Three Reasons the Easter Story is Hard to Believe

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Easter celebrations are a reminder of the story of the Christian faith. Every year, millions of people attend services and celebrations that commemorate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But, for many, the claims of Christianity are hard to believe. The post-Enlightenment era has left many with doubts and skepticism about the story told about the first Easter. These questions and doubts are valid for any thinking person. Can a rational person believe the claims of the Easter story?

Here are three of the most common reasons the Easter story is hard to believe:

1. Was Jesus an actual, living human being?

Since the original Gospel story was written over 2,000 years ago, many people have questioned whether the man Jesus really lived. Some have suggested that he was a lie generated as propaganda to incite trouble between the ancient Jews and the Romans. Others claimed that the leaders of the Jesus movement used the Jesus story as an attempt to gain followers to a religion that they made up. Is there evidence that Jesus was a real person?

There are accounts of the man called Jesus of Nazareth outside of the Bible stories. Josephus Flavius, the Jewish historian, wrote about Jesus in his first century history of the Jewish people. Additionally, the Roman historian and senator Tacitus wrote about the crucifixion of Jesus by Pontius Pilate in his historical book Annals. Pliny the Younger wrote in his letter to the Roman emperor Trajan about the Christians and their belief in Jesus as the Christ. Other accounts came from philosophers and men of stature. In total, there are over two dozen ancient accounts of Jesus outside of the Bible.

2. Was Jesus who he claimed to be?

Many people who met the historical Jesus of the first century found his claims hard to believe. Jesus claimed to be the Son of the living God. Would the Son of God be born of simple poor people in a small village of Israel? Wasn’t the promised Messiah, the Christ, supposed to come to free the Israelites from Roman oppression? If so, why didn’t Jesus have an army?

The historical Jesus of the first century lived as a commoner. He walked around preaching about God’s kingdom, healing the sick, casting out demons. He hung out with people that the religious institution shunned. He claimed that he came from God to offer forgiveness and eternal life to anyone who believed in him. Most people thought he was either a liar or a lunatic. Some people in ancient Palestine witnessed his miracles and heard his preaching. They believed him.

As Matthew, Mark, and Luke retell the story, Jesus asked them one day who the crowds of people said he was (Matthew 16, Mark 8, Luke 9). Some people thought he was the ghost of John the Baptist. Others thought he was Elijah or another prophet from Old Testament times. Many people were confused about who Jesus really was.

Jesus asked his friend, Peter, who he believed Jesus to be. Peter stated that he believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Peter’s faith came from God. Jesus preached that anyone who believed in him would be given the gift of eternal life.

3. Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

If you’ve never seen someone die, be buried for three days and walk out of the grave, it might be hard to believe outside of a Hollywood movie set. Why is it so important to Christians to believe that Jesus died and rose again? Could the historical Jesus have simply been a good man and a good teacher?

Here are a few of the many reasons that Christians believe that the resurrection of Jesus from death matters:

- Jesus said he would die and rise again. The resurrection of Jesus was proof that he was who he said he was.

- Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death. This means, when he promises to give someone eternal life, he has the power to do it.

- People can’t make themselves good enough to be in the presence of a holy God. Jesus suffered and died to pay the penalty for our wrong choices so that we could be with him in God’s presence. This is something that God planned because God wanted humans to be with him. This might be hard to grasp. But it was God’s plan from the beginning to help humanity.

- The resurrection of Jesus means that Jesus is alive today. Jesus is alive forever. When Christians talk to Jesus, they are talking to a living Lord who hears and cares.

The claims of the Easter celebration are that Jesus was a real person in human history, the Son of the living God, who died and rose to life again.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).

What Can You Do If You are Still Skeptical and Unconvinced?

What you believe matters. So, thinking people are careful what they choose to believe. How can a rational person come to believe the claims of the Easter story?

1. Ask Jesus. Jesus is a living Lord. He answers prayers. Ask Him to make Himself known to you.

2. Read the story for yourself. Religion is full of opinions, interpretations, and rhetoric. People preach what they understand about God, what they believe to be truth, or how they perceive spiritual things. You don’t have to take anyone’s word for it. Choose one of the four gospel accounts. They are the first four books of the New Testament; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Bibles are readily available online at no cost. Read one or all of them for yourself to see what the story is all about.

3. Understand that doubt is a gift. Doubt means the mind is careful but leaves room for the Easter story to be true.

Explore the claims of Easter for yourself. Read the eyewitness accounts of the Easter story and ask Jesus for help. How do you answer the question that Jesus asks of everyone, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15).

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Copyright @ TA Boland 2023