We are almost done with our study of Getting To Know Jesus. I began posting a series of lessons a few weeks ago. Click HERE to review my previous posts. If you would like to download my workbook click the link below.

Getting To Know Jesus

Todays post focuses on the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus. If you have any questions please let me know.

Hopefully so far you have learned a great deal about Jesus. This is the aim of this study. In this lesson, we will look at the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus spoke a lot about His death, burial, and resurrection. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is what the apostles preached. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, Paul said, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

I. The Death of Jesus

Jesus spoke about the fact that He would one day die.

  1. The Bible says in Matthew 16:21, “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer man things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
  2. In John 3:16-17, Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” We can see why Jesus would have to die. So that he could save the world from sin.
  3. In John 1:29, when a prophet named John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus came to take away the sin of the world.
  4. In Matthew 1:21, it says, “She will bear a Son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus would die a horrific death.

  1. All four of the gospels speak about his death. Read Matthew chapter 27 and consider what you learn about what Jesus endured
  1. Jesus died on the cross. Some allege that He didn’t die but was merely unconscious. But all four gospels make it clear that He died.
    1. Matthew 27:50: “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.”
    2. Mark 15:37: “And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last.”
    3. Luke 23:46: “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.”
    4. John 19:30: “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”
  2. Jesus died. He died for me. He died for you.
  3. The death of Jesus demonstrates how much God truly loves us. We should have been the ones who were on the cross. Jesus lived a sinless life according to 1 Peter 2:22. A man who is described as a centurion who saw Jesus die described Jesus as being an innocent man, Luke 23:47. Indeed he was. We have sinned, Romans 3:23. But Jesus would pay the price for our sins. God is love, 1 John 4:8. He was the only one who could truly pay the price.
  4. Is this your first time actually reading about the death of Jesus? If so, has it caused you to think any differently about Jesus?
  5. Even if this isn’t your first-time learning about the death of Jesus, it should still have an impact on you. What kind of impact has it had on you?

II. The Burial of Jesus

After the death of Jesus, we see that He was buried. He died on a Friday the day before the Sabbath.

  1. Matthew 27:57-62: “When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave. Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate.”
  2. Mark 15:40-47: Write out any additional details you see from this account.
  3. Luke 23:50-56: Write out any additional details you see from this account.
  4. John 19:38-42: Write out any additional details you see from this account.

Jesus was not in the grave for a literal 72 hours. He was in the grave for 3 days, however.

  1. There’s no contradiction here. The Jews counted a part of a day as a day. So if Jesus died on a Friday, was laid in the tomb, was in the tomb all day Saturday, and then rose from the grave early on the first day of the week, that is three days.
  2. This is what we see concerning His burial.
    1. John 2:19, 21 “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” But he was speaking of the temple of his body.
    2. Mark 8:31: “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”
    3. Matthew 27:62-63: “Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day…”

III. The Resurrection of Jesus

Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week.

  1. All four gospels give us the resurrection story. Take a few minutes and read each of them, Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-10; John 20:1-8.
  2. The resurrection of Jesus was a miracle. The tomb where He laid is now empty. The enemies of Jesus could not refute that the tomb was empty, Matthew 28:11-15. The enemies of Jesus made up a lie about what happened. Why do you think the apostle Matthew would include this in his gospel?
  3. People saw Jesus alive after His death and burial. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-6.
    1. Who did Paul say Jesus appeared to?
    2. Why is it significant that Paul said some of those who Jesus appeared to were still alive?

4. Jesus spent a significant amount of time with His apostles, Acts 1:1-3. The gospels give some of these interactions. Read John 20:28-31. What can we learn from this passage about Jesus and His resurrection?

  1. Jesus spoke and ate with His apostles, John 21:1-14. What can we learn from these verses about the resurrection of Jesus?

The resurrection of Jesus really happened.

  1. The resurrection was the foundation of the teaching of the apostles in the first century. When the church that Jesus promised to build began, the apostle Peter spoke about the life of Jesus. He spoke about His miracles, death, burial, and resurrection, Acts 2:21-37. You find this theme throughout the book of Acts.
  2. Read Romans 1:4. What can we learn about the significance of the resurrection?
  3. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:12-13. What can we learn about the significance of the resurrection?
  4. Read 1 Peter 1:3-5. What can we learn about the significance of the resurrection?
  5. Read Romans 6:1-7. Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected from the grave. What is it that the Christians in the first century had also done?
  6. Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Thankfully, Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week. But if Jesus had not been raised what would be the ramifications?
  7. Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? YES/NO
  8. Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week? YES/NO