Did Easter Happen? (Part 1)

READ: MATTHEW 20:17-19, 28; 27:27-54; JOHN 19:16-37

One of the questions people often ask about Jesus is, “Did He really die? Or did He just pass out and revive later on? Did He fake it so He could get everyone’s attention…and then pretend to rise from the dead?” All good questions. What evidence is there for Jesus’s death? Let’s take a look at what the Bible says.

First, Jesus went through extreme physical torture. When Pilate ordered that Jesus be flogged, that meant using a whip with bits of bone and metal braided into the thongs that would rip the flesh and expose the bone. The Roman soldiers also beat Him and struck Him on the head with a stick over and over again. By the time they led Him out of town to be crucified, Jesus was so weak He couldn’t even carry His cross. After being beaten by the soldiers, walking to Golgotha, and being nailed to the cross, Jesus hung on the cross for hours in that state. He would’ve lost a severe amount of blood, causing His body to go into shock.

Second, the Roman soldiers didn’t need to break Jesus’s legs. They were experts in killing people, and if a person being crucified didn’t die fast enough, they broke that person’s legs to accelerate death. When the soldiers came to Jesus, they would’ve broken His legs if there was even the remotest chance of Him being alive. Instead, just to make sure He was dead, they stuck a spear in His side. Remember, to them Jesus was just another criminal, and they took killing criminals seriously. Jesus’s disciple John was watching, and he records that blood and water came out of the wound, meaning the fluid that surrounded Jesus’s heart and lungs flowed out.

Medically speaking, Jesus couldn’t have survived the ordeal. Even though He was God, He was also human and able to die. In fact, He came specifically to die. What’s most awe-inspiring is that Jesus knew what He was in for, and He still went through it—because He loves us. He died for us so we could be saved from our sins and live forever with God. • Morgan A. Mitchell

• Why is it important to know that Jesus really did die on the cross? What questions do you have about His death and resurrection? Who are trusted Christians who could help you look into these things?

• Jesus’s death holds special significance for Christians because we know that He endured the horrors of crucifixion for us. The cross reveals His deep love for us, and the lengths He went to to save us. Consider taking some time to picture Jesus dying on the cross for you, and thank Him.

“…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 (NIV)