They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Devotion based on Luke 24:2,3

The women came to anoint the dead body of Jesus on Sunday morning. Instead, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Confusion clouded their minds. Their first thoughts were that someone had taken Jesus’ body.

If Jesus’ body had been stolen, who would have taken it? The Roman authorities had no reason to remove it; they wanted to keep order and suppress any claims that Jesus had risen. The Jewish leaders certainly would not have taken it; they had asked for a guard to ensure the body stayed in the tomb. And the disciples? They were hiding in fear, devastated by their master’s crucifixion.

An empty tomb alone does not prove a resurrection, but it’s a good start. Add to the empty tomb the undeniable fact that Jesus’ body was never found, the eyewitness testimonies of his disciples, and the radical transformation of those who saw him alive.

The resurrection was confirmed by multiple eyewitnesses. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, Peter, the disciples, and more than five hundred at one time. These were not hallucinations. Hallucinations are individual experiences, yet Jesus appeared to groups of people, spoke with them, ate with them, and invited the disciple Thomas to touch his wounds.

Skeptics suggest alternative explanations, but none hold up under scrutiny. If the disciples had fabricated the resurrection, why would they suffer and die for it? If Jesus had merely swooned on the cross, how could a severely wounded man roll away a massive stone and escape unnoticed?

The simplest, most reasonable explanation is the one the Bible gives: Jesus truly rose from the dead. His resurrection is not just an ancient claim—it is the foundation of the Christian faith and the promise of resurrection to all who believe in Jesus. Because the tomb is empty, we know that death is not the end. Because he lives, everyone who trusts in Jesus as their Savior will also live.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.