The Glory of His Resurrection

The Victory of Christ · AD 30

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Colossians 2:15

Though at the cross it appeared that Satan had defeated the Lord, it was Christ who secured the victory. He went to war with the puppet master himself, passed through the gates of death, and conquered the one who held the power of death. At daybreak on Sunday, April 9, AD 30, He walked out of His own grave — and in this unit we follow the witnesses to His death, His empty tomb, and His risen appearances.

Read: Matthew 28:1–15; Luke 24:1–49; John 20:1–29

Confirmed Dead and Buried

Christ's victory came through a real death, witnessed by many. Godly women — Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary — watched Him die from a distance, and they saw Him hanging lifeless, not fainted, on the cursed tree. The Roman soldiers, sent to break the legs of the crucified, found Him already dead and did not break His bones; instead one pierced His side with a spear, and out flowed blood and water.

That not one of His bones was broken was no accident. Christ is God's Passover Lamb, and the Passover lamb was to be eaten without breaking a bone. As Moses struck the rock in the wilderness and life-giving water flowed out, so from the side of the greater Rock flows a fountain of blood and water for the cleansing of the nations.

That evening Joseph of Arimathea took courage, went to Pilate, and asked for the body. With Nicodemus — who brought seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes — he wrapped the body in linen and laid it in a new tomb cut in the rock, rolling a great stone over the entrance. The women watched where He was laid and went to prepare spices, resting on the Sabbath. Fearing His prophecy of rising, the priests sealed the tomb and set a guard.

For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”

John 19:36

He Is Risen

It was impossible for Christ's body to see corruption and impossible for the grave to hold Him. The power of death is sin, and there was no sin in Him for death to grip. Death examined Him from head to toe and found no blemish, no claim to make upon the Righteous One — and so it had no choice but to let go.

As the Sabbath ended and the sun's first rays broke, our Lord took up His life again with great power. The earth shook, an angel in radiant white descended, rolled away the stone, and sat upon it, while the Roman guards shook and fell down like dead men. Up from the grave He arose, a Victor from the dark domain.

Though Satan had bruised His heel at the cross, Christ crushed the Serpent's head by His resurrection. He conquered death not for Himself only but for all who are His, delivering those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Now He holds the keys of Death and Hades.

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Romans 6:9

The Empty Tomb

Before daybreak the women came with spices, wondering who would roll away the stone. But they found it already rolled away and the tomb empty. Not remembering His promise to rise, they ran to tell the disciples. Mary Magdalene cried out to Peter and John, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

Peter and John sprang up and ran to the tomb. John, arriving first, stooped and looked in; Peter went in and saw the linen cloths lying there and the face cloth folded up by itself. As yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead, and they returned home amazed and confused.

Meanwhile the Roman guards reported to Annas and Caiaphas, who quickly convened the council and bribed the soldiers with a large sum to spread a lie: that the disciples had stolen the body while they slept. So even the guardians of the tomb became witnesses that it was empty — while its keepers tried to bury the truth.

The Risen Christ Appears

Mary Magdalene lingered at the tomb, weeping, and saw two angels where the body had lain. Then the risen Lord Himself appeared, though she did not recognize Him until He spoke her name. Turning, she cried, “Rabboni!” — Teacher — and the other women took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. They ran to tell the disciples, but their words seemed an idle tale, and they were not believed.

That same day Christ appeared to Peter, and to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who knew Him only when He broke the bread at supper. That evening He stood among the gathered disciples in the locked upper room, showed them His hands and feet, and ate a piece of broiled fish to prove He was no ghost — then opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Thomas was absent and refused to believe until he could see and touch the wounds. A week later Christ appeared again and invited him to do so. Ashamed, Thomas cried out in faith, “My Lord and my God!” The Lord received his worship and blessed all who would believe without seeing.

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

John 20:16

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:28–29

For Reflection

Down, down, down Jesus Christ went to the depths — and reemerged with victory in His hands. He returned from the grave triumphant. As death came through one man to all men, life has come by one Man to all who believe in Him. His conquest was not for Himself only but for all who are united to Him by faith.