Muslim: Was Yeshua Resurrected?

Yeshua was hung on the cross, crucified, died, His body placed in the tomb, and He rose from the dead three days later.  

You might be thinking "duh.. everyone knows that!".  But can you really defend this position?  Many do not believe in Yeshua's resurrection.  Can you give a better answer than just "oh - well, I just have faith that He was risen", or "I've just always believed it...", etc..

[Rom 10:8-10]  But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, [9]  that if you confess with your mouth Yeshua as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; [10]  for with the heart a person believes, leading to righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, leading to salvation.

What is the "gospel"?  Gospel is defined by a minimum of three essential facts in the book of Acts and Paul's letters : [1] the Deity of Yeshua; [2] the death of Yeshua by crucifixion in our place; and [3] the resurrection of Yeshua. Other facts are involved, but these three are always present or implied.

Our "hope", the most valuable possession a human can obtain, is qualified by one thing and one thing only:

[1Pe 1:3-5 LSB]  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Yeshua Christ from the dead, [4]  to obtain an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, having been kept in heaven for you, [5]  who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

This is absolutely crucial to Christianity.  All Truth in Christianity hinges on this single resurrection event.

[1Co 15:12-19]  Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? [13]  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. [14]  And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. [15]  Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we bore witness against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. [16]  For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. [17]  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. [18]  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. [19]  If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

If Yeshua did not rise from the dead then Christianity is false and we have no hope.

[1Co 15:32b LSB]  ... If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.

In other words, if Yeshua's resurrection did not occur, we may as well live it up, because this life is all there is.

What each of us need to do is decide whether or not Yeshua spoke the Truth about Himself or was He a liar?  Historically, there's little question as to whether a man named "Jesus" walked the face of this earth and was crucified by Pontius Pilate.  We have several extra-Biblical historical records indicating this happened.  

The question is:  Is Yeshua who He said He was?  He made some lofty claims, and rightfully so those around Him scrutinized His claims:

[Mat 12:38 LSB]  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered and said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” [39]  But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation eagerly seeks for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; [40]  for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Such a historical test of truth is unique to Christianity. If Yeshua did not rise from the dead, He was a false prophet and a charlatan whom no rational person should follow. Conversely, if He did rise from the dead, this event confirmed his radical claim.

Yeshua's resurrection claim is unique from all other religions.  Only One has been risen from the dead.  There is only One way to the Father and that is through the One who made this resurrection claim...

[Joh 14:6 LSB]  Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.

So, unless you have a time machine, and can go back in time to witness this event for yourself, how can we possibly know for certain that Yeshua was raised from the dead?

Is there enough evidence for a rational person to be justified in concluding that Jesus' resurrection was a real historical event?

The answer is YES!

I'm going to compile a series of blog notes on this topic and begin the title of those blogs with "Muslim: ...".  The Islamic faith is the fastest growing religion on earth.  Muslims do not believe in Yeshua's Deity, or His resurrection.  They believe He was nothing more than a man and a prophet sent by Allah.  They do not believe He was the Son of God or resurrected from the dead.  This could be said of many religions.  I chose "Muslim" because I've a new found interest in preparing myself what Scripture tells is coming and it involves the religion of Islam.  

This exercise is not an attempt to disgrace Muslims but an exercise to prepare myself to be ready to give an answer:

[1Pe 3:13-16 LSB]  And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? [14]  But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR FEAR, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, [15]  but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear, [16]  having a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame.