The Proclaimer

Overcoming Death

The fear of death is not foreign to any of us.  We all know the certainty of death’s appointment.  Everyone born into this life will pass from it.  Jesus was no exception, for He had a real human body and experienced physical life as a man.  He knew what it was to eat, drink and sleep.  He even knew real pain, experienced real suffering and died a real death. 

Because of the prophecies and predictions of His resurrection from the dead the Roman officials checked very carefully to be sure that Jesus had died.  When they came to hasten the death of Calvary’s victims they did not break the legs of Jesus for they saw that he was already dead (see John 19:33).  Even Pilate marveled that Jesus was already dead when Nicodemus and Joseph claimed the body of Jesus (Mark 15:44).  The official position of the Roman government was that Jesus had actually died.

The evidence of the gospel writers indicates that Jesus actually died.  He didn’t “swoon” only to be revived in the tomb later, nor was there any mistake made; He tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9).  He walked “through the valley of the shadow of death,” and emerged from the other side victorious having been raised on the third day.  It is because of His victory over death that we do not have to fear death but are able to find comfort in Him. 

“Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is thy victory?  O death, where is thy sting?  The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:54-56; Is. 25:8; Hos. 13:14).          

                                                                                   -- Clark Dugger

The Proclaimer