THE RESURRECTION: a historical event
The Resurrection is the crowning truth of the Christian faith. It is a truth documented by the New Testament, and was a matter of supreme importance in the faith and life of the first Christian Communities.
The oldest written testimony to Christ’s resurrection is in the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. Paul writes "I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day, and that He appeared to Chefas (Peter), then to the twelve. Then He appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive. Then He appeared to James, and then to all the Apostles. Last of all, He appeared also to me."(1Cor.15, 3-8)
The faith of the first community of believers was based on the testimony of specific individuals, known to the community, and most of them living in their midst. The shock occasioned by Christ’s Passion and death was so great that the Disciples did not initially believe the news of His Resurrection. The proof of that is found in each Gospel. Their faith in the Resurrection comes from the direct experience of the risen Christ. When the risen Christ stood in their midst, they supposed that they saw a spirit. Jesus Himself had to overcome their doubts and fear and convince them that "it was really He.”Touch me and see, for a spirit has no flesh and bones as you see that I have. Since they were still incredulous, Jesus asked them to give him something to eat and “He ate it in front of them.”(Lk.24, 36...)
"For forty days after his death He showed Himself to the Apostles many times, in ways that proved beyond doubt that He was alive; He was seen by them, and talked to them about the kingdom of God."(Acts, 1, 3) The Apostles and disciples' faith in the Resurrection comes from the direct experience of the reality of the risen Christ.
Fr. Cipriano Bontacchio