Was Jesus' Body Stolen?

If Jesus did not rise from the dead and His body was indeed stolen by His disciples, then something drastic must have happened between His arrest and that Sunday morning. At the time of His arrest, the disciples were terrified and fled in fear. For days, they remained in hiding, locking their doors in fear of the Jewish authorities.

How likely is it, then, that these frightened disciples would suddenly find the courage to approach a heavily-guarded tomb, overcome well-trained and armed soldiers, and steal Jesus' body? The Roman guards knew that allowing the body to be taken would likely cost them their own lives.

If the disciples had indeed fabricated the story of Jesus’ resurrection, would they have then risked their lives to spread this message? Not only did they proclaim this belief that Jesus rose from the dead, but they also encouraged others to embrace it and transform their lives accordingly. In the end, 11 of the 12 disciples were martyred for preaching the resurrection.

Would they have been willing to endure persecution, suffering, and even death for a lie they invented themselves?

Would a fabricated resurrection inspire the disciples to boldly call people to repentance? Or is it far more plausible that these once-fearful followers became fearless heroes after encountering the risen Jesus? Their fear was replaced with an unshakable conviction that the world needed to hear the message that death had been defeated.

It was precisely because Jesus lives that they found the courage to face hostility and suffering while preaching this message.

On the day of Pentecost, the disciples stood in the bustling city of Jerusalem, proclaiming that their friend was alive. This was the very city where Jesus had been arrested and crucified not long before—yet it became the birthplace of the Christian church. Why would they risk everything for a lie?

Later, when questioned by Jewish leaders after healing a paralyzed man, the disciples answered:

“Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you healed … Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help but speak about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:10, 19-20)

The only reasonable explanation for the disciples’ transformation and unwavering courage is their absolute certainty that the empty tomb meant Jesus was alive. While this does not in itself prove the resurrection, it does cast serious doubt on the idea that the disciples stole Jesus’ body. If the tomb was empty on Easter morning, the most plausible explanation remains: Jesus has risen.