There are many historical proofs that Jesus rose from the grave. There is the testimony of the 500 that saw Jesus after He arose (I Cor. 15:6). Many of these faced persecution and death for their testimony. Yet, none recanted their story. Certainly, if the resurrection was some great conspiracy, at least one would have folded under pressure and admitted the truth.
 
A second great proof is the testimony of the guards at the tomb. It is said that the disciples snuck in at night and stole Jesus’ body. A Roman guard let a bunch of untrained fishermen and the like get away with this? A Roman guard was made up of elite soldiers. They could hold off a force many times their size. For one of the disciples to overpower a single sentry would be like me, a preacher, overcoming a Navy Seal. What do you think my chances would be?

Some would say the disciples would not have to overcome the guard, because the soldiers were all asleep. However, the penalty for falling asleep while on guard duty was death. The captain of the guard would sometimes set on fire a napping soldier. Talk about a rude awakening. Therefore, the “they stole the body” argument is pretty ridiculous in light of the facts.

The argument for the resurrection that most impresses scholars is the very existence of the early church. There were throngs of people who wanted to make Jesus their king at Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Where all these people were at the cross? Why didn’t they rise up in support of Jesus? The answer is really quite simple. The cross was the place for failed messiahs. The Jews thought if a would be messiah got himself crucified, it was proof he was not of God. The folks who hailed Jesus as King on Palm Sunday were probably saying a collective “Oops!” when Jesus was taken into captivity.
 
Even Peter had trouble with a Messiah/ King dying at the hands of the pagans. He was highly offended by the thought of Jesus dying. In Matthew chapter 16, after Jesus foretold his death, Peter “…took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”  If the cross was for failed messiahs, how do we explain the existence of the early church? There is only one explanation. The resurrection.