Is It Reasonable to Believe in a Physical Resurrection?
This article has been taken from content of the same information at Whiskey and the Writings. For that video, click here.
An Honest Look at History, Faith, and the Most Unbelievable Claim Ever Made
It sounds wild when you say it out loud: a man was executed, buried—and then, three days later, came back to life. Not as a ghost. Not as a spiritual metaphor. But physically—talking, walking, eating fish, showing up uninvited to dinner parties.
Crazy, right?
That’s how I used to think too. I grew up in a world where resurrection was something you said you believed, but maybe never stopped to really think about. And the more I’ve sat with it—especially around Easter—the more I’ve come to see this story not as a blind leap of faith, but as a claim that invites serious, honest consideration.
So, is it reasonable to believe in a physical resurrection? Not is it proven, not is it scientific—but is it reasonable? Is there enough evidence to warrant further investigation, even for the most skeptical among us?
Let’s take a deep breath, pour a drink, and talk about it.
Starting with the Right Question
Let’s be clear: this post isn’t about proving the resurrection. We’re not trying to offer DNA evidence, surveillance footage, or ancient Ring camera recordings. We’re simply asking:
Is it reasonable to believe that something extraordinary happened on that first Easter Sunday?
Merriam-Webster defines reasonable as "being in accordance with reason, sound judgment, or fair treatment."
That’s what we’re after here. Sound judgment. Fair thinking. A posture of curiosity rather than cynicism.
Because what happened in that Jerusalem tomb—whatever it was—left a dent in history big enough to demand a second look.
A Movement That Shouldn’t Have Started
Historians agree on this: Something happened.
Even the most skeptical scholars—who don’t believe Jesus was God or that miracles are real—acknowledge that:
Jesus was crucified by the Romans under Pontius Pilate.
His followers sincerely believed that he rose from the dead.
A rapid, explosive movement began in the immediate aftermath of his death.
That movement reshaped history like nothing before or since.
No resurrection, no Christianity.
So where did this movement come from?
1. A Brand-New Idea in Human History
Let’s begin with this: there was no prior belief system in the ancient world that included a real, physical resurrection happening within time and history.
Think about that.
This wasn’t a recycled myth. It wasn’t a cultural norm. It was *new*—completely outside of anyone’s theological framework or religious expectations.
Let’s look at a few worldviews from that time:
Greek and Roman Thought: In the Greco-Roman world, influenced heavily by Plato, the goal was to escape the physical body, not return to it. The physical world was seen as corrupt, temporary, and lower than the ideal realm of the soul. Resurrection wasn’t just unlikely—it was undesirable. Even in Homer’s writings, the dead were shadowy figures drifting in the underworld, unable to return. Achilles himself, the great warrior of the *Iliad*, says he’d rather be a poor servant on earth than a ruler among the dead.
Pagan Myths: Some point to myths like Osiris or Adonis as “resurrection” stories. But on closer inspection, these tales are vague, metaphorical, and often rooted in seasonal cycles or symbolic representations. Osiris, for example, was never seen walking among people after his “resurrection"—he was patched together into the god of the underworld, not restored to life on earth. Most importantly, none of these stories were new ideas being proclaimed by real people in real time, as eyewitness reports.
Jewish Belief: Now, ancient Judaism *did* have a belief in resurrection—but it was always about the end of time. A final day of judgment. A mass resurrection of all the dead. Never had anyone suggested that one man would rise from the dead in the *middle* of history, before that final day.
So when Jesus’ followers start claiming that he rose—*bodily, physically, in real time*—they’re not drawing from existing categories. They’re creating a brand-new one.
That’s not the kind of story you make up if you want people to believe you.
Unless… you’re just telling the truth.
2. Eyewitnesses Who Died for the Claim
Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that the disciples made it all up. Let’s say they conspired together: “Hey, let’s pretend Jesus rose from the dead. It’ll be great.”
But then something unexpected happens. The authorities start arresting them. Beating them. Killing them. And not one of them recants.
History tells us that nearly all of Jesus’ original followers died brutal deaths—beheaded, crucified, burned, stoned, or stabbed—for proclaiming that they saw Jesus alive again.
And here’s the thing: people die all the time for beliefs they think are true. But people don’t die for something they know is a lie.
If the disciples made it up, they would have known it was a lie. And when the sword or the fire or the cross came, *someone* would have cracked. *Someone* would have said, “Okay, okay—it’s fake!”
But they didn’t. Not one.
And that matters.
3. Women as the First Witnesses
All four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—tell us that women were the first to witness the empty tomb and the risen Jesus.
That might not strike us as a big deal today, but in the first century, it was scandalous. Women’s testimonies weren’t even admissible in court. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that a woman’s word was not to be trusted in legal matters. Plato, Aristotle, and other ancient thinkers often spoke of women as inferior, emotional, and unreliable.
So if you were inventing a story meant to convince others that Jesus rose from the dead, the *last* thing you'd do is make women your key witnesses.
And yet—they’re in the story. Front and center.
Why?
Because that’s what happened. Even if it hurt their case. Even if it embarrassed them. The Gospel writers included it. Because they weren’t trying to write propaganda. They were trying to tell the truth.
So… What Do We Do with All This?
Let’s recap:
The idea of a *physical resurrection in real time* had no precedent in human history.
The people who claimed it happened were willing to *die* for that claim.
The story includes details (like women being first on the scene) that make no strategic sense—unless they were just reporting the facts.
You can dismiss the resurrection if you want to. Many do.
But don’t dismiss it lightly.
Because the kind of evidence we do have—eyewitness testimony, cultural context, historical ripple effects—is exactly what you'd expect to find in the first century if a resurrection really happened.
We modern folks want the kind of proof we can hold in our hands. A time-stamped photo. A forensic report. But that’s not what the first century offered.
So the better question might be:
What kind of evidence would you expect to find if a resurrection actually happened in ancient history?
When you ask that question, the pieces start to fall into place.
A Final Thought: Faith Isn’t Blind
Faith often gets a bad rap—like it’s belief without reason. But biblical faith has always been more like trust grounded in good evidence. Not certainty. Not airtight logic. But enough light to see the next step forward.
So if you’re a skeptic, a seeker, or just a little curious, here’s my challenge to you this Easter:
Read the resurrection accounts at the end of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Ask honest questions. Be open to being surprised.
You don’t have to check your brain at the door to believe something extraordinary might have happened.
You just need to be willing to look again.
Thanks for reading. If this stirred something in you, I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment, send a message, or just share it with someone else who’s wrestling with big questions.
