Faith | ‘He is not here. He has risen’ is an Easter truth not a myth
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- Author reports a Garden Tomb encounter that affirms Christ’s resurrection claim.
- Argument asserts the resurrection as central fact, not metaphor or moral lesson.
- Author urges bold proclamation and Christian hope grounded in bodily rising.
What can I say about the fragrant air of an early morning in Jerusalem — except that it’s a one-of-a-kind experience. The air of a new day carries a layered, almost sacred stillness before the city fully wakes.
The resinous, woody aroma of Jerusalem pines bursts forth as sun-warmed air touches their needles. This mixes with the faint, earthy but-ever-present smell of ancient limestone. There is also a sharpness of wild oregano and rosemary, growing everywhere on the hillsides. And then the fragrance I really treasure: the aroma of baking bread and fresh-roasted coffee threading its way through the city.
All of my senses were in overload as I walked through the Damascus Gate along the stone path leading to the Garden Tomb.
Early commuters moved through the commotion of busy traffic and honking horns. The mixture of ancient and modern pulled at my soul as I moved toward a rocky, ominous outcrop known as Skull Hill, overlooking a bus lot. Many believe this rock-hewn tomb along the ridge of Mount Moriah, with its garden setting, aligns closely with the Gospel descriptions of Jesus’ burial and resurrection.
A short line had formed in front of the massive wooden gates, standing closed, guarding the quiet enclosure. Ahead of me waited two German women, their faces full of silent expectation. After a patient wait, one grew restless and rapped firmly on the old wood, hoping perhaps a caretaker would hear and open the gates sooner.
A friend once told me, “You don’t need to speak out everything you think!”
But in that precise moment, the words rose unbidden from deep within me. I spoke gently but with clear conviction in English: “He is not here. He has risen!”
The women turned, surprise flashing briefly across their features before melting into warm, knowing smiles. No translation was needed; the declaration transcended barriers of language, culture, and time. In that brief, sacred exchange, the explosive truth of Easter resonated afresh — not as a faded legend or abstract doctrine, but as vibrant, living reality pulsing through the present.
Matthew 28:1-10 paints the scene with vivid drama: The women approaching the tomb at dawn, the violent earthquake, an angel descending in dazzling light to roll away the immense stone, and the announcement, thundering yet compassionate: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”
Fear and overwhelming joy intertwined as they ran to tell the disciples—only to meet the risen Jesus himself on the path.
He greeted them with heaven’s words that changed everything for humankind: “Greetings ... Do not be afraid.”
Efforts to make the gospel and the truth of the resurrection more “user-friendly” sometimes, inadvertently, dilute its edge. The intent — reaching the unchurched — is understandable, yet it raises questions about whether softening language risks obscuring the very miracle at Christianity’s center.
When the resurrection is minimized, rationalized as mere metaphor, or dismissed through human reason, Jesus at best is reduced to an admirable moral teacher or ethical philosopher.
The apostle Paul stakes the absolute claim of the Christian faith on this event in 1 Corinthians 15: without the resurrection, preaching is vain, faith futile, sins remain unforgiven, believers who die are lost, and Christians become the most pitiable people — clinging desperately to a hoax.
But Christ has risen — discarding grave linens, appearing alive to over 500 witnesses, conquering death once and for all. Hope truly does transcend the grave; earthly blessings become previews of eternal glory. We can worship boldly, endure trials with assurance, and face every uncertainty knowing death’s sting is removed.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is neither myth nor optional metaphor; it is the flashpoint and hinge of history, the anchor of hope, the defeat of death and the beating heart of reality itself.
Run with joy, live with boldness, and proclaim it to the world: He is risen indeed!
Rev. Micah Smith is president and founder of Global Gateway Network (globalgatewaynetwork.org). Questions and comments should be directed to editor Lucy Luginbill in care of the Tri-City Herald newsroom. Email lluginbill@tricityherald.com.