On August 3, 2025, Dean Meadows, Campus Minister at Blacksburg Church of Christ in Virginia, delivered a compelling bible class on the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As part of a seminar on the existence of God, Dean emphasized the significance of the resurrection as a historical fact, supported by multiple lines of evidence. He highlighted the importance of approaching conversations about faith with humility and understanding, drawing from Acts 17 and Paul’s engagement with the Epicureans and Stoics.
The class focused on four key points: the burial of Jesus, the interaction between the Jews and Roman guards, the role of eyewitnesses, and the transformation of the disciples. Dean addressed common objections, such as the stolen body, hallucination, wrong tomb, and swoon theories, systematically dismantling them with historical and logical arguments. He underscored the early Christian creed in 1 Corinthians 15, dated within 10-15 years of Jesus’ death, as a cornerstone of evidence, emphasizing its proximity to the events and the reliability of eyewitness accounts. The class concluded with a call to boldly share the gospel, inspired by the courage of early witnesses, particularly the women who first discovered the empty tomb.
Talking Points
- Historical Significance of the Resurrection: The resurrection validates God’s existence, Christianity’s truth, and the reality of an afterlife, as it is a divine miracle requiring divine intervention.
- Burial Evidence: The tomb’s location was known to Jews, Romans, and disciples, making it implausible for the resurrection to be preached if the tomb was not empty.
- Roman Guards and Jewish Response: The account in Matthew 28:11-15 shows the Jews did not deny the empty tomb but fabricated a story that the disciples stole the body, an explanation that lacks credibility.
- Role of Women as Eyewitnesses: In first-century culture, women’s testimony was undervalued, yet their role as the first witnesses to the empty tomb adds authenticity, as it would be an embarrassing detail to invent.
- Early Creed in 1 Corinthians 15: Dated 10-15 years after Jesus’ death, this creed lists appearances to Peter, James, Paul, and over 500 others, many still alive, providing early and verifiable testimony.
- Disciples’ Transformation: The shift from fearful, scattered disciples to bold gospel preachers, despite facing persecution and death, supports the reality of their encounters with the risen Jesus.
- Refuting Objections:
- Stolen Body: Unlikely due to Roman guards, the disciples’ fear, and the lack of motive, as they faced persecution, not gain.
- Hallucination: Group hallucinations are not scientifically supported, and Jesus’ appearances over 40 days involved physical interactions, not fleeting visions.
- Wrong Tomb: Implausible, as multiple groups knew the tomb’s location, and opponents could have easily disproved the resurrection by producing the body.
- Swoon Theory: Medically and historically untenable, given Roman expertise in crucifixion and the physical impossibility of Jesus surviving and escaping.
- Call to Action: The courage of the women and disciples to proclaim the resurrection challenges believers to share their faith boldly, as exemplified by the church’s welcoming mission statement.