Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? (Acts 26:8). This was said by the apostle Paul to King Agrippa, "... because, I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: ..." (v3).
The two main factions in Jerusalem at that time were, "...the Sadducees [who] say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit:" and, "... the Pharisees [who] confess both" (Acts 23:8).
With these authorities promoting opposing doctrines, it's no wonder the disciples were confused when Christ said unto them, "... The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him" (Mar 9:31-32). However, on the third day after Jesus was crucified, on the examination of the empty tomb, one disciple followed another into the sepulchre and, "... he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead" (John 20:8-9).
Christ later showed them plainly that he had been bodily raised from the dead. "... Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:41).
In this way Christ became, "... the firstborn from the dead..." (Col. 1:18). "... that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29).
This promise of the bodily resurrection had been embraced by all of the faithful in the Old Testament. For example: many centuries ago, during his trials, Job testified, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me" (Job 19:25-27).
In Isaiah we read, "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead" (Isa. 26:19).
Abraham was given the promise that he and his descendents would inherit the land of Israel and live there forever. This promise has yet to be fulfilled. He is lying in the dust of the earth like all the other faithful of old, "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect" (Heb. 11:39-40).
Although the disciples did not understand the rising from the dead, when they saw the actuality, they believed it.
Thomas was absent on that occasion and said, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe" (John 20:25). Eight days later, when Christ was with them all, "Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing ... Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" (v.27...29).
Belief in the resurrection is not a matter of understanding the mechanism of raising a dead body to life, but of belief in God's Word that He has done it and will do it again for all those who have been faithful to His Word.
©2020 Martin Allen Cragg