Crucifixion, Resurrection

Order of Christian Initiation for Adults 2026-2027

Class #12 Outline

Resurrection and Ascension

The Resurrection

• Completes the paschal mystery, the Passover into the next stage of life.
• A historical and transcendent event:
  • The Empty Tomb
    • CCC 640 In itself it is not a direct proof of Resurrection; the absence of Christ's body from the tomb could be explained otherwise. Nonetheless the empty tomb was still an essential sign for all. Its discovery by the disciples was the first step toward recognizing the very fact of the Resurrection. This was the case, first with the holy women, and then with Peter. The disciple "whom Jesus loved" affirmed that when he entered the empty tomb and discovered "the linen cloths lying there", "he saw and believed".
  • The Appearances
    • First appeared to Mary Magdalene and the holy women, then Peter, then the twelve.
    • The faith of the first community of believers is based on the witness of concrete men known to the Christians and for the most part still living among them.
      • Served as the foundation of their entire missionary work of spreading the gospel to the point of dying for the faith.
  • Christ’s Glorified Humanity
    • The wounds were still visible, and the apostles could see and touch them.
    • Jesus shared a meal, and was able to pass through walls/doors, being present to his disciples when he wills.
    • It participates/exists in the physical order but is not limited by space and time. He is risen and his body is glorified>not merely resuscitated or resurrected like Lazarus.
  • The Ascension
    • Completes the Incarnation> only the one who came from the Father can return to the Father. “No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
    • Christ’s ascension gives us access to the “Father’s house”, to Heaven.
    • Anticipated when Jesus is lifted up on the Cross.
    • Jesus is the one priest of the new and eternal Covenant, who entered heaven itself and now is seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us as the one priest.
      • Our humanity is now in Heaven.

Historical Facts and Potential Hypotheses and Catholic Response

1. It was all a fraud>apostles stole the body, invented the story. Or > Jesus didn’t die on the cross he merely lost consciousness and was later resuscitated.

• Distorts the fact of the martyrdom of the apostles/disciples. Why be martyred for a lie?
• Explains the empty tomb but distorts the fact of the professional expertise of the Roman soldiers, who must have made sure Jesus died before reporting to Pilate of his death
• Also distorts the disciples’ claim of resurrection, not resuscitation.

1. Hypothesis of evolution>a myth which evolved

• Not consistent with other myth stories>no followers of myth characters claimed bodily resurrection as Christians did.
• The claim is made by contemporaries of Jesus, not people far removed from the historical event>it comes immediately after the death of Jesus.

1. Hypothesis of psychogenic experiences

• The appearances of Jesus were subjective visions, subject-induced visions>the disciples imagine that they were seeing him. 
• Fails to account for the fact of the empty tomb.
• St. Paul also believed he was righteous before the law prior to his encounter with Jesus, so his vision of Jesus was unlikely caused from guilt for persecuting Christians.