical resurrection were presented. They not only saw and heard Jesus but they also ate with Jesus. Combined they provide clear proof of the tangible, physical nature of the resurrection body.

There were two disciples, one of which was named Cleopas (vs. 18). As they were walking toward Emmaus, "Jesus himself came up and walked along with them" (vs. 16). At first they did not recognize who he was; they nevertheless clearly saw him. When they finally realized who it was, the text says "he disappeared out of their sight" (vs. 31). Jesus’ resurrection body was as visible as any other material object.

They heard Jesus with their physical ears (vss. 17,19, 25-26). In fact, Jesus carried on a lengthy conversation with them. For "beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself" (vs. 27). Of course, they were not the only ones Jesus taught after the resurrection. Luke informs us elsewhere that "he appeared to them [the apostles] over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). During these times he "gave many convincing proofs that he was alive" (vs. 3).

They ate with him. Luke says, "when he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them" (vs. 30).

Although the text does not say specifically that Jesus also ate, it is implied by being "at table with them." And later in the chapter it is explicitly stated that he ate with the ten apostles (vs. 43). In two other places Luke states that Jesus did eat with the disciples (Acts 1:4; 10:41). So on this appearance of Christ the eyewitnesses saw him, heard him, and ate with him over a considerable period of time one evening. It is difficult to image how Jesus could have done anything more to demonstrate the physical nature of the resurrection body.

To the Ten (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-23). When Jesus appeared to ten disciples, Thomas being absent, he was seen, heard, touched, and they saw him eat fish. Thus four major evidences of the visible, physical nature of the resurrection body were present on this occasion.

"While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you."’ In fact, Jesus carried on a conversation with them also about how "everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms" (vs. 44). So Jesus was obviously heard by the disciples.

The disciples also saw Jesus on this occasion. In fact, they thought at first that he was a "spirit" (vs. 37). But Jesus "showed them his hands and his feet." So they clearly saw him as well as heard him. In the parallel account, John records that "the disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord" (John 20:20; cf. vs. 25).

It may be inferred from the fact that they were at first unconvinced of his tangible materiality when Jesus presented his wounds to them that they touched him as well. In fact, Jesus clearly said to them, "Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have" (vs. 39). Jesus’ use of "I" and "me" in connection with his physical resurrection body expresses his claim that he is numerically identical with his pre-resurrection body. Jesus also "showed them his hands and feet," confirming to his disciples that his resurrection body was the very same nail-scarred body of flesh and bones that was crucified.

On this occasion Jesus ate physical food to convince the disciples that he was resurrected in a literal, physical body. "They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence" (vs. 43). What makes this passage such a powerful proof is that Jesus offered his ability to eat physical food as a proof of the material nature of his body of flesh and bones. Jesus literally exhausted the ways in which he could prove the corporeal, material nature of his resurrection body. Thus, if Jesus’ resurrection body was not the same material body of flesh and bones in which he died, he was being deceptive.

To the Eleven (John 20:24-31). Thomas was not present when Jesus appeared to his disciples (John 20:24). Even after his fellow apostles reported who they had seen, Jesus, Thomas refused to believe unless he could see and touch Christ for himself. A week later his wish was granted: "A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!"’ (John 20:26). When Jesus appeared to Thomas he saw, heard, and touched the resurrected Lord.

Thomas saw the Lord. Jesus was clearly visible to Thomas who later said to him, "you have seen me" (vs. 29).

Thomas also heard the Lord say, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe" (vs. 27). To this unquestionably convincing display of physical evidence Thomas replied, "My Lord and my God!" (vs. 28).

It can be inferred that Thomas also touched the Lord. Certainly this is what Thomas said he wanted to do (vs. 25). And Jesus told him to (vs. 27). Although the text only says Thomas saw and believed (vs. 29), it is natural to infer that he also touched Jesus. Jesus was touched on at least two other occasions (John 20:9, 17). So it may very well be that Thomas also touched him on this occasion also. At any rate, Thomas certainly encountered a visible, physical resurrection body with his natural senses. Whether Thomas touched Christ, he certainly saw his crucifixion wounds (John 20:27-29). The fact that Jesus still had these physical wounds from his crucifixion is an unmistakable proof that he was resurrected in the material body in which he was crucified. This was the second time that Jesus exhibited his wounds. It is difficult to imagine that he could have offered greater proof that the resurrection body is the same body of flesh that was crucified and now glorified.