The resurrection of Jesus Christ
The resurrection of Jesus should be considered one of the signs of the gospel. The resurrection of Jesus was a major sign of the gospel because it proved the teachings of the gospel to be true1. Jesus had informed his disciples that his spending of three days in the grave would be a sign to those who believed in him and this shows that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a sign of the gospel. Jesus resurrection is a sign which portends remarkable events to come soon2. It is also a sign in which God authenticates the men the man he had send on earth. The other reason why the resurrection of Jesus Christ should be considered one of the signs of the gospel is because it is a supernatural event. This event was supernatural because it could not be explained by nature.
Moreover, the resurrection of Jesus Christ should be considered one of the signs of the gospel because without this resurrection, the preaching of the gospel would be in vain3. In this connection, the resurrection of Jesus Christ adds power to the gospel because it enables people to believe that there is resurrection of the dead. In addition, Jesus Christ’s Resurrection is also a proof of the gospel. The gospel explains that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and this proves the claims made in the gospel to be valid. Without this resurrection, it would be hard for people to believe in the teachings of the gospel. Moreover, the resurrection of Jesus Christ should be considered one of the signs of the gospel because it offers an historical evidence of the future resurrection as taught in the gospel4.
The other reason why the resurrection of Jesus Christ should be considered one of the signs of the gospel is because it made people to believe in their own resurrection and that Jesus is in power as taught by the gospel. This gives people the hope that they will dwell with Christ in the final days during the fulfillment of the promises of the gospel. According to5, Jesus is the resurrection and life. This shows that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the signs of the gospel because it Jesus is the principle of the physical resurrection taught in the gospel. Jesus used the sayings “I AM” to inform the people who were committed to him that they would resurrect from the dead to prove the validity of the gospel. Moreover, life is the most exalted sense of the gospel and therefore the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a sign of the gospel. This is because, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a manifestation of life. It enabled people to believe in the gospel and the life after death.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ should also be considered as one of the signs of the gospel because it provides hope to the believers. Through this resurrection, the followers of the gospel have the hope of a future life through resurrection. Rising from the dead is not a routine activity that could be performed in an uninvolved way,6 Towns, pp 18. It involved divine powers which were taught in the gospel. In this connection, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the signs of the gospel because it proves the divine powers taught by the gospel.
Bibliography
Barclay, W. The Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of John, vol. 1. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1956, pp 19-23
Erdman, C. R. The Gospel of John. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1922, pp 34.
Morris, L. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970, pp 117-118.
Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series. Nashville: AMG, 2002, pp 105-114
