On Good Friday morning a self-described agnostic was discussing his book regarding the existence of God on a morning cable news program. While I admittedly missed much of the discussion, I passed by the TV at the point he questioned the significance of Christ’s resurrection in light of the fact that the Bible says that ‘many holy people who had died were raised to life’. In other words, if these other people came back to life, what made Jesus’ resurrection so much greater?
I confess that hearing his argument made me stop and think. Indeed, there are several accounts in both the Old and New Testaments of the dead coming back to life. Among them, both Elijah and Elisha raised the sons of widows back from the dead. Of course, we know about Lazarus, but there is also the daughter of Jairus coming back to life at the command of Christ.
The thing is, all of these people died again. I’m confident the young men Elijah and Elisha brought back to life grew up, mostly likely married, became fathers and even grandfathers; but at some point they were once again “gathered to their people” in the sleep of death. Jairus’ daughter likewise probably grew up to marriage and motherhood – and I would think likely become one of those who were to be called Christians. Lazarus too enjoyed a few more years of life as a witness to the birth of the church. We don’t know much about those holy people raised to life on the day Jesus died, but we do know one important thing – they were not God.
What that agnostic author fails to take into account, in his questioning of the importance of Christ’s resurrection, is the difference between all of those who were raised from the dead and the One who rose from the grave that first Easter morning. The difference is the most crucial truth in all of human history. In Colossians 1, Paul explains the difference this way:
"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy."
I add my voice to the “great cloud of witnesses” who before me understood why Christ’s resurrection reigns above all others:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
(The Apostles Creed, as written in the Common Book of Prayer)
