THE EMPTY TOMB

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. —

1 Corinthians 15:20

Tremendous theme, thrilling our hearts! Glorious proclamation, strengthening our souls! Triumph! Victory! Empty tomb! Good news! Our Lord's resurrection refreshes our spirits with renewed courage!

The phrase, “has been raised” comes from egegertai, the perfect tense of egeirō, “to raise up, to cause to appear.” The significance of the verb structure here sets forth the indisputable fact of Christ's resurrection from anastasis, “a rising up, a rising from the dead,” emphasizing the bodily, literal aspect of our Lord's resurrection. It was not the rising up of a ghost, phantom, or spirit but the coming forth of a person—wonderful, blessed, holy, righteous, living—our dear Savior.

Need we remind ourselves that the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is a foundational tenet of the Christian Faith in these troubled times? The divine triumph wrought in Christ's coming forth from the dead honors His matchless name, demonstrates supernatural power, vindicates God's righteous throne, strikes death a devastating blow, kindles new hope in our hearts, causing our souls to praise the Lord for His grace, and manifests mercy and redeeming love in our salvation. Moreover, Christ's resurrection puts His foes to flight and assures us victory over the Enemy in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Christ's resurrection is not a hidden secret to be sought, not a myth needing a shameful apology, but a fact of faith, demanding and worthy of the fullest acceptance—a fact clothed in miraculous might, supernatural glory, and blessed power. All the apostasy of the modernist, all the atheist's unbelief, all the infidel's disregard for the Word of God, and all the agnostic's ignorance cannot mitigate against the fact of Christ's resurrection any more than one could sink an ocean liner with a water pistol.