Seven Proofs of Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Bible provides many proofs of Jesus’ bodily resurrection. Here are seven of them.

1. Jesus’ Tomb was empty – This is the most significant proof of resurrection. The Roman soldiers, the Jewish religious leaders could not provide any reasonable explanation of missing body of Jesus.
   

   John 20:1 – “Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.”

2. Did the grave robbers steal Jesus’ body? – The strips of linen and the clothe around Jesus’ head was still lying in its place. If the grave robbers ransacked the tomb in search of expensive spices and aloe, they would have stolen the strips too. Why would they take Jesus’ body but not the linens. The hollow, mummified strips of linen (like cocoon) provide a reasonable evidence of resurrection of Jesus.
   

   John 20: 6 – “Peter saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.”

3. Was Jesus just a spirit or ghost? – If Jesus was just resurrected in spirit (like a ghost), he would not have offered to show/check his hands and side.
   

   John 20: 20 – After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

4. Jesus also asked the doubting Thomas to touch and put finger in his side and hands to show his wounds. This also provides a proof of his bodily resurrection.
   

   John 20:27 – Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

5. Jesus breathed on his disciples. Only a living person with physical body can breathe on someone else.
   

   John 20:22 – And when Jesus had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

6. Jesus ate with his disciples.
   

   Luke 24:42 – Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.John 20:22 – And when Jesus had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

7. Weren’t there only few disciples who saw Jesus alive after his death? Could they have beeb hallucinated? – Jesus was with the disciples for 40 days. He revealed himself to many. There was even one account when 500 people saw him at the same time. They could not all have been hallucinated!

1 Corinthian 15:6 – After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.