The Cross and the Empty Tomb: Scripture That Shapes Us
- judith abraham
- Aug 19
- 2 min read
At the very heart of Christianity stand two events: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul calls this the very core of the gospel: “Christ died for our sins… he was buried… he was raised on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
The Gospels retell the story of His arrest, trial, torture, and crucifixion at the hands of the Romans. None of them show us the very moment of resurrection—but they do give us the signs: the empty tomb, the angelic witness, and the risen Jesus appearing to His disciples.
The Power of the Cross and Resurrection
Paul, in his Letter to the Romans, explains what these events mean:
Jesus’s death is the atonement for sin.
His resurrection is the promise of new life.For Paul, the cross is not a defeat, but the turning point of salvation history.
How Christians Have Lived This Story
Across history, believers have “scripturalized” these stories in powerful ways:
Martyrs in the early church saw themselves as sharing in Christ’s suffering, believing their deaths were united with His.
Worship and teaching through the centuries have retold the cross and resurrection as the heart of Christian identity.
Tragically, anti-Jewish interpretations also arose, when some wrongly shifted the blame for Jesus’s death from Rome to the Jewish people. These misreadings fueled prejudice and persecution, a reminder of how scripture can be distorted.
The Big Questions for Us
Whenever we read scripture, it is not just about what it says—it is about what it does.
What work does it do in our hearts and communities?
For whom is this good news?
What effects does our interpretation have in the world?
The cross and the empty tomb remain central not only as historical claims, but as living realities. They ask us: Will we use this story to inspire love, courage, and unity—or to divide and condemn?
✝️ At the center of our faith is this: Jesus died and rose again. In Him we find forgiveness, new life, and hope for the world.
-Author Judith Abraham
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