New evidence has come to light recently that confirms that there were people believing in the resurrection of Jesus within two or three decades of his death.  This is much too soon for it to have become a legend, but instead must have been based on empirical evidence such as personal witness or from someone who was a personal witness. 

A group of scientists discovered and explored a first century Jewish tomb in East Talpiot, Jerusalem with a robotic arm and highly sensitive specialized camera with light. The preliminary report of the robotic camera exploration of the sealed 1st  century tomb was written up by James D. Tabor, of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  What they found is conclusive evidence that people of the late 1st century believed in the resurrection of Jesus. They found Greek inscriptions on the tombs that refer to “raising up” and drawing of a fish with a stick figure coming from the fish in an obvious reference to Jonah and the whale which was used by Jesus himself to describe his resurrection from the dead.

Quoting from the report, “In both the case of the Greek inscription and the Jonah image context is everything.  Both are unprecedented in a Jewish tomb of this period.  We are dealing here with a family that is bold enough to write out the holy name of God in a tomb, with a declaration about “raising up” or resurrection – something totally unparalleled in any of the 900 tombs from the period known in Jerusalem.  And further, this is a family that is willing to put an image of a fish and a human, both eschewed by pious Jews as “graven images”, on the most prominent ossuary in this wealthy tomb.”

“We are convinced that the best explanation for these unusual epigraphic features in the Talpiot “patio” tomb is its proximity to the Jesus family tomb less than 45 meters away.  What we apparently have is a family connected to the Jesus movement who reaches beyond the standard burial norms of the Jewish culture of the period to express itself individually in these unique ways.”

This is truly a remarkable development.  Not only are the markings in direct opposition to normal Jewish custom, but these people were committed enough to place these markings in their family tomb to declare their Christian allegiance.

Now this alone is incredibly strong evidence that early Christians had belief in the resurrection of Jesus.  That it was not a legend that developed over time and was written down in later copies of the gospels.  There was no Jewish precedent for resurrection before Jesus.  The Jewish belief in resurrection and a Messiah was to come at the end times.  In Reasonable Faith, Dr. William Lane Craig states; “For a Jew, the resurrection always occurred after the end of history.  He had no conception of a resurrection within history.”  So for 1st century Jewish family to engrave inscriptions and drawings on a family tomb clearly indicating belief in resurrection within history is extraordinary and demands an explanation.  Dr. Craig continues this idea about 1st century Jewish belief; “For there existed no belief in Messiah’s prior resurrection at all.  That is why we find no instances of claims comparable to those of the disciples for Jesus”.

Ask yourself why the people buried in this 1st century Jewish tomb would engrave a clear reference to the resurrection and Jonah on several of the most prominent places in the tomb?  What are they trying to say? 

Now this evidence is not to be looked at in a vacuum.  This is just one more of many evidences and historical facts about Jesus of Nazareth and his resurrection from the dead.  There is the fact of his existence and sentencing to death by Roman crucifixion.  There is the knowledge of where Jesus was buried, the tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea, the appearances of Jesus to his disciples and over 500 other witnesses.  The development of the firm belief in the disciples of Jesus’ resurrection despite all the reasons not to come to that conclusion.  The conversion of James, Jesus’ half-brother, and Paul, both of whom were initially not accepting of Jesus’ resurrection and who later changed their minds to the point of persecution and death.  Finally, the development of the early Christian church in the face of enormous persecution.  The only plausible and reasonable explanation of all the evidence is that God raised Jesus from the dead.

The question everyone should ask themselves is so what?  What should I do about that?  Should I do anything about it?  I can’t answer those questions for you, but I do know what my answer has been.  The evidence is so compelling, so overwhelming, so defining, that I believe Jesus is who he said he was and is indeed the revelation of God sent to earth to atone for our sins and provide us the opportunity to receive the grace of God and righteousness in God’s eyes through accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.