Minimal facts
Death, empty tomb, appearances, and transformed lives — the resurrection fits the cluster.
On a napkin
- 1Jesus died by crucifixion. History, medicine, and archaeology converge. The swoon theory does not survive a Roman execution plus a spear that produced pleural effusion.
- 2The tomb was found empty. Alternative stories (wrong tomb, stolen body) fail under scrutiny.
- 3Individuals and groups — including James and Paul — claimed to see Him alive.
- 4Cowards became proclaimers willing to suffer. Hallucination and conspiracy do not carry that load.
Say this
You do not have to grant the whole Bible to grant these facts. Most critics already do. The question is which story makes sense of all of them at once.
“If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”