7 of 252

Write now Article Tools

"He is not here; he is risen." (Mathew 28:6)

These simple words resolved for their recipients issues that have characterized millennia of human searching. They were likely flooded with emotion as they had confirmed once and for all the answers to questions everyone has: Is there something else? Somewhere else? Someone else? Does the body just rot away in the grave forever?

The Christian who believes this account of the New Testament needs to be fairly faithful these days. Efforts by media and academic organizations abound to undermine their faith. I often wonder why that would be. There aren't a whole lot of efforts at debunking Druidism, and wouldn't a religion like that be equally false in the minds of free-thinking atheist academics?

But as it often happens, criticism made in ignorance ends up being anything but. Many of these pseudoscholars often take pot shots at Christ and The Gospel from a vantage point of the nonbeliever. As John McCain recently said about criticism from Hugo Chavez, "I consider it a compliment." (One of the few funny things Johny Mac has said, so it bears repeating.)

Notably one of the criticisms I heard on one of the recent History Channel documentaries (they always run a bunch of them this time of year - 'Happy Easter, you're deluded!') was that Christ obviously didn't know what he was doing because he picked such incompetents, frauds and traitors as his disciples. Like he would have benefited from some type of middle-management training: "7 Habits for the Twelve."

But this type of comment reveals that those who would debunk our beliefs have no idea what Christianity is about. Traitors, charlatans and fools are EXACTLY who Christ would likely have picked to show that he actually believed in the power of his own message of redemption.
I feel that this example is a message of hope for all of us.

"He is not here; he is risen" and the surrounding circumstances has one more crucial detail that even pundits admit they can't explain very well. All of the wavering, denying, and deceiving very interestingly came to a screeching halt - about three days after the Crucifixion. It seems very much like these very flawed men encountered SOMETHING that caused them to be able to put aside their weaknesses and hasten to their own agonizing martyrdoms after the example of their Lord.

This is the hallmark I think of what I am hoping to do with my life. It is why this scripture is meaningful to me as a Christian. At some point I hope that I can put aside my foolishness and wavering and become a better disciple of Christ. I hope that I can also expose myself to the knowledge and experiences that would make me more and more willing to do it, as did the witnesses to this most famously empty tomb.

Learn more about this author, Carol H. Morgan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Your favorite verse in the Bible, and what it means to you?
We want to hear your view. Write now!