The Weird Things That Happened at the Resurrection of Jesus
- Tara Clark
- Mar 16
- 8 min read
Remember the old science fair project - a paper mache volcano that erupted, thanks to the chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar? My newer favorite is dumping Mentos candies into a two liter of Diet Coke. If you use a 1/2-inch diameter PVC pipe inserted into the opening of the Diet Coke bottle, you can dump in a whole package of Mentos and get a gusher that reaches pretty high!
I only bring this up because I am attracted by power - explosions, Monster trucks, you name it.
This made me think about the power of the resurrection. This is a leap, I know, but bear with me.
When you think about the resurrection, do you imagine that it happened quietly (after all, Roman guards were there, right?) or do you imagine bright lights and trumpets?
Hold on tight, because when we look at what scripture says about the death and resurrection of Jesus, we will see that some weird (a better phrase is "humanly impossible") things occurred. When we stop and consider these events and what they mean, we can't help but see that the power of the resurrection is a gamechanger for us.
Let's start with an event that happened the night Jesus was arrested. Jesus had eaten the Passover meal with his disciples, and he led them to a garden. Jesus was praying, as he knew the hour had come for his sacrificial death on the cross.
John 18:1-6, NLT
"After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. [2] Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. [3] The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove."
"[4] Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. "Who are you looking for?" he asked. [5] "Jesus the Nazarene," they replied. "I AM he," Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) [6] As Jesus said "I AM he," they all drew back and fell to the ground!"
Go back and read verses four, five and six.
When Jesus uttered the words "I AM he," the contingency of highly disciplined and fierce Roman soldiers and the Temple guards FELL TO THE GROUND!
They could not stand in the presence of the declaration of Jesus and his identity as the GREAT I AM.
Jesus did not call down hosts of angelic armies. Jesus did not command the contingency to be slain. Jesus merely breathed out his identity and the strong enemies fell.
This is power.
This is game-changing, life-altering, life-giving power.
This is also proof that Jesus was not "captured" or "tricked" or "caught off guard." If the soldiers couldn't stand in his presence after he identified himself as the one they were looking for, they sure couldn't take Jesus against his will.
The point is - Jesus willingly went with them and allowed himself to be put on a cross, paying the full debt of our sins, purchasing us back for God, and restoring us into relationship with God. He made the decision to fit us for heaven, as the children's song says, through his death.
His death = our victory.
So, this is one weird thing that happened. Let's look at three others.
Matthew 27:45-54, NLT
"At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. [46] At about three o'clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"
"[47] Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. [48] One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. [49] But the rest said, "Wait! Let's see whether Elijah comes to save him."
"[50] Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. [51] At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, [52] and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. [53] They left the cemetery after Jesus' resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. [54] The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, "This man truly was the Son of God!"
First, there was a three-hour darkness that began at noon and ended at 3 pm - not a typical, everyday occurrence. Interestingly, NASA claims to have proven a lunar eclipse that occurred on April 3, 33 AD. You can read about this here: How NASA May Have Just Pinpointed the Exact Day Jesus Died - April 3, 33 AD.
Second, the curtain in the temple was torn in two, starting from the top all the way to the bottom. Why do I consider this weird? First, only the high priest was allowed to enter this area and only on one day a year (Exodus 30:10, Leviticus 16). Second, the temple was between 30 to 40 cubits in height (1 Kings 6:2), which places the temple curtain to be an estimated 60 feet high. Since there were no scissor lifts in that day, one wonders how a high priest could get to the top of the 60-foot curtain to rip it in two pieces. Further, an early Jewish tradition says the temple curtain was about 4 inches in thickness. Now, this isn't Power Team stuff (1990s reference alert - the Power Team was a Christian strength team that did things like ripping four-inch-thick phone books and breaking stuff to share the gospel - the '90s was a fun decade, and I'm lucky enough to know one of the Power Team dudes), but it does raise the question of how one can get as much as 60 feet in the air and rip a four-inch-thick curtain in two from the top down when only person is allowed near the curtain.
Here is something to understand about the temple curtain. Sin makes us unfit for the presence of a Holy God. Our sin needed to be atoned for. Once Jesus died on the cross, making the last and ultimate atonement for our sin, there was no need for the curtain, which kept sinful and impure people from the Holy of Holies, the place where the presence of God resided.
Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT
"So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. [15] This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. [16] So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."
We need no mediator to stand between us and God - Christ has become our mediator. We had no use for the temple curtain, so the power of God removed it, just like he removed sin and its hold!
1 Timothy 2:5-6, NLT
"For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity-the man Christ Jesus. [6] He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time."
Third, the earth shook, opening tombs from which came risen dead people. (Remember the phrase, I see dead people? 🫨)
We are talking about power. In this case, the power of the cross. The power of the death of Jesus. The power of the Great I AM giving up his life so that we may have life.
There was nothing quiet about this. The death of Jesus Christ was a game-changing, life-altering, death-defeating event.
The same power that knocked over a contingency of Roman soldiers and temple guards, ripped a 6o foot, four-inch curtain from the top, and cracked open graves from which dead people walked out alive is the same power that is ours through Jesus Christ. It is the same power that will transform the way we think, the way we speak, and the way we act. It is the same power that breaks our hearts of stone and gives us hearts of flesh. It is the same power that releases us from death to sin, and from actual death.
Let's consider how much power there was at the resurrection.
Matthew 27:52-53, NLT
" ... and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. [53] They left the cemetery after Jesus' resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people."
Which bodies were resurrected? The bodies of many godly men and women. In other words, those who believed and who lived godly and faithful lives.
When did they come out of their tombs? Upon Jesus' death. The death of Jesus had power to defeat death!
When did they leave the cemetery and go into Jerusalem? After the resurrection of Jesus. Why after?
1 Corinthians 15:20-22, NLT
"But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. [21] So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. [22] Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life."
Three weird events, and they each speak to the power of Jesus at work in our lives today.
The Great I AM chooses us, loves us, and is present with us. The Great I AM defeats the enemy on the move against Him and against us. Remember, Satan probably thought the cross was his victory - until Sunday morning.
The torn curtain means we have direct access to God through Jesus. We don't have to go through any other human. We don't have to earn our way.
The empty tomb of Jesus and the once dead men and women seen alive in Jerusalem following the resurrection of Jesus show us that the grave is not our end.
John 11:23-26, NLT
"Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." [24] "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day." [25] Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. [26] Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?"
Lazarus was a foretaste of resurrection life.
John 12:1-2, NLT
"Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus-the man he had raised from the dead. [2] A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him."
This little dinner party is a picture of the great feast in heaven that awaits, and a picture of what resurrection life in heaven will be like with Jesus and our loved ones in Jesus.
At this time of year, this power takes on a renewed meaning for me. There are many people in heaven who I loved on earth, and whom I miss. Many celebrated their birthdays around this time of year, so I think of them in an extra sentimental kind of way.
But this power means our temporary absence from one another is just that - temporary.
This power means his death = our victory.
This power means that one day I will be with Jesus and with those whom I love, who died in Jesus.
This power also means that I'm not fighting the battles of this life alone, and without His great hope.
Did weird things happen around the death and resurrection of Jesus? Certainly. And for this I am eternally thankful.
This Resurrection season, are you in Christ Jesus?
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